EX-4.4 2 d560702dex44.htm EX-4.4 EX-4.4

Exhibit 4.4

STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS WORLDWIDE, INC.

2013 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN


Table Of Contents

 

Article 1— General Provisions

     1   

1.1

  Establishment of Plan      1   

1.2

  Purpose of Plan      1   

1.3

  Types of Awards      1   

1.4

  Effective Date      1   

1.5

  Termination of Plan      1   
Article 2—Definitions      1   
Article 3—Administration      6   

3.1

  General      6   

3.2

  Authority of the Committee      6   

3.3

  Rules for Foreign Jurisdictions      7   

3.4

  Delegation of Authority      7   

3.5

  Agreements      7   

3.6

  Indemnification      7   
Article 4 – Shares Subject to the Plan      8   

4.1

  Number of Shares      8   

4.2

  Individual Limits      9   

4.3

  Adjustment of Shares      10   
Article 5 – Stock Options      10   

5.1

  Grant of Options      10   

5.2

  Agreement      11   

5.3

  Option Price      11   

5.4

  Duration of Options      11   

5.5

  Exercise of Options      11   

5.6

  Payment      11   

5.7

  Nontransferability of Options      12   

5.8

  Special Rules for ISOs      12   
Article 6 – Stock Appreciation Rights      12   

6.1

  Grant of SARs      12   

6.2

  Agreement      13   

6.3

  Tandem SARs      13   

6.4

  Payment      13   

6.5

  SAR Price      13   

6.6

  Duration of SARs      13   

6.7

  Exercise of SARs      13   

6.8

  Nontransferability of SARs      14   
Article 7 – Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units      14   

7.1

  Grant of Restricted Stock/Unit      14   

7.2

  Restricted Stock/Unit Agreement      14   

7.3

  Nontransferability      14   

7.4

  Certificates      15   

7.5

  Dividends and Other Distributions      15   

7.6

  Short-Term Deferral      15   

 

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Article 8 – Performance Shares and Units

     15   

8.1

  Grant of Performance Shares/Units      15   

8.2

  Value of Performance Shares/Units      16   

8.3

  Earning of Performance Shares/Units      16   

8.4

  Form and Timing of Payment of Performance Shares/Units      16   

8.5

  Dividends and Other Distributions      16   

8.6

  Nontransferability      16   

Article 9 – Other Awards

     16   

Article 10 – Performance Measures

     17   

10.1

  In General      17   

10.2

  Section 162(m) Performance Measures      17   

10.3

  Other Performance Measures      17   

10.4

  Committee Determination of Achievement of Performance Goals; Adjustments      17   

Article 11 – Awards to Directors

     18   

11.1

  Director Awards      18   

11.2

  Other Director Compensation      18   

Article 12 – Beneficiary Designation

     19   

Article 13 – Deferrals

     19   

Article 14 – Withholding

     19   

14.1

  Tax Withholding      19   

14.2

  Share Withholding      19   

Article 15 – Amendment and Termination

     19   

15.1

  Amendment or Termination of Plan      19   

15.2

  Amendment of Agreement      20   

15.3

  Cancellation of Awards      20   

15.4

  Assumption or Cancellation of Awards      20   

Article 16 – Change in Control

     21   

16.1

  Single Trigger Treatment      21   

16.2

  Double Trigger Treatment      21   

Article 17 – Miscellaneous Provisions

     22   

17.1

  Restrictions on Shares      22   

17.2

  Rights of Stockholder      22   

17.3

  No Implied Rights      22   

17.4

  Compliance with Laws      22   

17.5

  Compliance with Code Section 409A      23   

17.6

  Deferrals for Code Section 162(m)      23   

17.7

  Successors      23   

17.8

  Tax Elections      23   

17.9

  No Fractional Shares      23   

 

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17.10

  Delivery of Title      23   

17.11

  Inability to Obtain Authority      24   

17.12

  Uncertificated Shares      24   

17.13

  Legal Construction      24   

 

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Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. 2013 Long-Term

Incentive Compensation Plan

As Adopted Effective May 30, 2013

Article 1—General Provisions

 

1.1

Establishment of Plan. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), hereby establishes an incentive compensation plan to be known as the “Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. 2013 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan” (the “Plan”), as set forth in this document.

 

1.2

Purpose of Plan. The objectives of the Plan are to (i) attract and retain employees, directors, consultants, advisors and other persons who perform services for the Company by providing compensation opportunities that are competitive with other companies; (ii) provide incentives to those individuals who contribute significantly to the long-term performance and growth of the Company and its affiliates; and (iii) align the long-term financial interests of employees and other Eligible Participants with those of the Company’s stockholders.

 

1.3

Types of Awards. Awards under the Plan may be made to Eligible Participants in the form of (i) Incentive Stock Options, (ii) Nonqualified Stock Options, (iii) Stock Appreciation Rights, (iv) Stock Awards, (v) Restricted Stock, (vi) Restricted Stock Units, (vii) Performance Shares, (viii) Performance Units, (ix) Other Awards or any combination thereof.

 

1.4

Effective Date. The Plan will become effective on the date on which the Company’s stockholders approve the Plan (the “Effective Date”).

 

1.5

Termination of Plan. No Awards shall be granted under the Plan after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date. However, Awards granted under the Plan on or prior to the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date shall remain outstanding beyond that date in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan and the Agreements corresponding to such Awards.

Article 2—Definitions

Except where the context otherwise indicates, the following definitions apply:

 

2.1

“Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as now in effect or as hereafter amended. All citations to sections of the Act or rules thereunder are to such sections or rules as they may from time to time be amended or renumbered.

 

2.2

“Agreement” means the written agreement evidencing an Award granted under the Plan. As determined by the Committee, each Agreement shall consist of either (i) a written agreement in a form approved by the Committee and executed on behalf of the Company by an officer duly authorized to act on its behalf, or (ii) an electronic notice of Award grant in a form approved by the Committee and recorded by the Company (or its designee) in an electronic recordkeeping system used for the purpose of tracking Award grants under the Plan, and if required by the Committee, executed or otherwise electronically accepted by the recipient of the Award in such form and manner as the Committee may require. The Committee may authorize any officer of the Company (other than the particular Award recipient) to execute any or all Agreements on behalf the Company.

 

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2.3

“Award” means an Option, a Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, a Restricted Stock Unit, a Stock Award, a Performance Share, a Performance Unit, Other Award or a combination thereof.

 

2.4

“Award Pool” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.1.

 

2.5

“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company, as constituted from time to time.

 

2.6

“Cause” means, unless provided otherwise in the applicable Agreement, any conduct amounting to fraud, dishonesty, willful misconduct, negligence, significant activities materially harmful to the reputation of any Employer, insubordination or conviction of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude. Without limiting the foregoing, the following shall constitute Cause with respect to a Participant: (i) the Participant’s breach of this Plan or any agreement between the Participant and the Employer, (ii) negligence in the Participant’s attention to the business or affairs of the Employer or intentional failure to perform a reasonably requested directive or assignment or failure to perform the Participant’s duties with the Employer substantially in accordance with the Employer’s operating and personnel policies and procedures generally applicable to all of its employees, or (iii) the Participant’s misappropriation (or attempted misappropriation) of any of the Employer’s funds or property. The existence of “Cause” under this Section 2.6 shall be determined in good faith by the Committee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Participant has entered into an employment agreement with the Employer that is binding as of the date of employment termination, and if such employment agreement defines “Cause,” then the definition of “Cause” in such agreement shall apply to the Participant for purposes of this Plan.

 

2.7

“Change in Control” means, except as expressly provided otherwise in an Agreement or otherwise determined at any time by the Committee consistent with applicable laws, rules and regulations:

 

(a)

Any Person (as defined below in this Section 2.7) is or becomes the beneficial owner within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Act (but without regard to any time period specified in Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i)), of twenty-five percent (25%) or more of either (i) the then outstanding Shares (the “Outstanding Shares”), or (ii) the combined voting power of then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); excluding, however, (1) any acquisition by the Company, or (2) any acquisition by an employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any corporation controlled by the Company;

 

(b)

Individuals who, as of the Effective Date, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of such Board; provided that any individual who becomes a director of the Company subsequent to the Effective Date whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by the vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be deemed a member of the Incumbent Board; and provided further, that any individual who was initially elected as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened solicitation by a Person other than the Board for the purpose of opposing a solicitation by any other Person with respect to the election or removal of directors, or any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any Person other than the Board shall not be deemed a member of the Incumbent Board;

 

(c)

Consummation by the Company of a reorganization, merger, or consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (a “Corporate Transaction”); excluding, however, a Corporate Transaction pursuant to which (i) all or substantially all of the individuals or entities who are the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Shares and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction will beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than seventy-five percent (75%) of, respectively, the outstanding shares of common stock, and the combined voting power of the outstanding securities of such corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation resulting from such Corporate Transaction (including, without limitation, a corporation which, as a result of such transaction, owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or indirectly) in substantially the same proportions relative to each other as their ownership, immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction, of the Outstanding Shares and the

 

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Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (ii) no Person (other than: the Company, any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any corporation controlled by the Company, the corporation resulting from such Corporate Transaction, and any Person which beneficially owned, immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction, directly or indirectly twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the Outstanding Shares or the Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be) will beneficially own, directly or indirectly, twenty-five percent (25%) or more of, respectively, the outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation resulting from such Corporate Transaction or the combined voting power of the outstanding securities of such corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors and (iii) individuals who were members of the Incumbent Board will constitute at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the corporation resulting from such Corporate Transaction; or

 

(d)

Approval by the stockholders of the Company of a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

For purposes of this Section 2.7, the meaning of “Person” shall be based on the definition of person in Section 3(a)(9) of the Act, as modified and used in Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the Act.

Notwithstanding anything in this Plan or any Agreement to the contrary, to the extent any provision of this Plan or an Agreement would cause a payment of a 409A Award to be made because of the occurrence of a Change in Control, then such payment shall not be made unless such Change in Control also constitutes a “change in ownership”, “change in effective control” or “change in ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets” within the meaning of Code section 409A. Any payment that would have been made except for the application of the preceding sentence shall be made in accordance with the payment schedule that would have applied in the absence of a Change in Control (and other Participant rights that are tied to a Change in Control, such as vesting, shall not be affected by this paragraph).

 

2.8

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as now in effect or as hereafter amended. All citations to sections of the Code are to such sections as they may from time to time be amended or renumbered and shall include all related regulations.

 

2.9

“Committee” means the Compensation and Option Committee of the Board or such other committee consisting of two or more members of the Board as may be appointed by the Board from time to time to administer this Plan pursuant to Article 3. If Shares are traded on the, all of the members of the Committee shall be independent directors within the meaning of the NYSE’s Corporate Governance Standards. If any member of the Committee does not qualify as (i) a “Non-Employee Director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Act, and (ii) an “outside director” within the meaning of Code section 162(m), the Board shall appoint a subcommittee of the Committee, consisting of at least two Directors, to grant Awards to Covered Employees and to officers and Directors who are subject to Section 16 of the Act; each member of such subcommittee shall satisfy the requirements of (i) and (ii) above. References to the Committee in the Plan shall include and, as appropriate, apply to any such subcommittee.

 

2.10

“Company” means Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., a Maryland corporation, and its successors and assigns.

 

2.11

“Covered Employee” means a Participant whom the Committee determines is or may be subject to the limitations of Code section 162(m).

 

2.12

“Director” means any individual who is a member of the Board; provided, however, that any individual who is both a member of the Board and employed by the Company or any other entity constituting the Employer shall not be considered a Director for purposes of the Plan.

 

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2.13

“Disability” means, with respect to any Incentive Stock Option, a disability as determined under Code section 22(e)(3), and with respect to any other Award, (i) with respect to a Participant who is eligible to participate in the Employer’s program of long-term disability insurance, if any, a condition with respect to which the Participant is entitled to commence benefits under such program, and (ii) with respect to any Participant (including a Participant who is eligible to participate in the Employer’s program of long-term disability insurance, if any), a disability as determined under procedures established by the Committee or in any Agreement. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this Section 2.13 or anything in any Agreement to the contrary, to the extent any provision of this Plan or an Agreement would cause a payment of a 409A Award to be made because of the Participant’s Disability, then there shall not be a Disability that triggers payment until the date (if any) that the Participant is disabled within the meaning of Code section 409A(a)(2)(C). Any payment that would have been made except for the application of the preceding sentence shall be made in accordance with the payment schedule that would have applied in the absence of a Disability (and other Participant rights that are tied to a Disability, such as vesting, shall not be affected by the prior sentence).

 

2.14

“Effective Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1.4 above.

 

2.15

“Eligible Participant” means an employee of the Employer (including an officer) as well as any other natural person, including a Director or a consultant or advisor who provides bona fide services to the Employer not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction, subject to limitations as may be provided by the Code, the Act or the Committee, as shall be determined by the Committee.

 

2.16

“Employer” means the Company and any entity during any period that it is a “parent corporation” or a “subsidiary corporation” with respect to the Company within the meaning of Code sections 424(e) and 424(f). With respect to all purposes of the Plan, including but not limited to, the establishment, amendment, termination, operation and administration of the Plan, the Company shall be authorized to act on behalf of all other entities included within the definition of “Employer.”

 

2.17

“Fair Market Value” means, on any given date:

 

  (a)

if the Shares are listed on the NYSE on the given date, Fair Market Value on such date shall be the closing price for a Share on the NYSE on the immediately preceding day on which sales were made on the NYSE;

 

  (b)

if the Shares are listed on a national or regional securities exchange other than the NYSE on the given date, Fair Market Value on such date shall be the closing price for a Share on the securities exchange on the immediately preceding day on which sales were made on such exchange; or

 

  (c)

if neither (a) nor (b) applies on the given date, the fair market value of a Share on that date shall be determined in good faith by the Committee.

For purposes of subsection (b) above, if Shares are not traded on the NYSE but they are traded on more than one securities exchange on the given date, then the following exchange shall be referenced to determine Fair Market Value: (i) the NASDAQ, or (ii) if shares are not traded on the NASDAQ, the largest exchange on which Shares are traded.

Subject to the next two paragraphs of this Section 2.17, for purposes of any Shares awarded to Directors under Section 11.2 of this Plan, each reference in subsections (a) and (b) above to the closing price of a Share on the trading day immediately preceding the grant date for such Shares shall instead be a reference to the closing price of a Share on the last trading day of the calendar quarter immediately preceding the grant date for such Shares as specified in Section 11.2 (e.g., for purposes of any Shares awarded on September 30, 2013, under Section 11.2, “Fair Market Value” shall be the NYSE closing price for a Share on June 28, 2013).

Notwithstanding the foregoing but subject to the next paragraph, if the Committee determines in its discretion that an alternative definition of Fair Market Value should be used in connection with the grant, exercise, vesting, settlement or payout of any Award, it may specify such alternative definition in the

 

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Agreement applicable to the Award. Such alternative definition may include a price that is based on the opening, actual, high, low, or average selling prices of a Share on the NYSE or other securities exchange on the given date, the trading date preceding the given date, the trading date next succeeding the given date, or an average of trading days.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) in the case of an Option or SAR, Fair Market Value shall be determined in accordance with a definition of fair market value that permits the Award to be exempt from Code section 409A; and (ii) in the case of an Option that is intended to qualify as an ISO under Code section 422 or an Award that is intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Code section 162(m), Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Committee in accordance with the requirements of Code section 422 or Code section 162(m), as applicable.

 

2.18

“409A Award” means each Award that is not exempt from Code section 409A.

 

2.19

“Incentive Stock Option” or “ISO” means an Option granted to an Eligible Participant under Article 5 of the Plan which is designated as an Incentive Stock Option and intended to meet the requirements of Code section 422.

 

2.20

“Insider” shall mean an individual who is, on the relevant date, subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Act.

 

2.21

“Nonqualified Stock Option” or “NQSO” means an Option granted to an Eligible Participant under Article 5 of the Plan which is not intended to meet the requirements of Code section 422 or that otherwise does not meet such requirements.

 

2.22

“NYSE” means the New York Stock Exchange.

 

2.23

“Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option. An Option shall be designated as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option, and in the absence of such designation shall be a Nonqualified Stock Option.

 

2.24

“Option Price” means the price at which a Share may be purchased by exercise of an Option.

 

2.25

“Other Award” means any form of equity-based or equity-related award, other than an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Stock, or Performance Unit, that is granted pursuant to Article 9.

 

2.26

“Participant” means an Eligible Participant to whom an Award has been granted.

 

2.27

“Payment Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.6 of the Plan.

 

2.28

“Performance Share” means an Award under Article 8 of the Plan that is valued by reference to a Share, which value may be paid to the Participant by delivery of such property as the Committee shall determine, including without limitation, cash or Shares, or any combination thereof, upon achievement of such performance objectives during the relevant performance period as the Committee shall establish at the time of such Award or thereafter, but not later than the time permitted by Code section 162(m) in the case of a Covered Employee, unless the Committee does not intend for such Award to comply with Code section 162(m).

 

2.29

“Performance Unit” means an Award under Article 8 of the Plan that has a value set by the Committee (or that is determined by reference to a valuation formula specified by the Committee), which value may be paid to the Participant by delivery of such property as the Committee shall determine, including without limitation, cash or Shares, or any combination thereof, upon achievement of such performance objectives during the relevant performance period as the Committee shall establish at the time of such Award or thereafter, but not later than the time permitted by Code section 162(m) in the case of a Covered Employee, unless the Committee does not intend for such Award to comply with Code section 162(m).

 

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2.30

“Plan” means the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. 2013 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan set forth in this document and as it may be amended from time to time.

 

2.31

“Restricted Stock” means an Award of Shares under Article 7 of the Plan, which Shares are issued with such restriction(s) as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may impose, including without limitation, any restriction on the right to retain such Shares, to sell, transfer, pledge or assign such Shares, to vote such Shares, and/or to receive any dividends with respect to such Shares, which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such time or times, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee may deem appropriate.

 

2.32

“Restricted Stock Unit” means an Award under Article 7 of the Plan that is valued by reference to a Share, which value may be paid to the Participant by delivery of such property as the Committee shall determine, including without limitation, cash or Shares, or any combination thereof, and that has such restriction(s) as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may impose, including without limitation, any restriction on the right to retain such Awards, to sell, transfer, pledge or assign such Awards, and/or to receive any dividend equivalents with respect to such Awards, which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such time or times, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee may deem appropriate.

 

2.33

“Restriction Period” means the period during which Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units are subject to one or more restrictions that will lapse based on the passage of time, the achievement of performance goals, or the occurrence of another event or events, as determined by the Committee and specified in the applicable Agreement.

 

2.34

“SAR Price” means the amount that is subtracted from the Fair Market Value of a Share at the time of exercise of a SAR to determine the amount payable, if any, upon exercise of the SAR.

 

2.35

“Share” means one share of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company, as may be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of Section 4.3 of the Plan.

 

2.36

“Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means an Award granted under Article 6 which provides for an amount payable in Shares and/or cash, as determined by the Committee, equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the day the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised over the SAR Price.

 

2.37

“Stock Award” means an Award of Shares, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units or Other Awards granted to a Director pursuant to Article 11 of the Plan.

Article 3—Administration

 

3.1

General. This Plan shall be administered by the Committee.

 

3.2

Authority of the Committee.

 

  (a)

The Committee shall have the full and exclusive discretionary authority to (i) interpret, construe and administer the terms and intent of the Plan and any Agreement (as well as any other agreement or document related to the Plan or an Award), (ii) select the persons who are eligible to receive an Award, (iii) act in all matters pertaining to the granting of an Award and the contents of the Agreement evidencing the Award, including without limitation, the determination of the number of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Stock Awards, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units or Other Awards subject to an Award and the form, terms, conditions and duration of each Award, and (iv) make any amendment to an Award or Agreement consistent with the provisions of the Plan. The Committee may adopt such rules, regulations and procedures of general application for the administration of this Plan, as it deems appropriate.

 

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  (b)

The Committee may correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or any Agreement in the manner and to the extent it shall deem desirable to address the matter.

 

  (c)

In the event the Company shall assume outstanding employee benefit awards or the right or obligation to make future such awards in connection with the acquisition of another corporation or business entity, the Committee may, in its discretion, make such adjustments in the terms of Awards under the Plan as it shall deem appropriate.

 

  (d)

In making any determination or in taking or not taking any action under the Plan, the Committee may obtain and may rely on the advice of experts, including employees of the Company and professional advisors.

 

  (e)

All acts, determinations and decisions of the Committee made or taken pursuant to grants of authority under the Plan or with respect to any questions arising in connection with the administration and interpretation of the Plan, including the severability of any and all of the provisions thereof, shall be conclusive, final and binding upon all parties, including the Company, its stockholders, any Employer, Participants, Eligible Participants and their estates, beneficiaries and successors.

 

3.3

Rules for Foreign Jurisdictions. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, (i) amend or vary the terms of the Plan in order to conform such terms with the requirements of each non-U.S. jurisdiction where an Eligible Participant is located or where an Eligible Participant’s Award rights are otherwise regulated (including changes related to obtaining favorable tax treatment and avoiding unfavorable tax treatment) or in order to meet the goals and objectives of the Plan; (ii) establish one or more sub-plans for these purposes; and (iii) establish administrative rules and procedures to facilitate the operation of the Plan in such non-U.S. jurisdictions. For purposes of clarity, the terms and conditions contained herein which are subject to variation in a non-U.S. jurisdiction shall be reflected in a written addendum to the Plan for each Employer affected by such non-U.S. jurisdiction.

 

3.4

Delegation of Authority. The Committee may, in its discretion, at any time and from time to time, delegate to one or more of the members of the Committee such of its powers as it deems appropriate (provided that any such delegation shall be to at least two members of the Committee with respect to Awards to Covered Employees and Insiders). Except with respect to Awards to Covered Employees and Insiders, the Committee may, in its discretion, at any time and from time to time, delegate to one or more persons who are not members of the Committee any or all of its authority and discretion under Section 3.2 and 3.3, to the full extent permitted by law and the rules of any exchange on which Shares are traded.

 

3.5

Agreements. Each Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Agreement. Each Agreement shall be subject to and incorporate, by reference or otherwise, the applicable terms and conditions of the Plan, and may include any other terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the Plan, as determined by the Committee, including without limitation, provisions related to the consequences of termination of employment. A copy of the Agreement evidencing an Award shall be provided to the affected Participant, and the Committee may, but need not, require that the Participant sign a copy of the Agreement.

 

3.6

Indemnification. In addition to such other rights of indemnification as they may have as members of the Board or as members of the Committee, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the members of the Committee against (i) reasonable expenses, including attorney’s fees, actually and necessarily incurred in connection with the defense of any action, suit or proceeding, or in connection with any appeal thereof, to which they or any of them may be a party by reason of any action taken or failure to act under or in connection with the Plan or any Award granted thereunder, (ii) all amounts paid by them in settlement

 

7


 

thereof, provided such settlement is approved by independent legal counsel selected by the Company, and (iii) all amounts paid by them in satisfaction of a judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding, except as to matters as to which the Committee member has been negligent or engaged in misconduct in the performance of his duties (all amounts reimbursed hereunder are referred to as the “Reimbursement Expenses”); provided, that within 60 days after institution of any such action, suit or proceeding, a Committee member shall in writing offer the Company the opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same. In the performance of its responsibilities with respect to the Plan, the members of the Committee shall be entitled to rely upon, and no member of the Committee shall be liable for any action taken or not taken in good faith reliance upon, information and/or advice furnished by the Company’s officers or employees, the Company’s accountants, or the Company’s counsel. To the extent the entitlement to Reimbursement Expenses is subject to Code section 409A, it applies during the lifetime of the Committee member; the Company shall pay each Reimbursement Expense no later than the end of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the Committee member incurred such Reimbursement Expense; the amount of Reimbursement Expenses available to a Committee member in one tax year will not affect the amount of Reimbursement Expenses available to the Committee member in any other tax year; and the entitlement to Reimbursement Expenses is not subject to liquidation or exchange for any other benefit.

Article 4—Shares Subject to the Plan

 

4.1

Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.3, the aggregate number of Shares which are available for issuance pursuant to Awards under the Plan is Eleven Million (11,000,000) Shares (the “Award Pool”). The Award Pool shall be available for all types of Awards granted under the Plan; there is no maximum number of Shares per type of Award. Such Shares shall be made available from Shares authorized but unissued or Shares held (or subsequently acquired) by the Company as treasury shares, including Shares purchased in the open market or in private transactions.

Upon approval of this Plan by the stockholders of the Company, no further grants may be made under the Company’s 2004 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended (the “2004 Plan”). However, if Shares awarded or subject to issuance pursuant to awards under the 2004 Plan are not issued or are reacquired by the Company, in either case due to the forfeiture, cancellation or expiration of such awards without having been exercised or settled in Shares, those Shares shall be available for issuance pursuant to Awards under this Plan. In addition, if the tax withholding obligation, exercise price or purchase price under an award under the 2004 Plan is satisfied by the Company retaining Shares that otherwise would have been issued in settlement of the award or by Shares tendered by the participant (either by actual delivery or attestation), the number of Shares so retained or tendered shall be available for issuance pursuant to Awards under this Plan. All Shares derived from the 2004 Plan shall be tracked and counted as provided in this Plan and shall not trigger a deduction from the Award Pool.

The following rules shall apply for purposes of determining the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan:

 

  (a)

Each Option shall be counted as one Share subject to an Award and deducted from the Award Pool.

 

  (b)

Each share of Restricted Stock, each Restricted Stock Unit that may be settled in Shares and each Other Award that may be settled in Shares shall be counted as one Share subject to an Award and deducted from the Award Pool. Restricted Stock Units and Other Awards that may not be settled in Shares shall not result in a deduction from the Award Pool.

 

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  (c)

Each Performance Share that may be settled in Shares shall be counted as one Share subject to an Award, based on the number of Shares that would be paid under the Performance Share for achievement of target performance, and deducted from the Award Pool. Each Performance Unit that may be settled in Shares shall be counted as a number of Shares subject to an Award, based on the number of Shares that would be paid under the Performance Unit for achievement of target performance, with the number determined by dividing the value of the Performance Unit at the time of grant by the Fair Market Value of a Share at the time of grant, and this number shall be deducted from the Award Pool. In both cases, in the event that the Award is later settled based on above-target performance, the number of Shares corresponding to the above-target performance, calculated pursuant to the applicable methodology specified above, shall be deducted from the Award Pool at the time of such settlement; in the event that the Award is later settled upon below-target performance, the number of Shares corresponding to the below-target performance, calculated pursuant to the applicable methodology specified above, shall be added back to the Award Pool. Performance Shares and Performance Units that may not be settled in Shares shall not result in a deduction from the Award Pool.

 

  (d)

Each Stock Appreciation Right that may be settled in Shares shall be counted as one Share subject to an Award and deducted from the Award Pool. Stock Appreciation Rights that may not be settled in Shares shall not result in a deduction from the Award Pool.

 

  (e)

If, for any reason, any Shares awarded or subject to issuance under the Plan are not issued, or are reacquired by the Company from the Participant or the Participant’s transferee, for reasons including, but not limited to, a forfeiture of Restricted Stock or a Restricted Stock Unit or the termination, expiration or cancellation of an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Performance Share or Performance Unit or the settlement of an Award in cash in lieu of Shares, such Shares shall again be available for issuance pursuant to an Award under the Plan and shall be added back to the Award Pool If the tax withholding obligation under an Award or the Option Price or purchase price under an Award is satisfied by the Company retaining Shares that otherwise would have been issued in settlement of the Award or by Shares tendered by the Participant (either by actual delivery or attestation), the number of Shares so retained or tendered shall again be available for issuance pursuant to Awards under the Plan and shall be added back to the Award Pool.

 

4.2

Individual Limits. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.3, and except to the extent the Committee determines that an Award to a Covered Employee shall not comply with the performance-based compensation provisions of Code section 162(m) (and may be excluded from these limits without adversely affecting the application of these provisions with respect to Awards that are intended to comply with them), the following rules shall apply to Awards under the Plan:

 

  (a)

Options and SARs. The maximum number of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights that, in the aggregate, may be granted in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall be three million (3,000,000).

 

  (b)

Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units. The maximum number of Shares of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units that, in the aggregate, may be granted in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall be one million (1,000,000) Shares and Units.

 

  (c)

Performance Shares and Performance Units. The maximum number of Performance Shares and Performance Units (valued as of the grant date) that, in the aggregate, may be granted in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall equal the value of two million (2,000,000) Shares. This limitation shall be applied based on the maximum amount that could be paid under each Performance Share and Performance Unit.

 

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  (d)

Other Awards. The maximum number of Other Awards (valued as of the grant date) that, in the aggregate, may be granted in any one fiscal year to any one Participant shall equal the value of five hundred thousand (500,000) Shares. This limitation shall be applied based on the maximum amount that could be paid under each Other Award.

The multipliers specified in subsections (a) through (d) of Section 4.1 shall not apply for purposes of applying the foregoing limitations of this Section 4.2.

 

4.3

Adjustment of Shares. If any change in corporate capitalization, such as a stock split, reverse stock split, or stock dividend; or any corporate transaction such as a reorganization, reclassification, merger or consolidation or separation, including a spin-off, of the Company or sale or other disposition by the Company of all or a portion of its assets, any other change in the Company’s corporate structure, or any distribution to stockholders (other than an ordinary cash dividend) results in the outstanding Shares, or any securities exchanged therefore or received in their place, being exchanged for a different number or class of shares or other securities of the Company, or for shares of stock or other securities of any other corporation; or new, different or additional shares or other securities of the Company or of any other corporation being received by the holders of outstanding Shares; then the Committee shall make equitable adjustments, as it determines are necessary and appropriate, in:

 

  (a)

the number and class of stock or other securities that comprise the Award Pool as set forth in Section 4.1;

 

  (b)

the limitations on the aggregate number of Awards that may be granted in any one fiscal year to any one Participant as set forth in Section 4.2;

 

  (c)

the number and class of stock or other securities subject to outstanding Awards, and which have not been issued or transferred under outstanding Awards;

 

  (d)

the Option Price under outstanding Options, the SAR Price under outstanding Stock Appreciation Rights and the number of Shares to be transferred in settlement of outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights; and

 

  (e)

the terms, conditions or restrictions of any Award and Agreement, including the price payable for the acquisition of Shares.

It is intended that, if possible, any adjustments contemplated above shall be made in a manner that satisfies applicable legal requirements, as well as applicable requirements with respect to taxation (including, without limitation and as applicable in the circumstances, Code section 424, Code section 409A, and Code section 162(m)) and accounting (so as to not trigger any charge to earnings with respect to such adjustment).

Without limiting the generality of the above, any good faith determination by the Committee as to whether an adjustment is required in the circumstances and the extent and nature of any such adjustment shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons.

Article 5—Stock Options

 

5.1

Grant of Options. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, Options may be granted to Eligible Participants in such amounts and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time, as shall be determined by the Committee. The Committee shall have sole discretion in determining the number of Shares subject to Options granted to each Participant. The Committee may grant a Participant ISOs, NQSOs or a combination thereof, and may vary such Awards among Participants; provided that only Participants who are common law employees of the Employer may be granted ISOs. Notwithstanding

 

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anything in this Article 5 to the contrary, except for Options that are specifically designated as intended to be subject to Code section 409A, Options may only be granted to individuals who provide direct services on the date of grant of the Option to the Company or another entity in a chain of entities in which the Company or another such entity has a controlling interest (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iii)(E)) in each entity in the chain.

 

5.2

Agreement. Each Option grant shall be evidenced by an Agreement that shall specify the Option Price, the duration of the Option, the number of Shares to which the Option pertains, the conditions upon which the Option shall become vested and exercisable and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine. The Option Agreement shall further specify whether the Award is intended to be an ISO or an NQSO. Any portion of an Option that is not designated as an ISO or otherwise fails or is not qualified as an ISO (even if designated as an ISO) shall be an NQSO.

 

5.3

Option Price. The Option Price for each grant of an Option shall be determined by the Committee and shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option is granted. Notwithstanding the prior sentence, an Option may be granted with an Option Price that is less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the Option is granted if such Option is granted in replacement for an award previously granted by an entity that is assumed by the Company in a business combination, provided that the Committee determines that such Option Price is appropriate to preserve the economic benefit of the replaced award and will not impair the exemption of the Option from Code section 409A (unless the Committee clearly and expressly foregoes such exemption at the time the Option is granted).

 

5.4

Duration of Options. Each Option shall expire at such time as the Committee shall determine at the time of grant; provided, however, that the Committee may extend the term of any Option that would otherwise expire at a time when the Participant is not permitted by applicable law or Company policy to exercise such Option; and provided, further, that no Option shall be exercisable later than the tenth (10th) anniversary of its grant date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for Options granted to Participants outside the United States, the Committee has the authority to grant Options that have a term that extends past the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Option grant date.

 

5.5

Exercise of Options. Options granted under the Plan shall be exercisable at such times and be subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Committee shall in each instance approve, including conditions related to the employment of or provision of services by the Participant to the Company or any Employer, which need not be the same for each grant or for each Participant. The Committee may provide in the Agreement for automatic accelerated vesting and other rights upon the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Company or upon the occurrence of other events as specified in the Agreement. Deferral of Option gains is not permitted.

 

5.6

Payment. Options shall be exercised by the delivery of an oral, written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company or its designated representative, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is to be exercised and satisfying any requirements that the Committee may apply from time to time. Full payment of the Option Price (after taking into account any amount previously received to acquire the Option) must be made on or prior to the Payment Date, as defined below. The Option Price shall be payable to the Company in United States dollars either: (a) in cash; (b) cash equivalent approved by the Committee; (c) if approved by the Committee, by tendering previously acquired Shares (or delivering a certification or attestation of ownership of such Shares) having an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the total Option Price (provided that the tendered Shares must have been held by the Participant for any period required by the Committee); (d) if approved by the Committee, by cashless exercise as permitted under Federal Reserve Board’s Regulation T, subject to applicable securities law restrictions; (e) by any other means which the Committee determines to be consistent with the Plan’s purpose and

 

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applicable law, including a net exercise; or (f) by any combination of the above. “Payment Date” shall mean the date on which a sale transaction in connection with a cashless exercise (whether or not payment is actually made pursuant to a cashless exercise) would have settled in connection with the subject option exercise. No certificate representing a Share shall be delivered until the full Option Price has been paid.

 

5.7

Nontransferability of Options.

 

  (a)

Incentive Stock Options. No ISO granted under the Plan may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Further, all ISOs granted to a Participant under the Plan shall be exercisable during his or her lifetime only by such Participant or the Participant’s legal representative.

 

  (b)

Nonqualified Stock Options. Except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Agreement or otherwise determined at any time by the Committee consistent with securities and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, no NQSO granted under this Article 5 may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Further, except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Agreement or otherwise determined at any time by the Committee, all NQSOs granted to a Participant under this Article 5 shall be exercisable during his or her lifetime only by such Participant or the Participant’s legal representative. In no event may an NQSO be transferred for value or consideration.

 

5.8

Special Rules for ISOs. Notwithstanding the above, in no event shall any Participant who owns (within the meaning of Code section 424(d)) stock of the Company possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any “parent” or “subsidiary” (within the meaning of Code section 424(e) or (f), respectively) be eligible to receive an ISO (i) at an Option Price less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the ISO is granted, or (ii) that is exercisable later than the fifth (5th) anniversary date of its grant date. The aggregate Fair Market Value of Shares with respect to which incentive stock options (within the meaning of Code section 422) granted to a Participant are first exercisable in any calendar year under the Plan and all other incentive stock option plans of the Employer) shall not exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000). For this purpose, Fair Market Value shall be determined with respect to a particular incentive stock option on the date on which such incentive stock option is granted. In the event that this One Hundred Thousand Dollar ($100,000) limit is exceeded with respect to a Participant, then Incentive Stock Options granted under this Plan to such Participant shall, to the extent and in the order required by Treasury Regulations under Code section 422, automatically become NQSOs granted under this Plan. Solely for purposes of determining the limit on ISOs that may be granted under the Plan, the provisions of Section 4.1 that replenish or forgo a deduction from the Award Pool shall only be applied to the extent permitted by Code section 422 and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Article 6—Stock Appreciation Rights

 

6.1

Grant of SARs. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, SARs may be granted to Eligible Participants in such amounts and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time, as shall be determined by the Committee. A Stock Appreciation Right may be granted to an Eligible Participant in connection with an Option granted under Article 5 of this Plan or may be granted independently of any Option. A Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle the holder, within the specified period, to exercise the SAR and receive in exchange therefor a payment having an aggregate value equal to the amount by which the Fair Market Value of a Share exceeds the SAR Price, times the number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised. A SAR granted in connection with an Option (a “Tandem SAR”) shall entitle the holder of the related Option, within the period specified for the exercise of the Option, to surrender the unexercised Option, or a portion thereof, and to receive in exchange therefore a payment having an aggregate value

 

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equal to the amount by which the Fair Market Value of a Share exceeds the Option Price, times the number of Shares under the Option, or portion thereof, which is surrendered. Notwithstanding anything in this Article 6 to the contrary, except for SARs that are specifically designated as intended to be subject to Code section 409A, SARs may only be granted to individuals who provide direct services on the date of grant of the SAR to the Company or another entity in a chain of entities in which the Company or another such entity has a controlling interest (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iii)(E)) in each entity in the chain.

 

6.2

Agreement. Each SAR grant shall be evidenced by an Agreement that shall specify the SAR Price, the duration of the SAR, the number of Shares with respect to which the SAR pertains, the conditions upon which the SAR shall become vested and exercisable and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine.

 

6.3

Tandem SARs. Each Tandem SAR shall be subject to the same terms and conditions as the related Option, including limitations on transferability, and shall be exercisable only to the extent such Option is exercisable and shall terminate or lapse and cease to be exercisable when the related Option terminates or lapses. The grant of a Tandem SAR must be concurrent with the grant of the Option.

 

6.4

Payment. The Committee shall have sole discretion to determine in each Agreement whether the payment with respect to the exercise of a SAR will be in the form of all cash, all Shares, or any combination thereof. If payment is to be made in Shares, the number of Shares shall be determined based on the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise.

 

6.5

SAR Price. The SAR Price for each grant of a SAR shall be determined by the Committee and shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the SAR is granted. Notwithstanding the prior sentence, a SAR may be granted with a SAR Price that is less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date the SAR is granted if such SAR is granted in replacement for an award previously granted by an entity that is assumed by the Company in a business combination, provided that the Committee determines that such SAR Price is appropriate to preserve the economic benefit of the replaced award and will not impair the exemption of the SAR from Code section 409A (unless the Committee clearly and expressly foregoes such exemption at the time the SAR is granted).

 

6.6

Duration of SARs. Each SAR shall expire at such time as the Committee shall determine at the time of grant; provided, however, that the Committee may extend the term of any SAR that would otherwise expire at a time when the Participant is not permitted by applicable law or Company policy to exercise such SAR; and provided, further, that no SAR shall be exercisable later than the tenth (10th) anniversary of its grant date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for SARs granted to Participants outside the United States, the Committee has the authority to grant SARs that have a term that extends past the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Option grant date.

 

6.7

Exercise of SARs. SARs granted under the Plan shall be exercisable at such times and be subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Committee shall in each instance approve, including conditions related to the employment of or provision of services by the Participant with the Company or any Employer, which need not be the same for each grant or for each Participant. The Committee may provide in the Agreement for automatic accelerated vesting and other rights upon the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Company or upon the occurrence of other events as specified in the Agreement. Upon exercise of a Tandem SAR, the number of Shares subject to exercise under the related Option shall automatically be reduced by the number of Shares represented by the Option or portion thereof which is surrendered. SARs shall be exercised by the delivery of an oral, written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company or its designated representative, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is to be exercised and satisfying any requirements that the Committee may apply from time to time.

 

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6.8

Nontransferability of SARs. Except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Agreement or otherwise determined at any time by the Committee consistent with securities and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, no SAR granted under this Article 6 may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Further, except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Agreement or otherwise determined at any time by the Committee, all SARs granted to a Participant under this Article 6 shall be exercisable during his or her lifetime only by such Participant or the Participant’s legal representative. In no event may a SAR be transferred for value or consideration.

Article 7—Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units

 

7.1

Grant of Restricted Stock/Unit. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Unit Awards may be granted to Eligible Participants in such amounts and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time, as shall be determined by the Committee. Awards of Restricted Stock/Units may be made either alone or in addition to or in tandem with other Awards granted under the Plan and may be current grants of Restricted Stock, deferred grants of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units.

 

7.2

Restricted Stock/Unit Agreement.

 

  (a)

In General. Each Award of Restricted Stock/Units shall be evidenced by an Agreement that shall set forth the terms of the Award, as determined by the Committee, including, without limitation, the number of Shares of Restricted Stock or the number of Restricted Stock Units granted; the purchase price, if any, to be paid for each Share of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit, which may be more than, equal to, or less than Fair Market Value of a Share and may be zero, subject to such minimum consideration as may be required by applicable law; any restrictions applicable to the Restricted Stock/Units such as continued service or achievement of performance goals; the length of the Restriction Period and whether any circumstances, such as death, Disability, or a Change in Control, will shorten or terminate the Restriction Period; and whether Restricted Stock Units will be settled in cash, Shares or a combination of cash and Shares. The Restriction Period may be of any duration. The Award may provide for lapse of the Restriction Period in monthly or longer installments over the course of the Restriction Period, as determined by the Committee in its discretion.

 

  (b)

Execution of Agreements. Notwithstanding Section 3.5, a Restricted Stock/Unit Award must be accepted within a period of sixty (60) days from the date of grant, or such other period as the Committee may specify, by executing a Restricted Stock/Unit Agreement and paying whatever price, if any, is required. The prospective recipient of a Restricted Stock/Unit Award shall not have any rights with respect to such Award, unless and until such recipient has executed a Restricted Stock/Unit Agreement and has delivered a fully executed copy thereof to the Committee, and has otherwise complied with the applicable terms and conditions of such Award.

 

7.3

Nontransferability. Except as otherwise provided in this Article 7 or an Agreement, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units may not be sold, exchanged, transferred, pledged, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated or otherwise disposed of during the Restriction Period or, in the case of Restricted Stock Units, until the date of delivery of Shares or other payment with respect to the Restricted Stock Units (other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution). Further, except as otherwise provided in the applicable Agreement, a Participant’s rights with respect to Shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units shall be available during the Participant’s lifetime only to the Participant or the Participant’s legal representative.

 

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7.4

Certificates. Upon an Award of Restricted Stock to a Participant, Shares of Restricted Stock shall be registered in the Participant’s name. Certificates, if issued, may either be held in custody by the Company until the Restriction Period expires or until restrictions thereon otherwise lapse and/or be issued to the Participant and registered in the name of the Participant, bearing an appropriate restrictive legend and remaining subject to appropriate stop-transfer orders. If required by the Committee, the Participant shall deliver to the Company one or more stock powers endorsed in blank relating to the Restricted Stock. If and when the Restriction Period expires without a prior forfeiture of the Restricted Stock subject to such Restriction Period, unrestricted certificates for such shares shall be delivered to the Participant.

 

7.5

Dividends and Other Distributions. Except as provided in this Article 7 or in the Agreement, a Participant receiving a Restricted Stock Award shall have, with respect to such Restricted Stock Award, all of the rights of a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote the Shares to the extent, if any, such Shares possess voting rights and the right to receive any dividends; provided, however, the Committee may require that any dividends on such Shares of Restricted Stock shall be automatically deferred and reinvested in additional Restricted Stock subject to the same restrictions on vesting as the underlying Award, or may require that dividends and other distributions on Restricted Stock shall be paid to the Company for the account of the Participant and held pending and subject to the same restrictions on vesting as the underlying Award; provided, however, that to the extent that any dividends are deferred, reinvested or otherwise not paid when such dividends would otherwise normally be paid, (i) all terms and conditions for such delayed payment shall be included in the Agreement, and (ii) such deferral, reinvestment or delay in payment of the dividends shall only be allowed to the extent it complies with, or is exempt from, the requirements of Code section 409A. The Committee shall determine whether interest shall be paid on such amounts, the rate of any such interest, and the other terms applicable to such amounts (again, provided that all such terms shall, to the extent required, comply with Code section 409A). A Participant receiving a Restricted Stock Unit Award shall not possess voting rights and shall accrue dividend equivalents on such Units only to the extent provided in the Agreement relating to the Award; provided, however, that rights to dividend equivalents shall only be allowed to the extent they comply with, or are exempt from, Code section 409A. The Committee shall require that any such dividend equivalents be subject to the same restrictions on vesting and payment as the underlying Award. In addition, with respect to Covered Employees, the Committee may apply any restrictions it deems appropriate to the payment of dividends declared with respect to Restricted Stock such that the dividends and/or Restricted Stock maintain eligibility for the performance-based compensation exception under Code section 162(m).

 

7.6

Short-Term Deferral. To the extent an Award described in this Section is a 409A Award and is subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture within the meaning of Code section 409A (or will be granted upon the satisfaction of a condition that constitutes such a substantial risk of forfeiture), any compensation due under the Award (or pursuant to a commitment to grant an Award) shall be paid in full not later than the 60th day following the date on which there is no longer such a substantial risk of forfeiture with respect to the Award (and the Participant shall have no right to designate the year of the payment), unless the Committee shall clearly and expressly provide otherwise at the time of granting the Award.

Article 8—Performance Shares and Units

 

8.1

Grant of Performance Shares/Units. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, Performance Shares and Performance Units may be granted to Eligible Participants in such amounts and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time, as shall be determined by the Committee.

 

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8.2

Value of Performance Shares/Units. Each Performance Unit shall have an initial value that is established by the Committee at the time of grant. Each Performance Share shall have an initial value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant. In addition to any non-performance terms applicable to the Award, the Committee shall set performance goals in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the number and/or value of Performance Shares, Performance Units or both, as applicable, that will be paid out to the Participant. For purposes of this Article 8, the time period during which the performance goals must be met shall be called a “Performance Period.” The Committee may, but is not obligated to, set such performance goals by reference to the performance measures set forth in Article 10.

 

8.3

Earning of Performance Shares/Units. Subject to the terms of this Plan, after the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of the Performance Shares/Units shall be entitled to receive a payout of the number and value of Performance Shares/Units earned by the Participant over the Performance Period, to be determined as a function of the extent to which the corresponding performance goals have been achieved and any applicable non-performance terms have been met.

 

8.4

Form and Timing of Payment of Performance Shares/Units. Subject to the terms of this Plan and the applicable Agreement, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may pay earned Performance Shares/Units in the form of cash or Shares or other Awards (or a combination thereof) which have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the value of the earned Performance Shares/Units at the close of the applicable Performance Period. Any such Shares may be granted subject to any restrictions deemed appropriate by the Committee. The determination of the Committee with respect to the form and timing of payout of such Awards shall be set forth in the Agreement pertaining to the grant of the Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent an Award described in this Article 8 is a 409A Award and is subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture within the meaning of Code section 409A (or will be granted upon the satisfaction of a condition that constitutes such a substantial risk of forfeiture), any compensation due under the Award (or pursuant to a commitment to grant an Award) shall be paid in full not later than the 60th day following the date there is no longer such a substantial risk of forfeiture with respect to the Award (and the Participant shall have no right to designate the year of the payment), unless the Committee shall clearly and expressly provide otherwise at the time of granting the Award.

 

8.5

Dividends and Other Distributions. A Participant receiving a Performance Share/Unit Award shall not possess voting rights and shall accrue dividend equivalents on such Performance Shares/Units only to the extent provided in the Agreement relating to the Award; provided, however, that rights to dividend equivalents shall only be allowed to the extent they comply with, or are exempt from, Code section 409A. Any rights to dividend equivalents on Performance Shares/Units shall be subject to the same restrictions on vesting and payment as the underlying Award. In addition, with respect to Covered Employees, the Committee may apply any restrictions it deems appropriate to the payment of dividends declared with respect to Performance Shares/Units such that the dividends and/or Performance Shares/Units maintain eligibility for the performance-based compensation exception under Code section 162(m).

 

8.6

Nontransferability. Except as otherwise provided in this Article 8 or the applicable Agreement, Performance Shares/Units may not be sold, exchanged, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Further, except as otherwise provided in the applicable Agreement, a Participant’s rights with respect to Performance Shares/Units shall be available during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant or the Participant’s legal representative.

Article 9—Other Awards

The Committee shall have the authority to specify the terms and provisions of other forms of equity-based or equity-related awards not described above that the Committee determines to be consistent with the purpose of the Plan and the interests of the Company. The Other Awards may provide for cash payments based in whole or in part on the

 

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value or future value of Shares, for the acquisition or future acquisition of Shares, or any combination of the foregoing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, where the value of an Other Award is based on the difference in the value of a Share at different points in time, the grant or exercise price will not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of grant unless the Other Award is granted in replacement for an award previously granted by an entity that is assumed by the Company in a business combination, provided that the Committee determines that the Other Award preserves the economic benefit of the replaced award and is either exempt from or in compliance with the requirements of Code section 409A.

Article 10—Performance Measures

 

10.1

In General. The Committee may, in its discretion, include performance conditions in any Award.

 

10.2

Section 162(m) Performance Measures. Unless and until the Committee proposes for stockholder vote and stockholders approve a change in the general performance measures set forth in this Article 10, the attainment of which may determine the degree of payout and/or vesting with respect to Covered Employees’ Awards that are intended to qualify under the performance-based compensation provisions of Code section 162(m), the performance measure(s) to be used for purposes of such Awards shall be chosen from among the following: earnings, earnings per share, consolidated pre-tax earnings, net earnings, net income, operating income, EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes), EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), gross margin, operating margin, profit margin, revenues, revenue growth, market value added, market share, economic value added, return measures (including but not limited to return on equity, return on investment, return on assets, return on net assets, and return on capital employed), total stockholder return, profit, operating profit, economic profit, capitalized economic profit, after-tax profit, pre-tax profit, cash, cash flow measures (including but not limited to operating cash flow, free cash flow, cash flow return, and cash flow per share), sales, sales volume, sales growth, assets, inventory turnover ratio, productivity ratios, Share price, cost, unit cost, expense targets or ratios, charge-off levels, operating efficiency, operating expenses, customer satisfaction, improvement in or attainment of expense levels, working capital, improvement in or attainment of working capital levels, debt, debt to equity ratio, debt reduction, capital targets and/or consummation of acquisitions, dispositions, projects or other specific events or transactions.

Any performance measure may be applied to the Company and any other entity included in the term “Employer” in the aggregate, to a selection of these, to each as a whole or alternatively, or to any business unit of the Company or any other entity included in the term “Employer”, either individually, alternatively or in any combination and measured either annually or cumulatively over a period of years, on an absolute basis or relative to a pre-established target, to results for previous years or to a designated comparison group of entities or to a published or stock market or other index, in each case as specified by the Committee. The Committee shall specify the period over which the performance goals for a particular Award shall be measured.

 

10.3

Other Performance Measures. The Committee may establish other performance measures for Awards granted to Eligible Participants that are not intended to qualify under the performance-based compensation exception from the deductibility limitations of Code section 162(m).

 

10.4

Committee Determination of Achievement of Performance Goals; Adjustments. The Committee shall determine whether the applicable performance goals have been met with respect to a particular Award and, if they have, the Committee shall so certify in writing and ascertain the amount payable under the applicable Award. The Committee is authorized to make adjustments in performance-based criteria or in the terms and conditions of other Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events affecting the Company or its financial statements (including, but not limited to, asset write-downs; litigation or claim judgments or settlements; reorganizations or restructuring programs; extraordinary, unusual, or nonrecurring items of gain

 

17


 

or loss as defined under US generally accepted accounting principles; mergers, acquisitions or divestitures; and foreign exchange gains and losses) or changes in applicable laws, regulations or accounting principles. In the case of Awards to Covered Employees that are intended to qualify under the performance-based compensation exception from the deductibility limitations of Code section 162(m), such adjustments shall be made in accordance with guidelines established by the Committee at the time the performance-based Award is granted (or within such period thereafter as may be permissible under Code section 162(m)). The Committee shall also have the discretion to adjust downward the determinations of the degree of attainment of the pre-established performance goals; Awards may not be adjusted upward.

If applicable tax and/or securities laws permit Committee discretion to alter the governing performance measures without obtaining stockholder approval of such changes, the Committee shall have sole discretion to make such changes without obtaining stockholder approval. In addition, in the event that the Committee determines that it is advisable to grant Awards which shall not qualify for the performance-based compensation exception from the deductibility limitations of Code section 162(m), the Committee may make such grants without satisfying the requirements of Code section 162(m).

Article 11—Awards to Directors

 

11.1

Director Awards. On each date that the Company makes its regular, annual grant of Awards to employees (the “Annual Grant Date”), each Director shall be granted a Stock Award or NQSO in an amount determined by the Committee; provided, however, that each individual who is first elected to serve as a Director on a date after an Annual Grant Date and prior to the next Annual Grant Date (“Prorated Grant Date”) shall be granted a prorated Stock Award and/or NQSO, as follows: if the Prorated Grant Date is less than 3 months after the Annual Grant Date, 100% of the Awards granted to Directors on the Annual Grant Date; if the Prorated Grant Date is at least 3 months but less than 6 months after the Annual Grant Date, 75% of the Awards granted to Directors on the Annual Grant Date; if the Prorated Grant Date is at least 6 months but less than 9 months after the Annual Grant Date, 50% of the Awards granted to Directors on the Annual Grant Date; if the Prorated Grant Date is at least 9 months but less than 12 months after the Annual Grant Date, 25% of the Awards granted to Directors on the Annual Grant Date.

 

11.2

Other Director Compensation. In place of cash compensation, on the last day of March, June, September and December of each calendar year, each Director shall be awarded, on a current basis or at the prior election of the Director on a deferred basis, a number of Shares (rounded to the nearest whole Share) equal to one-quarter of the dollar amount specified by the Committee for such calendar year divided by the Fair Market Value of a Share on such date; provided that such dollar amount shall be reduced to the extent a Director elects (prior to such immediately preceding December 31, or with respect to any person who became a Director subsequent to such date, within 30 days of becoming a Director) to receive cash in lieu of Shares under this Section 11.2 (a “Cash Election”). For purposes of Shares awarded under this Section 11.2, the definition of Fair Market Value in Section 2.17 above shall be applied by replacing each reference to the closing price of a Share on the trading day immediately preceding the grant date for such Shares with a reference to the closing price of a Share on the last trading day of the calendar quarter immediately preceding the grant date for such Shares (e.g., for purposes of any Shares awarded on September 30, 2013, under this Section 11.2, “Fair Market Value” shall be the NYSE closing price for a Share on June 28, 2013). The Committee shall specify the dollar amount in effect under this Section 11.2 for a calendar year no later than March 31 of such calendar year. Any Shares awarded pursuant to this Section 11.2 shall not be Restricted Stock. On or before each December 31 (or in the case of a person who first becomes a Director subsequent to December 31, within 30 days of becoming a Director), a Director may, by written notice to the Company, elect to defer receipt (a “Deferral Election”) of any or all of the Shares to be granted to the Director under this Section 11.2 (or cash to the extent of his or her Cash Election) which would otherwise be earned for service performed thereafter by him or her. Such election shall be made on a form prescribed by the Company for such deferrals and shall comply with the requirements of Code section 409A.

 

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Article 12—Beneficiary Designation

To the extent permitted by the Committee, each Participant under the Plan may, from time to time, name any beneficiary or beneficiaries (who may be named contingently or successively) to whom any vested but unpaid Award is to be paid in case of the Participant’s death. Each such designation shall revoke all prior designations by the same Participant, shall be in a form prescribed by the Company, and will be effective only when filed by the Participant in writing with the Company during the Participant’s lifetime. In the absence of any such designation, vested but unpaid Awards outstanding at the Participant’s death shall be paid to the Participant’s estate.

Article 13—Deferrals

The Committee may permit or require a Participant to defer such Participant’s receipt of the payment of cash or the delivery of Shares that would otherwise be due to such Participant by virtue of the exercise of an Option or SAR that is not a 409A Award, the lapse or waiver of restrictions with respect to Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units, or the satisfaction of any requirements or goals with respect to Performance Shares or Performance Units. If any such deferral election is required or permitted, the Committee shall, in its sole discretion, establish rules and procedures for such deferrals, and the Committee may provide for such arrangements, including conversion to another form of Award that is available under the Plan and has equivalent value, as it deems necessary in order to permit the deferral of taxes in connection with such deferral by the Participant. Any deferrals required or permitted by the Committee of Awards shall be made in compliance with Code section 409A.

Article 14—Withholding

 

14.1

Tax Withholding. The Company shall have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy Federal, state, and local taxes or similar charges, domestic or foreign, required by law or regulation to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising as a result of or in connection with this Plan or any Award.

 

14.2

Share Withholding. With respect to withholding required upon the exercise of Options or SARs, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units, upon the achievement of performance goals related to Performance Shares or Performance Units, or upon any other taxable event arising as a result of or in connection with an Award granted hereunder that is settled in Shares, unless other arrangements are made with the consent of the Committee, Participants shall satisfy the withholding requirement by having the Company withhold Shares having a Fair Market Value on the date the tax is to be determined equal to not more than the amount necessary to satisfy the Company’s withholding obligations at the minimum statutory withholding rates. All such withholding arrangements shall be subject to any restrictions or limitations that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate.

Article 15—Amendment and Termination

 

15.1

Amendment or Termination of Plan. The Committee may at any time terminate or from time to time amend the Plan in whole or in part, but no such action shall adversely affect any rights or obligations with respect to any Awards previously granted under the Plan, unless the affected Participants consent in writing. The Company will obtain the approval of the stockholders before amending the Plan to the extent required by Code section 162(m) or 422 and/or the rules of the exchange upon which the Shares are traded or other applicable law.

 

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15.2

Amendment of Agreement. The Committee may, at any time, amend outstanding Agreements in a manner not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan; provided, however, except as provided in Section 15.4, if such amendment is adverse to the Participant, as determined by the Committee, the amendment shall not be effective unless and until the Participant consents, in writing, to such amendment. To the extent not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, the Committee may, at any time, amend an outstanding Agreement in a manner that is not unfavorable to the Participant without the consent of such Participant. Notwithstanding the above provision, the Committee shall not permit or effect a repricing, except in accordance with Section 4.3 or to the extent the repricing is approved by the stockholders of the Company; for this purpose, a repricing is an amendment to the terms of an outstanding Option or SAR that would reduce the Option Price or SAR Price of that Option or SAR, respectively, or a cancellation, exchange, substitution, buyout or surrender of an outstanding Option or SAR in exchange for cash, another Award or Option or SAR with an Option Price or SAR Price that is less than the Option Price or SAR Price of the original Option or SAR, respectively (or as further defined within US generally accepted accounting practices or any applicable stock exchange rule). Notwithstanding anything else in this Section 15.2, (i) no amendment of an Agreement shall cause an award to be subject to Code section 409A, unless the Agreement, as amended, complies with the requirements of Code section 409A, and (ii) no amendment of an Agreement that is subject to Code section 409A shall cause such an Agreement (or the underlying Award) to violate Code section 409A.

 

15.3

Cancellation of Awards. The Committee may provide in the Agreement that if a Participant engages in any “Detrimental Activity” (as defined below), the Committee may, notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan to the contrary, cancel, rescind, suspend, withhold or otherwise restrict or limit any unexpired, unexercised, unpaid or deferred Award as of the first date the Participant engages in the Detrimental Activity, unless sooner terminated by operation of another term of this Plan or any other agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Agreement may also provide that if the Participant exercises an Option or SAR, receives a Performance Share or Performance Unit payout, receives or vests in Shares under an Award or vests in or receives a payout under a Restricted Stock Unit at any time during the period beginning six months prior to the date the Participant first engages in Detrimental Activity and ending six months after the date the Participant ceases to engage in any Detrimental Activity, the Participant shall be required to pay to the Company the excess of the then fair market value of the Shares subject to the Award over the total price paid by the Participant for such Shares.

For purposes of this Section, “Detrimental Activity” means any of the following, as determined by the Committee in good faith: (i) the violation of any agreement between the Company and the Participant relating to the disclosure of confidential information or trade secrets, the solicitation of employees, customers, suppliers, licensees, licensors or contractors, or the performance of competitive services; (ii) conduct that constitutes Cause (as defined in Section 2.6 above), whether or not the Participant’s employment is terminated for Cause; (iii) making, or causing or attempting to cause any other person to make, any statement, either written or oral, or conveying any information about the Company which is disparaging or which in any way reflects negatively upon the Company; (iv) improperly disclosing or otherwise misusing any confidential information regarding the Company; or (v) the refusal or failure of a Participant to provide, upon the request of the Company, a certification, in a form satisfactory to the Company, that he or she is in full compliance with the terms and conditions of the Plan; provided, that the Committee may provide in the Agreement that only certain of the restrictions provided above apply for purposes of the Agreement.

 

15.4

Assumption or Cancellation of Awards. This Section 15.4 applies respect to the disposition of an outstanding Award in a Corporate Event (as defined below) only to the extent that such Corporate Event is not also a Change in Control covered by Article 16. In the event of a sale of all or substantially all of the assets or stock of the Company, the merger of the Company with or into another corporation such that stockholders of the Company immediately prior to the merger exchange their shares of stock in the

 

20


 

Company for cash and/or shares of another entity or any other corporate transaction to which the Committee deems this provision applicable (a “Corporate Event”), each Award outstanding at the time of the Corporate Event shall be assumed or an equivalent Award shall be substituted by the successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation (and adjusted as appropriate), unless such successor corporation does not agree to assume the Award or to substitute an equivalent award, in which case the Committee may, in lieu of such assumption or substitution, provide for the Participant to have the right to exercise the Option or other SAR as to all Shares covered by the Award, including Shares as to which the Option or SAR would not otherwise be exercisable or provide that all restrictions applicable to any Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares or Performance Units shall lapse). If the Committee makes an Option or SAR fully exercisable in lieu of assumption or substitution in the event of a Corporate Event, the Committee shall notify the Participant that, subject to rescission if the Corporate Event is not successfully completed within a certain period, the Option or SAR shall be fully exercisable for a period of fifteen (15) days from the date of such notice (or such other period as provided by the Committee), and, to the extent not exercised, the Option or other Award will terminate upon the expiration of such period. Alternatively, the Committee may make provision for a cash payment in settlement of any or all outstanding Awards or the cash, securities or property deliverable to the holder of any or all outstanding Awards, based upon, to the extent relevant under the circumstances, the distribution or consideration payable to holders of Shares upon or in respect of the Corporate Event. The Committee may adopt such valuation methodologies for outstanding Awards as it deems reasonable in the event of a cash settlement and, in the case of Options, SARs or similar rights, but without limitation on other methodologies, may base such settlement solely upon the excess (if any) of the per share amount payable upon or in respect of such event over the Option Price or SAR Price, as applicable, of the Award and may cancel each Option or SAR with an Option Price or SAR Price greater than the per share amount payable upon or in respect of such event without any payment to the person holding such Option or SAR. Any actions taken under this Section 15.4 shall be valid with respect to a 409A Award only to the extent that such action complies with Code section 409A.

Article 16—Change in Control

 

16.1

Single Trigger Treatment. Upon a Change in Control, each outstanding Award granted under this Plan (an “Outstanding Award”) will, except to the extent that the Outstanding Award is continued, assumed, replaced or adjusted in the form of a “Replacement Award,” vest or become immediately exercisable and/or nonforfeitable (a) if the Change in Control occurs less than two years after the date of grant for such Outstanding Award, on a pro-rata basis (i) based on actual service during the vesting period with respect to any time-based Outstanding Award and (ii) based on actual service during the performance period with respect to the greater of the target opportunity or actual results for any performance-based Outstanding Award, and (b) if the Change in Control occurs two years or more after the date of grant for such Outstanding Award, (i) on a pro-rata basis based on actual service during the vesting period with respect to any time-based Outstanding Award and (ii) with respect to 100% of the greater of the target opportunity or actual results for any performance-based Outstanding Award.

 

16.2

Double Trigger Treatment. If, subsequent to receiving a Replacement Award in accordance with Section 16.1, the Participant’s employment with the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or their successors in the Change in Control) is terminated within a period of two years after the Change in Control either (a) by the Participant for “Good Reason” or (b) by the Company, such subsidiary or such successor (as applicable) other than for “Cause,” then the Replacement Award will vest or become immediately exercisable and/or nonforfeitable with respect to 100% of any time-based Replacement Award and with respect to 100% of the greater of the target opportunity or actual results for any performance-based Replacement Award (an “Accelerated Replacement Award”). For purposes of Article 16, “Replacement Award,” “Good Reason” and “Cause” will be used as defined in the applicable Agreement. Outstanding Awards and Accelerated Replacement Awards shall become payable at such time as specified under the terms and conditions of the applicable Agreement (or agreement for such Accelerated Replacement Awards) except that, to the extent

 

21


 

that such Outstanding Awards or Accelerated Replacement Awards are exempt from Section 409A of the Code under the “short-term deferral rule,” payment for such Outstanding Awards or Accelerated Replacement Awards shall be made not later than 2-1/2 months after the year in which they are no longer subject to substantial risk of forfeiture.

Article 17—Miscellaneous Provisions

 

17.1

Restrictions on Shares. All certificates for Shares delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any stock exchange upon which the Shares are then listed and any applicable federal or state laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be placed on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. In making such determination, the Committee may rely upon an opinion of counsel for the Company.

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Company shall have no liability to deliver any Shares under the Plan or make any other distribution of the benefits under the Plan unless such delivery or distribution would comply with all applicable laws (including, without limitation, the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933), and the applicable requirements of any securities exchange or similar entity.

 

17.2

Rights of Stockholder. Except as otherwise provided in Article 7 of the Plan or in the applicable Restricted Stock Agreement, each Participant who receives an Award of Shares of Restricted Stock shall at all times have all of the rights of a stockholder with respect to such Shares, including but not limited to the right to vote the Shares to the extent, if any, such Shares possess voting rights and receive dividends and other distributions. No Participant awarded an Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall have any right as a stockholder with respect to any Shares covered by such Award (including but not limited to the right to vote the Shares) prior to the date on which the Participant becomes the record holder of such Shares. Except as provided otherwise in the Plan or in an Agreement, no Participant awarded a Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Share or Performance Unit shall have any right as a stockholder with respect to any Shares covered by such Award (including but not limited to the right to vote the Shares) prior to the date on which the Participant becomes the record holder of such Shares.

 

17.3

No Implied Rights. Nothing in the Plan or any Agreement shall confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the service of the Employer, or to serve as a Director thereof, or interfere in any way with the right of the Employer to terminate his or her employment or other service relationship at any time and for any reason. Unless agreed by the Board, no Award granted under the Plan shall be deemed salary or compensation for the purpose of computing benefits under any employee benefit plan, severance program, or other arrangement of the Employer for the benefit of its employees. No Participant shall have any claim to an Award until it is actually granted under the Plan. To the extent that any person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company under the Plan, such right shall, except as otherwise provided by the Committee, be no greater than the right of an unsecured general creditor of the Company.

 

17.4

Compliance with Laws. At all times when the Committee determines that compliance with Code section 162(m) is required or desirable, all Awards granted under this Plan to Covered Employees shall comply with the requirements of Code section 162(m). In addition, in the event that changes are made to Code section 162(m) to permit greater flexibility with respect to any Awards under the Plan, the Committee may, subject to the requirements of Article 15, make any adjustments it deems appropriate. The Plan and the grant of Awards shall be subject to all applicable federal and state laws, rules, and regulations and to such approvals by any United States government or regulatory agency as may be required. Any provision herein relating to compliance with Rule 16b-3 under the Act shall not be applicable with respect to participation in the Plan by Participants who are not Insiders.

 

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17.5

Compliance with Code Section 409A. At all times, this Plan shall be interpreted and operated (i) with respect to 409A Awards in accordance with the requirements of Code section 409A, and (ii) to maintain the exemptions from Code section 409A of Options, SARs and Restricted Stock and any Awards designed to meet the short-term deferral exception under Code section 409A. To the extent there is a conflict between the provisions of the Plan relating to compliance with Code section 409A and the provisions of any Agreement issued under the Plan, the provisions of the Plan control. Moreover, any discretionary authority that the Committee may have pursuant to the Plan shall not be applicable to a 409A Award to the extent such discretionary authority would conflict with Code section 409A. In addition, to the extent required to avoid a violation of the applicable rules under Code section 409A by reason of Code section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), any payment under an Award shall be delayed until the earliest date of payment that will result in compliance with the rules of Code section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) (regarding the required six-month delay for distributions to specified employees that are related to a separation from service). To the extent that a 409A Award provides for payment upon the recipient’s termination of employment as an employee or cessation of service as a Director, the 409A Award shall be deemed to require payment upon the individual’s “separation from service” within the meaning of Code section 409A. In the event that an Award shall be deemed not to comply with Code section 409A, then neither the Company, the Board of Directors, the Committee nor its or their designees or agents, nor any of their affiliates, assigns or successors (each a “protected party”) shall be liable to any Award recipient or other person for actions, inactions, decisions, indecisions or any other role in relation to the Plan by a protected party if made or undertaken in good faith or in reliance on the advice of counsel (who may be counsel for the Company), or made or undertaken by someone other than a protected party.

 

17.6

Deferrals for Code Section 162(m). The Committee, in its discretion, may defer the payment of an Award, if such payment would cause the annual remuneration of a Participant, who is subject to the requirements of Code section 162(m), to be nondeductible because it exceeds $1,000,000 (or such other amount allowed under Code section 162(m) as a deduction). Any such deferral shall be clearly and expressly provided for by the Committee and, in the case of 409A Awards, shall be subject to the limitations set forth in the next sentence. Any such deferral (i) shall be until the earlier of (A) the Participant’s separation from service (within the meaning of Code section 409A and subject to the last sentence of Section 16.5 above in the case of a specified employee), or (B) the next succeeding year (or years) in which the deduction of the payment will not be barred by application of Code section 162(m), (ii) is conditioned on all payments to similarly situated Award Recipients being treated in a reasonably consistent manner, (iii) is conditioned on all payment to the Award recipient that could also be deferred on the basis of nondeductibility under Code section 162(m) being similarly delayed, and (iv) shall not be applied to payments under Options and SARs.

 

17.7

Successors. The terms of the Plan and all outstanding Awards shall be binding upon the Company, and its successors and assigns.

 

17.8

Tax Elections. Each Participant agrees to promptly give the Committee a copy of any election made by such Participant under Code section 83(b) or any similar provision thereof. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Committee may condition any Award on the Participant making or not making an election under Code section 83(b) with respect to the Award.

 

17.9

No Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award; in the discretion of the Committee, the Company shall forfeit the value of fractional shares or make cash payments in lieu of fractional Shares.

 

17.10

Delivery of Title. The Company shall have no obligation to issue or deliver evidence of title for Shares under the Plan prior to:

 

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  (a)

Obtaining any approvals from governmental agencies that the Company determines are necessary or advisable; and

 

  (b)

Completing any registration or other qualification of the Shares under any applicable national or foreign law or ruling of any governmental body that the Company determines are necessary or advisable.

 

17.11

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

 

17.12

Uncertificated Shares. To the extent that the Plan provides for issuance of certificates to reflect the transfer of Shares, the transfer of such Shares may be effected on a noncertificated basis, to the extent not prohibited by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange.

 

17.13

Legal Construction.

 

  (a)

Severability. If any provision of this Plan or an Agreement is or becomes or is deemed invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, or would disqualify the Plan or any Agreement under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to applicable laws or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Agreement, it shall be stricken and the remainder of the Plan or the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

  (b)

Gender and Number. Where the context admits, words in any gender shall include the other gender, words in the singular shall include the plural and words in the plural shall include the singular.

 

  (c)

Governing Law. To the extent not preempted by federal law, the Plan and all Agreements hereunder shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York, excluding any conflicts or choice or law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of the Plan or the Agreement (as applicable) to the substantive law of any other jurisdiction. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Agreement, the recipient of an Award is deemed to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the Federal and state courts of New York to resolve any and all issues that may arise out of or relate to the Plan or such Agreement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Plan is executed this 29 day of May, 2013.

 

    STARWOOD HOTELS &
    RESORTS WORLDWIDE, INC.

ATTEST: /s/ Mary-Jo D’Alessandro

 

By:

 

/s/ Jeffrey M. Cava

   

Authorized Officer

Asst. Secretary

   

 

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