-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, DnlXfRIUOAljj09eaJ84WbZAlyYPZwkOJkT32DpucHLBx2lvVVFKccsA/RSdLua1 jkJfNJ4s9r6IVfUk7krLzw== 0000891919-10-000007.txt : 20100526 0000891919-10-000007.hdr.sgml : 20100526 20100526121515 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000891919-10-000007 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 3 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20100520 ITEM INFORMATION: Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers: Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers ITEM INFORMATION: Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20100526 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20100526 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: BOOKS A MILLION INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000891919 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: RETAIL-MISCELLANEOUS SHOPPING GOODS STORES [5940] IRS NUMBER: 630798460 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 0130 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 000-20664 FILM NUMBER: 10858910 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 402 INDUSTRIAL LN CITY: BIRMINGHAM STATE: AL ZIP: 35211 BUSINESS PHONE: 2059423737 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 402 INDUSTRIAL LANE CITY: BIRMINGHAM STATE: AL ZIP: 35211 8-K 1 q4fy118kannualmeeting.htm 8-K FOR ANNUAL MEETING RESULTS & PLAN AMENDMENTS q4fy118kannualmeeting.htm


 
 


UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):  May 20, 2010


                                BOOKS-A-MILLION, INC.                                
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


         
Delaware
 
0-20664
 
63-0798460
(State of Incorporation)
 
(Commission File Number)
 
(IRS Employer Identification No.)


402 Industrial Lane
Birmingham, Alabama  35211
 (Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

(205) 942-3737
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

N/A
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)


Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

[  ]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[  ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))


 
 

 
 

 

Item 5.02.
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

 
(e)
Stockholder Approval of the Third Amendment to the Books-A-Million, Inc. 2005 Incentive Award Plan

At the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Books-A-Million, Inc. (the “Company”) held on May 20, 2010 (the “Annual Meeting”), the stockholders of the Company approved the Third Amendment (the “Third Amendment”) to the Books-A-Million, Inc. 2005 Incentive Award Plan (the “Incentive Plan”).  The Third Amendment to the Incentive Plan increases the total number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock available for issuance under the Incentive Plan by an additional 800,000 shares, such that the Incentive Plan will provide for a total of 2,000,000 shares available for issuance to members of the Board of Directors, employees and consultants.  Additionally, the Third Amendment increases the limitation on the number of shares of Common Stock that may be granted to any one participant under the Incentive Plan during any fiscal year from 100,000 to 200,000 and adds a bonus “clawback” provision to the Incentive Plan that will require participants under the Incentive Plan to forfeit and/or repay payments made or to be made under the Incentive Plan in certain circumstances.

A copy of the Incentive Plan, as amended by the Third Amendment, is attached as Appendix A to the Company’s 2010 Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A that was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 20, 2010.  A copy of the Incentive Plan, as amended by the Third Amendment, is also included with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.1.

Stockholder Approval of the Second Amendment to the Books-A-Million, Inc. 1999 Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan

At the Annual Meeting, the stockholders of the Company also approved the Second Amendment (the “Second Amendment”) to the Books-A-Million, Inc. 1999 Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Stock Purchase Plan”).  The Second Amendment to the Stock Purchase Plan increases the total number of shares of the Company’s Common stock available for purchase under the Stock Purchase Plan by an additional 200,000 shares, such that the Stock Purchase Plan will provide for a total of 600,000 shares available for purchase by employees of the Company or one of its subsidiaries.

A copy of the Stock Purchase Plan, as amended by the Second Amendment, is attached as Appendix B to the Company’s 2010 Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A that was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 20, 2010.  A copy of the Stock Purchase Plan, as amended by the Second Amendment, is also included with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.2.


Item 5.07.
Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

Summarized below are descriptions of the matters voted on at the Annual Meeting and the final results of such voting:

Proposal 1 – Election of Directors.  The result of the vote taken at the Annual Meeting for the election of a class of directors of the Company to serve a three-year term expiring at the 2013 annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified was as follows:
 
Name
 
Votes For
Votes Withheld
Broker Non-Votes
J. Barry Mason
 
12,357,804
        277,907
       1,767,551
William H. Rogers, Jr.
 
10,728,699
     1,907,012
       1,767,551


 
 

 

Proposal 2 – Approval of the Third Amendment to the 2005 Incentive Award Plan.  The result of the vote taken at the Annual Meeting relating to the approval of the Third Amendment to the Books-A-Million, Inc. 2005 Incentive Award Plan was as follows:
 
Votes For
 
Votes Against
Abstain
Broker Non-Votes
 12,012,387
      603,991
 19,333
      1,767,551


Proposal 3 – Approval of the Second Amendment to the 1999 Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan.  The result of the vote taken at the Annual Meeting relating to the approval of the Second Amendment to the Books-A-Million, Inc. 1999 Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan was as follows:
 
Votes For
 
Votes Against
Abstain
Broker Non-Votes
 12,146,077
     474,275
15,359
     1,767,551


Proposal 4 – Ratification of the Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.  The result of the vote taken at the Annual Meeting to ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for fiscal year 2011 was as follows:
 
Votes For
 
Votes Against
Abstain
14,203,236
      62,846
 137,180


Item 9.01.
Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)           Exhibits.

Exhibit Number
 
Exhibit
10.1
 
 
Books-A-Million, Inc. 2005 Incentive Award Plan, as amended by the Third Amendment
10.2
 
Books-A-Million, Inc. 1999 Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended by the Second Amendment


 
 

 

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


       
 
BOOKS-A-MILLION, INC.
 
 
By:
 
/s/ Brian W. White
     
Brian W. White
Chief Financial Officer


Dated: May 26, 2010

 

 
 

 

INDEX TO EXHIBITS



Exhibit Number
 
Exhibit
10.1
 
 
Books-A-Million, Inc. 2005 Incentive Award Plan, as amended by the Third Amendment
10.2
 
Books-A-Million, Inc. 1999 Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended by the Second Amendment






EX-10.1 2 exhibit10-1.htm 2005 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN, AS AMENDED exhibit10-1.htm




EXHIBIT 10.1


BOOKS-A-MILLION, INC.
2005 INCENTIVE AWARD PLAN
(As Amended on May 20, 2010)


PURPOSE

The purpose of the Books-A-Million, Inc. 2005 Incentive Award Plan (the “Plan”) is to promote the success and enhance the value of Books-A-Million, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) by linking the personal interests of the members of the Board, Employees, and Consultants to those of Company stockholders and by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding performance to generate superior returns to Company stockholders.  The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company in its ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of members of the Board, Employees, and Consultants upon whose judgment, interest, and special effort the successful conduct of the Company’s operation is largely dependent.
 
ARTICLE 1
 
DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION
 
Wherever the following terms are used in the Plan they shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.  The singular pronoun shall include the plural where the context so indicates.
 
1.1            Award” means an Option, a Restricted Stock award, a Stock Appreciation Right award, a Performance Share award, a Performance Stock Unit award, a Performance Award, a Dividend Equivalents award, a Stock Payment award, a Deferred Stock award, a Restricted Stock Unit award, or a Performance-Based Award granted to a Participant pursuant to the Plan.
 
1.2        Award Agreement” means any written agreement, contract, or other instrument or document evidencing an Award, including through electronic medium.
 
1.3           Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
 
1.4           Change of Control” means and includes each of the following:
 
(a)           A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Stock to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) whereby any “person” or related “group” of “persons” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than the Company, any of its subsidiaries, an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or a “person” that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership ( within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; or
 
(b)           During any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new director(s) (other than a director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Section 2.4(a) or Section 2.4(c)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the two year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or
 
 
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(c)           The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination or (y) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or (z) the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case other than a transaction:
 
(i)           Which results in the Company’s voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such person, the “Successor Entity”)) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity’s outstanding voting securities immediately after t he transaction, and
 
(ii)           After which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no person or group shall be treated for purposes of this Section 2.4(c)(ii) as beneficially owning 50% or more of combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction; or
 
(d)           The Company’s stockholders approve a liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
 
The Committee shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change of Control of the Company has occurred pursuant to the above definition, and the date of the occurrence of such Change of Control and any incidental matters relating thereto.

1.5           Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
 
1.6           Committee” means the committee of the Board described in Article 12.
 
1.7           Consultant” means any consultant or adviser if: (a) the consultant or adviser renders bona fide services to the Company; (b) the services rendered by the consultant or adviser are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities; and (c) the consultant or adviser is a natural person who has contracted directly with the Company to render such services.
 
1.8           Covered Employee” means an Employee who is, or could be, a “covered employee” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.
 
1.9           Deferred Stock” means a right to receive a specified number of shares of Stock during specified time periods pursuant to Article 8.
 
1.10          Disability means that the Participant qualifies to receive long-term disability payments under the Company’s long-term disability insurance program, as it may be amended from time to time.
 
1.11          Dividend Equivalents” means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 8 to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Stock) of dividends paid on Stock.
 
1.12          Effective Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13.1.
 
1.13          Employee” means any officer or other employee (as defined in accordance with Section 3401(c) of the Code) of the Company or any Subsidiary.
 
1.14          Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
 

 
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1.15          Fair Market Value” means, as of any given date, (a) if Stock is traded on an exchange, the closing price of a share of Stock as reported in the Wall Street Journal for the first trading date immediately prior to such date during which a sale occurred; or (b) if Stock is not traded on an exchange but is quoted on NASDAQ or a successor or other quotation system, (i) the last sales price (if the Stock is then listed as a Market Issue under the NASD Market System) or (ii) the mean between the closing representative bid and asked prices (in all oth er cases) for the Stock on the date immediately prior to such date on which sales prices or bid and asked prices, as applicable, are reported by NASDAQ or such successor quotation system; or (c) if such Stock is not publicly traded on an exchange and not quoted on NASDAQ or a successor quotation system, the mean between the closing bid and asked prices for the Stock on the day previous to such date, as determined in good faith by the Committee; or (d) if the Stock is not publicly traded, the fair market value established by the Committee acting in good faith.
 
1.16          Full Value Award” means any Award other than an Option, SAR or other Award for which the Participant pays the intrinsic value (whether directly or by forgoing a right to receive a cash payment from the Company).
 
1.17          Incentive Stock Option” means an Option that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.
 
1.18          Independent Director” means a member of the Board who is not an Employee of the Company.
 
1.19          Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board who qualifies as a “Non-Employee Director” as defined in Rule 16b-3(b)(3) under the Exchange Act, or any successor definition adopted by the Board.
 
1.20          Non-Qualified Stock Option” means an Option that is not intended to be an Incentive Stock Option.
 
1.21          Option” means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 5 of the Plan to purchase a specified number of shares of Stock at a specified price during specified time periods.  An Option may be either an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.
 
1.22          Participant” means a person who, as a member of the Board, Consultant or Employee, has been granted an Award pursuant to the Plan.
 
1.23          Performance Award” means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 8 to receive a cash bonus payment contingent upon achieving certain performance goals established by the Committee.
 
1.24          Performance-Based Award” means an Award granted to selected Covered Employees pursuant to Articles 6 and 8, but which is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Article 9.
 
1.25          Performance Criteria” means the criteria that the Committee selects for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal or Performance Goals for a Participant for a Performance Period.  The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish Performance Goals shall be limited to the following:  net earnings (either before or after interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), economic value-added (as determined by the Committee), sales or revenue, net income (either before or after taxes), operating earnings, cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow), cash flow return on capital, re turn on net assets, return on stockholders’ equity, return on assets, return on capital, stockholder returns, return on sales, gross or net profit margin, productivity, expense, margins, operating efficiency, customer satisfaction, working capital, earnings per share, price per share of Stock, and market share, any of which may be measured either in absolute terms or as compared to any incremental increase or as compared to results of a peer group.  The Committee shall, within the time prescribed by Section 162(m) of the Code, define in an objective fashion the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for such Performance Period for such Participant.
 
1.26          Performance Goals” means, for a Performance Period, the goals established in writing by the Committee for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria.  Depending on the Performance Criteria used to establish such Performance Goals, the Performance Goals may be expressed in terms of overall
 
 
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Company performance or the performance of a division, business unit, or an individual.  The Committee, in its discretion, may, within the time prescribed by Section 162(m) of the Code, adjust or modify the calculation of Performance Goals for such Performance Period in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants (a) in the event of, or in anticipation of, any unusual or extraordinary corporate item, transaction, event, or development, or (b) in recognition of, or in anticipation of, any other unusual or nonrecurring events affecting the Company, or the financial statements of the Company, or in response to, or in anticipation of, changes in applicable laws, regulations, accounting principles, or business conditions.
 
1.27          Performance Period” means the one or more periods of time, which may be of varying and overlapping durations, as the Committee may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to, and the payment of, a Performance-Based Award.
 
1.28          Performance Share” means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 8, to receive Stock, the payment of which is contingent upon achieving certain performance goals established by the Committee.
 
1.29          Performance Stock Unit” means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 8, to receive Stock, the payment of which is contingent upon achieving certain performance goals established by the Committee.
 
1.30          Plan” means this Books-A-Million, Inc., 2005 Incentive Award Plan, as it may be amended from time to time.
 
1.31          Prior Plan” means the Books-A-Million, Inc. Stock Option Plan.
 
1.32          Qualified Performance-Based Compensation” means any compensation that is intended to qualify as “qualified performance-based compensation” as described in Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code.
 
1.33          Restricted Stock” means Stock awarded to a Participant pursuant to Article 6 that is subject to certain restrictions and may be subject to risk of forfeiture.
 
1.34          Restricted Stock Unit” means an Award granted pursuant to Article 8.
 
1.35 Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share, and such other securities of the Company that may be substituted for Stock pursuant to Article 11.
 
1.36          Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means a right granted pursuant to Article 7 to receive a payment equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of a specified number of shares of Stock on the date the SAR is exercised over the Fair Market Value on the date the SAR was granted as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.
 
1.37          Stock Payment” means (a) a payment in the form of shares of Stock, or (b) an option or other right to purchase shares of Stock, as part of any bonus, deferred compensation or other arrangement, made in lieu of all or any portion of the compensation, granted pursuant to Article 8.
 
1.38          Subsidiary” means any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the outstanding voting stock or voting power is beneficially owned directly or indirectly by the Company.
 
ARTICLE 2
 
SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN
 
2.1            Number of Shares.
 
(a) Subject to Article 11 and Section 3.1(b), the aggregate number of shares of Stock which may be issued or transferred pursuant to Awards (including, without limitation, Incentive Stock Options) under the Plan is 2,000,000.
 
 
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(b)            To the extent that an Award terminates, expires, or lapses for any reason, any shares of Stock subject to the Award shall again be available for the grant of an Award pursuant to the Plan.  To the extent permitted by applicable law or any exchange rule, shares of Stock issued in assumption of, or in substitution for, any outstanding awards of any entity acquired in any form of combination by the Company or any Subsidiary shall not be counted against shares of Stock available for grant pursuant to this Plan.  Shares of Stock which are delivered by the Participant or withheld by the Company upon the exercise of any Award under the Plan, in payment of the ex ercise price thereof or tax withholding thereon, may again be optioned, granted or awarded hereunder, subject to the limitations of Section 3.1(a).  If any shares of Restricted Stock are forfeited by the Participant or repurchased by the Company, such shares may again be optioned, granted or awarded hereunder, subject to the limitations of Section 3.1(a). Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3.1(b), no shares of Stock may again be optioned, granted or awarded if such action would cause an Incentive Stock Option to fail to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code.
 
2.2            Stock Distributed.  Any Stock distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Stock, treasury Stock or Stock purchased on the open market.
 
2.3            Limitation on Number of Shares Subject to Awards and Limit on Performance Awards.  Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, and subject to Article 11, the maximum number of shares of Stock with respect to one or more Awards that may be granted to any one Participant during any fiscal year shall be 200,000.  The maximum amount that may be paid in cash during any fiscal year with respect to a Performance-Based Award that is intended to be a Performance Award shall be $1,000,000.
 
 
ARTICLE 3
 
ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION
 
3.1            Eligibility.
 
(a)            General.  Persons eligible to participate in this Plan include Employees, Consultants, and all members of the Board, as determined by the Committee.
 
(b)            Foreign Participants.  Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in order to comply with the laws in other countries in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate or have Employees, Consultants or members of the Board, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to: (i) determine which Subsidiaries shall be covered by the Plan; (ii) determine which Employees, Consultants or members of the Board outside the United States are eligible to participate in the Plan; (iii) modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to Employees, Consultants or members of the Board outside the United States to comply with ap plicable foreign laws; (iv) establish subplans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures, to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable (any such subplans and/or modifications shall be attached to this Plan as appendices); provided, however, that no such subplans and/or modifications shall increase the share limitations contained in Sections 3.1 and 3.3 of the Plan; and (v) take any action, before or after an Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain approval or comply with any necessary local governmental regulatory exemptions or approvals.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate the Exchange Act, the Code, any securities law or governing statute or any other applicable law.
 
3.2            Participation.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee may, from time to time, select from among all eligible individuals, those to whom Awards shall be granted and shall determine the nature and amount of each Award.  No individual shall have any right to be granted an Award pursuant to this Plan.
 


 
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ARTICLE 4
 
STOCK OPTIONS
 
4.1            General.  The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Participants on the following terms and conditions:
 
(a)            Exercise Price.  The exercise price per share of Stock subject to an Option shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement; provided that the exercise price for any Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant.
 
(b)            Time and Conditions of Exercise.  The Committee shall determine the time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part; provided that the term of any Option granted under the Plan shall not exceed ten years.  The Committee shall also determine the performance or other conditions, if any, that must be satisfied before all or part of an Option may be exercised.
 
(c)            Payment.  The Committee shall determine the methods by which the exercise price of an Option may be paid and the form of payment, including, without limitation: (i) cash (or its equivalent), (ii) shares of Stock held for such period of time as may be required by the Committee in order to avoid adverse financial accounting consequences and having a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Option or exercised portion thereof or (iii) other property acceptable to the Committee (including through the delivery of a notice that the Participant has placed a market sell order with a broker with respect to shares of Stock t hen issuable upon exercise of the Option, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company in satisfaction of the Option exercise price; provided that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company upon settlement of such sale).  The Committee shall also determine the methods by which shares of Stock shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant who is a member of the Board or an “executive officer” of the Company within the meaning of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act shall be permitted to pay the exercise price of an Option in any method which would violate Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.
 
(d)            Evidence of Grant.  All Options shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement between the Company and the Participant.  The Award Agreement shall include such additional provisions as may be specified by the Committee.
 
4.2            Incentive Stock Options.  Incentive Stock Options shall be granted only to Employees and the terms of any Incentive Stock Options granted pursuant to the Plan, in addition to the requirements of Section 5.1, must comply with the following additional provisions of this Section 5.2:
 
(a)            Expiration of Option.  An Incentive Stock Option may not be exercised to any extent by anyone after the first to occur of the following events:
 
(i)            Ten years from the date it is granted, unless an earlier time is set in the Award Agreement;
 
(ii)            Three months after the Participant’s termination of employment as an Employee; and
 
(iii)            One year after the date of the Participant’s termination of employment or service on account of Disability or death.  Upon the Participant’s Disability or death, any Incentive Stock Options exercisable at the Participant’s Disability or death may be exercised by the Participant’s legal representative or representatives, by the person or persons entitled to do so pursuant to the Participant’s last will and testament, or, if the Participant fails to make testamentary disposition of such Incentive Stock Option or dies intestate, by the person or persons entitled to receive the Incentive Stock Option pursuant to the applicable laws of descent and distribution.
 
 
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(b)            Individual Dollar Limitation.  The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the time the Option is granted) of all shares of Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are first exercisable by a Participant in any calendar year may not exceed $100,000 or such other limitation as imposed by Section 422(d) of the Code, or any successor provision.  To the extent that Incentive Stock Options are first exercisable by a Participant in excess of such limitation, the excess shall be considered Non-Qualified Stock Options.
 
(c)            Ten Percent Owners.  An Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any individual who, at the date of grant, owns stock possessing more than ten percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of Stock of the Company only if such Option is granted at a price that is not less than 110% of Fair Market Value on the date of grant and the Option is exercisable for no more than five years from the date of grant.
 
(d)            Transfer Restriction.  The Participant shall give the Company prompt notice of any disposition of shares of Stock acquired by exercise of an Incentive Stock Option within (i) two years from the date of grant of such Incentive Stock Option or (ii) one year after the transfer of such shares of Stock to the Participant.
 
(e)            Expiration of Incentive Stock Options.  No Award of an Incentive Stock Option may be made pursuant to this Plan after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date.
 
(f)            Right to Exercise.  During a Participant’s lifetime, an Incentive Stock Option may be exercised only by the Participant.
 
 
ARTICLE 5
 
RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS
 
5.1            Grant of Restricted Stock.  The Committee is authorized to make Awards of Restricted Stock to any Participant selected by the Committee in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee.  All Awards of Restricted Stock shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.
 
5.2            Issuance and Restrictions.  Restricted Stock shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability and other restrictions as the Committee may impose (including, without limitation, limitations on the right to vote Restricted Stock or the right to receive dividends on the Restricted Stock).  These restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, pursuant to such circumstances, in such installments, or otherwise, as the Committee determines at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter.
 
5.3            Forfeiture.  Except as otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter, upon termination of employment or service during the applicable restriction period, Restricted Stock that is at that time subject to restrictions shall be forfeited; provided, however, that, the Committee may (a) provide in any Restricted Stock Award Agreement that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Stock will be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and (b) in other cases waive in whole or in part restrictions or fo rfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Stock.
 
5.4            Certificates for Restricted Stock.  Restricted Stock granted pursuant to the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee shall determine.  If certificates representing shares of Restricted Stock are registered in the name of the Participant, certificates must bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, and the Company may, at its discretion, retain physical possession of the certificate until such time as all applicable restrictions lapse.
 
 
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ARTICLE 6
 
 
STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
 
6.1            Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights.
 
(a)            A Stock Appreciation Right may be granted to any Participant selected by the Committee.  A Stock Appreciation Right shall be subject to such terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as the Committee shall impose and shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.
 
(b)            A Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle the Participant (or other person entitled to exercise the Stock Appreciation Right pursuant to the Plan) to exercise all or a specified portion of the Stock Appreciation Right (to the extent then exercisable pursuant to its terms) and to receive from the Company an amount equal to the product of (i) the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the date the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised over (B) the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the date the Stock Appreciation Right was granted and (ii) the number of shares of Stock with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised, subject to any limitations the Committee may impose.
 
6.2            Payment and Limitations on Exercise.
 
(a)            Payment of the amounts determined under Section 7.1(b) above shall be in cash, in Stock (based on its Fair Market Value as of the date the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised) or a combination of both, as determined by the Committee in the Award Agreement.
 
(b)            To the extent payment for a Stock Appreciation Right is to be made in cash, the Award Agreement shall, to the extent necessary to comply with the requirements to Section 409A of the Code, specify the date of payment which may be different than the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right.  If the date of payment for a Stock Appreciation Right is later than the date of exercise, the Award Agreement may specify that the Participant be entitled to earnings on such amount until paid.
 
(c)            To the extent any payment under Section 7.1(b) is effected in Stock, it shall be made subject to satisfaction of all provisions of Article 5 above pertaining to Options.
 
 
ARTICLE 7
 
OTHER TYPES OF AWARDS
 
7.1            Performance Share Awards.  Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted one or more Performance Share awards which shall be denominated in a number of shares of Stock and which may be linked to any one or more of the Performance Criteria or other specific performance criteria determined appropriate by the Committee, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Committee.  In making such determinations, the Committee shall consider (among such other factors as it deems relevant in light of the specific type of aw ard) the contributions, responsibilities and other compensation of the particular Participant.
 
7.2            Performance Stock Units. Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted one or more Performance Stock Unit awards which shall be denominated in unit equivalent of shares of Stock and/or units of value including dollar value of shares of Stock and which may be linked to any one or more of the Performance Criteria or other specific performance criteria determined appropriate by the Committee, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Committee.  In making such determinations, the Committee shall consider (among such other factors as it deems rel evant in light of the specific type of award) the contributions, responsibilities and other compensation of the particular Participant.
 
7.3            Performance Award.  Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted a Performance Award.  The value of such Performance Awards may be linked to any one or more of the Performance Criteria or
 
 
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other specific performance criteria determined appropriate by the Committee, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any Performance Period determined by the Committee.  In making such determinations, the Committee shall consider (among such other factors as it deems relevant in light of the specific type of award) the contributions, responsibilities and other compensation of the Participant.
 
7.4            Dividend Equivalents.
 
(a)            Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted Dividend Equivalents based on the dividends declared on the shares of Stock that are subject to any Award, to be credited as of dividend payment dates, during the period between the date the Award is granted and the date the Award is exercised, vests or expires, as determined by the Committee.  Such Dividend Equivalents shall be converted to cash or additional shares of Stock by such formula and at such time and subject to such limitations as may be determined by the Committee.
 
(b)            Dividend Equivalents granted with respect to Options or SARs that are intended to be Qualified Performance-Based Compensation shall be payable, with respect to pre-exercise periods, regardless of whether such Option or SAR is subsequently exercised.
 
7.5            Stock Payments.  Any Participant selected by the Committee may receive Stock Payments in the manner determined from time to time by the Committee; provided, that unless otherwise determined by the Committee such Stock Payments shall be made in lieu of base salary, bonus, or other cash compensation otherwise payable to such Participant.  The number of shares shall be determined by the Committee and may be based upon the Performance Criteria or other specific criteria determined appropriate by the Committee, determined on the date such Stock Payment is made or on any date thereafter.
 
7.6            Deferred Stock.  Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted an award of Deferred Stock in the manner determined from time to time by the Committee.  The number of shares of Deferred Stock shall be determined by the Committee and may be linked to the Performance Criteria or other specific criteria determined to be appropriate by the Committee, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Committee.  Stock underlying a Deferred Stock award will not be issued until the Deferred Stock award has vested, pursuant to a vesting schedule or criteria set by the Committee.  Unless ot herwise provided by the Committee, a Participant awarded Deferred Stock shall have no rights as a Company stockholder with respect to such Deferred Stock until such time as the Deferred Stock Award has vested and the Stock underlying the Deferred Stock Award has been issued.
 
7.7            Restricted Stock Units.  The Committee is authorized to make Awards of Restricted Stock Units to any Participant selected by the Committee in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee.  At the time of grant, the Committee shall specify the date or dates on which the Restricted Stock Units shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable, and may specify such conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate.  At the time of grant, the Committee shall specify the maturity date applicable to each grant of Restricted Stock Units which shall be no earlier than the vesting date or dates of the Award and may be determined at the election of the grantee.  On the maturity date, the Company shall transfer to the Participant one unrestricted, fully transferable share of Stock for each Restricted Stock Unit scheduled to be paid out on such date and not previously forfeited.  The Committee shall specify the purchase price, if any, to be paid by the grantee to the Company for such shares of Stock.
 
7.8            Term.  Except as otherwise provided herein, the term of any Award of Performance Shares, Performance Stock Units, Dividend Equivalents, Stock Payments, Deferred Stock, or Restricted Stock Units shall be set by the Committee in its discretion.
 
7.9            Exercise or Purchase Price.  The Committee may establish the exercise or purchase price, if any, of any Award of Performance Shares, Performance Stock Units, Deferred Stock, Stock Payments, or Restricted Stock Units; provided, however, that such price shall not be less than the par value of a share of Stock, unless otherwise permitted by applicable state law.
 
 
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7.10            Exercise upon Termination of Employment or Service.  An Award of Performance Shares, Performance Stock Units, Dividend Equivalents, Deferred Stock, Stock Payments, and Restricted Stock Units shall only be exercisable or payable while the Participant is an Employee, Consultant or a member of the Board, as applicable; provided, however, that the Committee in its sole and absolute discretion may provide that an Award of Performance Shares, Performance Stock Units, Dividend Equivalents, Stock Payments, Deferred Stock, or Restricted Stock Units may be exercised or paid subsequent to a termination of employment or service, as applicable, or following a Change of Control of the Company, or because of the Participant’s retirement, death or disability, or otherwise.
 
7.11            Form of Payment.  Payments with respect to any Awards granted under this Article 8 shall be made in cash, in Stock or a combination of both, as determined by the Committee.
 
7.12            Award Agreement.  All Awards under this Article 8 shall be subject to such additional terms and conditions as determined by the Committee and shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.
 
 
ARTICLE 8
 
PERFORMANCE-BASED AWARDS
 
8.1            Purpose.  The purpose of this Article 9 is to provide the Committee the ability to qualify Awards other than Options and SARs and that are granted pursuant to Articles 6 and 8 as Qualified Performance-Based Compensation.  If the Committee, in its discretion, decides to grant a Performance-Based Award to a Covered Employee, the provisions of this Article 9 shall control over any contrary provision contained in Articles 6 or 8; provided, however, that the Committee may in its discretion grant Awards to Covered Employees or other Participants that are based on Performance Criteria or Performance Goals but that do not satisfy the requirements of this Art icle 9.
 
8.2            Applicability.  This Article 9 shall apply only to those Covered Employees selected by the Committee to receive Performance-Based Awards.  The designation of a Covered Employee as a Participant for a Performance Period shall not in any manner entitle the Participant to receive an Award for the period.  Moreover, designation of a Covered Employee as a Participant for a particular Performance Period shall not require designation of such Covered Employee as a Participant in any subsequent Performance Period and designation of one Covered Employee as a Participant shall not require designation of any other Covered Employees as a Participant in such period or in any other period.
 
8.3            Procedures with Respect to Performance-Based Awards.  To the extent necessary to comply with the Qualified Performance-Based Compensation requirements of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code, with respect to any Award granted under Articles 6 and 8 which may be granted to one or more Covered Employees, no later than ninety (90) days following the commencement of any fiscal year in question or any other designated fiscal period or period of service (or such other time as may be required or permitted by Section 162(m) of the Code), the Committee shall, in writing, (a) designate one or more Covered Empl oyees, (b) select the Performance Criteria applicable to the Performance Period, (c) establish the Performance Goals, and amounts of such Awards, as applicable, which may be earned for such Performance Period, and (d) specify the relationship between Performance Criteria and the Performance Goals and the amounts of such Awards, as applicable, to be earned by each Covered Employee for such Performance Period.  Following the completion of each Performance Period, the Committee shall certify in writing whether the applicable Performance Goals have been achieved for such Performance Period.  In determining the amount earned by a Covered Employee, the Committee shall have the right to reduce or eliminate (but not to increase) the amount payable at a given level of performance to take into account additional factors that the Committee may deem relevant to the assessment of individual or corporate performance for the Performance Period.
 
8.4            Payment of Performance-Based Awards.  Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant must be employed by the Company or a Subsidiary on the day a Performance-Based Award for such Performance Period is paid to the Participant.  Furthermore, a Participant shall be eligible to receive payment pursuant to a Performance-Based Award for a Performance Period only if the Performance Goals for such period are achieved.  In determining the amount earned under a Performance-Based Award, the Committee may
 
 
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reduce or eliminate the amount of the Performance-Based Award earned for the Performance Period, if in its sole and absolute discretion, such reduction or elimination is appropriate.
 
8.5            Additional Limitations.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, any Award which is granted to a Covered Employee and is intended to constitute Qualified Performance-Based Compensation shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in Section 162(m) of the Code (including any amendment to Section 162(m) of the Code) or any regulations or rulings issued thereunder that are requirements for qualification as qualified performance-based compensation as described in Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code, and the Plan shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such requirements.
 
8.6            Clawback.  Notwithstanding anything else contained in the Plan to the contrary, if the Company’s financial results are materially restated, the Committee may review the circumstances surrounding the restatement and determine whether and which Participants will be required to forfeit the right to receive any future payments under the Plan and/or repay to the Company any prior payments determined by the Committee to have been inappropriately received by the Participant.  If the  Company’s financial results are restated due to fraud or material non-compliance by the Company, as a result of misconduct, with any financial reporting r equirements of the federal securities laws, any Participant who the Committee determines participated in or is responsible for the fraud or noncompliance causing the need for the restatement forfeits the right to receive any future payments under the Plan and must repay any amounts paid in excess of the amounts that would have been paid based on the restated financial results.  Any repayments required under this Section 8.6 must be made by the Participant within ten (10) days following written demand from the Company.
 
 
ARTICLE 9
 
PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS
 
9.1            Stand-Alone and Tandem Awards.  Awards granted pursuant to the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone, in addition to, or in tandem with, any other Award granted pursuant to the Plan. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards.
 
9.2            Award Agreement.  Awards under the Plan shall be evidenced by Award Agreements that set forth the terms, conditions and limitations for each Award which may include the term of an Award, the provisions applicable in the event the Participant’s employment or service terminates, and the Company’s authority to unilaterally or bilaterally amend, modify, suspend, cancel or rescind an Award.
 
9.3            Limits on Transfer.  No right or interest of a Participant in any Award may be pledged, encumbered, or hypothecated to or in favor of any party other than the Company or a Subsidiary, or shall be subject to any lien, obligation, or liability of such Participant to any other party other than the Company or a Subsidiary.  Except as otherwise provided by the Committee, no Award shall be assigned, transferred, or otherwise disposed of by a Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.  The Committee by express provision in the Award or an amendment theret o may permit an Award (other than an Incentive Stock Option) to be transferred to, exercised by and paid to certain persons or entities related to the Participant, including but not limited to members of the Participant’s family, charitable institutions, or trusts or other entities whose beneficiaries or beneficial owners are members of the Participant’s family and/or charitable institutions, or to such other persons or entities as may be expressly approved by the Committee, pursuant to such conditions and procedures as the Committee may establish.  Any permitted transfer shall be subject to the condition that the Committee receive evidence satisfactory to it that the transfer is being made for estate and/or tax planning purposes (or to a “blind trust” in connection with the Participant’s termination of employment or service with the Company or a Subsidiary to assume a position with a governmental, charitable, educational or similar non-profit institution) and on a bas is consistent with the Company’s lawful issue of securities.
 
9.4            Beneficiaries.  Notwithstanding Section 10.3, a Participant may, in the manner determined by the Committee, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Participant and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the Participant’s death.  A beneficiary, legal guardian, legal representative, or other person claiming any rights pursuant to the Plan is subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award
 
 
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Agreement applicable to the Participant, except to the extent the Plan and Award Agreement otherwise provide, and to any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee.  If the Participant is married and resides in a community property state, a designation of a person other than the Participant’s spouse as his or her beneficiary with respect to more than 50% of the Participant’s interest in the Award shall not be effective without the prior written consent of the Participant’s spouse.  If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the Participant, payment shall be made to the person entitled thereto pursuant to the Participant’s will or the laws of descent and distribution.  Subject to the foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Participant at any time provided the change or revocation is filed with the Committee.
 
9.5            Stock Certificates.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificates evidencing shares of Stock pursuant to the exercise of any Award, unless and until the Board has determined, with advice of counsel, that the issuance and delivery of such certificates is in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations of governmental authorities and, if applicable, the requirements of any exchange on which the shares of Stock are listed or traded.  All Stock certificates delivered pursuant to the Plan are subject to any stop-t ransfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to comply with federal, state, or foreign jurisdiction, securities or other laws, rules and regulations and the rules of any national securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Stock is listed, quoted, or traded.  The Committee may place legends on any Stock certificate to reference restrictions applicable to the Stock.  In addition to the terms and conditions provided herein, the Board may require that a Participant make such reasonable covenants, agreements, and representations as the Board, in its discretion, deems advisable in order to comply with any such laws, regulations, or requirements. The Committee shall have the right to require any Participant to comply with any timing or other restrictions with respect to the settlement or exercise of any Award, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in the discretion of the Committee.
 
9.6            Paperless Exercise.  In the event that the Company establishes, for itself or using the services of a third party, an automated system for the exercise of Awards, such as a system using an internet website or interactive voice response, then the paperless exercise of Awards by a Participant may be permitted through the use of such an automated system.
 
 
ARTICLE 10
 
CHANGES IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE
 
10.1          Adjustments.  In the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation, spin-off, recapitalization or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of Company assets to stockholders, or any other change affecting the shares of Stock or the share price of the Stock, the Committee shall make such proportionate adjustments, if any, as the Committee in its discretion may deem appropriate to reflect such change with respect to (a) the aggregate number and kind of shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Sections 3.1 and 3.3); (b) the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards (including, without limitation, any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto); and (c) the grant or exercise price per share for any outstanding Awards under the Plan.  Any adjustment affecting an Award intended as Qualified Performance-Based Compensation shall be made consistent with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code.
 
10.2          Change of Control.  In the event of any transaction or event described in Section 11.1 or any unusual or nonrecurring transactions or events affecting the Company, any affiliate of the Company, or the financial statements of the Company or any affiliate, or of changes in applicable laws, regulations or accounting principles, the Committee, in its sole and absolute discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event and either automatically or upon the Participant’s request, is her eby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Committee determines that such action is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award under the Plan, to facilitate such transactions or events or to give effect to such changes in laws, regulations or principles:
 
(i)            To provide for either (A) termination of any such Award in exchange for an amount of cash, if any, equal to the amount that would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if as of the date of the occurrence of the transaction or event
 
 
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described in this Section 11.2 the Committee determines in good faith that no amount would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights, then such Award may be terminated by the Company without payment) or (B) the replacement of such Award with other rights or property selected by the Committee in its sole discretion;
 
(ii)           To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar options, rights or awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and prices;
 
(iii)          To make adjustments in the number and type of shares of Common Stock (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, and in the number and kind of outstanding Restricted Stock or Deferred Stock and/or in the terms and conditions of (including the grant or exercise price), and the criteria included in, outstanding options, rights and awards and options, rights and awards which may be granted in the future;
 
(iv)          To provide that such Award shall be exercisable or payable or fully vested with respect to all shares covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement; and
 
(v)           To provide that the Award cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after such event.
 
10.3          Outstanding Awards – Certain Mergers.  Subject to any required action by the stockholders of the Company, in the event that the Company shall be the surviving corporation in any merger or consolidation (except a merger or consolidation as a result of which the holders of shares of Stock receive securities of another corporation), each Award outstanding on the date of such merger or consolidation shall pertain to and apply to the securities that a holder of the number of shares of Stock subject to such Award would have received in such merger or consolidation.
 
10.4          Outstanding Awards – Other Changes.  In the event of any other change in the capitalization of the Company or corporate change other than those specifically referred to in this Article 11, the Committee may, in its absolute discretion, make such adjustments in the number and kind of shares or other securities subject to Awards outstanding on the date on which such change occurs and in the per share grant or exercise price of each Award as the Committee may consider appropriate to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights.
 
10.5          No Other Rights.  Except as expressly provided in the Plan, no Participant shall have any rights by reason of any subdivision or consolidation of shares of stock of any class, the payment of any dividend, any increase or decrease in the number of shares of stock of any class or any dissolution, liquidation, merger, or consolidation of the Company or any other corporation.  Except as expressly provided in the Plan or pursuant to action of the Committee under the Plan, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affec t, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number of shares of Stock subject to an Award or the grant or exercise price of any Award.
 
 
ARTICLE 11
 
ADMINISTRATION
 
11.1          Committee.  The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board; provided, however that the Compensation Committee may delegate to a committee of one or more members of the Board the authority to grant or amend Awards to Participants other than (a) senior executives of the Company who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (b) Covered Employees.  The Committee shall consist of at least two individuals, each of whom qualifies as (x) a Non-Employee Director, and (y) an “outside director” pursuant to Code Section 162(m) and the regulations issued thereunder.  Reference to
 
 
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the Committee shall refer to the Board if the Compensation Committee ceases to exist and the Board does not appoint a successor Committee.  Reference to the Committee shall refer to the Board if the Compensation Committee ceases to exist and the Board does not appoint a successor Committee.  In its sole discretion, the Board may at any time and from time to time exercise any and all rights and duties of the Committee under the Plan except with respect to matters which under Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act or Section 162(m) of the Code, or any regulations or rules issued thereunder, are required to be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the full Board, acting by a majority of its members in office, shall conduct the general administration of the Plan with respect to Awards granted to Independent Directors and for purposes of such Awards the term R 20;Committee” as used in this Plan shall be deemed to refer to the Board.
 
11.2          Action by the Committee.  A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.  The acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, and acts approved in writing by a majority of the Committee in lieu of a meeting, shall be deemed the acts of the Committee.  Each member of the Committee is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to that member by any officer or other employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, the Company’s independent certified public accountants, or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan.
 
11.3          Authority of Committee.  Subject to any specific designation in the Plan, the Committee has the exclusive power, authority and discretion to:
 
(a)            Designate Participants to receive Awards;
 
(b)            Determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Participant;
 
(c)            Determine the number of Awards to be granted and the number of shares of Stock to which an Award will relate;
 
(d)            Determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted pursuant to the Plan, including, but not limited to, the exercise price, grant price, or purchase price, any restrictions or limitations on the Award, any schedule for lapse of forfeiture restrictions or restrictions on the exercisability of an Award, and accelerations or waivers thereof, any provisions related to non-competition and recapture of gain on an Award, based in each case on such considerations as the Committee in its sole discretion determines; provided, however, that the Committee shall not have the authority to accelerate the vesting or waive the forfeiture of any Performance-Based Awards;
 
(e)            Determine whether, to what extent, and pursuant to what circumstances an Award may be settled in, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid in, cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property, or an Award may be canceled, forfeited, or surrendered;
 
(f)             Prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for each Participant;
 
(g)            Decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an Award;
 
(h)            Establish, adopt, or revise any rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;
 
(i)             Interpret the terms of, and any matter arising pursuant to, the Plan or any Award Agreement; and
 
(j)             Make all other decisions and determinations that may be required pursuant to the Plan or as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to administer the Plan.
 
 
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11.4          Decisions Binding.  The Committee’s interpretation of the Plan, any Awards granted pursuant to the Plan, any Award Agreement and all decisions and determinations by the Committee with respect to the Plan are final, binding, and conclusive on all parties.
 
 
ARTICLE 12
 
EFFECTIVE AND EXPIRATION DATE
 
12.1          Effective Date; Effect of Approval on Prior Plan.  The Plan is effective as of the date the Plan is approved by the Company’s stockholders (the “Effective Date”).  The Plan will be deemed to be approved by the stockholders if it receives the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of stock of the Company present or represented and entitled to vote at a meeting duly held in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Company’s Bylaws.  No additional awards will be made under the Prior Plan on or after the Effective Date.
 
12.2          Expiration Date.  The Plan will expire on, and no Award may be granted pursuant to the Plan after, the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date.  Any Awards that are outstanding on the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date shall remain in force according to the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.
 
 
ARTICLE 13
 
AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, AND TERMINATION
 
13.1          Amendment, Modification, And Termination.  Subject to Section 15.14, with the approval of the Board, at any time and from time to time, the Committee may terminate, amend or modify the Plan; provided, however, that (a) to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with any applicable law, regulation, or stock exchange rule, the Company shall obtain stockholder approval of any Plan amendment in such a manner and to such a degree as required, and (b) stockholder approval is required for any amendment to the Plan that (i) increases the number of shares available under the Plan (other than any adjustment as provided by Article 11), (ii) permits the Committee to grant Optio ns with an exercise price that is below Fair Market Value on the date of grant, (iii) permits the Committee to extend the exercise period for an Option beyond ten years from the date of grant, or (iv) results in a material increase in benefits or a change in eligibility requirements.  Notwithstanding any provision in this Plan to the contrary, absent approval of the stockholders of the Company, no Option may be amended to reduce the per share exercise price of the shares subject to such Option below the per share exercise price as of the date the Option is granted and, except as permitted by Article 11, no Option may be granted in exchange for, or in connection with, the cancellation or surrender of an Option having a higher per share exercise price.
 
13.2          Awards Previously Granted.  Except with respect to amendments made pursuant to Section 15.14, no termination, amendment, or modification of the Plan shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted pursuant to the Plan without the prior written consent of the Participant.
 
 
ARTICLE 14
 
GENERAL PROVISIONS
 
14.1          No Rights to Awards.  No Participant, employee, or other person shall have any claim to be granted any Award pursuant to the Plan, and neither the Company nor the Committee is obligated to treat Participants, employees, and other persons uniformly.
 
14.2          No Stockholders Rights.  No Award gives the Participant any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company unless and until shares of Stock are in fact issued to such person in connection with such Award.
 
14.3          Withholding.  The Company or any Subsidiary shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including the Participant’s employment tax obligations) required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event concerning a Participant arising as a result of this Plan.  The Committee may in its discretion and
 
 
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in satisfaction of the foregoing requirement allow a Participant to elect to have the Company withhold shares of Stock otherwise issuable under an Award (or allow the return of shares of Stock) having a Fair Market Value equal to the sums required to be withheld.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the number of shares of Stock which may be withheld with respect to the issuance, vesting, exercise or payment of any Award (or which may be repurchased from the Participant of such Award within six months after such shares of Stock were acquired by the Participant from the Company) in order to satisfy the Participant’s federal, state, local and foreign income and payroll tax liabilities with respect to the issuance, vesting, exercise or payment of the Award shall be limited to the number of shares which have a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding or repurchase equal to the aggregate amount of su ch liabilities based on the minimum statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes that are applicable to such supplemental taxable income.
 
14.4          No Right to Employment or Services.  Nothing in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate any Participant’s employment or services at any time, nor confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary.
 
14.5          Unfunded Status of Awards.  The Plan is intended to be an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation.  With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall give the Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company or any Subsidiary.
 
14.6          Indemnification.  To the extent allowable pursuant to applicable law, each member of the Committee or of the Board shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such member in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act pursuant to the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in satisfaction of judgment in such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her; provided he or she gives the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf.  The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled pursuant to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.
 
14.7          Relationship to other Benefits.  No payment pursuant to the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits pursuant to any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.
 
14.8          Expenses.  The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Subsidiaries.
 
14.9          Titles and Headings.  The titles and headings of the Sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control.
 
14.10        Fractional Shares.  No fractional shares of Stock shall be issued and the Committee shall determine, in its discretion, whether cash shall be given in lieu of fractional shares or whether such fractional shares shall be eliminated by rounding up or down as appropriate.
 
14.11        Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Plan, and any Award granted or awarded to any Participant who is then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule.  To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to confor m to such applicable exemptive rule.
 
 
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14.12        Government and Other Regulations.  The obligation of the Company to make payment of awards in Stock or otherwise shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by government agencies as may be required.  The Company shall be under no obligation to register pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, any of the shares of Stock paid pursuant to the Plan.  If the shares paid pursuant to the Plan may in certain circumstances be exempt from registration pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Company may restrict the transfer of such shares in such manner as it deems advisable to ensure the availability of any such exemption.
 
14.13        Governing Law.  The Plan and all Award Agreements shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware.
 
14.14        Section 409A.  To the extent that the Committee determines that any Award granted under the Plan is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Award Agreement evidencing such Award shall incorporate the terms and conditions required by Section 409A of the Code.  To the extent applicable, the Plan and Award Agreements shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including without limitation any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued after the Effective Date.  Notwithstandi ng any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the event that following the Effective Date the Committee determines that any Award may be subject to Section 409A of the Code and related Department of Treasury guidance (including such Department of Treasury guidance as may be issued after the Effective Date), the Committee may adopt such amendments to the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement or adopt other policies and procedures (including amendments, policies and procedures with retroactive effect), or take any other actions, that the Committee determines are necessary or appropriate to (a) exempt the Award from Section 409A of the Code and/or preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect to the Award, or (b) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and related Department of Treasury guidance.
 
 
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EX-10.2 3 exhibit10-2.htm 1999 AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN, AS AMENDED exhibit10-2.htm




EXHIBIT 10.2


BOOKS-A-MILLION, INC.
1999 AMENDED AND RESTATED
EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
(As Amended on May 20, 2010)

SECTION 1
PURPOSE
 
The primary purpose of this Plan is to encourage Stock ownership by each Eligible Employee of Books-A-Million and each Subsidiary in the belief that such ownership will increase his or her interest in the success of Books-A-Million and will provide an additional incentive for him or her to remain in the employ of Books-A-Million or such subsidiary. Books-A-Million intends that this Plan constitutes an "employee stock purchase plan" within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code and, further, intends that any ambiguity in this Plan or any related offering be resolved to effect such intent.
 
SECTION 2
DEFINITIONS
 
2.1.           The term Account shall mean the separate bookkeeping account which shall be established and maintained by the Plan Administrator for each Participant for each Purchase Period to record the payroll deductions made on his or her behalf to purchase Stock under this Plan.
 
2.2.           The term Authorization shall mean the participation election and payroll deduction authorization form which an Eligible Employee shall be required to properly complete in writing and timely file with the Plan Administrator before the end of an Offering Period in order to participate in this Plan for the related Purchase Period.
 
2.3.           The term Beneficiary shall mean the person described in Section 14.
 
2.4.           The term Books-A-Million shall mean Books-A-Million, Inc., a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware, and any successor to Books-A-Million.
 
2.5.           The term Board shall mean the board of directors of Books-A-Million.
 
2.6.           The term Code shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
 
2.7.           The term Disability shall mean a condition which the Plan Administrator in his or her discretion determines would be treated as a total and permanent disability under Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.
 
2.8.           The term Eligible Employee shall mean each employee of Books-A-Million or a Subsidiary except:
 
(a)           an employee who has completed less than one full and continuous year of employment as an employee of Books-A-Million or such Subsidiary,
 
(b)           an employee who customarily is employed 20 hours or less per week by Books-A-Million or such Subsidiary,
 
(c)           an employee who (after completing at least one full and continuous year of employment as an employee of Books-A-Million or such Subsidiary) customarily is employed for not more than 5 months in any calendar year by Books-A-Million or such Subsidiary, and
 
 
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(d)           an employee who would own (immediately after the grant of an option under this Plan) stock possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of Books-A-Million based on the rules set forth in Section 423(b)(3) and Section 424 of the Code.
 
An employee's continuous employment by Books-A-Million or by a Subsidiary shall not be treated as interrupted by a transfer directly between Books-A-Million and any Subsidiary or between one Subsidiary and another Subsidiary.
 
2.9.             The term Exercise Date shall mean for each Purchase Period the last day of such Purchase Period.
 
2.10.           The term Offering Period shall mean a period which (a) shall be set by Books-A-Million, (b) shall come before the related Purchase Period and (c) shall continue for no more than 30 days.
 
2.11.           The term Option Price shall mean for each Purchase Period the lesser of 85% of the closing price for a share of Stock on the first day of such Purchase Period or 85% of the closing price for a share of Stock on the last day of such Purchase Period, as such closing price is accurately reported in The Wall Street Journal or in any successor to The Wall Street Journal or, if there is no such successor, any similar trade publication selected by the Plan Administrator; For purposes of this Section 2.11 "closing price" for a share of Stock as of a given date shall mean (a) the closing price per share of Stock on the principal exchange on which shares of Stock are then trading (or if shares of Stock are not traded on such date, then on the next preceding date on which a trad e occurred), or (b) if the Stock is not traded on an exchange but is quoted on a quotation system, the mean between the closing representative bid and asked prices for the stock, or (c) if Stock is not publicly traded on an exchange and not quoted on a quotation system, the fair market value per share of the Stock as established by the Plan Administrator acting in good faith.
 
2.12.           The term Participant shall mean for each Purchase Period an Eligible Employee who has satisfied the requirements set forth in Section 7 of the Plan for such Purchase Period.
 
2.13.           The term Participating Employer shall for each Participant, as of any date, mean Books-A-Million or a Subsidiary, whichever employs such Participant as of such date.
 
2.14.           The term Plan shall mean this Books-A-Million, Inc. 1999 Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan (which prior to April 19, 1999 was known as the Books-A-Million, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan) as effective as of the date set forth in Section 3 and as thereafter amended from time to time.
 
2.15.           The term Plan Administrator shall mean the person or persons appointed by the Board to administer this Plan.
 
2.16.           The term Purchase Period shall mean a 12 consecutive month period which shall begin on a date (within the 15 day period which immediately follows the end of the related Offering Period) set by Books-A-Million.
 
2.17.           The term Retirement shall mean a termination of employment after reaching at least age 55 and completing at least 10 years of continuous employment with Books-A-Million or a Subsidiary (where such continuous employment shall be determined using the same rules used to determine whether an employee is an Eligible Employee).
 
2.18.           The term Stock shall mean the $0.01 par value common stock of Books-A-Million.
 
2.19.           The term Subsidiary shall mean each corporation (a) which is in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with Books-A-Million in which each corporation in such chain (except for the last corporation in such chain) owns stock possessing 80% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain and (b) which the Plan Administrator has designated as eligible to participate in this Plan.
 
 
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SECTION 3
EFFECTIVE DATE
 
This Plan was originally known as the Books-A-Million, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan and was first effective as of September 17, 1992. Effective as of April 19, 1999, the Plan was amended and restated in its entirety and renamed the Books-A-Million, Inc. 1999 Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan. The Books-A-Million, Inc. 1999 Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan then was approved by the Books-A-Million Shareholders within 12 months after the Board's initial adoption of the Plan.  The First Amendment to the Plan was approved by the Books-A-Million Shareholders, effective March 20, 2002.  The Second Amendment to the Plan was approved by the Books-A-Million Shareholders, effective May 20, 2010.
 
SECTION 4
OFFERINGS
 
Options to purchase shares of Stock shall be offered to Participants in accordance with this Plan from time to time at the discretion of the Board; provided, however, that there shall be no more than one Offering Period in effect at any time and that there shall be no more than one Purchase Period in effect at any time.
 
SECTION 5
STOCK AVAILABLE FOR OPTIONS
 
There shall be an aggregate of 600,000 shares of Stock available for purchase from Books-A-Million upon the exercise of options granted under Section 9 of this Plan (including the 400,000 shares of Stock available for purchase under the Plan prior to the Second Amendment of the Plan). Any shares of Stock which are subject to options granted as of the first day of a Purchase Period but which are not purchased on the related Exercise Date shall again become available under this Plan.
 
SECTION 6
ADMINISTRATION
 
The Plan Administrator shall be responsible for the administration of this Plan and shall have the power in connection with such administration to interpret this Plan and to take such other action in connection with such administration as the Plan Administrator deems necessary or equitable under the circumstances. The Plan Administrator also shall have the power to delegate the duty to perform such administrative functions as the Plan Administrator deems appropriate under the circumstances. Any person to whom the duty to perform an administrative function is delegated shall act on behalf of and shall be responsible to the Plan Administrator for such function. Any action or inaction by or on behalf of the Plan Administrator under this Plan shall be final and binding on each Eligible Employee, each Participant and on each other person who makes a claim under this Plan based on the rights, if any, of any such Eligible Employee or Participant under this Plan.
 
SECTION 7
PARTICIPATION
 
Each person who is an Eligible Employee on the first day of an Offering Period shall satisfy the requirements to be a Participant in this Plan for the related Purchase Period if:
 
(a)           he or she properly completes in writing and files an Authorization with the Plan Administrator on or before the last day of such Offering Period to purchase shares of Stock pursuant to the option granted under Section 9, and
 
(b)           he or she remains an Eligible Employee throughout the period which begins on the first day of such Offering Period and ends on the first day of the related Purchase Period. An Authorization shall require an Eligible Employee to provide such information and to take such action as the Plan Administrator in his or her discretion deems necessary or helpful to the orderly administration of this Plan, including specifying (in accordance with Section 9) his or her payroll deductions to purchase shares of Stock pursuant to the option granted under
 
 
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Section 9 and designating a Beneficiary. A Participant's status as such shall terminate for a Purchase Period (for which he or she has an effective Authorization) at such time as his or her Account has been withdrawn under Section 12 or Section 13 or the purchases and distributions contemplated under Section 10 or Section 13 with respect to his or her Account have been completed, whichever comes first.
SECTION 8
PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS
 
(a)           Initial Authorization. Each Participant's Authorization made under Section 7 shall specify the specific dollar amount which he or she authorizes his or her Participating Employer to deduct from his or her compensation each pay day during the Purchase Period for which such Authorization is in effect to purchase shares of Stock pursuant to the option granted under Section 9, provided:
 
(1)           the total of such dollar amount shall (based on the assumption that there shall be 26 pay days in such Purchase Period) not be less than $100.00, and
 
(2)           the total of such dollar amount shall (based on the assumption that there shall be 26 pay days in such Purchase Period) not be more than $5,000.00.
 
(b)           Subsequent Authorization. A Participant shall have the right to make one amendment to an Authorization after the end of an Offering Period to reduce or to stop the payroll deductions which he or she previously had authorized for the related Purchase Period, and such reduction shall be effective as soon as practicable after the Plan Administrator actually receives such amended Authorization.
 
(c)           Account Credits, General Assets and Taxes. All payroll deductions made for a Participant shall be credited to his or her Account as of the pay day as of which the deduction is made. All payroll deductions shall be held by Books-A-Million, by Books-A-Million's agent or by one, or more than one, Subsidiary (as determined by the Plan Administrator) as part of the general assets of Books-A-Million or any such Subsidiary, and each Participant's right to the payroll deductions credited to his or her Account shall be those of a general and unsecured creditor. Books-A-Million, Books-A-Million's agent or such Subsidiary shall have the right to withhold on payroll deductions to the extent such person deems necessary or appropriate to satisfy applicable tax laws.
 
(d)           No Cash Payments. A Participant may not make any contribution to his or her Account except through payroll deductions made in accordance with this Section 8.
 
SECTION 9
GRANTING OF OPTION
 
(a)           General Rule. Subject to Section 9(b) and Section 9(c), each person who is a Participant for a Purchase Period automatically shall be granted by operation of this Plan an option as of the first day of such Purchase Period to purchase the number of shares of Stock determined by the Plan Administrator by dividing the total payroll deductions which he or she has elected to make for such Purchase Period under Section 7 (based on the assumption that there will be 26 pay days in such Purchase Period) by the Option Price for a share of Stock as determined as of the first day of such Purchase Period, and rounding down to the nearest whole number. Each such option shall be exercisable only in accordance with the terms of this Plan.
 
(b)           Statutory Limitation. No option granted by operation of this Plan to any Eligible Employee under Section 9(a) shall permit his or her rights to purchase shares of Stock under this Plan or under any other employee stock purchase plan (within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code) or any other shares of Stock under any other employee stock purchase plans (within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code) of Books-A-Million and any of its subsidiaries (within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code) to accrue (within the meaning of Section 423(b)(8) of the Code) at a rate which exceeds $25,000 of the fair market value of such Stock for any calendar year. Such fair market value shall be determined as of the first day of the Purchase Period for which the option is granted.
 
 
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(c)           Available Shares of Stock. If the number of shares of Stock available for purchase for any Purchase Period is insufficient to cover the shares which Participants have elected to purchase through effective Authorizations, then each Participant's option to purchase shares of Stock for such Purchase Period shall be reduced to equal the number of shares of Stock (rounded down to nearest whole number ) which the Plan Administrator shall determine by multiplying the number of shares of Stock available for options for such Purchase Period by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Stock for which such Participant would have been granted an option under Section 9(a) if sufficient shares were available and the denominator of which shall be the total n umber of shares of Stock for which options would have been granted to all Participants under Section 9(a) if sufficient shares were available.
 
SECTION 10
EXERCISE OF OPTION
 
(a)           General Rule. Unless a Participant files an amended Authorization under Section 10(b) or Section 12 on or before the Exercise Date for a Purchase Period for which he or she has an effective Authorization, his or her option shall be exercised automatically on such Exercise Date for the purchase of as many whole shares of Stock subject to such option as the balance credited to his or her Account as of that date will purchase at the Option Price for such shares of Stock if he or she also is an Eligible Employee on such Exercise Date.
 
(b)           Partial Exercise. A Participant may file an amended Authorization under this Section 10 with the Plan Administrator on or before an Exercise Date to elect, effective as of such Exercise Date, to exercise his or her option for a specific number of whole shares of stock (which shall be less than the whole number which the entire balance credited to his or her Account would purchase) and to withdraw in cash the remaining balance credited to his or her Account (without interest) as of such date after giving effect to such partial exercise, and any such amended Authorization shall be effective only if such Participant is an Eligible Employee on such Exercise Date.
 
(c)           Automatic Refund; Balance Carry Forward. If a Participant's Account has a remaining cash balance after his or her option has been exercised as of an Exercise Date under Section 10 (a), such balance automatically shall be refunded to the Participant in cash (without interest) as soon as practicable following such Exercise Date; provided, however, that the Plan Administer may in its discretion provide that such balance shall be carried forward to the next Purchase Period unless the Participant has elected to withdraw from the Plan pursuant to Section 12 hereof.
 
SECTION 11
DELIVERY
 
A stock certificate representing any shares of Stock purchased upon the exercise of an option under this Plan shall be delivered to the Participant registered in (a) his or her name or, if the Participant so directs on his or her Authorization filed with the Plan Administrator on or before the Exercise Date for such option and if permissible under applicable law, (b) the names of the Participant and one such other person as may be designated by the Participant, as joint tenants with rights of survivorship. No Participant (or any person who makes a claim through a Participant) shall have any interest in any shares of Stock subject to an option until such option has been exercised and the related shares of Stock actually have been delivered to such person.
 
SECTION 12
VOLUNTARY ACCOUNT WITHDRAWAL
 
A Participant may elect to withdraw the entire balance credited to his or her Account for a Purchase Period by completing in writing and filing an amended Authorization with the Plan Administrator on or before the Exercise Date for such period. If a Participant makes such a withdrawal election, such balance shall be paid to him or her in cash (without interest) as soon as practicable after such amended Authorization is filed, and no further payroll deductions shall be made on his or her behalf for the remainder of such Purchase Period.
 
 
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SECTION 13
TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT
 
(a)           Death, Disability or Retirement. If a Participant's employment by a Participating Employer terminates as a result of his or her Death, Disability or Retirement on of before the Exercise Date for a Purchase Period and if such Participant or, in the event he or she dies, his or her Beneficiary timely makes an irrevocable election in writing under this Section 13(a), such person shall have the right:
 
(1)           to withdraw the Participant's entire Account in cash (without interest), or
 
(2)           to apply the Participant's entire Account to purchase whole shares of Stock at the
 
Option Price for such Purchase Period as of the related Exercise Date. Any election made under this Section 13(a) shall be irrevocable and shall be timely only if actually delivered to the Plan Administrator on or before the earlier of (i) the Exercise Date for such Purchase Period or (ii) the last day of the 3 consecutive months period which begins on the last day the Participant was an Eligible Employee. If no timely election is made under this Section 13(a), a Participant shall be deemed to have elected the cash alternative set forth in Section 13(a)(1). If the purchase alternative set forth in Section 13(a)(2) is elected, the certificate representing the shares of Stock purchased shall be delivered as soon as administratively practicable to the Participant or, in the event he or she dies, to his or her Beneficiary. Finally, if a Part icipant's Account has a remaining balance after his or her option has been exercised under this Section 13(a), such balance automatically shall be refunded to the Participant or, in the event he or she dies, to his or her Beneficiary in cash (without interest) as soon as practicable after such exercise.
 
(b)           Other Terminations. If a Participant's employment as an Eligible Employee terminates on or before the Exercise Date for a Purchase Period for any reason whatsoever other than his or her Death, Disability or Retirement, his or her Account automatically shall be distributed as if he or she has elected to withdraw his or her Account in cash under Section 12 immediately before the date his or her employment had so terminated.
 
(c)           Transfers. If a Participant is transferred directly between Books-A-Million and a Subsidiary or between one Subsidiary and another Subsidiary while he or she has an Authorization in effect, such Authorization shall (subject to all the terms and conditions of this Plan) remain in effect.
 
SECTION 14
DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARY
 
A Participant shall designate on his or her Authorization a Beneficiary (a) who shall act on his or her behalf if the Participant dies before the end of a Purchase Period and (b) who shall receive the Stock, if any, and cash, if any, to the Participant's credit under this Plan if the Participant dies after the end of a Purchase Period but before the delivery of the certificate representing such shares of Stock, if any, and the cash, if any, to his or her credit in such Account. Such designation may be revised in writing at any time by the Participant by filing an amended Authorization, and his or her revised designation shall be effective at such time as the Plan Administrator receives such amended Authorization. If a deceased Participant fails to designate a Beneficiary or, if no person so designated survives the Participant or, if afte r checking his or her last known mailing address, the whereabouts of the person so designated are unknown, then the Participant's Beneficiary shall be determined by the Plan Administrator in accordance with the Participant's will or the applicable laws of descent and distribution.
 
SECTION 15
TRANSFERABILITY
 
Neither the balance credited to a Participant's Account nor any rights to the exercise of an option or to receive shares of Stock under this Plan may be assigned, encumbered, alienated, transferred, pledged, or otherwise disposed of in any way by a Participant during his or her lifetime or by his or her Beneficiary or by any other person during his or her lifetime, and any attempt to do so shall be without effect; provided, however, that the Plan Administrator in its absolute discretion may treat any such action as an election by a Participant to withdraw the
 
 
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balance credited to his or her Account in accordance with Section 12. A Participant's right, if any, to transfer any interest in this Plan at his or her death shall be determined exclusively under Section 13 and Section 14.
 
SECTION 16
ADJUSTMENT
 
The number of shares of Stock covered by outstanding options granted pursuant to this Plan and the related Option Price and the number of shares of Stock available under this Plan shall be adjusted by the Board in an equitable manner to reflect any change in the capitalization of Books-A-Million, including, but not limited to such changes as dividends paid in the form of Stock or Stock splits. Furthermore, the Board shall adjust (in a manner which satisfies the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code) the number of shares of Stock available under this Plan and the number of shares of Stock covered by options granted under this Plan and the related Option Prices in the event of any corporate transaction described in Section 424(a) of the Code. If any adjustment under this Section 16 would create a fractional share of Stock or a right t o acquire a fractional share, such fractional share shall be disregarded and the number of shares of Stock subject to options granted pursuant to this Plan shall be the next lower number of whole shares of Stock, rounding all fractions downward. An adjustment made under this Section 16 by the Board shall be conclusive and binding on all affected persons.
 
SECTION 17
SECURITIES REGISTRATION
 
If Books-A-Million shall deem it necessary to register under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any other applicable statutes, any shares of Stock with respect to which an option shall have been exercised under this Plan or to qualify any such shares of Stock for an exemption from any such statutes, Books-A-Million shall take such action at its own expense before delivery of the certificate representing such shares of Stock. If shares of Stock are listed on any national stock exchange at the time an option to purchase shares of Stock is exercised under this Plan, Books-A-Million whenever required shall register shares of Stock for which such option is exercised under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and shall make prompt application for the listing on such national stock exchange of such shares, all at the expense of Books - -A-Million.
 
SECTION 18
AMENDMENT OR TERMINATION
 
This Plan may be amended by the Board from time to time to the extent that the Board deems necessary or appropriate in light of, and consistent with, Section 423 of the Code and the laws of the State of Delaware. The Board also may terminate this Plan or any offering made under this Plan at any time; provided, however, the Board shall not have the right to modify, cancel, or amend any option outstanding after the beginning of a Purchase Period unless (a) each Participant consents in writing to such modification, amendment or cancellation, (b) such modification only accelerates the Exercise Date for the related Purchase Period or (c) the Board acting in good faith deems that such action is required under applicable law.
 
SECTION 19
NOTICES
 
All Authorizations and other communications from a Participant to the Plan Administrator under, or in connection with, this Plan shall be deemed to have been filed with the Plan Administrator when actually received in the form specified by the Plan Administrator at the location, or by the person, designated by the Plan Administrator for the receipt of such Authorizations and communications.
 
SECTION 20
EMPLOYMENT
 
No offer under this Plan shall constitute an offer of employment, and no acceptance of an offer under this Plan shall constitute an employment agreement. Any such offer or acceptance shall have no bearing whatsoever on the employment relationship between any Eligible Employee and Books-A-Million or any subsidiary of Books-A-
 
 
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Million, including a Subsidiary. Finally, no Eligible Employee shall be induced to participate in this Plan by the expectation of employment or continued employment.
 
SECTION 21
HEADINGS, REFERENCES AND CONSTRUCTION
 
The headings to sections in this Plan have been included for convenience of reference only. Except as otherwise expressly indicated, all references to sections in this Plan shall be to sections in this plan. This Plan shall be interpreted and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.
 
 
 
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