UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 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 26, 2016
KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
 
 
 
 
 
Delaware
 
0-52105
 
94-3030279
(State or Other Jurisdiction
 
(Commission
 
(I.R.S. Employer
of Incorporation)
 
File Number)
 
Identification No.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
27422 Portola Parkway, Suite 200
 
 
 
 
Foothill Ranch, California
 
92610-2831
 
 
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
 
(Zip Code)

(949) 614-1740
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable
(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:
o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o 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.
 
On May 26, 2016, at the 2016   Annual Meeting   of Stockholders of Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (the “   Company”), the Company’s stockholders approved the Kaiser Aluminum Corporation 2016 Equity and Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2016 Plan”). The 2016 Plan authorizes the compensation committee of the Company's board of directors to provide equity-based compensation in the form of stock options, appreciation rights (or SARs), restricted stock, restricted stock units (or RSUs), performance shares, performance units, dividend equivalents and certain other awards denominated or payable in, or otherwise based on, the Company's common stock or factors that may influence the value of the Company's common stock, plus cash incentive awards, for the purpose of providing the Company's officers and other key employees (and those of our subsidiaries), the Company's non-employee directors, and potentially certain non-employees who perform employee-type functions, incentives and rewards for performance.
 
The foregoing description does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the 2016 Plan, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 5.03 Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year

On May 26, 2016, the Company held its 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. At the 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the Company's stockholders approved an amendment to the amended and restated certificate of incorporation of the Company to implement a successor tax asset protection provision designed to preserve certain tax benefits primarily associated with the Company's net operating losses.

The foregoing description of the amendments to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the certificate of amendment to the amended and restated certificate of incorporation, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibits 3.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

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

On May 26, 2016, the Company held its 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Below are the matters that were voted upon at the meeting and the final voting results as reported by our inspector of elections.

(1)
Election of Directors - The stockholders elected three Class I directors, each for a term expiring at the Company's 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The voting results were as follows:

Nominee Name
Votes For
 
Votes Withheld
 
Broker Non-Votes
Alfred E. Osborne, Jr.
16,801,777
 
213,744
 
407,034
Jack Quinn
16,825,055
 
190,466
 
407,034
Thomas M. Van Leeuwen
16,926,074
 
89,447
 
407,034

The number of shares voting “for” Messrs. Osborne, Quinn and Van Leeuwen constituted 98.74%, 98.88% and 99.47%, respectively, of the total number of votes cast with respect to each director.

The other directors with terms continuing after the 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are Carolyn Bartholomew, David Foster, L. Patrick Hassey, Jack A. Hockema, Teresa A. Hopp, Lauralee E. Martin, Jr., and Brett E. Wilcox.

(2)
Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation - The stockholders approved, on an advisory, non-binding basis, the compensation of the Company's named executive officers. The voting results were as follows:

For
Against
Abstain
Broker Non-Votes
16,648,945
358,644
7,932
407,034

The number of shares voting “for” constituted 97.84% of the total number of shares represented and entitled to vote at the meeting and actually voted on the proposal.






(3)
Approval of the Kaiser Aluminum Corporation 2016 Equity and Incentive Compensation Plan - The stockholders approved the 2016 Plan. The voting results were as follows:

For
Against
Abstain
Broker Non-Votes
16,567,982
439,790
7,749
407,034

The number of shares voting “for” constituted 97.37% of the total number of shares represented and entitled to vote at the meeting and actually voted on the proposal.

(4)
Amendment to the Company's Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation - The stockholders approved the amendment to the Company's Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to implement a successor tax asset protection provision. The voting results were as follows:

For
Against
Abstain
Broker Non-Votes
16,872,013
141,894
1,614
407,034

The number of shares voting “for” constituted 93.81% of the total number of shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the meeting.

(5)
Ratification of the Adoption of Tax Asset Protection Plan - The stockholders ratified the adoption of the Company's tax asset protection plan. The voting results were as follows:

For
Against
Abstain
Broker Non-Votes
14,471,624
2,542,362
1,535
407,034

The number of shares voting “for” constituted 85.05% of the total number of shares represented and entitled to vote at the meeting and actually voted on the proposal.

(6)
Ratification of the Selection of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm - The stockholders ratified the selection of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Company for 2016. The voting results were as follows:

For
Against
Abstain
17,355,644
64,425
2,468

The number of shares voting “for” constituted 99.62% of the total number of shares represented and entitled to vote at the meeting and actually voted on the proposal.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 
(d)
Exhibits.
 
 
 
Exhibit
 
 
Number
 
Description
3.1
 
 
Certificate of Amendment to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation dated May 26, 2016.
 
 
 
10.1
 
 
Kaiser Aluminum Corporation 2016 Equity and Incentive Compensation Plan.






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.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION
(Registrant)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
By:
 
/s/ Cherrie I. Tsai
 
 
 
 
Cherrie I. Tsai
Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Date: May 26, 2016




Exhibit 3.1

Certificate of Amendment
to
Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation
of
Kaiser Aluminum Corporation

The undersigned, John M. Donnan, certifies that he is the Executive Vice President-Legal, Compliance and Human Resources of Kaiser Aluminum Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), and does hereby further certify as follows:
1.    The name of the Company is Kaiser Aluminum Corporation.
2.    The Company was originally incorporated under the name “KaiserTech Limited.” The Certificate of Incorporation of the Company was originally filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware Secretary of State”) on February 20, 1987; was restated by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on February 9, 1988; was restated by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on December 16, 1988; was restated by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on September 28, 1989; was amended by the Amendment of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on November 20, 1990; was restated by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on February 22, 1991; was amended by the Certificate of Amendment of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on January 11, 2000; was restated by the Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on February 22, 2000; was restated by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on July 6, 2006; was amended by the Certificate of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on July 7, 2008; and was amended by the Certificate of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State of June 2, 2015.
3.    This Certificate of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been duly adopted in accordance with Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), with the stockholders of the Company having adopted the amendment reflected therein at the Company’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on May 26, 2016.
4.    Section 4 of Article IV of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company is hereby amended by deleting such section in its entirety and by replacing such deleted section with the following:
Section 1. Transfer Restrictions .
(a) 5% Ownership Limit .
(1) Any attempted Transfer of Company Securities prior to the Restriction Release Date, or any attempted Transfer of Company Securities pursuant to an agreement entered into prior to the Restriction Release Date, will be prohibited and void ab initio if, as a result of such Transfer, either (A) any Person would become a 5% Shareholder or (B) the Percentage Stock Ownership in the Company of any 5% Shareholder would be increased.
(2) (A)    Paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 4 of Article IV will not apply to a 5% Transaction if the Board approves the Transfer in accordance with Paragraph (a)(2)(B) or Paragraph (a)(2)(C) of this Section 4 of Article IV.
(B) The restrictions set forth in this Section 4 of Article IV are for the purposes of reducing the risk that any “ownership change” (as defined in the Code) with respect to the Company may limit the Company’s ability to utilize its Tax Benefits. The restrictions set forth in paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 4 of Article IV will not apply to a proposed Transfer that is a 5% Transaction if the transferor or the transferee obtains the approval of the Board in the manner described below. In connection therewith, and to provide for effective operation of these provisions, any Person who desires to effect a Transfer that may be a 5% Transaction (a “ Requesting Person ”) may, prior to the date of such Transfer for which the Requesting Person seeks approval (the “ Proposed Transfer ”), request in writing (a “ Request ”) that the Board review the Proposed Transfer and approve or not approve the Proposed Transfer in accordance with this paragraph (a)(2)(B) of Section 4 of Article IV. Any Request must be delivered by registered mail, return receipt requested, to the Secretary of the Company at the Company’s principal executive office. Such Request will be deemed to have been made when actually received by the




Company. Any Request must include: (i) the name, address and telephone number of the Requesting Person; (ii) the number and percentage of Company Securities then Beneficially Owned by the Requesting Person; and (iii) a reasonably detailed description of the Proposed Transfer by which the Requesting Person would propose to effect a 5% Transaction and the proposed tax treatment thereof. The Board will, in good faith, endeavor to respond to any Request within 30 calendar days of receiving such Request; provided that the failure of the Board to make a determination within such period will be deemed to constitute the denial by the Board of the Request. The Requesting Person must respond promptly to reasonable and appropriate requests for additional information from the Company or the Board and its advisors to assist the Board in making its determination. As a condition to granting any approval under this paragraph (a)(2)(B) of Section 4 of Article IV, the Board may, in its discretion, require (at the expense of the Requesting Person) a report from advisors selected by the Board to the effect that the Proposed Transfer will not result in the application of any limitations on the use by the Company of the Tax Benefits taking into account any and all other Transfers that have been consummated prior to receipt of the Request, any and all other Proposed Transfers that have been approved by the Board prior to receipt of the Request and such other actual or proposed transactions involving Stock as the Board may require; provided that the Board may approve the Proposed Transfer notwithstanding the effect thereof on the Tax Benefits if it determines that the approval is in the best interests of the Company. The Board may impose any conditions that it deems reasonable and appropriate in connection with approval of a Proposed Transfer, including without limitation restrictions on the ability of the transferee to transfer Company Securities acquired by it in the Transfer to which such approval relates. Any Request may be submitted on a confidential basis and, except to the extent required by applicable law, the Company will maintain the confidentiality of such Request and the determination of the Board with respect thereto, unless the information contained in the Request or the determination of the Board with respect thereto otherwise becomes publicly available.
(C) The Board may determine that the restrictions set forth in paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 4 of Article IV will not apply to a Transfer that is a 5% Transaction, whether or not a Request has been made pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)(B) of this Section 4 of Article IV. In connection with such approval of a Transfer, the Board may impose any conditions that it deems reasonable and appropriate, including without limitation restrictions on the ability of the transferee to transfer Company Securities acquired by it in the Transfer to which such approval relates. Any determination of the Board pursuant to this paragraph (a)(2)(C) of Section 4 of Article IV may be made prospectively or retroactively.
(3) Paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 4 of Article IV will not apply to Transfers to a Public Group (including a new Public Group).
(4) Each certificate representing Company Securities issued prior to the Restriction Release Date will contain a legend that refers to the restrictions set forth in this Section 4 of Article IV as follows:
“THE AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION (AS AMENDED, RESTATED OR AMENDED AND RESTATED AND IN EFFECT FROM TIME TO TIME, THE “CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION”) OF KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION (THE “CORPORATION”) CONTAINS RESTRICTIONS PROHIBITING TRANSFERS (AS DEFINED IN THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION) OF COMMON STOCK OF THE CORPORATION (INCLUDING THE CREATION OR GRANT OF CERTAIN OPTIONS, RIGHTS AND WARRANTS) WITHOUT THE PRIOR AUTHORIZATION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CORPORATION (THE “BOARD OF DIRECTORS”) IF SUCH TRANSFER AFFECTS THE PERCENTAGE OF STOCK OF THE CORPORATION (WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 382 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED (THE “CODE”) AND THE TREASURY REGULATIONS PROMULGATED THEREUNDER) THAT IS TREATED AS OWNED BY A “5‑PERCENT SHAREHOLDER” UNDER THE CODE AND SUCH REGULATIONS. IF THE TRANSFER IS PROHIBITED BY SUCH RESTRICTIONS, THEN THE TRANSFER WILL BE VOID AB INITIO AND THE PURPORTED TRANSFEREE OF THE STOCK WILL BE REQUIRED TO TRANSFER EXCESS SECURITIES (AS DEFINED IN THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION) TO THE CORPORATION’S AGENT. IN THE EVENT OF A TRANSFER THAT DOES NOT INVOLVE AN ACTUAL DIRECT TRANSFER OF SECURITIES OF THE CORPORATION WITHIN THE MEANING OF DELAWARE LAW (“SECURITIES”) BUT OTHERWISE CONSTITUTES A TRANSFER PROHIBITED BY SUCH RESTRICTIONS, THE PURPORTED TRANSFEREE (OR THE RECORD OWNER) OF THE SECURITIES WILL BE REQUIRED TO TRANSFER SUFFICIENT SECURITIES PURSUANT TO THE TERMS PROVIDED FOR IN THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION SO AS TO EFFECTIVELY REVERSE THE

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INDIRECT, CONSTRUCTIVE OR OTHER TRANSFER PROHIBITED BY SUCH RESTRICTIONS. THE CORPORATION WILL FURNISH WITHOUT CHARGE TO THE HOLDER OF RECORD OF THIS CERTIFICATE A COPY OF THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION CONTAINING THE ABOVE-REFERENCED TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS, UPON WRITTEN REQUEST TO THE CORPORATION AT ITS PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS.”
The Board may also require that any certificates representing Company Securities issued prior to the Restriction Release Date that are subject to conditions imposed by the Board in connection with its approval under paragraph (a)(2) of this Section 4 of Article IV also bear a conspicuous legend referencing the applicable restrictions.
(5) As a condition to the registration of the Transfer of any Stock, any Person who is a beneficial, legal or record holder of Stock, and any proposed transferee or any Person controlling, controlled by or under common control with the proposed transferee, will provide such information as the Company may request from time to time in order to determine compliance with this Section 4 of Article IV or the status of the Tax Benefits. The Company may make such arrangements with, or issue such instructions to, its stock transfer agent as may be determined by the Secretary of the Company to be necessary or advisable to implement this Section 4 of Article IV.
(b) Treatment of Excess Securities .
(1) No employee or agent of the Company will record any Prohibited Transfer, and the Purported Transferee in any Prohibited Transfer will not be recognized as a stockholder of the Company for any purpose whatsoever in respect of the Excess Securities. The Purported Transferee of such Excess Securities will not be entitled with respect to such Excess Securities to any rights of stockholders of the Company, including without limitation the rights to vote such Excess Securities and to receive dividends or distributions, whether liquidating or otherwise, in respect thereof, if any. After Excess Securities have been acquired in a Transfer that is not a Prohibited Transfer in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4(b) of Article IV, such Company Securities will cease to be Excess Securities. Any Transfer of Excess Securities not in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4(b) of Article IV will also be a Prohibited Transfer.
(2) If the Board determines that a Transfer of Company Securities constitutes a Prohibited Transfer, then, upon written demand by the Company, the Purported Transferee will transfer or cause to be transferred any certificate or other evidence of ownership of the Excess Securities within the Purported Transferee’s possession or control, together with any Prohibited Distributions, to an Agent. The Agent will thereupon sell as promptly as practicable to a buyer or buyers, which may include the Company, the Excess Securities transferred to it in one or more arm’s-length transactions; provided , however , that (A) the Agent will effect such sales only if and when it can do so in transactions that do not constitute Prohibited Transfers and (B) the Agent will effect such sales in an orderly fashion and will not be required to effect any such sale within any specific time frame if, in the Agent’s business judgment, such sale would disrupt the market for the Company Securities or otherwise would adversely affect the value of the Company Securities. If the Purported Transferee has resold the Excess Securities before receiving the Company’s demand to surrender the Excess Securities to the Agent, the Purported Transferee will be deemed to have sold the Excess Securities for the Agent and will be required to transfer to the Agent any Prohibited Distributions and proceeds of such sale, except to the extent that the Company grants written permission to the Purported Transferee to retain a portion of such sales proceeds not exceeding the amount that the Purported Transferee would have received from the Agent pursuant to paragraph (b)(3) of this Section 4 of Article IV if the Agent rather than the Purported Transferee had resold the Excess Securities.
(3) The Agent will apply any proceeds of a sale by it of such Excess Securities, any dividends or distributions received by it from the Company with respect to such Excess Securities, any amounts received by it from the Purported Transferee in respect of Prohibited Distributions on such Excess Securities and, if the Purported Transferee had previously resold such Excess Securities, any amounts received by it from the Purported Transferee in respect of such previous sale, as follows:
(A) first , to pay costs and expenses incurred by the Agent in connection with the Agent’s duties specified herein;
(B) second , to pay to the Purported Transferee up to the amount paid by the Purported Transferee for the Excess Securities or, in the event the Prohibited Transfer was, in whole or in part, a gift, inheritance or similar Transfer, the Fair Market Value of the Excess Securities on the date of the Prohibited Transfer thereof, as shall be determined at the discretion of the Board; and

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(C) third , to pay any remaining amounts to the Purported Transferor or, if the Purported Transferor that was party to the Prohibited Transfer cannot readily be identified, to one or more organizations qualifying under Section 501(c)(3) selected by the Board.
The recourse of any Purported Transferee in respect of any Prohibited Transfer will be limited to the amount payable to the Purported Transferee pursuant to clause (B) of the preceding sentence. In no event shall the proceeds of any sale of Excess Securities pursuant to this Section 4 of Article IV inure to the benefit of the Company.
(4) If the Purported Transferee fails to surrender the Excess Securities, Prohibited Distributions or the proceeds of a sale of Excess Securities to the Agent within 30 days from the date on which the Company makes a demand pursuant to paragraph (b)(2) of this Section 4 of Article IV, then the Company will promptly take all actions that it believes are necessary or advisable to enforce the provisions hereof, including without limitation the institution of legal proceedings to compel such surrender.
(5) The Company will make the demand described in paragraph (b)(2) of this Section 4 of Article IV within 30 days of the date on which the Board determines that the attempted Transfer would result in Excess Securities; provided, however, that if the Company makes such demand at a later date, the provisions of this Section 4 of Article IV will apply nonetheless.
(6) In the event of any Transfer that does not involve an actual direct Transfer of securities of the Company within the meaning of Delaware law (“ Securities ” and individually, a “ Security ”) but otherwise constitutes a Prohibited Transfer, the application of paragraphs (b)(2) and (b)(3) of this Section 4 of Article IV will be modified as described in this paragraph (b)(6). In such case, the 5% Shareholder acquiring Securities in such Transfer will not be required to dispose of any interest that is not a Security, but such 5% Shareholder and/or any Person whose ownership of Securities is attributed to such 5% Shareholder will be required to dispose of sufficient Securities (which Securities will be disposed of in the inverse order in which they were acquired) to cause such 5% Shareholder, following such disposition, to have effectively reversed the Prohibited Transfer. The Securities to be disposed of will be considered Excess Securities and will be disposed of through the Agent as provided in paragraphs (b)(2) and (b)(3) of this Section 4 of Article IV, except that the maximum aggregate amount payable either to such 5% Shareholder or to such other Person that was the direct holder of such Excess Securities, in connection with such sale will be the Fair Market Value of such Excess Securities on the date of the purported Transfer. Such disposition will be deemed to occur simultaneously with the purported Transfer giving rise to the application of this provision. All expenses incurred by the Agent in disposing of such Excess Stock will be paid out of any amounts due such 5% Shareholder or such other Person. The purpose of this paragraph (b)(6) is to extend the restrictions of this Section 4 of Article IV to situations in which there is a 5% Transaction without an actual direct Transfer of Securities, and this paragraph (b)(6), along with the other provisions of this Section 4 of Article IV, will be interpreted to produce the same results, with differences as the context requires, as an actual direct Transfer of Company Securities.
(7) Nothing in this Section 4(b) of Article IV will (a) be deemed inconsistent with any attempted Transfer of Company Securities being void ab initio as provided in paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 4 of Article IV or (b) preclude the Company in its discretion from immediately bringing legal proceedings to give effect to the provisions of this Section 4 of Article IV without a prior demand or taking additional actions as it deems advisable to give effect to the provisions of this Section 4 of Article IV.
(c) Board Determinations and Authority .
(1) The Board will have the sole power to make determinations regarding compliance with this Section 4 of Article IV and any matters related thereto, including without limitation (A) the identification of 5% Shareholders, (B) whether a Transfer is a 5% Transaction or a Prohibited Transfer, (C) the Percentage Stock Ownership of any 5% Shareholder, (D) whether an instrument constitutes a Company Security, (E) the amount (or Fair Market Value) due to a Purported Transferee or a Purported Transferor pursuant to paragraph (b)(3), and (F) any other matters which the Board determines to be relevant. The good faith determination of the Board on such matters will be conclusive and binding for all the purposes of this Section 4 of Article IV. All determinations, approvals or other actions by the Board pursuant to this Section 4 of Article IV will require the affirmative vote of a majority of the total number of directors that the Company would have if there were no vacancies.
(2) The Board may, to the extent permitted by law, from time to time establish, modify, amend or rescind bylaws, regulations and procedures of the Company not inconsistent with the provisions of this Section 4 of Article IV for purposes of determining whether any Transfer of Company Securities would jeopardize the Company’s ability to preserve and use the Tax Benefits and for the orderly application, administration and implementation of this Section 4 of Article IV.

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(3) Nothing contained in this Section 4 of Article IV will limit the authority of the Board to take such other actions permitted by law as it deems necessary or advisable to preserve the Tax Benefits. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event of a change in law, the Board may, by adopting a written resolution, (A) accelerate the Release Restriction Date, (B) modify the Persons covered by this Section 4 of Article IV, (C) modify the definition of any term used in this Section 4 of Article IV, or (D) otherwise modify the terms of this Section 4 of Article IV, in each case, in order to prevent an “ownership change” for purposes of Section 382; provided, however, that the Board will not cause there to be such an acceleration or modification unless it determines that the continuation of the restrictions set forth in this Section 4 of Article IV is no longer necessary for the preservation of the Tax Benefits or that such modification is necessary or advisable to preserve the Tax Benefits, as applicable. Stockholders will be notified of any such acceleration or modification through a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission or such other method of notice as the Secretary of the Company deems appropriate.
(4) In the case of an ambiguity in the application of any of the provisions of this Section 4 of Article IV, including any defined term used herein, the Board will have the power to determine the application of such provisions with respect to any situation based on its reasonable belief, understanding or knowledge of the circumstances. In the event that Section 4 of Article IV requires an action by the Board but fails to provide specific guidance with respect to such action, the Board will have the power to determine the action to be taken so long as such action is not contrary to the provisions of this Section 4 of Article IV. All such determinations made by the Board in good faith will be conclusive and binding for all purposes of this Section 4 of Article IV.
(5) The Board may delegate all or any portion of its duties and powers under this Section 4 of Article IV to a committee of the Board as it deems necessary or advisable and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, may exercise the authority granted by this Section 4 of Article IV through duly authorized officers or agents of the Company. Nothing in this Section 4 of Article IV will be construed to limit or restrict the Board in the exercise of its fiduciary duties under applicable law.
(d) Reliance . To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company and the directors will be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the information, opinions, reports or statements of the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer, the chief accounting officer, or the corporate controller of the Company or of the Company’s legal counsel, independent auditors, transfer agent, investment bankers or other employees and agents of the Company in making the determinations contemplated by this Section 4 of Article IV, and the members of the Board will not be responsible for any good faith errors made in connection therewith. For purposes of determining the existence and identity of, and the amount of any Company Securities owned by, any stockholder, the Company is entitled to rely on the existence and absence of filings of Schedule 13D or 13G under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (or similar filings), as of any date, subject to its actual knowledge of the ownership of Company Securities.
(e) Benefits . Nothing in this Section 4 of Article IV will be construed to give to any Person other than the Company or the Agent any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Section 4 of Article IV. This Section 4 of Article IV will be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company and the Agent.
(f) Definitions . As used in this Section 4 of Article IV, the following capitalized terms have the following meanings when used herein in with initial capital letters:
(1) “5% Shareholder” means a Person having a Percentage Stock Ownership of 4.99% or more; provided, however, that the Agent will not constitute a 5% Shareholder.
(2) “5% Transaction” means any Transfer or attempted Transfer of Company Securities described in clause (A) of paragraph (a)(1) of this Section 4 of Article IV.
(3) “Agent” means an agent designated by the Board.
(4) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(5) “Company Securities” means (a) shares of Common Stock, (b) shares of Preferred Stock (other than preferred stock described in Section 1504(a)(4) of the Code or any successor provision), (c) warrants, rights or options (including without limitation options within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § 1.382-4(d)(9) or any successor provision) to purchase stock of the Company, and (d) any other Stock.
(6) “Excess Securities” means, with respect to any Prohibited Transfer, the Company Securities that are the subject of such Prohibited Transfer.

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(7) “Fair Market Value “ means, with respect to any Excess Securities, the closing price of such Excess Securities on the applicable date. The “closing price” for such purposes will be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such price as reported, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on a national securities exchange or, if the Excess Securities are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted bid price in the over-the-counter market as reported by OTC Market Group, Inc. or a similar organization or, if the Excess Securities are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Excess Securities selected by the Board. If the Excess Securities are not publicly held or not so listed or traded, or are not the subject of available bid and asked quotes, “Fair Market Value” will mean the fair value of such Excess Share as determined in good faith by the Board.
(8) “Percentage Stock Ownership” means percentage Stock Ownership interest as determined in accordance with Treasury Regulation §1.382-2T(g), (h), (j) and (k) or any successor provisions.
(9) “Person” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, limited partnership, trust or other “entity” (including any group that is deemed to constitute a single “entity”) within the meaning of Section 1.382-3(a)(1) of the Treasury Regulations, and includes any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(10) “Prohibited Distributions” means, with respect to any Prohibited Transfer, any dividends or distributions that were received by the Purported Transferee from the Company with respect to the Excess Securities.
(11) “Prohibited Transfer” means any purported Transfer of Company Securities to the extent that such Transfer is prohibited and/or void under this Section 4 of Article IV.
(12) “Proposed Transfer” has the meaning set forth in paragraph (a)(2)(B) of this Section 4 of Article IV.
(13) “Public Group” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation § 1.382-2T(f)(13).
(14) “Purported Transferee” means, with respect to any Prohibited Transfer, the intended transferee in such Prohibited Transfer.
(15) “Purported Transferor” means, with respect to any Prohibited Transfer, the Person who attempted to Transfer Company Securities in such Prohibited Transfer.
(16) “Request” has the meaning set forth in paragraph (a)(2)(B) of this Section 4 of Article IV.
(17) “Requesting Person” has the meaning set forth in paragraph (a)(2)(B) of this Section 4 of Article IV.
(18) “Restriction Release Date” means the earliest of (a) May 26, 2019, the third anniversary of the Company’s 2016 annual meeting of stockholders, or such earlier date as the Board may determine in accordance with paragraph (c)(3) of this Section 4 of Article IV, (b) the effective date of the repeal of Section 382 if the Board determines that the provision in this Section 4 of Article IV are no longer necessary for the preservation of Tax Benefits, and (c) the first day of a taxable year of the Company to which the Board determines that no Tax Benefits may be carried forward.
(19) “Section 382” means Section 382 of the Code or any successor provision.
(20) “Section 501(c)(3)” means Section 501(c)(3) of the Code or any successor provision.
(21) “Securities” and “Security” each has the meaning set forth in paragraph (b)(6) of this Section 4 of Article IV.
(22) “Stock” means any interest that would be treated as “stock” of the Company pursuant to Treasury Regulation § 1.382-2T(f)(18).
(23) “Stock Ownership” means any direct or indirect ownership of Stock, including any ownership by virtue of application of constructive ownership rules, with such direct, indirect and constructive ownership determined under the provisions of Section 382.

6



(24) “Tax Benefits” means the net operating loss carryovers, capital loss carryovers, general business credit carryovers, alternative minimum tax credit carryovers and foreign tax credit carryovers, as well as any loss or deduction attributable to a “net unrealized built-in loss” within the meaning of Section 382, of the Company or any direct or indirect subsidiary thereof.
(25) “Transfer” means any direct, indirect or constructive sale, transfer, assignment, conveyance, pledge or other disposition or other action taken by a Person, other than the Company, that alters the Percentage Stock Ownership of any Person, including without limitation the creation or grant of an option (including an option within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § l.382-2T(h)(4)(v)), but not including (A) the creation or grant of an option by the Company or (B) the issuance of Stock by the Company.
(26) “Treasury Regulations” means final, temporary and proposed income tax regulations promulgated under the Code, including any amendments thereto.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have signed this Certificate of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation on behalf of Kaiser Aluminum Corporation this 26 th  day of May, 2016.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
By:
 
/s/ John M. Donnan
 
 
 
 
John M. Donnan
Executive Vice President - Legal, Compliance and Human Resources


7


Exhibit 10.1

Kaiser Aluminum Corporation
2016 EQUITY AND INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
1. Purpose. The purpose of the 2016 Equity and Incentive Compensation Plan is to attract and retain directors, officers and other key employees and service providers of the Company and its Subsidiaries and to provide to such persons incentives and rewards for performance.

2. Definitions. As used in this Plan:

(a) “Appreciation Right” means a right granted pursuant to Section 5 of this Plan, and will include Tandem Appreciation Rights and Free-Standing Appreciation Rights.

(b) “Base Price” means the price to be used as the basis for determining the Spread upon the exercise of a Free-Standing Appreciation Right or a Tandem Appreciation Right.

(c) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(d) “Cash Incentive Award” means a cash award granted pursuant to Section 8 of this Plan.

(e) “Change in Control” has the meaning set forth in Section 12 of this Plan.

(f) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

(g) “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board (or its successor(s)), or any other committee of the Board designated by the Board to administer the Plan pursuant to Section 10 of this Plan consisting solely of no fewer than two non-employee Directors (within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) and, to the extent of any delegation by the Committee to a subcommittee pursuant to Section 10 of this Plan, such subcommittee.

(h) “Common Shares” means the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company or any security into which such common stock may be changed by reason of any transaction or event of the type referred to in Section 11 of this Plan.

(i) “Company” means Kaiser Aluminum Corporation, a Delaware corporation, and its successors.

(j) “Covered Employee” means a Participant who is, or is determined by the Committee likely to become, a “covered employee” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code (or any successor provision).

(k) “Date of Grant” means the date specified by the Committee on which a grant of Option Rights, Appreciation Rights, Performance Shares, Performance Units, Cash Incentive Awards, or other awards contemplated by Section 9 of this Plan, or a grant or sale of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or other awards contemplated by Section 9 of this Plan, will become effective (which date will not be earlier than the date on which the Committee takes action with respect thereto).

(l) “Director” means a member of the Board.

(m) “Effective Date” means the date this Plan is approved by the Shareholders of the Company.

(n) “Evidence of Award” means an agreement, certificate, resolution or other type or form of writing or other evidence approved by the Committee that sets forth the terms and conditions of the awards granted under the Plan. An Evidence of Award may be in an electronic medium, may be limited to notation on the books and records of the Company and, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, need not be signed by a representative of the Company or a Participant.

(o) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, as such law, rules and regulations may be amended from time to time.






(p) “Free-Standing Appreciation Right” means an Appreciation Right granted pursuant to Section 5 of this Plan that is not granted in tandem with an Option Right.

(q) “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option Right that is intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision.

(r) “Management Objectives” means the measurable performance objective or objectives established pursuant to this Plan for Participants who have received grants of Performance Shares, Performance Units or Cash Incentive Awards or, when so determined by the Committee, Option Rights, Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, dividend equivalents or other awards pursuant to this Plan. Management Objectives may be described in terms of Company-wide objectives or objectives that are related to the performance of the individual Participant or of one or more of the Subsidiaries, divisions, departments, regions, functions or other organizational units within the Company or its Subsidiaries. The Management Objectives may be made relative to the performance of other companies or subsidiaries, divisions, departments, regions, functions or other organizational units within such other companies, and may be made relative to an index or one or more of the performance objectives themselves. The Committee may grant awards subject to Management Objectives that are either Qualified Performance-Based Awards or are not Qualified Performance-Based Awards. The Management Objectives applicable to any Qualified Performance-Based Award to a Covered Employee will be based on one or more, or a combination, of the following metrics (including relative or growth achievement regarding such metrics):

(i)
Profits (e.g., operating income, EBIT, EBT, net income (before or after taxes), earnings per share, residual or economic earnings, economic profit - these profitability metrics could be measured before certain specified special items and/or subject to GAAP definition);

(ii)
Cash Flow (e.g., EBITDA, free cash flow, free cash flow with or without specific capital expenditure target or range, including or excluding divestments and/or acquisitions, total cash flow, cash flow in excess of cost of capital or residual cash flow or cash flow return on investment);

(iii)
Returns (e.g., profits or cash flow returns on: assets, invested capital, net capital employed, revenue, sales and equity);

(iv)
Working Capital (e.g., working capital divided by sales, days’ sales outstanding, days’ sales inventory, and days’ sales in payables);

(v)
Profit Margins (e.g., profits divided by revenues, gross margins and material margins divided by revenues, and material margin divided by sales pounds);

(vi)
Liquidity Measures (e.g., debt-to-capital, debt-to-EBITDA, total debt ratio);

(vii)
Revenues, Sales, Operating, Cost, and Stock Price Metrics (e.g., revenues, sales, revenue or sales growth, revenue or sales growth outside the United States, gross margin, gross margin growth, material margin, material margin growth, operating margin, operating margin growth, sales and administrative costs divided by sales or profits, operating or manufacturing costs, operating or manufacturing costs relative to prior periods or business plan, stock price appreciation and total return to shareholders;

(viii)
Safety Performance (e.g., total case incident rate);

(ix)
Quality Performance (e.g., no fault claim rate);

(x)
Delivery Performance (e.g., on-time delivery rate); and

(xi)
Strategic Initiative Key Deliverable Metrics consisting of one or more of the following: product development, strategic partnering, research and development, vitality index, market penetration, geographic business expansion goals, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, management of employment practices and employee benefits, supervision of litigation and information technology, and goals relating to acquisitions or divestitures of subsidiaries, affiliates and joint ventures.






In the case of a Qualified Performance-Based Award, each Management Objective will be objectively determinable to the extent required under Section 162(m) of the Code, and, unless otherwise determined by the Committee and to the extent consistent with Code Section 162(m), will exclude the effects of certain designated items identified at the time of grant. If the Committee determines that a change in the business, operations, corporate structure or capital structure of the Company, or the manner in which it conducts its business, or other events or circumstances render the Management Objectives unsuitable, the Committee may in its discretion modify such Management Objectives or the related minimum acceptable level of achievement, in whole or in part, as the Committee deems appropriate and equitable, except in the case of a Qualified Performance-Based Award (other than in connection with a Change in Control) where such action would result in the loss of the otherwise available exemption of the award under Section 162(m) of the Code. In such case, the Committee will not make any modification of the Management Objectives or minimum acceptable level of achievement with respect to such Covered Employee.
(s) “Market Value per Share” means, as of any particular date, the closing price of a Common Share as reported for that date on the NASDAQ Stock Market or, if the Common Shares are not then listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market, on any other national securities exchange on which the Common Shares are listed, or if there are no sales on such date, on the next preceding trading day during which a sale occurred. If there is no regular public trading market for the Common Shares, then the Market Value per Share shall be the fair market value as determined in good faith by the Committee. The Committee is authorized to adopt another fair market value pricing method provided such method is stated in the Evidence of Award and is in compliance with the fair market value pricing rules set forth in Section 409A of the Code.

(t) “Optionee” means the optionee named in an Evidence of Award evidencing an outstanding Option Right.

(u) “Option Price” means the purchase price payable on exercise of an Option Right.

(v) “Option Right” means the right to purchase Common Shares upon exercise of an option granted pursuant to Section 4 of this Plan.

(w) “Participant” means a person who is selected by the Committee to receive benefits under this Plan and who is at the time (i) an officer or other key employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, including a person who has agreed to commence serving in such capacity within 90 days of the Date of Grant, (ii) a person who provides services to the Company or any Subsidiary that are equivalent to those typically provided by an employee (provided that such person satisfies the Form S-8 definition of an “employee”), or (iii) a non-employee Director. The term “Participant” shall also include any director emeritus.

(x) “Performance Period” means, in respect of a Cash Incentive Award, Performance Share or Performance Unit, a period of time established pursuant to Section 8 of this Plan within which the Management Objectives relating to such Cash Incentive Award, Performance Share or Performance Unit are to be achieved.

(y) “Performance Share” means a bookkeeping entry that records the equivalent of one Common Share awarded pursuant to Section 8 of this Plan.

(z) “Performance Unit” means a bookkeeping entry awarded pursuant to Section 8 of this Plan that records a unit equivalent to $1.00 or such other value as is determined by the Committee.

(aa) “Plan” means this Kaiser Aluminum Corporation 2016 Equity and Incentive Compensation Plan.

(bb)    “Predecessor Plan” means the Company’s Amended and Restated 2006 Equity and Performance Incentive Plan.

(cc)    “Qualified Performance-Based Award” means any Cash Incentive Award or award of Performance Shares, Performance Units, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or other awards contemplated under Section 9 of this Plan, or portion of such award, to a Covered Employee that is intended to satisfy the requirements for “qualified performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.

(dd)    “Restricted Stock” means Common Shares granted or sold pursuant to Section 6 of this Plan as to which neither the substantial risk of forfeiture nor the prohibition on transfers has expired.






(ee)    “Restricted Stock Units” means an award made pursuant to Section 7 of this Plan of the right to receive Common Shares, cash or a combination thereof at the end of a specified period.

(ff)    “Restriction Period” means the period of time during which Restricted Stock Units are subject to restrictions, as provided in Section 7 of this Plan.

(gg)    “Shareholder” means an individual or entity that owns one or more Common Shares.

(hh)    “Spread” means the excess of the Market Value per Share on the date when an Option Right or Appreciation Right is exercised over the Option Price or Base Price provided for in the related Option Right or Appreciation Right, respectively.

(ii)    “Subsidiary” means a corporation, company or other entity (i) more than 50 percent of whose outstanding shares or securities (representing the right to vote for the election of directors or other managing authority) are, or (ii) which does not have outstanding shares or securities (as may be the case in a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, or unincorporated association), but more than 50 percent of whose ownership interest representing the right generally to make decisions for such other entity is, now or hereafter, owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company; provided , however , that for purposes of determining whether any person may be a Participant for purposes of any grant of Incentive Stock Options, “Subsidiary” means any corporation in which at the time the Company owns or controls, directly or indirectly, more than 50 percent of the total combined Voting Power represented by all classes of stock issued by such corporation.

(jj)    “Tandem Appreciation Right” means an Appreciation Right granted pursuant to Section 5 of this Plan that is granted in tandem with an Option Right.

(kk)    “Voting Power” means at any time, the combined voting power of the then-outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors in the case of the Company, or members of the board of directors or similar body in the case of another entity.

3. Shares Available Under the Plan.

(a) Maximum Shares Available Under Plan .

(i)
Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 11 of this Plan and the share counting rules set forth in Section 3(b) of this Plan, the number of Common Shares available under the Plan for awards of (A)  Option Rights or Appreciation Rights, (B)  Restricted Stock, (C)  Restricted Stock Units, (D)  Performance Shares or Performance Units, (E) awards contemplated by Section 9 of this Plan, or (F)  dividend equivalents paid with respect to awards made under the Plan will not exceed in the aggregate 1,045,000 shares minus, as of the Effective Date, one Common Share for every one Common Share subject to an award granted under the Predecessor Plan between December 31, 2015 and the Effective Date. Such shares may be shares of original issuance or treasury shares or a combination of the foregoing.

(ii)
The aggregate number of Common Shares available for issuance or transfer under Section 3(a)(i) of this Plan will be reduced by one Common Share for every one Common Share subject to an award granted under this Plan.

(b) Share Counting Rules .

(i)
If any award granted under this Plan is cancelled or forfeited, expires or is settled for cash (in whole or in part), the Common Shares subject to such award will, to the extent of such cancellation, forfeiture, expiration, or cash settlement, again be available under Section 3(a)(i) above.

(ii)
If, after December 31, 2015, any Common Shares subject to an award granted under the Predecessor Plan are forfeited, or an award granted under the Predecessor Plan is cancelled





or forfeited, expires or is settled for cash (in whole or in part), the Common Shares subject to such award will, to the extent of such cancellation, forfeiture, expiration, or cash settlement, be available for awards under this Plan.

(iii)
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein: (A) Common Shares withheld by the Company, tendered or otherwise used in payment of the Option Price of an Option Right will not be added back to the aggregate number of Common Shares available under Section 3(a)(i) above; (B) Common Shares withheld by the Company or otherwise used to satisfy a tax withholding obligation will not be added (or added back, as applicable) to the aggregate number of Common Shares available under Section 3(a)(i) above; (C) Common Shares subject to an Appreciation Right that are not actually issued in connection with its Common Shares settlement on exercise thereof will not be added back to the aggregate number of Common Shares available under Section 3(a)(i) above; and (D) Common Shares reacquired by the Company on the open market or otherwise using cash proceeds from the exercise of Option Rights will not be added back to the aggregate number of Common Shares available under Section 3(a)(i) above.

(c) Limit on Incentive Stock Options . Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3 or elsewhere in this Plan to the contrary, and subject to adjustment as provided in Section 11 of this Plan, the aggregate number of Common Shares actually issued or transferred by the Company upon the exercise of Incentive Stock Options will not exceed 1,045,000 Common Shares.

(d) Individual Participant Limits . Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3 or elsewhere in this Plan to the contrary, and subject to adjustment as provided in Section 11 of this Plan:

(i)
No Participant will be granted Option Rights and/or Appreciation Rights, in the aggregate, for more than 250,000 Common Shares during any calendar year.

(ii)
No Participant will be granted Qualified Performance-Based Awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares and/or other awards under Section 9 of this Plan, in the aggregate, for more than 250,000 Common Shares during any calendar year.

(iii)
In no event will any Participant in any calendar year receive Qualified Performance-Based Awards of Performance Units and/or other awards payable in cash under Section 9 of this Plan having an aggregate maximum value as of their respective Dates of Grant in excess of $5,000,000.

(iv)
In no event will any Participant in any calendar year receive Qualified Performance-Based Awards that are Cash Incentive Awards having an aggregate maximum value in excess of $5,000,000.

(v)
No non-employee Director will be granted, in any period of one calendar year, awards under the Plan having an aggregate maximum value in excess of $500,000.

(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, up to 5% of the maximum number of Common Shares available for awards under this Plan as provided for in Section 3(a) of this Plan, as may be adjusted under Section 11 of this Plan, may be used for awards granted under Section 4 through Section 9 of this Plan that do not at the Date of Grant comply with the applicable one-year minimum vesting or performance period requirements set forth in such sections of this Plan.

4. Option Rights. The Committee may, from time to time and upon such terms and conditions as it may determine, authorize the granting to Participants of Option Rights. Each such grant may utilize any or all of the authorizations, and will be subject to all of the requirements, contained in the following provisions:

(a) Each grant will specify the number of Common Shares to which it pertains subject to the limitations set forth in Section 3 of this Plan.

(b) Each grant will specify an Option Price per share, which (except with respect to awards under Section 22 of this Plan) may not be less than the Market Value per Share on the Date of Grant.






(c) Each grant will specify whether the Option Price will be payable (i) in cash or by check acceptable to the Company or by wire transfer of immediately available funds, (ii) by the actual or constructive transfer to the Company of Common Shares owned by the Optionee (or other consideration authorized pursuant to Section 4(d) of this Plan) having a value at the time of exercise equal to the total Option Price, (iii) subject to any conditions or limitations established by the Committee, the Company’s withholding of Common Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise of an Option Right pursuant to a “net exercise” arrangement (it being understood that, solely for purposes of determining the number of treasury shares held by the Company, the Common Shares so withheld will not be treated as issued and acquired by the Company upon such exercise), (iv) by a combination of such methods of payment, or (v) by such other methods as may be approved by the Committee.

(d) To the extent permitted by law, any grant may provide for deferred payment of the Option Price from the proceeds of sale through a bank or broker on a date satisfactory to the Company of some or all of the shares to which such exercise relates.

(e) Successive grants may be made to the same Participant whether or not any Option Rights previously granted to such Participant remain unexercised.

(f) Each grant will specify the period or periods of continuous service by the Optionee with the Company or any Subsidiary that is necessary before the Option Rights or installments thereof will become exercisable; provided , that, except as otherwise described in this subsection, no grant of Option Rights may become exercisable sooner than after one year. A grant of Option Rights may provide for the earlier exercise of such Option Rights, including in the event of the retirement, death or disability of a Participant.

(g) Any grant of Option Rights may specify Management Objectives that must be achieved as a condition to the exercise of such rights.

(h) Option Rights granted under this Plan may be (i) options, including, without limitation, Incentive Stock Options, that are intended to qualify under particular provisions of the Code, (ii) options that are not intended so to qualify, or (iii) combinations of the foregoing. Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to Participants who meet the definition of “employees” under Section 3401(c) of the Code.

(i) The exercise of an Option Right will result in the cancellation on a share-for-share basis of any Tandem Appreciation Right authorized under Section 5 of this Plan.

(j) No Option Right will be exercisable more than 10 years from the Date of Grant; provided , that, in the case of Incentive Stock Options granted to 10% Shareholders, no such Option Right shall be exercisable more than 5 years from the Date of Grant.

(k) Option Rights granted under this Plan may not provide for any dividends or dividend equivalents thereon.

(l) Each grant of Option Rights will be evidenced by an Evidence of Award. Each Evidence of Award will be subject to this Plan and will contain such terms and provisions, consistent with this Plan, as the Committee may approve.

5. Appreciation Rights.

(a) The Committee may, from time to time and upon such terms and conditions as it may determine, authorize the granting (i) to any Optionee, of Tandem Appreciation Rights in respect of Option Rights granted hereunder, and (ii) to any Participant, of Free-Standing Appreciation Rights. A Tandem Appreciation Right will be a right of the Optionee, exercisable by surrender of the related Option Right, to receive from the Company an amount determined by the Committee, which will be expressed as a percentage of the Spread (not exceeding 100 percent) at the time of exercise. Tandem Appreciation Rights may be granted at any time prior to the exercise or termination of the related Option Rights; provided , however , that a Tandem Appreciation Right awarded in relation to an Incentive Stock Option must be granted concurrently with such Incentive Stock Option. A Free-Standing Appreciation Right will be a right of the Participant to receive from the Company an amount determined by the Committee, which will be expressed as a percentage of the Spread (not exceeding 100 percent) at the time of exercise.






(b) Each grant of Appreciation Rights may utilize any or all of the authorizations, and will be subject to all of the requirements, contained in the following provisions:

(i)
Each grant may specify that the amount payable on exercise of an Appreciation Right will be paid by the Company in cash, Common Shares or any combination thereof.

(ii)
Any grant may specify that the amount payable on exercise of an Appreciation Right may not exceed a maximum specified by the Committee at the Date of Grant.

(iii)
Any grant may specify waiting periods before exercise and permissible exercise dates or periods.

(iv)
Each grant may specify the period or periods of continuous service by the Participant with the Company or any Subsidiary that is necessary before the Appreciation Rights or installments thereof will become exercisable; provided , that, except as otherwise described in this subsection, no grant of Appreciation Rights may become exercisable sooner than after one year. A grant of Appreciation Rights may provide for the earlier exercise of such Appreciation Rights, including in the event of the retirement, death or disability of a Participant.

(v)
Any grant of Appreciation Rights may specify Management Objectives that must be achieved as a condition of the exercise of such Appreciation Rights.

(vi)
Each grant of Appreciation Rights will be evidenced by an Evidence of Award, which Evidence of Award will describe such Appreciation Rights, identify the related Option Rights (if applicable), and contain such other terms and provisions, consistent with this Plan, as the Committee may approve.

(c) Any grant of Tandem Appreciation Rights will provide that such Tandem Appreciation Rights may be exercised only at a time when the related Option Right is also exercisable and at a time when the Spread is positive, and by surrender of the related Option Right for cancellation. Successive grants of Tandem Appreciation Rights may be made to the same Participant regardless of whether any Tandem Appreciation Rights previously granted to the Participant remain unexercised.

(d) Appreciation Rights granted under this Plan may not provide for any dividends or dividend equivalents thereon.

(e) Regarding Free-Standing Appreciation Rights only:

(i)
Each grant will specify in respect of each Free-Standing Appreciation Right a Base Price, which (except with respect to awards under Section 22 of this Plan) may not be less than the Market Value per Share on the Date of Grant;

(ii)
Successive grants may be made to the same Participant regardless of whether any Free-Standing Appreciation Rights previously granted to the Participant remain unexercised; and

(iii)
No Free-Standing Appreciation Right granted under this Plan may be exercised more than 10 years from the Date of Grant.

6. Restricted Stock. The Committee may, from time to time and upon such terms and conditions as it may determine, authorize the grant or sale of Restricted Stock to Participants. Each such grant or sale may utilize any or all of the authorizations, and will be subject to all of the requirements, contained in the following provisions:

(a) Each such grant or sale will constitute an immediate transfer of the ownership of Common Shares to the Participant in consideration of the performance of services, entitling such Participant to voting, dividend and other ownership rights, but subject to the substantial risk of forfeiture and restrictions on transfer hereinafter referred to.

(b) Each such grant or sale may be made without additional consideration or in consideration of a payment by such Participant that is less than the Market Value per Share at the Date of Grant.






(c) Each such grant or sale will provide that the Restricted Stock covered by such grant or sale will be subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” within the meaning of Section 83 of the Code for a period to be determined by the Committee at the Date of Grant or until achievement of Management Objectives referred to in subparagraph (e) below. If the elimination of restrictions is based only on the passage of time rather than the achievement of Management Objectives, the period of time will be no shorter than one year.

(d) Each such grant or sale will provide that during or after the period for which such substantial risk of forfeiture is to continue, the transferability of the Restricted Stock will be prohibited or restricted in the manner and to the extent prescribed by the Committee at the Date of Grant (which restrictions may include, without limitation, rights of repurchase or first refusal in the Company or provisions subjecting the Restricted Stock to a continuing substantial risk of forfeiture in the hands of any transferee).

(e) Any grant of Restricted Stock may specify Management Objectives that, if achieved, will result in termination or early termination of the restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock; provided , however , that notwithstanding subparagraph (c) above, for Restricted Stock that vests upon the achievement of Management Objectives, the performance period must be at least one year.

(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Plan (including minimum vesting requirements), any grant or sale of Restricted Stock may provide for the earlier termination of restrictions on such Restricted Stock, including in the event of the retirement, death or disability of a Participant; provided , however , that no award of Restricted Stock intended to be a Qualified Performance-Based Award will provide for such early termination of restrictions except as otherwise provided in an Evidence of Award to the extent so providing would not result in the loss of an otherwise available exemption of the award under Section 162(m) of the Code.

(g) Any such grant or sale of Restricted Stock may require that any or all dividends or other distributions paid thereon during the period of such restrictions be automatically deferred and reinvested in additional Restricted Stock, which may be subject to the same restrictions as the underlying award; provided , however , that dividends or other distributions on Restricted Stock with restrictions that lapse as a result of the achievement of Management Objectives will be deferred until and paid contingent upon the achievement of the applicable Management Objectives.

(h) Each grant or sale of Restricted Stock will be evidenced by an Evidence of Award and will contain such terms and provisions, consistent with this Plan, as the Committee may approve. Unless otherwise directed by the Committee, (i) all certificates representing Restricted Stock will be held in custody by the Company until all restrictions thereon will have lapsed, together with a stock power or powers executed by the Participant in whose name such certificates are registered, endorsed in blank and covering such shares or (ii) all Restricted Stock will be held at the Company’s transfer agent in book entry form with appropriate restrictions relating to the transfer of such Restricted Stock.

7. Restricted Stock Units. The Committee may, from time to time and upon such terms and conditions as it may determine, authorize the granting or sale of Restricted Stock Units to Participants. Each such grant or sale may utilize any or all of the authorizations, and will be subject to all of the requirements, contained in the following provisions:

(a) Each such grant or sale will constitute the agreement by the Company to deliver Common Shares or cash, or a combination thereof, to the Participant in the future in consideration of the performance of services, but subject to the fulfillment of such conditions (which may include the achievement of Management Objectives) during the Restriction Period as the Committee may specify.

(b) If a grant of Restricted Stock Units specifies that the Restriction Period will terminate upon the achievement of Management Objectives or that the Restricted Stock Units will be earned based on the achievement of Management Objectives, then, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in subparagraph (d) below, the performance period must be at least one year.

(c) Each such grant or sale may be made without additional consideration or in consideration of a payment by such Participant that is less than the Market Value per Share at the Date of Grant.

(d) If the Restriction Period lapses only by the passage of time rather than the achievement of Management Objectives as provided in subparagraph (b) above, each such grant or sale will be subject to a Restriction Period of not less than one year.






(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Plan (including minimum vesting requirements), any grant or sale of Restricted Stock Units may provide for the earlier lapse or other modification of the Restriction Period, including in the event of the retirement, death or disability of a Participant; provided , however , that no award of Restricted Stock Units intended to be a Qualified Performance-Based Award will provide for such early lapse or modification of the Restriction Period except as otherwise provided in an Evidence of Award to the extent so providing would not result in the loss of an otherwise available exemption of the award under Section 162(m) of the Code.

(f) During the Restriction Period, the Participant will have no right to transfer any rights under his or her award and will have no rights of ownership in the Common Shares deliverable upon payment of the Restricted Stock Units and will have no right to vote them, but the Committee may, at or after the Date of Grant, authorize the payment of dividend equivalents on such Restricted Stock Units on either a current or deferred or contingent basis, either in cash or in additional Common Shares; provided , however , that dividend equivalents or other distributions on Common Shares underlying Restricted Stock Units with restrictions that lapse as a result of the achievement of Management Objectives will be deferred until and paid contingent upon the achievement of the applicable Management Objectives.

(g) Each grant or sale of Restricted Stock Units will specify the time and manner of payment of the Restricted Stock Units that have been earned. Each grant or sale will specify that the amount payable with respect thereto will be paid by the Company in Common Shares or cash, or a combination thereof.

(h) Each grant or sale of Restricted Stock Units will be evidenced by an Evidence of Award and will contain such terms and provisions, consistent with this Plan, as the Committee may approve.

8. Cash Incentive Awards, Performance Shares and Performance Units. The Committee may, from time to time and upon such terms and conditions as it may determine, authorize the granting of Cash Incentive Awards, Performance Shares and Performance Units. Each such grant may utilize any or all of the authorizations, and will be subject to all of the requirements, contained in the following provisions:

(a) Each grant will specify the number or amount of Performance Shares or Performance Units, or amount payable with respect to Cash Incentive Awards, to which it pertains, which number or amount may be subject to adjustment to reflect changes in compensation or other factors; provided , however , that no such adjustment will be made in the case of a Qualified Performance-Based Award except as otherwise provided in an Evidence of Award to the extent so providing would not result in the loss of an otherwise available exemption of the award under Section 162(m) of the Code.

(b) The Performance Period with respect to each Cash Incentive Award, Performance Share or Performance Unit will be such period of time (not less than one year) as will be determined by the Committee at the time of grant, which may be subject to earlier lapse or other modification, including in the event of the retirement, death or disability of a Participant; provided , however , that no such adjustment will be made in the case of a Qualified Performance-Based Award except as otherwise provided in an Evidence of Award to the extent so providing would not result in the loss of an otherwise available exemption of the award under Section 162(m) of the Code. In such event, the Evidence of Award will specify the time and terms of delivery.

(c) Each grant of Cash Incentive Awards, Performance Shares or Performance Units will specify Management Objectives which, if achieved, will result in payment or early payment of the award, and each grant may specify in respect of such specified Management Objectives a minimum acceptable level or levels of achievement and may set forth a formula for determining the number of Performance Shares or Performance Units, or amount payable with respect to Cash Incentive Awards, that will be earned if performance is at or above the minimum or threshold level or levels, or is at or above the target level or levels, but falls short of maximum achievement of the specified Management Objectives.

(d) Each grant will specify the time and manner of payment of Cash Incentive Awards, Performance Shares or Performance Units that have been earned. Any grant may specify that the amount payable with respect thereto may be paid by the Company in cash, in Common Shares, in Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units or in any combination thereof.

(e) Any grant of Cash Incentive Awards, Performance Shares or Performance Units may specify that the amount payable or the number of Common Shares, shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units with respect thereto may not exceed a maximum specified by the Committee at the Date of Grant.

(f) The Committee may, at the Date of Grant of Performance Shares, provide for the payment of dividend equivalents to the holder thereof either in cash or in additional Common Shares, subject in all cases to deferral and





payment on a contingent basis based on the Participant’s earning of the Performance Shares with respect to which such dividend equivalents are paid.

(g) Each grant of Cash Incentive Awards, Performance Shares or Performance Units will be evidenced by an Evidence of Award and will contain such other terms and provisions, consistent with this Plan, as the Committee may approve.

9. Other Awards.

(a) Subject to applicable law and the applicable limits set forth in Section 3 of this Plan, the Committee may grant to any Participant Common Shares or such other awards that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Common Shares or factors that may influence the value of such shares, including, without limitation, convertible or exchangeable debt securities, other rights convertible or exchangeable into Common Shares, purchase rights for Common Shares, awards with value and payment contingent upon performance of the Company or specified Subsidiaries, affiliates or other business units thereof or any other factors designated by the Committee, and awards valued by reference to the book value of the Common Shares or the value of securities of, or the performance of specified Subsidiaries or affiliates or other business units of the Company. The Committee will determine the terms and conditions of such awards. Common Shares delivered pursuant to an award in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 9 will be purchased for such consideration, paid for at such time, by such methods, and in such forms, including, without limitation, Common Shares, other awards, notes or other property, as the Committee determines.

(b) Cash awards, as an element of or supplement to any other award granted under this Plan, may also be granted pursuant to this Section 9 .

(c) The Committee may grant Common Shares as a bonus, or may grant other awards in lieu of obligations of the Company or a Subsidiary to pay cash or deliver other property under this Plan or under other plans or compensatory arrangements (including Common Shares granted to a Director upon such Director’s election to receive Common Shares in lieu of cash or other consideration), subject to such terms as will be determined by the Committee in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code.

(d) If the earning or vesting of, or elimination of restrictions applicable to, an award granted under this Section 9 is based only on the passage of time rather than the achievement of Management Objectives, the period of time shall be no shorter than one year. If the earning or vesting of, or elimination of restrictions applicable to, awards granted under this Section 9 is based on the achievement of Management Objectives, the performance period must be at least one year. Subject to Section 3(e) of this Plan, but notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, the Committee may grant Common Shares under this Section 9 to a Director upon such Director’s election to receive Common Shares in lieu of cash or other consideration that are not subject to the one-year minimum vesting or performance period requirements described in the preceding two sentences.

(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Plan (including minimum vesting requirements), any grant of an award under this Section 9 may provide for the earning or vesting of, or earlier elimination of restrictions applicable to, such award, including in the event of the retirement, death or disability of a Participant; provided , however , that no such adjustment will be made in the case of a Qualified Performance-Based Award except as otherwise provided in an Evidence of Award to the extent so providing would not result in the loss of an otherwise available exemption of the award under Section 162(m) of the Code. In such event, the Evidence of Award will specify the time and terms of delivery.

10. Administration of this Plan.

(a) This Plan will be administered by the Committee. The Committee may from time to time delegate all or any part of its authority under this Plan to a subcommittee thereof. To the extent of any such delegation, references in this Plan to the Committee will be deemed to be references to such subcommittee.

(b) The interpretation and construction by the Committee of any provision of this Plan or of any Evidence of Award (or related documents) and any determination by the Committee pursuant to any provision of this Plan or of any such agreement, notification or document will be final and conclusive. No member of the Committee shall be liable for any such action or determination made in good faith. In addition, the Committee is authorized to take any action it determines in its sole discretion to be appropriate subject only to the express limitations contained in this Plan, and no authorization in any Plan Section or other provision of this Plan is intended or may be deemed to constitute a limitation on the authority of the Committee.






(c) To the extent permitted by law, the Committee may delegate to one or more of its members or to one or more officers of the Company, or to one or more agents or advisors, such administrative duties or powers as it may deem advisable, and the Committee, the subcommittee, or any person to whom duties or powers have been delegated as aforesaid, may employ one or more persons to render advice with respect to any responsibility the Committee, the subcommittee or such person may have under the Plan. The Committee may, by resolution, authorize one or more officers of the Company to do one or both of the following on the same basis as the Committee: (i) designate employees to be recipients of awards under this Plan; and (ii) determine the size of any such awards; provided , however , that (A) the Committee will not delegate such responsibilities to any such officer for awards granted to an employee who is an officer, Director, or more than 10% Beneficial Owner (as defined in Section 12 below) of any class of the Company’s equity securities that is registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, as determined by the Committee in accordance with Section 16 of the Exchange Act, or any Covered Employee; (B) the resolution providing for such authorization sets forth the total number of Common Shares such officer(s) may grant; and (C) the officer(s) will report periodically to the Committee regarding the nature and scope of the awards granted pursuant to the authority delegated.

11. Adjustments. The Committee shall make or provide for such adjustments in the numbers of Common Shares covered by outstanding Option Rights, Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares and Performance Units granted hereunder and, if applicable, in the number of Common Shares covered by other awards granted pursuant to Section 9 hereof, in the Option Price and Base Price provided in outstanding Option Rights and Appreciation Rights, respectively, in the kind of shares covered thereby, in Cash Incentive Awards, and in other award terms, as the Committee, in its sole discretion, exercised in good faith, shall determine is equitably required to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants or Optionees that otherwise would result from (a) any stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, recapitalization or other change in the capital structure of the Company, (b) any merger, consolidation, spin-off, split-off, spin-out, split-up, reorganization, partial or complete liquidation or other distribution of assets, issuance of rights or warrants to purchase securities, or (c) any other corporate transaction or event having an effect similar to any of the foregoing. Moreover, in the event of any such transaction or event or in the event of a Change in Control, the Committee shall provide in substitution for any or all outstanding awards under this Plan such alternative consideration (including cash), if any, as it, in good faith, shall determine to be equitable in the circumstances and shall require in connection therewith the surrender of all awards so replaced in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code. In addition, for each Option Right or Appreciation Right with an Option Price or Base Price, respectively, greater than the consideration offered in connection with any such transaction or event or Change in Control, the Committee may in its discretion elect to cancel such Option Right or Appreciation Right without any payment to the person holding such Option Right or Appreciation Right. The Committee shall also make or provide for such adjustments in the numbers of shares specified in Section 3 of this Plan as the Committee in its sole discretion, exercised in good faith, shall determine is appropriate to reflect any transaction or event described in this Section 11 ; provided , however , that any such adjustment to the number specified in Section 3(c) will be made only if and to the extent that such adjustment would not cause any Option Right intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option to fail to so qualify.

12. Change in Control .

(a) Except as otherwise provided for in an Evidence of Award, upon a Change in Control, all then outstanding awards granted under this Plan shall vest or be earned upon the Change in Control if either (i) within a specified period, the Participant’s service is involuntarily terminated for reasons other than for cause or the Participant terminates his or her employment or service for good reason or (ii) such awards are not assumed or converted into replacement awards in a manner described in the Evidence of Award. Unless otherwise provided in an Evidence of Award, awards granted under this Plan that vest or are earned subject to the achievement of Management Objectives that become vested in accordance with this Section 12 will vest or be earned based on the actual achievement of the applicable Management Objectives as if the applicable performance period ended on the trading day immediately preceding the date of the Change in Control, pro-rated for the number of days that have lapsed during the period of time beginning on the first day of the performance period and continuing through the date of the Change in Control.

(b) For purposes of this Plan, except as may be otherwise prescribed by the Committee in an Evidence of Award made under this Plan, a “Change in Control” will be deemed to have occurred upon the occurrence (after the Effective Date) of any of the following events:

(i) The acquisition by any Person (as defined in this Section 12(b) below) of Beneficial Ownership (as defined in this Section 12(b) below) of 35% or more of the combined voting power of the then-outstanding Voting Stock (as defined in this Section 12(b) below) of the Company; provided , however , that:






A. for purposes of this Section 12(b) , the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (1) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company directly from the Company that is approved by a majority of the Incumbent Directors (as defined in this Section 12(b) below); (2) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company by the Company or any Subsidiary; (3) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Subsidiary; and (4) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company by any Person pursuant to a Business Combination (as defined this Section 12(b) below) that complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of Section 12(b)(iii) below;

B. if any Person acquires Beneficial Ownership of 35% or more of combined voting power of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Company as a result of a transaction described in clause (1) of Section 12(b)(i)(A) and such Person thereafter becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Voting Stock of the Company representing 1% or more of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Company, other than in an acquisition directly from the Company in a transaction that is approved by a majority of the Incumbent Directors or other than as a result of a stock dividend, stock split or similar transaction effected by the Company in which all holders of Voting Stock are treated equally, such subsequent acquisition shall be deemed to constitute a Change in Control;

C. a Change in Control will not be deemed to have occurred if a Person acquires Beneficial Ownership of 35% or more of the Voting Stock of the Company as a result of a reduction in the number of shares of Voting Stock of the Company outstanding unless and until such Person thereafter becomes the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares of Voting Stock of the Company representing 1% or more of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Company, other than in an acquisition directly from the Company in a transaction that is approved by a majority of the Incumbent Directors or other than as a result of a stock dividend, stock split or similar transaction effected by the Company in which all holders of Voting Stock are treated equally; and

D. if at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors determine in good faith that a Person has acquired Beneficial Ownership of 35% or more of the Voting Stock of the Company inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of shares so that such Person Beneficially Owns less than 35% of the Voting Stock of the Company, then no Change in Control shall have occurred as a result of such Person’s acquisition;

(ii)
a majority of the Directors are not Incumbent Directors;

(iii) the consummation of a Business Combination (as defined in this Section 12(b) below), unless, in each case, immediately following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners of Voting Stock of the Company immediately prior to such Business Combination Beneficially Own, directly or indirectly, more than 60% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the entity resulting from such Business Combination (including without limitation an entity which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries), (B) no Person (other than the Company, such entity resulting from such Business Combination, any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company, any Subsidiary or such entity resulting from such Business Combination or any Person that immediately prior to such Business Combination owns, directly or indirectly, 35% or more of the Voting Stock of the Company so long as such Person does not at such time own, directly or indirectly, more than 1% of the securities of the other corporation or other entity involved in such Business Combination to be converted into or exchanged for shares of Voting Stock of the entity resulting from such Business Combination pursuant to such Business Combination) Beneficially Owns, directly or indirectly, 35% or more of the combined Voting Power of the then outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the entity resulting from such Business Combination, and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the entity resulting from such Business Combination were Incumbent Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the action of the Board providing for such Business Combination; or

(iv) approval by the Shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company, except pursuant to a Business Combination that complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of Section 12(b)(iii) .

For purposes of this Section 12(b) , (1) “Beneficial Owner,” “Beneficial Ownership,” “Beneficially Own” and “Beneficially Owns” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act; (2) “Business Combination” means a reorganization, merger or consolidation, or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or the acquisition of assets of another corporation or entity, or other transaction; (3) “Incumbent Directors” means the individuals who, as of the Effective Date, are Directors and any individual becoming a Director subsequent to the Effective Date whose election, nomination for election by the Shareholders, or appointment was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the then Incumbent Directors (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which such person is named as a nominee for director without





objection to such nomination); provided , however , that an individual shall not be an Incumbent Director if such individual’s election or appointment to the Board occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest (as described in Rule 14a-12(c) of the Exchange Act) with respect to the election or removal of Directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board; (4) “Person” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, including a “group” as defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act; and (5) “Voting Stock” means securities entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors (or similar governing bodies).

13. Detrimental Activity and Recapture Provisions . Any Evidence of Award may provide for the cancellation or forfeiture of an award or the forfeiture and repayment to the Company of any gain related to an award, or other provisions intended to have a similar effect, upon such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Committee from time to time, if a Participant, either (a) during employment or other service with the Company or a Subsidiary, or (b) within a specified period after termination of such employment or service, shall engage in any detrimental activity. In addition, notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, any Evidence of Award may also provide for the cancellation or forfeiture of an award or the forfeiture and repayment to the Company of any gain related to an award, or other provisions intended to have a similar effect, upon such terms and conditions as may be required by the Committee or under Section 10D of the Exchange Act and any applicable rules or regulations promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission or any national securities exchange or national securities association on which the Common Shares may be traded.

14. Non U.S. Participants. In order to facilitate the making of any grant or combination of grants under this Plan, the Committee may provide for such special terms for awards to Participants who are foreign nationals or who are employed by the Company or any Subsidiary outside of the United States of America or who provide services to the Company or any Subsidiary under an agreement with a foreign nation or agency, as the Committee may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom. Moreover, the Committee may approve such supplements to or amendments, restatements or alternative versions of this Plan (including, without limitation, sub-plans) as it may consider necessary or appropriate for such purposes, without thereby affecting the terms of this Plan as in effect for any other purpose, and the secretary or other appropriate officer of the Company may certify any such document as having been approved and adopted in the same manner as this Plan. No such special terms, supplements, amendments or restatements, however, will include any provisions that are inconsistent with the terms of this Plan as then in effect unless this Plan could have been amended to eliminate such inconsistency without further approval by the Shareholders. Any such special terms, supplements, sub plans, or alternative versions of this Plan approved by the Committee may be attached as exhibits to this Plan.

15. Transferability.

(a) Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, no Option Right, Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Share, Performance Unit, Cash Incentive Award, award contemplated by Section 9 of this Plan or dividend equivalents paid with respect to awards made under this Plan will be transferable by the Participant except (i) if it is made by the Participant for no consideration to Immediate Family Members or to a bona fide trust, partnership or other entity controlled by and for the benefit of one or more Immediate Family Members (“Immediate Family Members” mean the Participant’s spouse, children, stepchildren, parents, stepparents, siblings (including half brothers and sisters), in-laws, and other individuals who have a relationship to the Participant arising because of legal adoption; however, no transfer may be made to the extent that transferability would cause Form S-8 or any successor form thereto not to be able to register Common Shares related to an award) or (ii) by will or the laws of descent and distribution. In no event will any such award granted under the Plan be transferred for value. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, Option Rights and Appreciation Rights will be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by him or her or, in the event of the Participant’s legal incapacity to do so, by his or her guardian or legal representative acting on behalf of the Participant in a fiduciary capacity under state law or court supervision.

(b) The Committee may specify at the Date of Grant that part or all of the Common Shares that are (i) to be issued or transferred by the Company upon the exercise of Option Rights or Appreciation Rights, upon the termination of the Restriction Period applicable to Restricted Stock Units or upon payment under any grant of Performance Shares or Performance Units or (ii) no longer subject to the substantial risk of forfeiture and restrictions on transfer referred to in Section 6 of this Plan, will be subject to further restrictions on transfer.

16. Withholding Taxes. To the extent that the Company is required to withhold federal, state, local or foreign taxes in connection with any payment made or benefit realized by a Participant or other person under this Plan, and the amounts available to the Company for such withholding are insufficient, it will be a condition to the receipt of such payment or the realization of such benefit that the Participant or such other person make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for payment of the balance of such taxes required to be withheld, which arrangements (in the discretion of the Committee) may





include relinquishment of a portion of such benefit. If a Participant’s benefit is to be received in the form of Common Shares, and such Participant fails to make arrangements for the payment of tax, then, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the Company will withhold Common Shares having a value equal to the amount required to be withheld. Notwithstanding the foregoing, when a Participant is required to pay the Company an amount required to be withheld under applicable income and employment tax laws, the Participant may elect, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, to satisfy the obligation, in whole or in part, by having withheld, from the shares required to be delivered to the Participant, Common Shares having a value equal to the amount required to be withheld or by delivering to the Company other Common Shares held by such Participant. The shares used for tax withholding will be valued at an amount equal to the market value of such Common Shares on the date the benefit is to be included in Participant’s income. In no event will the market value of the Common Shares to be withheld and delivered pursuant to this Section to satisfy applicable withholding taxes in connection with the benefit exceed the minimum amount of taxes required to be withheld; provided , that , in the discretion of the Committee, Common Shares with a market value in excess of the minimum amount of taxes required to be withheld (but not in excess of the maximum statutory withholding rate) may be withheld as long as such withholding will not result in an award otherwise classified as an equity award under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (“ ASC Topic 718 ”) to be classified as a liability award under ASC Topic 718. Participants will also make such arrangements as the Company may require for the payment of any withholding tax obligation that may arise in connection with the disposition of Common Shares acquired upon the exercise of Option Rights.

17. Compliance with Section 409A of the Code.

(a) To the extent applicable, it is intended that this Plan and any grants made hereunder comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code, so that the income inclusion provisions of Section 409A(a)(1) of the Code do not apply to the Participants. This Plan and any grants made hereunder will be administered in a manner consistent with this intent. Any reference in this Plan to Section 409A of the Code will also include any regulations or any other formal guidance promulgated with respect to such Section by the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the Internal Revenue Service.

(b) Neither a Participant nor any of a Participant’s creditors or beneficiaries will have the right to subject any deferred compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) payable under this Plan and grants hereunder to any anticipation, alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, attachment or garnishment. Except as permitted under Section 409A of the Code, any deferred compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) payable to a Participant or for a Participant’s benefit under this Plan and grants hereunder may not be reduced by, or offset against, any amount owing by a Participant to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

(c) If, at the time of a Participant’s separation from service (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code), (i) the Participant will be a specified employee (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and using the identification methodology selected by the Company from time to time) and (ii) the Company makes a good faith determination that an amount payable hereunder constitutes deferred compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) the payment of which is required to be delayed pursuant to the six-month delay rule set forth in Section 409A of the Code in order to avoid taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code, then the Company will not pay such amount on the otherwise scheduled payment date but will instead pay it, without interest, on the fifth business day of the seventh month after such separation from service.

(d) Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan and grants hereunder to the contrary, in light of the uncertainty with respect to the proper application of Section 409A of the Code, the Company reserves the right to make amendments to this Plan and grants hereunder as the Company deems necessary or desirable to avoid the imposition of taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code. In any case, a Participant will be solely responsible and liable for the satisfaction of all taxes and penalties that may be imposed on a Participant or for a Participant’s account in connection with this Plan and grants hereunder (including any taxes and penalties under Section 409A of the Code), and neither the Company nor any of its affiliates will have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise hold a Participant harmless from any or all of such taxes or penalties.

18. Amendments.

(a) The Board may at any time and from time to time amend this Plan in whole or in part; provided , however , that if an amendment to this Plan (i) would materially increase the benefits accruing to Participants under this Plan, (ii) would materially increase the number of securities which may be issued under this Plan, (iii) would materially modify the requirements for participation in this Plan, or (iv) must otherwise be approved by the Shareholders in order to comply with applicable law or the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market or, if the Common Shares are not traded on the NASDAQ Stock





Market, the principal national securities exchange upon which the Common Shares are traded or quoted, then, such amendment will be subject to Shareholder approval and will not be effective unless and until such approval has been obtained.

(b) Except in connection with a corporate transaction or event described in Section 11 of this Plan, the terms of outstanding awards may not be amended to reduce the Option Price of outstanding Option Rights or the Base Price of outstanding Appreciation Rights, or cancel outstanding Option Rights or Appreciation Rights in exchange for cash, other awards or Option Rights or Appreciation Rights with an Option Price or Base Price, as applicable, that is less than the Option Price of the original Option Rights or Base Price of the original Appreciation Rights, as applicable, without Shareholder approval. This Section 18(b) is intended to prohibit the repricing of “underwater” Option Rights and Appreciation Rights and will not be construed to prohibit the adjustments provided for in Section 11 of this Plan. Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, this Section 18(b) may not be amended without approval by the Shareholders.

(c) If permitted by Section 409A of the Code and Section 162(m) of the Code, but subject to the paragraph that follows, notwithstanding the Plan’s minimum vesting requirements, and including in the case of termination of employment by reason of death, disability or retirement, or in the case of unforeseeable emergency or other special circumstances, to the extent a Participant holds an Option Right or Appreciation Right not immediately exercisable in full, or any Restricted Stock as to which the substantial risk of forfeiture or the prohibition or restriction on transfer has not lapsed, or any Restricted Stock Units as to which the Restriction Period has not been completed, or any Cash Incentive Awards, Performance Shares or Performance Units which have not been fully earned, or any other awards made pursuant to Section 9 subject to any vesting schedule or transfer restriction, or who holds Common Shares subject to any transfer restriction imposed pursuant to Section 15(b) of this Plan, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the time at which such Option Right, Appreciation Right or other award may be exercised or the time at which such substantial risk of forfeiture or prohibition or restriction on transfer will lapse or the time when such Restriction Period will end or the time at which such Cash Incentive Awards, Performance Shares or Performance Units will be deemed to have been fully earned or the time when such transfer restriction will terminate or may waive any other limitation or requirement under any such award, except in the case of a Qualified Performance-Based Award where such action would result in the loss of the otherwise available exemption of the award under Section 162(m) of the Code.

(d) Subject to Section 18(b) hereof, the Committee may amend the terms of any award theretofore granted under this Plan prospectively or retroactively, except in the case of a Qualified Performance-Based Award except as otherwise provided in an Evidence of Award to the extent so providing would not result in the loss of an otherwise available exemption of the award under Section 162(m) of the Code. In such case, the Committee will not make any modification of the Management Objectives or the level or levels of achievement with respect to such Qualified Performance-Based Award. Subject to Section 11 above, no such amendment will impair the rights of any Participant without his or her consent. The Board may, in its discretion, terminate this Plan at any time. Termination of this Plan will not affect the rights of Participants or their successors under any awards outstanding hereunder and not exercised in full on the date of termination.

19. Governing Law. This Plan and all grants and awards and actions taken hereunder will be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal substantive laws of the State of Delaware.

20. Effective Date/Termination. This Plan will be effective as of the Effective Date. No grants will be made on or after the Effective Date under the Predecessor Plan, except that outstanding awards granted under the Predecessor Plan will continue unaffected following the Effective Date. No grant will be made under this Plan after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date, but all grants made on or prior to such date will continue in effect thereafter subject to the terms thereof and of this Plan.

21. Miscellaneous Provisions.

(a) The Company will not be required to issue any fractional Common Shares pursuant to this Plan. The Committee may provide for the elimination of fractions or for the settlement of fractions in cash.

(b) This Plan will not confer upon any Participant any right with respect to continuance of employment or other service with the Company or any Subsidiary, nor will it interfere in any way with any right the Company or any Subsidiary would otherwise have to terminate such Participant’s employment or other service at any time.

(c) Except with respect to Section 21(e) , to the extent that any provision of this Plan would prevent any Option Right that was intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option from qualifying as such, that provision will be null and void with respect to such Option Right. Such provision, however, will remain in effect for other Option Rights and there will be no further effect on any provision of this Plan.






(d) No award under this Plan may be exercised by the holder thereof if such exercise, and the receipt of cash or stock thereunder, would be, in the opinion of counsel selected by the Company, contrary to law or the regulations of any duly constituted authority having jurisdiction over this Plan.

(e) Absence on leave approved by a duly constituted officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries will not be considered interruption or termination of service of any employee for any purposes of this Plan or awards granted hereunder.

(f) No Participant will have any rights as a shareholder with respect to any shares subject to awards granted to him or her under this Plan prior to the date as of which he or she is actually recorded as the holder of such shares upon the stock records of the Company.

(g) The Committee may condition the grant of any award or combination of awards authorized under this Plan on the surrender or deferral by the Participant of his or her right to receive a cash bonus or other compensation otherwise payable by the Company or a Subsidiary to the Participant.

(h) Except with respect to Option Rights and Appreciation Rights, the Committee may permit Participants to elect to defer the issuance of Common Shares under the Plan pursuant to such rules, procedures or programs as it may establish for purposes of this Plan and which are intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. The Committee also may provide that deferred issuances and settlements include the payment or crediting of dividend equivalents or interest on the deferral amounts.

(i) If any provision of this Plan is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, or would disqualify this Plan or any award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision will be construed or deemed amended or limited in scope to conform to applicable laws or, in the discretion of the Committee, it will be stricken and the remainder of this Plan will remain in full force and effect.

22. Stock-Based Awards in Substitution for Option Rights or Awards Granted by Other Company. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary:

(a) Awards may be granted under this Plan in substitution for or in conversion of, or in connection with an assumption of, stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units or other stock or stock-based awards held by awardees of an entity engaging in a corporate acquisition or merger transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary. Any conversion, substitution or assumption will be effective as of the close of the merger or acquisition, and, to the extent applicable, will be conducted in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code. The awards so granted may reflect the original terms of the awards being assumed or substituted or converted for and need not comply with other specific terms of this Plan, and may account for Common Shares substituted for the securities covered by the original awards and the number of shares subject to the original awards, as well as any exercise or purchase prices applicable to the original awards, adjusted to account for differences in stock prices in connection with the transaction.

(b) In the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary merges has shares available under a pre-existing plan previously approved by stockholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or merger, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, to reflect such acquisition or merger) may be used for awards made after such acquisition or merger under the Plan; provided , however , that awards using such available shares may not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan absent the acquisition or merger, and may only be made to individuals who were not employees or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary prior to such acquisition or merger.

(c) Any Common Shares that are issued or transferred by, or that are subject to any awards that are granted by, or become obligations of, the Company under Sections 22(a) or  22(b) above will not reduce the Common Shares available for issuance or transfer under the Plan or otherwise count against the limits contained in Section 3 of the Plan. In addition, no Common Shares that are issued or transferred by, or that are subject to any awards that are granted by, or become obligations of, the Company under Sections 22(a) or  22(b) above will be added to the aggregate limit contained in Section 3(a)(i) of the Plan.









EXHIBIT A
RULES OF THE KAISER ALUMINUM CORPORATION
2016 EQUITY AND INCENTIVE COMPENSION PLAN
FOR THE GRANT OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS TO
EMPLOYEES IN FRANCE
Dated May 26, 2016

1.
Introduction .

The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (the “Company”) has established the Kaiser Aluminum Corporation 2016 Equity and Incentive Compension Plan (the “U.S. Plan”), for the benefit of certain employees of the Company, its parent and subsidiary companies, including its French subsidiaries for which it holds directly or indirectly at least 10% of the share capital (the “French Entities”).
Section 14 of the U.S. Plan specifically authorizes the committee of Directors who administers the U.S. Plan (the “Administrator”) to adopt, amend, suspend, and revoke rules applicable to stock awards granted under the U.S. Plan (including those in France) as it deems necessary or advisable to administer the U.S. Plan for the purposes of satisfying applicable non-U.S. laws. The Administrator has determined that it is necessary and advisable to establish a sub-plan for the purpose of permitting restricted stock units to qualify for favorable tax and social security treatment in France. The Administrator, therefore, intends to establish a sub-plan of the U.S. Plan for the purpose of granting restricted stock units which qualify for the favorable tax and social security treatment in France applicable to shares granted for no consideration under Sections L. 225-197-1 to L. 225-197-6 of the French Commercial Code, as amended, to qualifying employees who are resident in France for French tax purposes and/or subject to the French social security regime (the “French Participants”). The terms of the U.S. Plan, as set out in this Exhibit A, shall, subject to the limitations in the following rules, constitute the Rules of the Kaiser Aluminum Corporation 2016 Equity and Incentive Compension Plan for the Grant of Restricted Stock Units to employees in France (the “French Restricted Stock Unit Plan”).
Under the French Restricted Stock Unit Plan, the qualifying employees will be granted only restricted stock units as defined in Section 3 hereunder. The provisions of Sections 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 of the U.S. Plan permitting the grant of options, incentive stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, cash incentive awards, performance shares and other awards are not applicable to grants made under this French Restricted Stock Unit Plan. The grant of restricted stock units is authorized under the Section 7 of the U.S. Plan.
2.
Definitions .
Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein used in the French Restricted Stock Unit Plan shall have the same meanings as set forth in the U.S. Plan. The terms set out below will have the following meanings:
(a)
Restricted Stock Units.

The term “Restricted Stock Units” shall mean a promise by the Company to a future issuance at the Vesting Date provided the individual remains employed as of the Vesting Date, of one Common Share for each unit granted to the French Participant, and subject to specific terms and conditions. Notwithstanding any provisions of the U.S. Plan, Restricted Stock Units granted under the French Restricted Stock Unit Plan will not give rise to dividend equivalent payments prior to the Vesting Date nor shall a French Participant be entitled to receive on vesting an amount in cash in lieu of Common Shares.
(b)
Grant Date.

The term “Grant Date” shall be the date on which the Administrator both (1) designates the French Participants and (2) specifies the terms and conditions of the Restricted Stock Units, including the number of Common Shares to be issued at a future date, the conditions for the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units, and the conditions of the transferability of the Common Shares once issued.
(c)
Vesting Date.

The term “Vesting Date” shall mean the date on which the Restricted Stock Units become vested, as specified by the Administrator. In principle, the Common Shares underlying the Restricted Stock Units are issued upon vesting. To qualify for the French favorable tax and social security regime, such Vesting Date shall not occur prior to the first anniversary of the Grant





Date, as required under Section L. 225-197-1 of the French Commercial Code, as amended, or in the French Tax Code or in the French Social Security Code, as amended.
(d)
Closed Period.

The term “Closed Period” means:
(i)    Ten stock exchange trading days preceding and following the disclosure to the public of the consolidated financial statements or the annual statements of the Company; or

(ii)    Any period during which the corporate management of the Company possess confidential information which could, if disclosed to the public, significantly impact the quotation price of the Common Shares, until the end of ten trading days following the date upon which the price information is made public.
If the French Commercial Code is amended after adoption of this French Restricted Stock Units Plan to modify the definition and/or applicability of the Closed Periods to French-qualified Restricted Stock Units, such amendments shall become applicable to any French-qualified Restricted Stock Units granted under this French Restricted Stock Units Plan, to the extent required by French law.
(e)
Disability.

The term “Disability” means disability as determined in categories 2 and 3 under Section L. 341-4 of the French Social Security Code as amended.
(a) Filing requirements

The French Participants and their employer shall comply with the filing requirements provided for by French tax law.
3.
Entitlement to Participate .

(a) Subject to Sections 3 (b), (c) and (d) below, any French Participant who, on the Grant Date of the Restricted Stock Units and to the extent required under French law, is either employed under the terms and conditions of an employment contract with the Company or a French Entity (“contrat de travail”) or who is a corporate officer of the Company (or of the French entity if the Company is listed on a regulated market), shall be eligible to receive Restricted Stock Units under the French Restricted Stock Unit Plan, provided that he or she also satisfies the eligibility conditions of Section 2(w) of the U.S. Plan.

Stock Units may not be issued to corporate officers of the French Entities, other than the managing directors ( e.g ., Président du Conseil d’Administration, Directeur Général, Directeur Général Délégué, Membre du Directoire, Gérant de Sociétés par actions), unless the corporate officer is an employee of a French Entity as defined by French law and is otherwise eligible to receive awards under Section 2(w) of the U.S. Plan.

(b) Notwithstanding any provisions in the U.S. Plan to the contrary, Restricted Stock Units may not be issued under the French Restricted Stock Unit Plan to employees or corporate officers owning more than ten percent (10%) of the Company’s share capital.

(c) Notwithstanding any provisions in the U.S. Plan to the contrary, a grant of Restricted Stock Units may not result in a Company’s employee or officer holding more than ten percent (10%) of the Company’s Common Shares.

(d) Notwithstanding any provisions in the U.S. Plan to the contrary, the number of Common Shares granted pursuant to Restricted Stock Units may not exceed 10% of the Company’s share capital at any time.

(e) Notwithstanding any provisions in the U.S. Plan to the contrary, Restricted Stock Units may not be granted to corporate officers under the French Restricted Stock Unit Plan, unless employee share plans or profit sharing plans are implemented to the benefit of all employees of the French branch of the Company, if any, and at least 90% of the employees of the French Entities, in the conditions described under Section L. 225-197-6 of the French Commercial Code.






4.
Conditions of the Restricted Stock Units .

(a)
Grant of Restricted Stock Units.

To the extent the French requirement is applicable to the Company, the Restricted Stock Units may be granted for 38 months following the approval of the U.S. Plan by the shareholders of the Company (or any other period stated in the U.S. Plan pursuant to the U.S. law). To the extent the provision does not apply to the Company, the U.S. Plan provision shall apply.
(b)
Vesting of Restricted Stock Units.

Restricted Stock Units will not vest prior to the relevant anniversary of the Grant Date specified by the Administrator and in any case will not vest prior to the first anniversary of the Grant Date as defined under Section 2 above. However, notwithstanding the above, in the event of the death or Disability of a French Participant, all of his or her outstanding Restricted Stock Units shall vest and Common Shares shall be issued as set forth in Sections 7 and/or 8 of this French Restricted Stock Unit Plan.
(c)
Holding of Common Shares.

The French Participants must hold the Common Shares issued pursuant to the Restricted Stock Units until the relevant anniversary of the Vesting Date specified by the Administrator, if any, and in any case until the second anniversary of the Grant Date, or such other period as is required to comply with the minimum mandatory holding period applicable to shares underlying French-qualified restricted stock units under Section L. 225-197-1 of the French Commercial Code, as amended or under the French Tax Code or French Social Security Code as amended. This holding period will continue to apply even after the French Participant is no longer an employee or corporate officer of a French Entity.
In addition, notwithstanding any provisions in the U.S. Plan to the contrary, Common Shares delivered upon the Vesting Date shall not be sold during certain Closed Periods as provided for by Section L. 225-197-1 of the French Commercial Code, so long as those Closed Periods are applicable to shares underlying French-qualified restricted stock units.
(d)
French Participant’s Account.

The Common Shares issued to a French Participant shall be recorded in an account in the name of the French Participant with the Company or a broker or in such other manner as the Company may otherwise determine to ensure compliance with applicable restrictions provided by law.
(e)
Cash Dividends.

French Participants shall not be granted any cash dividends with respect to a Restricted Stock Unit, applicable to the period commencing on the Grant Date and terminating on the Vesting Date.
5.
Non-transferability of Restricted Stock Units .

Notwithstanding any provision in the U.S. Plan to the contrary, the Restricted Stock Unit is not transferable, except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and the granting of Common Shares may be claimed during the life of the French Participant by the French Participant.
6.
Adjustments and Change of Control .

In the event of adjustment or a Change of Control, adjustment to the terms and conditions of the Restricted Stock Units or underlying Common Shares may be made in accordance with the U.S. Plan. To the extent that such adjustments would violate applicable French rules, it may result in the disqualification of the Restricted Stock Units for purposes of the French favorable tax and social security regime. In this case, the Administrator may decide at its discretion to lift the restriction on sale of the underlying Common Shares.
7.
Death .

Notwithstanding the provisions set forth in Section 5 above, in the event of the death of a French Participant, the Restricted Stock Units held by the French Participants at the time of death are transferable to the French Participant’s heirs. The Company shall issue the underlying Common Shares to the French Participant’s heirs, at their request, if such request occurs





within six months following the death of the French Participant, as provided for in the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. If the French Participant’s heirs do not request the issuance of the Common Shares underlying the Restricted Stock Units within six months following the French Participant’s death, the Restricted Stock Units will be forfeited.
The French Participant’s heirs may freely sell the Common Shares notwithstanding the restriction on the sale of Common Shares set forth in Section 4(c) above to the extent and as long as applicable under French law.
8.
Disability .

In the event of the Disability of a French Participant, the Company shall issue the underlying Common Shares to the French Participant at his/her request as provided for in the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement.
The French Participant may freely sell the Common Shares notwithstanding the restriction on the sale of Common Shares set forth in Section 4(c) above.
9.
Disqualification of French-qualified Restricted Stock Units .

If the Restricted Stock Units are otherwise modified or adjusted in a manner in keeping with the terms of the U.S. Plan or as mandated as a matter of law and the modification or adjustment is contrary to the terms and conditions of this French Restricted Stock Unit Plan, the Restricted Stock Units may no longer qualify as French-qualified Restricted Stock Units. If the Restricted Stock Units no longer qualify as French-qualified Restricted Stock Units, the Administrator may, provided it is authorized to do so under the U.S. Plan, determine to lift, shorten or terminate certain restrictions applicable to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units or the sale of the Common Shares which may have been imposed under this French Restricted Stock Unit Plan or in the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement delivered to the French Participant.
10.
Interpretation .

It is intended that Restricted Stock Units granted under the French Restricted Stock Unit Plan shall qualify for the favorable tax and social security treatment applicable to Restricted Stock Units granted under Sections L. 225-197-1 to L. 225-197-6 of the French Commercial Code as amended, or under the French Tax Code and the French Social Security Code as amended.
The terms of the French Restricted Stock Unit Plan shall be interpreted accordingly and in accordance with the relevant provisions set forth by French tax and social security laws, as well as the French tax and social security administrations and the relevant guidelines released by the French tax and social insurance authorities and subject to the fulfillment of legal, tax and reporting obligations.
In the event of any conflict between the provisions of the French Restricted Stock Unit Plan and the U.S. Plan, the provisions of the French Restricted Stock Unit Plan shall control for any grants made to the French Participants under this French Restricted Stock Unit Plan.
Should the Restricted Stock Units not benefit from the French tax and social security favorable regime due to the French Participants’ failure to comply with the provisions of this French Restricted Stock Unit Plan, the French Participant shall be liable for the payment of resulting taxes and social security charges.
11.
Employment Rights .

The adoption of this French Restricted Stock Unit Plan shall not confer upon the French Participants or any employees of a French Entity, any employment rights and shall not be construed as part of any employment contracts that a French Entity has with its employees.
12.
Amendments .

Subject to the terms of the U.S. Plan, the board reserves the right to amend or terminate this French Stock Unit Plan at any time. Such amendments would only apply to future grants and would not be retroactive.
13.
Effective Date .

The French Restricted Stock Unit Plan is adopted and effective as of May 26, 2016.