HOLOGIC, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2008 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
(amended as of March 9, 2023)
1.Purpose and Eligibility. The purpose of this Amended and Restated 2008 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) of HOLOGIC, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), is to provide stock options, stock issuances and other equity interests in the Company (each, an “Award”) to (a) employees, officers, directors, consultants and advisors of the Company and its Parents and Subsidiaries, and (b) any other person who is determined by the Board to have made (or is expected to make) contributions to the Company. Any person to whom an Award has been granted under the Plan is called a “Participant.” Additional definitions are contained in Section 11.
2.Administration.
a.Administration by Board of Directors. The Plan will be administered by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”). The Board, in its sole discretion, shall have the authority to grant and amend Awards, to adopt, amend and repeal rules relating to the Plan and to interpret and correct the provisions of the Plan and any Award. The Board shall have authority, subject to the express limitations of the Plan, (i) to construe and determine the Plan and any documentation (including electronic) relating to the Plan or Awards thereunder, (ii) to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan and any Awards, and to make exceptions to any such rules if the Board, in good faith, determines that it is necessary to do so in light of extraordinary circumstances and for the benefit of the Company and so as to avoid unanticipated consequences or address unanticipated events (including any temporary closure of an applicable stock exchange, disruption of communications or natural catastrophe), (iii) to determine the terms and provisions of Awards, which need not be identical, (iv) to create sub-plans hereunder necessary to comply with laws and regulations of any foreign country in which the Company may seek to grant an Award to a person eligible under Section 1, and (v) to make all other determinations in the judgment of the Board of Directors necessary or desirable for the administration and interpretation of the Plan. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, equity-based Awards granted under the Plan may not become exercisable, vest or be settled, in whole or in part, prior to the one-year anniversary of the date of grant, except that: (A) the Board may provide that Awards become exercisable, vest or settle prior to such date in the event of the Participant’s death or disability or in the event of a Change of Control (as defined below); and (B) annual equity grants to non-employee directors that occur in connection with the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders may vest on the date of the Company’s next annual meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, up to 5% of the aggregate number of shares authorized for issuance under this Plan (as described in Section 3(a)) may be issued pursuant to Awards subject to any, or no, vesting conditions, as the Board determines appropriate. The Board may, in its sole and absolute discretion, without amendment to the Plan but subject to the limitations otherwise set forth in the Plan, waive or amend the operation of Plan provisions respecting exercise after termination of Service to the Company and, except as otherwise provided herein, adjust any of the terms of any Award. The Board may correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award in the manner and to the extent it shall deem expedient to carry the Plan or any Award into effect, and it shall be the sole and final judge of such expediency. All decisions by the Board shall be final and binding on all interested persons. Neither the Company nor any member of the Board shall be liable for any action or determination relating to the Plan.
b.Appointment of Committee. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Board may delegate any or all of its powers under the Plan to one or more committees or subcommittees of the Board (a “Committee”). If so delegated, all references in the Plan to the “Board” shall mean such Committee or the Board. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors is initially delegated all of the powers of the Board of Directors under the Plan, and shall continue to have such powers unless and until otherwise determined by the Board of Directors.
c.Delegation. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Board may delegate to one or more executive officers of the Company the power to grant Awards and exercise such other powers under the Plan as the Board may determine, provided that the Board shall fix the maximum number of Awards to be granted and the maximum number of shares issuable to any one Participant pursuant to Awards granted by such executive officers. No such executive officer shall designate himself or herself as a recipient of any Awards granted under authority delegated to such executive officer. In addition, the Board may delegate any or all aspects of the day-to-day administration of the Plan to one or more officers or employees of the Company or any Subsidiary, and/or to one or more agents.
d.Applicability of Section Rule 16b-3. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing if, or at such time as, the Common Stock is or becomes registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or any successor statute, the Plan shall be administered in a manner consistent with Rule 16b-3 promulgated thereunder, as it may be amended from time to time, or any successor rules (“Rule 16b-3”), such that all subsequent grants of Awards hereunder to Reporting Persons, as hereinafter defined, shall be exempt
under such rule. Those provisions of the Plan which make express reference to Rule 16b-3 or which are required in order for certain option transactions to qualify for exemption under Rule 16b-3 shall apply only to such persons as are required to file reports under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act (a “Reporting Person”).
3.Stock Available for Awards.
a.Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment under Section 3(c), the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock of the Company (the “Common Stock”) that may be issued pursuant to the Plan is 42,500,000 (the “Available Shares”). If (i) an Award granted under the Plan is canceled, expires, forfeited, settled in cash, settled by delivery of fewer shares of Common Stock than the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the award or option or otherwise terminated without delivery of the shares of Common Stock to the holder of such award or option or, (ii) other than in the case of an Option Award or a stock appreciation right award, shares are withheld from such an Award or separately surrendered by the Participant in payment of taxes relating to such an Award, then such shares or shares underlying such award shall be deemed to constitute shares not delivered and will be available under the Plan for subsequent awards. The aggregate number of shares issued under this Plan at any time shall equal only the number of shares actually issued upon exercise or settlement of an Award under this Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, shares of Common Stock subject to an Award under this Plan may not again be made available for issuance under this Plan if such shares are: (A) shares that were subject to a stock-settled stock appreciation right and were not issued upon the net settlement or net exercise of such stock appreciation right, (B) shares delivered to or withheld by the Company to pay the exercise price of an Option Award, (C) shares delivered to or withheld by the Company to pay the withholding taxes related an Option Award or a stock appreciation right, or (D) shares repurchased on the open market with the proceeds of an Option Award. The shares issued pursuant to Awards granted under this Plan may be shares that are authorized and unissued or shares that were reacquired by the Company, including shares purchased in the open market.
b.Tax-Code Limits. The aggregate number of shares that may be earned pursuant to Awards granted under this Plan during any calendar year to any one Participant shall not exceed 3,000,000, which number shall not count any tandem stock appreciation rights. The aggregate number of shares that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options (as defined in Section 4(b)) granted under this Plan shall not exceed 42,500,000, which number shall be calculated and adjusted pursuant to Section 3(c) only to the extent that such calculation or adjustment will not affect the status of any option intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code. The maximum cash amount payable pursuant to all Incentive Awards granted in any calendar year to any Participant under this Plan that are intended to be performance based compensation shall not exceed $10,000,000.
c.Adjustment to Common Stock. Subject to Section 8, in the event of any stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination, exchange of shares, liquidation, spin-off, split-up, or other similar change in capitalization or similar event, (i) the number and class of shares subject to the limits in Section 3(a) and 3(b), (ii) the number and class of securities, vesting schedule and exercise price per share, as applicable, subject to each outstanding Award, (iii) the repurchase price per security subject to repurchase, and (iv) the terms of each other outstanding Award, shall be equitably adjusted by the Company (or substituted Awards may be made if applicable) to the extent the Board shall determine, in good faith, that such an adjustment (or substitution) is appropriate. Adjustments need not be uniform as between different Awards or different types of Awards.
d.Director Awards. The aggregate dollar value of equity-based (based on the grant date fair value of equity-based Awards) and cash compensation granted under this Plan or otherwise during any fiscal year to any one non-employee director shall not exceed $800,000; provided, however, that in the fiscal year in which a non-employee director first joins the Board or is first designated as Chairman of the Board or Lead Director, the maximum aggregate dollar value of equity-based (based on the grant date fair value of equity-based Awards) and cash compensation granted to the Participant may be up to one hundred and fifty percent (150%) of the foregoing limit and the foregoing limit shall not count any tandem stock appreciation rights.
4.Stock Options.
a.General. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board may grant options to purchase Common Stock (each, an “Option”) and determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be covered by each Option, the exercise price of each Option and the conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of each Option and the shares of Common Stock issued upon the exercise of each Option, including, but not limited to, vesting provisions, repurchase provisions and restrictions relating to applicable federal or state securities laws. Each Option will be evidenced by a Stock Option Agreement, consisting of a Notice of Stock Option Award and a Stock Option Award Agreement or such other form of documentation (which may be electronic) as may be approved by the Board (collectively, a “Stock Option Agreement”).
b.Incentive Stock Options. An Option that the Board intends to be an incentive stock option (an “Incentive Stock Option”) as defined in Section 422 of the Code, as amended, or any successor statute (“Section 422”), shall be granted only to an employee of the Company and shall be subject to and shall be construed consistently with the requirements of Section 422 and regulations thereunder. The Board and the Company shall have no liability if an Option or any part thereof that is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option does not qualify as such. An Option or any part thereof that does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option is referred to herein as a “Nonstatutory Stock Option” or “Nonqualified Stock Option.”
c.Dollar Limitation. For so long as the Code shall so provide, Options granted to any employee under the Plan (and any other incentive stock option plans of the Company) which are intended to qualify as Incentive Stock Options shall not qualify as Incentive Stock Options to the extent that such Options, in the aggregate, become exercisable for the first time in any one calendar year for shares of Common Stock with an aggregate Fair Market Value (as defined below) (determined as of the respective date or dates of grant) of more than $100,000. The amount of Incentive Stock Options which exceed such $100,000 limitation shall be deemed to be Nonqualified Stock Options. For the purpose of this limitation, unless otherwise required by the Code or regulations of the Internal Revenue Service or determined by the Board, Options shall be taken into account in the order granted, and the Board may designate that portion of any Incentive Stock Option that shall be treated as a Nonqualified Stock Option in the event that the provisions of this paragraph apply to a portion of any Option. The designation described in the preceding sentence may be made at such time as the Committee considers appropriate, including after the issuance of the Option or at the time of its exercise.
d.Exercise Price. The Board shall establish the exercise price (or determine the method by which the exercise price shall be determined) at the time each Option is granted and specify the exercise price in the applicable Stock Option Agreement, provided, however, in no event may the per share exercise price of an Option be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date such Option is granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the per share exercise price with respect to an Option that is a substitute award for options held by optionees of the acquired entity may be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date such Option is granted if such exercise price is based on a formula set forth in the terms of the options held by such optionees or in the terms of the agreement providing for such merger or other acquisition that satisfies the requirements of (i) Section 409A of the Code, if such options held by such optionees are not intended to qualify as Incentive Stock Options, and (ii) Section 424(a) of the Code, if such options held by such optionees are intended to qualify as Incentive Stock Options. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant who, at the time of grant of such Option, owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, then the exercise price shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date of grant. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, except as provided in Section 2(c), without the prior approval of the Company’s stockholders, neither the Company nor the Board will take any action to amend or modify any Award to lower the exercise or conversion price applicable to such Award and, at any time when the exercise price of an Option is above the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock, without the prior approval of the Company’s stockholders (except in the case of a Change of Control (as defined below), neither the Company nor the Board will take any action to otherwise cancel and re-grant or exchange an outstanding Option for cash or another Award.
e.Duration of Options. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, including Section 2(a), each Option shall be exercisable at such times and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board may specify in the applicable Stock Option Agreement; provided, that the term of any Incentive Stock Option may not be more than ten (10) years from the date of grant. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant who, at the time of grant of such Option, owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, the term of the Option shall be no longer than five (5) years from the date of grant.
f.Payment Upon Exercise. Common Stock purchased upon the exercise of an Option shall be paid for by one or any combination of the following forms of payment as permitted by the Board in its sole and absolute discretion:
i.by check payable to the order of the Company;
ii.only if the Common Stock is then publicly traded, by delivery of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a creditworthy broker to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to pay the exercise price, or delivery by the Participant to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a creditworthy broker to deliver promptly to the Company cash or a check sufficient to pay the exercise price;
iii.to the extent permitted in the applicable Stock Option Agreement, by delivery of shares of Common Stock owned by the Participant (including shares otherwise deliverable upon exercise of the applicable Option); or
iv.payment of such other lawful consideration as the Board may determine.
Except as otherwise expressly set forth in a Stock Option Agreement, the Board shall have no obligation to accept consideration other than cash. The fair market value of any shares of the Company's Common Stock or other non-cash consideration which may be delivered upon exercise of an Option shall be determined in such manner as may be prescribed by the Board.
g.Determination of Fair Market Value. If, at the time an Option is granted under the Plan, the Company's Common Stock is publicly traded under the Exchange Act, “Fair Market Value” shall mean (i) if the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange, its fair market value shall be the closing price for such stock on that date or the closing price as reported on NASDAQ; or (ii) if the Common Stock is traded in the over-the-counter securities market, then the average of the high bid and low bid quotations for the Common Stock as published in The Wall Street Journal. In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the fair market value thereof shall be determined in good faith by the Board after taking into consideration all factors which it deems appropriate.
5.Restricted Stock.
a.Grants. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board may (i) grant Awards to a Participant of restricted shares of Common Stock and shall determine the price, if any, to be paid by the Participant for each restricted share of Common Stock and (ii) shall provide the right of the Company to repurchase all or part of such shares at the issue price or other stated or formula price from the Participant in the event that the conditions specified by the Board in the applicable Award are not satisfied prior to the end of the applicable restriction period or periods established by the Board for such Award (each, a “Restricted Stock Award”).
b.Terms and Conditions. The Board shall determine the terms and conditions of any such Restricted Stock Award. Any stock certificates issued in respect of a Restricted Stock Award shall be registered in the name of the Participant and, unless otherwise determined by the Board, deposited by the Participant, together with a stock power endorsed in blank, with the Company (or its designee). After the expiration of the applicable restriction periods, the Company (or such designee) shall deliver the certificates no longer subject to such restrictions to the Participant or, if the Participant has died, to the beneficiary designated by a Participant, in a manner determined by the Board, to receive amounts due or exercise rights of the Participant in the event of the Participant's death (the “Designated Beneficiary”). In the absence of an effective designation by a Participant, Designated Beneficiary shall mean the Participant's estate. Participants in whose name Restricted Stock Awards are granted shall be entitled to receive all dividends and other distributions paid with respect to those shares, unless determined otherwise by the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends credited/payable in connection with Restricted Stock Awards that are not yet vested shall be subject to the same restrictions and risk of forfeiture as the underlying Restricted Stock Awards and shall not be paid until the underlying Restricted Stock Awards vest.
6.Other Stock-Based Awards. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Board shall have the right to grant other Awards based upon the Common Stock having such terms and conditions as the Board may determine, including, without limitation, the grant of shares based upon certain conditions, the grant of securities convertible into Common Stock and the grant of stock appreciation rights (which shall be subject to the same terms as Options, as applicable), phantom stock awards, performance stock, deferred stock, restricted stock units, shares of Common Stock not subject to any restrictions or other stock units. Prior to settlement or forfeiture, a restricted stock unit or other stock unit agreement may, at the Board’s discretion, provide a right to dividend equivalents. Such right entitles the holder to be credited with an amount equal to all dividends paid on one share of Common Stock while the restricted stock unit or other stock unit is outstanding. Dividend equivalents may be converted into additional stock units and may be made subject to the same conditions and restrictions as the stock units to which they attach. Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends or dividend equivalents credited/payable in connection with restricted stock units or other stock units that are not yet vested shall be subject to the same restrictions and risk of forfeiture as the underlying restricted stock units or other stock units and shall not be paid until the underlying restricted stock units or other stock units vest. Except as explicitly contemplated in this Section 6 with respect to restricted stock units or other stock units, dividend equivalent rights shall not be granted alone or in connection with any Award under the Plan.
7.Performance and Incentive Awards.
a.Performance Conditions. The right of a Participant to exercise or receive a grant or settlement of any Award, and the timing thereof, may be subject to such performance conditions as may be specified by the
Board. The Board may use such business criteria and other measures of performance as it may deem appropriate in establishing any performance conditions and may exercise its discretion to reduce the amounts payable under any Incentive Award subject to performance conditions. “Incentive Awards” shall mean a cash Award subject to the attainment of performance goals over a performance period. “Performance Award” means a stock-based Award subject to the attainment of performance goals over a performance period.
b.Performance Goals Generally. The Committee may determine that such Performance Awards or Incentive Awards shall be granted, exercised and/or settled upon achievement of any one performance goal or that two or more of the performance goals must be achieved as a condition to grant, exercise and/or settlement of such Performance Awards or Incentive Awards. Performance goals may differ for Performance Awards or Incentive Awards granted to any one Participant or to different Participants.
c.Business Criteria. The Committee may establish performance goals that are measured either individually, alternatively or in any combination, applied to either the Company as a whole or to a specified subsidiary or business unit, and measured over a performance period, on an absolute basis or relative to a pre-established target to a previous year’s result or to a designated comparison group, either based on United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) or non-GAAP financial results, in each case as specified by the Committee in the Award. The business criteria that the Committee may use in establishing performance goals for such an Award include, among others: economic value added; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; earnings before interest and taxes; cash flow; earnings per share; operating income; operating income before income taxes; net income; net income before income taxes; operating margin; ratio of debt to stockholder’s equity; reduction of debt, return on equity; return on assets; return on invested capital; revenue; total shareholder return; market penetration; total market capitalization and enterprise value; business retention; new product generation; cost controls and targets (including costs of capital); customer satisfaction; employee satisfaction; agency ratings; management of employment practices and employee benefits; supervision of litigation and information technology; implementation of business process controls; recruiting and retaining personnel; geographical expansion; clinical and product developments; or regulatory milestones. For the avoidance of doubt, the performance goals associated with the business criteria can be measured on an absolute basis or relative to a group of companies, entities, or other forms of external benchmarks. A “performance period” shall be a calendar year, fiscal year of the Company or other longer or shorter period designated by the Compensation Committee.
d.Settlement of Performance Awards; Other Terms. Settlement of Performance Awards or Incentive Awards shall be in cash, Stock, other Awards or other property, in the discretion of the Committee. The Committee may, in its discretion, reduce the amount of a settlement otherwise to be made in connection with Incentive Awards. The Committee shall specify the circumstances in which such Performance Awards or Incentive Awards shall be paid or forfeited in the event of termination of Service by the Participant prior to the end of a performance period or settlement of Performance Awards or Incentive Awards.
8.General Provisions Applicable to Awards.
a.Transferability of Awards. Awards shall not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered by the person to whom they are granted, either voluntarily or by operation of law, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and, during the life of the Participant, shall be exercisable only by the Participant. Further, and notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent permitted by the Board, the person to whom an Award is initially granted (the “Grantee”) may transfer an Award to any “family member” of the Grantee (as such term is defined in Section A.1(a)(5) of the General Instructions to Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Form S-8”)), to trusts solely for the benefit of such family members and to partnerships in which such family members and/or trusts are the only partners; provided that, (i) as a condition thereof, the transferor and the transferee must execute a written agreement containing such terms as specified by the Board, and (ii) the transfer is pursuant to a gift or a domestic relations order to the extent permitted under the General Instructions to Form S-8. Except to the extent specified otherwise in the agreement the Board provides for the Grantee and transferee to execute, all vesting, exercisability and forfeiture provisions that are conditioned on the Grantee’s continued employment or service shall continue to be determined with reference to the Grantee’s employment or service (and not to the status of the transferee) after any transfer of an Award pursuant to this Section 8(a), and the responsibility to pay any taxes in connection with an Award shall remain with the Grantee notwithstanding any transfer other than by will or intestate succession.
b.Documentation. Each Award under the Plan shall be evidenced by a written instrument (which may be electronic) in such form as the Board shall determine or as executed by an officer of the Company pursuant to authority delegated by the Board. Each Award may contain terms and conditions in addition to those set forth in the Plan, provided that such terms and conditions do not contravene the provisions of the Plan or applicable law.
c.Board Discretion. The terms of each type of Award need not be identical, and the Board need not treat Participants uniformly.
d.Additional Award Provisions. The Board may, in its sole discretion, include additional provisions in any Stock Option Agreement, Restricted Stock Award or other Award granted under the Plan, including without limitation restrictions on transfer, repurchase rights, commitments to pay cash bonuses, to transfer other property to Participants upon exercise of Awards, or such other provisions as shall be determined by the Board; provided that such additional provisions shall not be inconsistent with any other term or condition of the Plan or applicable law; provided, however, that except as provided in Section 5 or 6, a Participant shall have no dividend rights, voting rights or other rights as a shareholder with respect to any shares of Common Stock covered by his or her Award prior to the issuance of such shares (as evidenced by an appropriate entry on the books of the Company or a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company), and except as provided in Sections 3(c), 5 and 6, no adjustment shall be made for cash dividends or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date when such shares are issued.
e.Termination of Status. The Board shall determine the effect on an Award of the disability (as defined in Code Section 22(e)(3)), death, retirement, authorized leave of absence or other change in the employment or other status of a Participant and the extent to which, and the period during which, the Participant, or the Participant's legal representative, conservator, guardian or Designated Beneficiary, may exercise rights under the Award, subject to applicable law and the provisions of the Code related to Incentive Stock Options.
f.Change of Control of the Company.
i.Unless otherwise expressly provided in the applicable Stock Option Agreement or Restricted Stock Award or other Award, in connection with the occurrence of a Change of Control (as defined below), the Board shall, in its sole discretion as to any outstanding Award (including any portion thereof; on the same basis or on different bases, as the Board shall specify), take one or any combination of the following actions:
A.make appropriate provision for the continuation of such Award by the Company or the assumption of such Award by the surviving or acquiring entity and by substituting on an equitable basis for the shares then subject to such Award either (x) the consideration payable with respect to the outstanding shares of Common Stock in connection with the Change of Control, (y) shares of stock of the surviving or acquiring corporation, or (z) such other securities as the Board deems appropriate, the Fair Market Value of which shall not materially differ from the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Award immediately preceding the Change of Control (as determined by the Board in its sole discretion);
B.accelerate the date of exercise or vesting of such Award;
C.permit the exchange of such Award for the right to participate in any stock option or other employee benefit plan of any successor corporation;
D.provide for the repurchase of the Award for an amount equal to the difference of (i) the consideration received per share for the securities underlying the Award in the Change of Control minus (ii) the per share exercise price of such securities. Such amount shall be payable in cash or the property payable in respect of such securities in connection with the Change of Control. The value of any such property shall be determined by the Board in its discretion; or
E.Solely with respect to transactions described in Section 8(f)(i)(F)(c) below, provide for the termination of such Award immediately prior to the consummation of the Change of Control; provided that no such termination will be effective if the Change of Control is not consummated.
F.For the purpose of this Agreement, a “Change of Control” shall mean:
(a) The acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of the then outstanding shares of voting stock of the Company (the “Voting Stock”); provided, however, that any acquisition by the Company or its subsidiaries, or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or its subsidiaries of 20% or more of Voting Stock shall not constitute a Change of Control; and provided, further, that any acquisition by a corporation with respect to which, following such acquisition, more than 50% of the then outstanding shares of common stock of such corporation, is then beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were
the beneficial owners of the Voting Stock immediately prior to such acquisition in substantially the same proportion as their ownership, immediately prior to such acquisition, of the Voting Stock, shall not constitute a Change of Control; or
(b) Any transaction which results in the Continuing Directors (as defined in the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company) constituting less than a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company; or
(c) The consummation of (i) a reorganization, merger or consolidation (any of the foregoing, a “Merger”), in each case, with respect to which the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners of the Voting Stock immediately prior to such Merger do not, following such Merger, beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the then outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation resulting from the Merger (the “Resulting Corporation”) as a result of the individuals’ and entities’ shareholdings in the Company immediately prior to the consummation of the Merger and without regard to any of the individuals’ and entities’ shareholdings in the Resulting Corporation immediately prior to the consummation of the Merger, (ii) a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company, or (iii) the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, excluding a sale or other disposition of assets to a subsidiary of the Company.
g.Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company or termination of an Award under Section 8(f)(i)(E), the Board shall notify each Participant as soon as practicable prior to the effective date of such proposed transaction. The Board in its sole discretion may provide for a Participant to have the right to exercise his or her Award until fifteen (15) days prior to such transaction as to all of the shares of Common Stock covered by the Option or Award, including shares as to which the Option or Award would not otherwise be exercisable, which exercise may in the sole discretion of the Board, be made subject to and conditioned upon the consummation of such proposed transaction. In addition, the Board may provide that any Company repurchase option applicable to any shares of Common Stock purchased upon exercise of an Option or Award shall lapse as to all such shares of Common Stock, provided the proposed dissolution and liquidation takes place at the time and in the manner contemplated. To the extent it has not been previously exercised, an Award will terminate upon the consummation of such proposed action.
h.Assumption of Options Upon Certain Events. In connection with a merger or consolidation of an entity with the Company or the acquisition by the Company of property or stock of an entity, the Board may grant Awards under the Plan in substitution for stock and stock-based awards issued by such entity or an affiliate thereof. The substitute Awards shall be granted on such terms and conditions as the Board considers appropriate in the circumstances.
i.Parachute Payments and Parachute Awards. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8(f), if, in connection with a Change of Control described therein, a tax under Section 4999 of the Code would be imposed on the Participant (after taking into account the exceptions set forth in Sections 280G(b)(4) and 280G(b)(5) of the Code), then the number of Awards which shall become exercisable, realizable or vested as provided in such Section shall be reduced (or delayed), to the minimum extent necessary, so that no such tax would be imposed on the Participant (the Awards not becoming so accelerated, realizable or vested, the “Parachute Awards”); provided, however, that if the “aggregate present value” of the Parachute Awards would exceed the tax that, but for this sentence, would be imposed on the Participant under Section 4999 of the Code in connection with the Change of Control, then the Awards shall become immediately exercisable, realizable and vested without regard to the provisions of this sentence. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the “aggregate present value” of an Award shall be calculated on an after-tax basis (other than taxes imposed by Section 4999 of the Code) and shall be based on economic principles rather than the principles set forth under Section 280G of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder. All determinations required to be made under this Section 8(i) shall be made by the Company.
j.Amendment of Awards. The Board may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Award including, but not limited to, substituting therefor another Award of the same or a different type, changing the date of exercise or realization, and converting an Incentive Stock Option to a Nonstatutory Stock Option, provided that the Participant's consent to such action shall be required unless the Board determines that the action, taking into account any related action, (i) would not materially and adversely affect the Participant or that any such adverse effect has been adequately compensated or (ii) is required or advisable in order for the Company, the Plan or the Award to satisfy any law or regulation or to meet the requirements of or avoid adverse financial accounting consequences under any accounting standard; and provided further that without the prior approval of the Company’s
stockholders, neither the Company nor the Board will take any action to amend or modify any Option or stock appreciation right to lower the exercise or conversion price applicable to such Award and, at any time when the exercise price of an Option or stock appreciation right is above the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock, without the prior approval of the Company’s stockholders (except in the case of a Change of Control, neither the Company nor the Board will take any action to otherwise cancel and re-grant or exchange an outstanding Option or stock appreciation right for cash or another Award.
k.Conditions on Delivery of Stock. The Company will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Plan or to remove restrictions from shares previously delivered under the Plan until (i) all conditions of the Award have been met or removed to the satisfaction of the Company, (ii) in the opinion of the Company's counsel, all other legal matters in connection with the issuance and delivery of such shares have been satisfied, including any applicable securities laws and any applicable stock exchange or stock market rules and regulations, and (iii) the Participant has executed and delivered to the Company such representations or agreements as the Company may consider appropriate to satisfy the requirements of any applicable laws, rules, or regulations.
l.Acceleration. The Board may at any time provide that any Award shall become immediately exercisable in full or in part, or that any other stock-based Awards may become exercisable in full or in part or free of some or all restrictions or conditions, or otherwise realizable in full or in part, as the case may be, despite the fact that the foregoing actions may (i) cause the application of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code if a Change of Control of the Company occurs, or (ii) disqualify all or part of the Option as an Incentive Stock Option. In addition, the Board may, in its sole discretion, and in all instances subject to any relevant tax and accounting considerations which may adversely impact or impair the Company, extend the dates during which all or any particular Options or Awards granted under the Plan may be exercised.
m.Participation in Foreign Countries. The Board shall have the authority to adopt such modifications, procedures, and subplans as may be necessary or desirable to comply with provisions of the laws of foreign countries in which the Company or its Subsidiaries may operate to assure the viability of the benefits from Awards granted to Participants performing services in such countries and to meet the objectives of the Plan.
n.Agreement to Repayments of Incentive Compensation When Repayments Are Required Under Federal Law. This provision applies to any policy adopted by NASDAQ (or any other exchange on which the securities of the Company are listed) pursuant to Section 10D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. To the extent any such policy requires the repayment of incentive-based compensation received by a Participant, whether paid pursuant to an Award granted under this Plan or any other plan of incentive-based compensation maintained in the past or adopted in the future by the Company, in consideration of the receipt of an Award under this Plan, the Participant agrees to the repayment of such amounts to the extent required by such policy and applicable law.
o.Company Recoupment Policy. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, to the extent applicable, Awards under the Plan shall be subject to any recovery, recoupment, clawback and/or other forfeiture policy maintained by the Company from time to time.
9.Withholding. The Company shall have the right to deduct from payments of any kind otherwise due to the optionee or recipient of an Award any federal, state, or local taxes of any kind required by law to be withheld with respect to any shares issued upon exercise of Options under the Plan or the purchase of shares subject to the Award. Subject to the prior approval of the Board, which may be withheld in its sole discretion, the optionee or recipient of an Award may elect to satisfy such obligation, in whole or in part, (a) by causing the Company to withhold shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable pursuant to the exercise of an Option or the purchase of shares subject to an Award or (b) by delivering to the Company shares of Common Stock already owned by the optionee or Award recipient of an Award. The shares so delivered or withheld shall have a fair market value of the shares used to satisfy such withholding obligation as shall be determined by the Company as of the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is to be determined (up to the minimum required withholding rate for the Participant, or such other rate that will not cause an adverse accounting consequence or cost). An optionee or recipient of an Award who has made an election pursuant to this Section 9 may only satisfy his or her withholding obligation with shares of Common Stock which are not subject to any repurchase, forfeiture, unfulfilled vesting, or other similar requirements.
10.No Exercise of Option if Engagement or Employment Terminated for Cause. If the employment or engagement of any Participant is terminated “for Cause”, the Award may terminate, upon a determination of the Board, on the date of such termination and the Option shall thereupon not be exercisable to any extent whatsoever and the Company shall have the right to repurchase any shares of Common Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Award whether or not such shares have vested. For purposes of this Section 10, “for Cause” shall be defined as follows: (i) if the Participant has executed an employment agreement, the definition of “cause” contained therein, if any, shall govern, or (ii) if the Participant has not executed an employment agreement in which the definition of
“cause” is provided, conduct, as determined by the Board of Directors, involving one or more of the following: (a) gross misconduct or inadequate performance by the Participant which is injurious to the Company; or (b) the commission of an act of embezzlement, fraud or theft, which results in economic loss, damage or injury to the Company; or (c) the unauthorized disclosure of any trade secret or confidential information of the Company (or any client, customer, supplier, or other third party who has a business relationship with the Company) or the violation of any noncompetition or nonsolicitation covenant or assignment of inventions obligation with the Company; or (d) the commission of an act which constitutes unfair competition with the Company or which induces any customer or prospective customer of the Company to breach a contract with the Company or to decline to do business with the Company (to the extent such restriction is enforceable under applicable state law); or (e) the indictment or conviction of the Participant for a felony or serious misdemeanor offense, either in connection with the performance of his or her obligations to the Company or which shall adversely affect the Participant's ability to perform such obligations; or (f) the commission of an act of fraud or breach of fiduciary duty which results in loss, damage or injury to the Company; or (g) the failure of the Participant to perform in a material respect his or her employment, consulting or advisory obligations without proper cause. The Board may in its discretion waive or modify the provisions of this Section 10 at a meeting of the Board with respect to any individual Participant with regard to the facts and circumstances of any particular situation involving a determination under this Section 10.
11.Miscellaneous.
a.Definitions.
i.“Company”, for purposes of eligibility under the Plan, shall include any present or future subsidiary corporations of Hologic, Inc., as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code (a “Subsidiary”), and any present or future parent corporation of Hologic, Inc., as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code. For purposes of Awards other than Incentive Stock Options, the term “Company” shall include any other business venture in which the Company has a direct or indirect significant interest, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion.
ii.“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any regulations promulgated thereunder.
iii.“Employee” for purposes of eligibility under the Plan shall include a person to whom an offer of employment has been extended by the Company.
b.No Right To Employment or Other Status. No person shall have any claim or right to be granted an Award, and the grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to continued employment or any other relationship with the Company. The Company expressly reserves the right at any time to dismiss or otherwise terminate its relationship with a Participant free from any liability or claim under the Plan. Except as specifically provided by the Board in any particular case, the loss of existing or potential profit and Awards granted under this Plan will not constitute an element of damages in the event of termination of an employment relationship even if the termination is in violation of an obligation of the Company to the Participant.
c.Compliance with Law. The Company shall not be required to sell or issue any shares of Common Stock under any Award if the sale or issuance of such shares would constitute a violation by the Participant, any other individual exercising an Option, or the Company of any provision of any law or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation any federal or state securities laws or regulation. If at any time the Company shall determine, in its discretion, that the listing, registration or qualification of any share subject to an Award on any security exchange or under any governmental regulatory body is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the issuance or purchase of shares hereunder, no shares of Common Stock may be issued or sold to the Participant or any other individual exercising an Option pursuant to such Award unless such listing, registration, qualification, consent, or approval shall have been effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company, and any delay caused thereby shall in no way effect the date of termination of the Award. Any determination in this connection by the Board shall be final, binding and conclusive. The Company may, but shall in no event be obligated to, register any securities covered hereby pursuant to the Securities Act. The Company shall not be obligated to take any affirmative action in order to cause the exercise of an Option or the issuance of shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Plan to comply with any law or regulation of any governmental authority. As to any jurisdiction that expressly imposes that an Option shall not be exercised until the shares of Common Stock covered by such Option are registered or exempt from registration, the exercise of such Option (under circumstances in which the laws of such jurisdiction apply) shall be deemed conditioned up on the effectiveness of such registration or availability of such an exemption.
d.No Rights As Stockholder. Subject to the provisions of the applicable Award, no Participant or Designated Beneficiary shall have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares of Common Stock to be distributed with respect to an Award until becoming the record holder thereof.
e.Effective Date and Term of Plan. This Plan was originally adopted on March 11, 2008. This amendment and restatement of the Plan is effective as of March 9, 2023, subject to ratification by the stockholders of the Company at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on such date. No Awards shall be granted under the Plan after the completion of ten years from the date on which the Plan is last approved by the stockholders, but Awards previously granted may extend beyond that date; provided, however, that Incentive Stock Options may not be granted under the Plan after December 8, 2032. For the avoidance of doubt, this amendment and restatement is not intended, and shall not be interpreted to, modify any Awards granted prior to March 14, 2018 to the extent such modification would result in a loss of deductibility under Code Section 162(m).
f.Amendment of Plan. The Board of Directors may, at any time, suspend or terminate the Plan or revise or amend it in any respect whatsoever. An Amendment shall be contingent on approval of the Company’s stockholders to the extent stated by the Board, required by applicable law or required by applicable stock exchange listing requirements.
g.Non-Exclusivity of Plan. Neither the adoption of this Plan by the Board nor the submission of this Plan to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as either may deem desirable, including without limitation, the granting of restricted stock or stock options otherwise than under this Plan, and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.
h.Unfunded Plan. The Plan is intended to be an unfunded plan. Participants are and shall at all times be general creditors of the Company with respect to their Awards. If the Board or the Company chooses to set aside funds in a trust or otherwise for the payment of Awards under the Plan, such funds shall at all times be subject to the claims of the creditors of the Company in the event of its bankruptcy or insolvency.
i.Specified Employee Delay. To the extent any payment under this Plan is considered deferred compensation subject to the restrictions contained in Section 409A of the Code, and to the extent necessary to avoid the imposition of taxes under Section 409A of the Code, such payment may not be made to a specified employee (as determined in accordance with a uniform policy adopted by the Company with respect to all arrangements subject to Section 409A of the Code) upon separation from service (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) before the date that is six months after the specified employee’s separation from service (or, if earlier, the specified employee’s death). Any payment that would otherwise be made during this period of delay shall be accumulated and paid on the sixth month plus one day following the specified employee’s separation from service (or, if earlier, as soon as administratively practicable after the specified employee’s death).
j.Governing Law. The provisions of the Plan and all Awards made hereunder shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to any applicable conflicts of law principles.
Approvals
| | | | | |
| |
| Amended and Restated 2008 Equity Incentive Plan adopted by the Board of Directors on: |
January 9, 2013 |
| Amended and Restated 2008 Equity Incentive Plan approved by the Stockholders on: | March 11, 2013 |
| |
| | | | | |
| Amended and Restated 2008 Equity Incentive Plan adopted by the Board of Directors on: |
December 15, 2017 |
| Amended and Restated 2008 Equity Incentive Plan approved by the Stockholders on: | March 14, 2018 |
| | | | | |
| Amended and Restated 2008 Equity Incentive Plan adopted by the Board of Directors on: |
December 8, 2022 |
Amended and Restated 2008 Equity Incentive Plan approved by the Stockholders on: |
March 9, 2023 |
HOLOGIC, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2012 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
1. Purpose.
The Hologic, Inc. 2012 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Plan") is intended to provide a method whereby employees of Hologic, Inc. (the "Company") and participating subsidiaries will have an opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company through the purchase of shares of the Company's $.01 par value common stock (the "Common Stock"). It is the intention of the Company to have the Plan qualify as an "employee stock purchase plan" under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The provisions of the Plan shall, accordingly, be construed so as to extend and limit participation in a manner consistent with the requirements of that Section of the Code and applicable guidance and regulations issued thereunder.
2. Eligible Employees.
(a) All employees of the Company or any of its participating subsidiaries who are employed before the first day of the applicable Offering Period (as defined below) shall be eligible to receive options under this Plan to purchase the Company's Common Stock.
(b) The following employees shall not be eligible to participate in the Plan (i) any employee whose customary employment is for not more than twenty (20) hours per week and (ii) any employee if immediately after the option is granted, would own Common Stock equal to five (5%) percent (including shares subject to such option) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or of its parent corporation or subsidiary corporation as the terms "parent corporation" and "subsidiary corporation" are defined in Section 424(e) and (f) of the Code. For purposes of determining stock ownership under this paragraph, the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code shall apply and stock which the employee may purchase under outstanding options shall be treated as stock owned by the employee.
3. Stock Subject to the Plan.
The stock subject to the options granted hereunder shall be shares of the Company's authorized but unissued Common Stock, treasury shares or shares of Common Stock reacquired by the Company, including shares purchased in the open market. The aggregate number of shares which may be issued pursuant to the Plan is 8,500,000, subject to increase or decrease by reason of stock split-ups, reclassifications, stock dividends, and the like. The 2008 Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Prior Plan”) shall terminate upon the expiration of the Offering Period under the Prior Plan that is in process at the time of the stockholder approval of this Plan. If the number of shares of Common Stock reserved and available for any Offering Period (as defined hereto) is insufficient to satisfy all purchase requirements for that Offering Period, the reserved and available shares for that Offering Period shall be apportioned among participating employees in proportion to their options.
4. Offering Periods and Stock Options.
(a) Six month periods during which payroll deductions will be accumulated under the Plan ("Offering Periods") will include the periods (i) beginning January 1 and ending on the following June 30 and (ii) beginning July 1 and ending on the following December 31. The first Offering Period under this Plan shall commence on July 1, 2012. In addition, the Committee may in its sole and absolute discretion provide for additional Offering Periods provided that such Offering Period shall not exceed twenty-seven (27) months or any other limitation imposed by Section 423 of the Code. Deductions shall only be made from regularly scheduled payroll distributions occurring within the Offering Period. The Offering Commencement Date is the first day of each Offering Period. The Offering Termination Date is the applicable date on which an Offering Period ends under this Section.
(b) On each Offering Commencement Date, the Company will grant to each eligible employee who is then a participant in the Plan an option to purchase on the Offering Termination Date at the Option Exercise Price, as provided in this paragraph (b), that number of full shares of Common Stock reserved for the purpose of the Plan calculated to be the whole number quotient of his or her accumulated payroll deductions on the Offering Termination Date (including any amount carried forward pursuant to Section 8 hereof) divided by the Option Exercise Price; provided that (i) such employee remains eligible to participate in the Plan throughout such Offering Period and (ii) that for such employee, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock subject to such option shall not exceed 500, subject to increase or decrease by reason of stock split-ups, reclassifications, stock dividends, and the like. The Option Exercise Price for each Offering Period shall be the lesser of (i) eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of the Common Stock on the Offering Commencement Date, or (ii) eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of the Common Stock on the Offering Termination Date. In the event of an increase or decrease in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock through stock split-ups, reclassifications, stock dividends, changes in par value and the like, an appropriate adjustment shall be made in the number of shares and Option Exercise Price per share provided for under the Plan, either by a proportionate increase in the number of shares and proportionate decrease in the Option Exercise Price per share, or by a proportionate decrease in the number of shares and a proportionate increase in the Option Exercise Price per share, as may be required to enable an eligible employee who is then a
participant in the Plan to acquire on the Offering Termination Date that number of full shares of Common Stock as his accumulated payroll deductions on such date will pay for at the Option Exercise Price, as so adjusted.
(c) For purposes of this Plan, the term "fair market value" on any date means, if the Common Stock is listed on a national securities exchange, the closing price of the Common Stock on such date on such exchange or as reported on NASDAQ or, if the Common Stock is traded in the over-the-counter securities market, the average of the high and low bid quotations for the Common Stock on such date, each as published in the Wall Street Journal. If no shares of Common Stock are traded on the Offering Commencement Date or Offering Termination Date, the fair market value will be determined by taking the closing price on the immediately preceding business day on which shares of Common Stock are traded.
(d) For purposes of this Plan the term "business day" as used herein means a day on which there is trading on the national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed.
(e) No employee shall be granted an option which permits his rights to purchase Common Stock under the Plan and any similar plans of the Company or any parent or participating subsidiary corporations to accrue at a rate which exceeds, during any calendar year, $25,000 of the fair market value of such stock (to be calculated based on the fair market value of the stock at the Offering Period Commencement Date for each calendar year in which such option is outstanding at any time. The purpose of the limitation in the preceding sentence is to comply with and shall be construed in accordance with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code.
5. Exercise of Option.
Each eligible employee who continues to be a participant in the Plan on the Offering Termination Date shall be deemed to have exercised his or her option on such date and shall be deemed to have purchased from the Company such number of full shares of Common Stock reserved for the purpose of the Plan as his or her accumulated payroll deductions on such date, plus any amount carried forward pursuant to Section 8 hereof, will pay for at the Option Exercise Price, but in no event may an employee purchase shares of Common Stock in excess of 500 shares of Common Stock on any Offering Termination Date, subject to limitations set forth in Section 4(e). If a participant is not an employee on the Offering Termination Date and throughout an Offering Period, he or she shall not be entitled to exercise his or her option. All options issued under the Plan shall, unless exercised as set forth herein, expire at the end of the Offering Termination Date with respect to the Offering Period during which such options were issued.
6. Authorization for Entering Plan.
(a) An eligible employee may enter the Plan by filling out, signing and delivering, either in writing or electronically to the extent permitted by the Board of Directors, to a brokerage firm (“Captive Broker”) designated by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company an authorization ("Authorization"):
(i) stating the amount to be deducted regularly from his or her pay;
(ii) authorizing the purchase of stock for him or her in each Offering Period in accordance with the terms of the Plan;
(iii) specifying the exact name in which Common Stock purchased for him or her is to be issued in accordance with Section 11 hereof; and
(iv) at the discretion of the employee in accordance with Section 14, designating a beneficiary who is to receive any Common Stock and/or cash in the event of his or her death.
Such Authorization must be received by the Captive Broker at least ten (10) business days or such shorter time period as determined by the Company it is sole discretion before an Offering Commencement Date.
(b) The Company will accumulate and hold for the employee's account the amounts deducted from his or her pay. No interest will be paid or otherwise credited thereon. Participating employees may not make any separate cash payments into their account.
(c) Unless an employee files a new Authorization or withdraws from the Plan, his or her deductions and purchases under the Authorization he or she has on file under the Plan will continue as long as the Plan remains in effect. An employee may increase or decrease the amount of his or her payroll deductions as of the next Offering Commencement Date by following the process mandated by the Company or the Captive Broker. Such new Authorization must be executed at least (10) business days or such shorter time period as determined by the Company it is sole discretion before the date of such next Offering Commencement Date.
7. Maximum Amount of Payroll Deductions.
An employee may authorize payroll deductions in any whole percentages up to but not more than ten percent (10%) of his or her base pay in effect at each offering commencement date; and provided further that the maximum percentage shall be
reduced to meet the requirements of Section 4(e) hereof. Base pay means regular straight-time earnings and, if applicable, commissions, but excluding payments for overtime, bonuses, reimbursements and any other special payments.
8. Unused Payroll Deductions.
Only full shares of Common Stock may be purchased. Any balance remaining in an employee's account after a purchase will be reported to the employee and will, in the sole discretion of the Company, either be (i) carried forward to the next Offering Period or (ii) refunded to the employee in the next applicable payroll period. However, in no event will the amount of the unused payroll deductions carried forward exceed the Option Exercise Price per share for the immediately preceding Offering Period unless 500 shares of Common Stock have been purchased during the Offering Period. If for any Offering Period the amount of unused payroll deductions should exceed the Option Exercise Price per share, the amount of the excess for any participant shall be refunded to such participant, without interest.
9. Change in Payroll Deductions.
Deductions may be decreased only once during an Offering Period and no increases will be permitted during an Offering Period.
10. Withdrawal from the Plan.
(a) An employee may withdraw from the Plan and withdraw all but not less than all of the payroll deductions credited to his or her account under the Plan at any time prior to the Offering Termination Date by notifying the Captive Broker at least five (5) business days, or such other time as the Company or the Captive Broker may require, prior to the Offering Termination Date, in which event the Company will promptly refund without interest the entire balance of such employee's deductions not theretofore used to purchase Common Stock under the Plan.
(b) If employee withdraws from the Plan, the employee's rights under the Plan will be terminated and no further payroll deductions will be made. To reenter, such an employee must re-enroll through the Captive Broker at least ten (10) business days before the next Offering Commencement Date. Such Authorization will become effective for the Offering Period that commences on such Offering Commencement Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, employees who are subject to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, who withdraw from the Plan may not reenter the Plan until the next Offering Commencement Date which is at least six months following the date of such withdrawal.
11. Issuance of Stock.
The Company shall in its sole discretion either (i) deliver a certificate or certificates representing the Certificates for Common Stock issued to participants that will be delivered as soon as practicable after each Offering Period or (ii) issue the Common Stock in book entry form, registered in the name of the employee with the Captive Broker. Common Stock purchased under the Plan will be issued only in the name of the employee, or in the case of employees who are not subject to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, if the employee's Authorization so specifies, in the name of the employee and another person of legal age as joint tenants with rights of survivorship.
12. No Transfer or Assignment of Employee's Rights.
An employee's rights under the Plan are his or hers alone and may not be transferred or assigned to, or availed of by, any other person. Any option granted to an employee may be exercised only by him or her, except as provided in Section 13 in the event of an employee's death.
13. Termination of Employee's Rights.
(a) Except as set forth in the last paragraph of this Section 13, an employee's rights under the Plan will terminate when he or she ceases to be an employee because of retirement, resignation, lay-off, discharge, death, change of status, failure to remain in the customary employ of the Company for greater than twenty (20) hours per week, or for any other reason. A Withdrawal Notice will be considered as having been received from the employee on the day his or her employment ceases, and all payroll deductions not used to purchase Common Stock will be refunded.
(b) If an employee's payroll deductions are interrupted by any legal process, a Withdrawal Notice will be considered as having been received from him or her on the day the interruption occurs.
(c) Upon termination of the participating employee's employment because of death, the employee's beneficiary (as defined in Section 14) shall have the right to elect, by written notice given to the Chief Financial Officer of the Company or his designee prior to the expiration of the thirty (30) day period (or such shorter period if the next Offering Termination Date is less than 30 days after the employee’s death) commencing with the date of the death of the employee, either (i) to withdraw, without interest, all of the payroll deductions credited to the employee's account under the Plan, or (ii) to exercise the employee's option for the purchase of shares of Common Stock on the next Offering Termination Date following the date of the employee's death for the purchase of that number of full shares of Common Stock reserved for the purpose of the Plan which the accumulated payroll deductions in the employee's account at the date of the employee's death will purchase at the applicable Option Exercise Price (subject to the maximum number set forth in Section 5), and any excess in such account will
be returned to said beneficiary. In the event that no such written notice of election shall be duly received by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company or his designee (including without limitation, the Captive Broker), the beneficiary shall automatically be deemed to have elected to withdraw the payroll deductions credited to the employee's account at the date of the employee's death and the same will be paid promptly to said beneficiary, without interest.
14. Designation of Beneficiary.
A participating employee may file with the Captive Broker a designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any Common Stock and/or cash in case of his or her death. Such designation of beneficiary may be changed by the employee at any time with the Captive Broker or by written notice to the Company. Upon the death of a participating employee and upon receipt by the Company of proof of the identity and existence at the employee's death of a beneficiary validly designated by him under the Plan, the Company shall deliver such Common Stock and/or cash to such beneficiary. In the event of the death of a participating employee and in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living at the time of such employee's death, the Company shall deliver such Common Stock and/or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the employee, or if, to the knowledge of the Company, no such executor or administrator has been appointed, the Company, in the discretion of the Committee, may deliver such Common Stock and/or cash to the spouse or to any one or more dependents of the employee as the Committee may designate. No beneficiary shall, prior to the death of the employee by whom he or she has been designated, acquire any interest in the Common Stock or cash credited to the employee under the Plan.
15. Termination and Amendments to Plan.
(a) The Plan may be terminated at any time by the Company's Board of Directors, effective on the next following Offering Termination Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it will terminate when all of the shares of Common Stock reserved for the purposes of the Plan have been purchased. Upon such termination or any other termination of the Plan, all payroll deductions not used to purchase Common Stock will be refunded without interest.
(b) The Board of Directors reserves the right to amend the Plan from time to time in any respect; provided, however, that no amendment shall be effective without stockholder approval if the amendment would (a) except as provided in Sections 3, 4, 24 and 25, increase the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock to be offered under the Plan, or (b) change the class of employees eligible to receive options under the Plan; provided, further, that so long as there is a requirement under Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for stockholder approval of the Plan and certain amendments thereto, any such amendment which (a) materially increases the number of shares of Common Stock which may be issued under the Plan, (b) materially increases the benefits accruing to participants in the Plan or (c) materially modifies the requirements as to eligibility for participation in the Plan, shall be subject to stockholder approval.
16. Sale of Stock Purchased Under the Plan and Tax Withholding.
(a) In order to comply with certain tax requirements, all US employees will agree by entering the Plan, promptly to give the Company notice of any such Common Stock disposed of within two years after the Offering Commencement Date on which the related option was granted showing the number of such shares disposed of. The employee assumes the risk of any market fluctuations in the price of such Common Stock.
(b) To the extent that a participating employee realizes ordinary income in connection with a sale or other transfer of any shares of Common Stock purchased under the Plan, the Company or its participating subsidiary may withhold amounts needed to cover such taxes from any payments otherwise due and owing to the participating employee, or from shares that would otherwise be issued to the participating employee hereunder or employee may provide the Company with funds sufficient to cover such taxes. Any participating US employee who sells or otherwise transfers shares purchased under the Plan, through means other than the Captive Broker, within two (2) years after the beginning of the Offering Commencement Period in which the shares were purchased must within thirty (30) days of such transfer notify the Chief Financial Officer of the Company or his designee in writing of such transfer.
17. Company's Payment of Expenses Related to Plan.
The Company will bear all costs of administering and carrying out the Plan; provided, however, that a participating employee shall be solely responsible for brokerage commissions related to his or her purchases and sales hereunder.
18. Participating Subsidiaries.
The term "participating subsidiaries" shall mean any United States or foreign subsidiary of the Company, unless otherwise excluded from participating in the Plan by the Committee (as defined in Section 19). The Committee shall have the power to make such determination before or after the Plan is approved by the stockholders.
19. Administration of the Plan.
(a) The Plan shall be administered by a committee of "disinterested" directors as that term is defined in Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, appointed by the Board of Directors of the Company, which shall be the Company's Compensation Committee (the "Committee"). The Committee shall consist of not less than three members of the Company's Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may from time to time remove members from, or add members
to, the Committee. Vacancies on the Committee, howsoever caused, shall be filled by the Board of Directors. No member of the Committee shall be eligible to participate in the Plan while serving as a member of the Committee.
(b) The interpretation and construction by the Committee of any provisions of the Plan or of any option granted under it shall be final. The Committee may from time to time adopt such rules and regulations for carrying out the Plan as it may deem best. With respect to persons subject to Section 16 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, transactions under the Plan are intended to comply with all applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3 or its successors under said Act. To the extent any provision of the Plan or action by the Committee fails to so comply, it shall be deemed null and void, to the extent permitted by law and deemed advisable by that Committee.
(c) No member of the Board of Directors or the Committee shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any option granted under it. The Company shall indemnify each member of the Board of Directors and the Committee to the fullest extent permitted by law with respect to any claim, loss, damage or expense (including counsel fees) arising in connection with their responsibilities under this Plan.
(d) With respect to employees of the Company and its participating subsidiaries who are employed outside of the United States and subject to the laws of a foreign jurisdiction, the Committee may make such adjustments to the terms and conditions of the options or offerings hereunder (including adjustments that are less favorable than the requirements that would apply to employees of the Company and or its subsidiaries located in the United States) as necessary to comply with the laws of a foreign jurisdiction. In the event that (i) the Committee determines that the laws of a foreign jurisdiction would prohibit the issuance of an option or offering hereunder; or (ii) compliance with the laws of a foreign jurisdiction would result in the Plan violating the requirements of Section 423 of the Code, then the Committee may in its discretion exclude employees of the Company’s foreign subsidiary from participating in the Plan.
20. Shareholder Status/Employment.
(a) Neither the granting of an option to an employee nor the deductions from his or her pay shall constitute such employee a stockholder of the Company with respect to the shares covered by such option until such shares have been purchased by and issued to him or her.
(b) Neither the Plan or any option granted hereunder confers upon any employee the right to continued employment with the Company or any of its participating subsidiaries, nor will an employee’s participation in the Plan restrict or interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any of its participating subsidiaries to terminate the employee’s employment at any time, unless otherwise restricted by a separate written agreement between the Company and employee.
21. Application of Funds.
The proceeds received by the Company from the sale of Common Stock pursuant to options granted under the Plan may be used for any corporate purposes, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate participating employees' payroll deductions.
22. Governmental Regulation.
(a) The Company's obligation to sell and deliver shares of the Company's Common Stock under this Plan is subject to the approval of any governmental authority required in connection with the authorization, issuance or sale of such stock.
(b) In this regard, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion, require as a condition to the exercise of any option that a Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to the shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance upon exercise of the option shall be effective.
23. Transferability.
Neither payroll deductions credited to an employee's account nor any rights with regard to the exercise of an option or to receive stock under the Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged, or otherwise disposed of in any way by the employee. Any such attempted assignment, transfer, pledge, or other disposition shall be without effect, except that the Company may treat such act as an election to withdraw funds in accordance with Section 10.
24. Effect of Changes of Common Stock.
If the Company should subdivide or reclassify the Common Stock which has been or may be optioned under the Plan, or should declare thereon any dividend payable in shares of such Common Stock, or should take any other action of a similar nature affecting such Common Stock, then the number and class of shares of Common Stock which may thereafter be optioned (in the aggregate and to any individual participating employee) shall be adjusted accordingly.
25. Merger or Consolidation.
If the Company should at any time merge into or consolidate with another corporation, the Board of Directors may, at its sole and absolute discretion, either (i) terminate the Plan and refund without interest the entire balance of each
participating employee's payroll deductions, or (ii) entitle each participating employee to receive on the Offering Termination Date upon the exercise of such option for each share of Common Stock as to which such option shall be exercised the securities or property to which a holder of one share of the Common Stock was entitled upon and at the time of such merger or consolidation, and the Board of Directors shall take such steps in connection with such merger or consolidation as the Board of Directors shall deem necessary to assure that the provisions of this Section 25 shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably possible. A sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company shall be deemed a merger or consolidation for the foregoing purposes.
26. Approval of Stockholders.
This plan was originally adopted by the Board of Directors on November 1, 2011 and approved by stockholders on March 6, 2012. The plan was amended by the Board of Directors on December 16, 2015 and approved by stockholders on March 2, 2016. The plan was further amended by the Board of Directors on December 8, 2022 and approved by stockholders on March 9, 2023.