As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 9, 2021

 

Registration No. 333-_______



 

UNITED STATES 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

________________

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

________________

 

Weber Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

Delaware 61-1999408

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

(I.R.S. Employer Identification

No.)

   

1415 S. Roselle Road

Palatine, Illinois

60067
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(Zip Code)

 

Weber Inc. Omnibus Incentive Plan

Weber Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan

 

(Full Title of the Plan)

 

 

Chris M. Scherzinger

Chief Executive Officer

1415 S. Roselle Road

Palatine, Illinois 60067

(Name and Address of Agent For Service)

 

 

     

(847) 934-5700

(Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

 
 

___________________

 

 
 

Copies to:

 

Michael Kaplan

Pedro J. Bermeo

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10017

(212) 450-4000

 

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer o Accelerated filer o
Non-accelerated filer x (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) Smaller reporting company o
    Emerging growth company o

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. o

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of Securities to be Registered Amount to be Registered (1) Proposed Maximum Offering Price per Share (2) Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price (2)

Amount of

Registration Fee (3)

 

Class A common stock, par value $0.001
per share
Weber Inc. Omnibus Incentive Plan 22,694,608 $16.18 $367,198,757.44 $40,061.39
Weber Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan 9,077,843 $16.18 $146,879,499.74 $16,024.56
Total 31,772,451   $514,078,257.18 $56,085.95

(1)

This Registration Statement on Form S-8 (this “Registration Statement”) covers shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Class A Common Stock”), of Weber Inc. (the “Company” or the “Registrant”) issuable pursuant to the Weber Inc. Omnibus Incentive Plan (22,694,608 shares) (the “Stock Plan”) and the Weber Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan (9,077,843 shares) (collectively, the “Plans”). Pursuant to Rule 416 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), there are also registered hereunder such indeterminate number of additional shares of Class A Common Stock as may become subject to awards under the Plans as a result of the stock split, stock dividend and other adjustment provisions contained therein.

 

(2)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) and Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act on the basis of the average of the high and low prices of Class A Common Stock on August 5, 2021.

 

(3) Rounded up to the nearest penny.

 



  

 

 

PART I

 

The information specified in Item 1 and Item 2 of Part I of Form S-8 is omitted from this filing in accordance with the provisions of Rule 428 under the Securities Act and the introductory note to Part I of the Form S-8 instructions. The documents containing the information specified in Part I will be delivered to the participants in the Plans as required by Rule 428(b)(1).

 

PART II

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

 

The following documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are incorporated by reference herein:

 

(1) The Registrant’s prospectus, dated July 27, 2021, filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, in connection with the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-257824), as originally filed by the Company on July 12, 2021 and subsequently amended;

 

(2) All reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 referred to in clause (a) above; and

 

(3)  The description of the Registrant’s capital stock which is contained in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-40702), dated August 2, 2021, including any amendments or supplements thereto.

 

All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment that indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and are a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents; except as to any portion of any future annual or quarterly report to stockholders or document or current report furnished under current Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K that is not deemed filed under such provisions. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

 

Item 4. Description of Securities.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

The Registrant’s certificate of incorporation provides that the Registrant will indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. The Registrant established directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures such persons against the costs of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment under certain circumstances.

 

The Registrant’s certificate of incorporation provides that the Registrant’s directors will not be liable for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty, except for liability relating to any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty, acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, violations under Section 174 of the DGCL or any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

 

 

The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and executive officers. These agreements, among other things, require the Registrant to indemnify each director and executive officer to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, including indemnification of expenses such as attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts incurred by the director or executive officer in any action or proceeding, including any action or proceeding by or in right of the Registrant, arising out of the person’s services as a director or executive officer.

 

Item 7. Exemption for Registration Claimed.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 8. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit

Number

  Description
     
     
4.1   Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Weber Inc. (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to Weber Inc.’s Form S-1, filed on July 12, 2021 (File No. 333-257824))
     
4.2   Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws of Weber Inc. (incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.2 to Weber Inc.’s Form S-1, filed on July 12, 2021 (File No. 333-257824))
     
5   Opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP (filed herewith)
     
23.1   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (Weber Inc.) (filed herewith)
     
23.2   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (Weber-Stephen Products LLC) (filed herewith) 
     
23.3   Consent of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP (included in Exhibit 5)
     
24.1   Power of Attorney (included in signature page hereof)
     
99.1  

Weber Inc. Omnibus Incentive Plan (filed herewith)

     
99.2   Weber Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan (filed herewith)
     

Item 9. Undertakings.

 

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

 

(a)(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

  (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the ‘‘Calculation of Registration Fee’’ table in the effective registration statement;

  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement or any material change to such information in this registration statement;

 

Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement.

 

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Company certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Palatine, State of Illinois, on August 9, 2021.

 

  WEBER, INC.
       
       
  By: /s/ Chris M. Scherzinger  
    Name: Chris M. Scherzinger  
    Title: Chief Executive Officer  

 

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Chris M. Scherzinger and William J. Horton, and each of them, the true and lawful attorneys-in-fact of the undersigned, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign this registration statement and any or all amendments to this registration statement, including post-effective amendments, and registration statements filed pursuant to Rules 413 or 462 under the Securities Act of 1933, and to file or cause to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys or attorneys-in-fact or any of them or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons on August 9, 2021 in the capacities indicated.

 

SIGNATURE TITLE
   
/s/ Chris M. Scherzinger  
Chris M. Scherzinger Chief Executive Officer, Director (principal executive officer)
   
/s/ William J. Horton  
William J. Horton Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer)
   
/s/ Marla Kilpatrick  
Marla Kilpatrick Global Controller, Chief Accounting Officer (principal accounting officer)
   
/s/ Kelly D. Rainko  
Kelly D. Rainko Director, Chair of the Board
   
/s/ Susan T. Congalton  
Susan T. Congalton Director
   
/s/ Elliott Hill  
Elliott Hill Director
   
/s/ Martin McCourt  
Martin McCourt Director
   
/s/ Melinda R. Rich  
Melinda R. Rich Director
   
/s/ James C. Stephen  
James C. Stephen Director
   
/s/ Magesvaran Suranjan  
Magesvaran Suranjan Director
   
   

 

Exhibit 5

 

 

+1 212 450 4000

davispolk.com

 

Davis Polk & Wardwell llp

450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017

 

 

 

OPINION OF DAVIS POLK & WARDWELL LLP

 

August 9, 2021

 

1415 S. Roselle Road

Palatine, Illinois 60067 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Weber Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) for the purpose of registering under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), (i) 22,694,608 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Class A Common Stock”), issuable pursuant to the Weber Inc. Omnibus Incentive Plan and (ii) 9,077,843 shares of Class A Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Weber Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan (collectively, the “Plans”).

 

We, as your counsel, have examined originals or copies of such documents, corporate records, certificates of public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of rendering this opinion.

 

In rendering the opinion expressed herein, we have, without independent inquiry or investigation, assumed that (i) all documents submitted to us as originals are authentic and complete, (ii) all documents submitted to us as copies conform to authentic, complete originals, (iii) all signatures on all documents that we reviewed are genuine, (iv) all natural persons executing documents had and have the legal capacity to do so, (v) all statements in certificates of public officials and officers of the Company that we reviewed were and are accurate and (vi) all representations made by the Company as to matters of fact in the documents that we reviewed were and are accurate.

 

On the basis of the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the shares of Class A Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Plans and registered under the Registration Statement have been duly authorized and, when and to the extent issued pursuant to the applicable Plan upon receipt by the Company of the consideration for the shares of Class A Common Stock specified therein, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

We are members of the Bar of the State of New York and the foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.

 

Very truly yours,

 

/s/ Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the Weber Inc. Omnibus Incentive Plan and the Weber Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan of our report dated May 10, 2021, with respect to the financial statement of Weber Inc. included in the Registration Statement, as amended (Form S-1 No. 333-257824) and related Prospectus of Weber Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

 

Chicago, Illinois

August 9, 2021

 

 

Exhibit 23.2

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the Weber Inc. Omnibus Incentive Plan and the Weber Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan of our report dated May 10, 2021, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Weber-Stephen Products, LLC. included in the Registration Statement, as amended (Form S-1 No. 333-257824) and related Prospectus of Weber Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

 

Chicago, Illinois

August 9, 2021

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.1 

 

WEBER INC.

OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

 

Section 1.   Purpose. The purpose of the Weber Inc. Omnibus Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”) is to motivate and reward employees and other individuals to perform at the highest level and contribute significantly to the success of Weber Inc. (the “Company”), thereby furthering the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.

 

Section 2.   Definitions. As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

(a)   Affiliate” means any entity that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Company.

 

(b)   Award” means any Option, SAR, Restricted Stock, RSU, Performance Award or Other Stock-Based Award granted under the Plan.

 

(c)   Award Agreement” means any agreement, contract or other instrument or document (including in electronic form) evidencing any Award granted under the Plan, which may, but need not, be executed or acknowledged by a Participant.

 

(d)   Beneficial Owner” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act.

 

(e)   Beneficiary” means a Person entitled to receive payments or other benefits or exercise rights that are available under the Plan in the event of a Participant’s death. If no such Person can be named or is named by a Participant, or if no Beneficiary designated by a Participant is eligible to receive payments or other benefits or exercise rights that are available under the Plan at a Participant’s death, such Participant’s Beneficiary shall be such Participant’s estate.

 

(f)   Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

(g)   Cause” is as defined in the Participant’s Service Agreement, if any, or if not so defined, means the Participant’s: (i) commission of a felony or any other crime that is injurious to business or reputation of the Company or its Subsidiaries; (ii) breach of the Participant’s Service Agreement, (iii) commission of an act which violates the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ policies on discrimination, harassment, and conflicts of interest, or repeated violation of any other material employment policy; (iv) commission of any act or omission involving dishonesty, disloyalty or fraud with respect to the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their respective customers or suppliers; (v) conduct intentionally disparaging the Company or its Subsidiaries or tending to bring the Company or its Subsidiaries into substantial public disgrace or disrepute; (vi) repeated failure to substantially perform the Participant’s duties; or (vii) gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

 

 

(h)   Change in Control” means the occurrence of any one or more of the following events:

 

(i)   any Person, other than (A) any employee plan established by the Company or any Subsidiary, (B) the Company or any of its Affiliates, (C) BDT Capital Partners, LLC and its affiliates (collectively, “BDT”), until such time as BDT is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing less than 10 % of the total voting power of the stock of the Company, (C) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities, or (D) an entity owned, directly or indirectly, by shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company, acquires, in one or a series of transactions, the Beneficial Ownership, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates other than in connection with the acquisition by the Company or its Affiliates of a business) representing 50% or more of the total voting power of the stock of the Company; provided that the provisions of this subsection (i) are not intended to apply to or include as a Change in Control any transaction that is specifically excepted from the definition of Change in Control under subsection (iii) below;

 

(ii)   a change in the composition of the Board such that, during any 12-month period, the individuals who, as of the beginning of such period, constitute the Board (the “Existing Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least 50% of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a member of the Board subsequent to the beginning of such period whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Directors immediately prior to the date of such appointment or election shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Existing Board; provided further, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, no individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of either an actual or threatened election contest (as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 or Regulation 14A promulgated under the Exchange Act or successor statutes or rules containing analogous concepts) or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of an individual, corporation, partnership, group, associate or other entity or Person other than the Board, shall in any event be considered to be a member of the Existing Board;

 

(iii)   the consummation of a merger, amalgamation or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation or other entity, or the issuance of voting securities in connection with such a transaction pursuant to applicable stock exchange requirements; provided that immediately following such transaction the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto do not continue to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity of such transaction or parent entity thereof) 50% or more of the total voting power of the Company’s stock (or, if the Company is not the surviving entity of such merger or consolidation, 50% or

 

 

 

more of the total voting power of the stock of such surviving entity or parent entity thereof); and provided, further, that such a transaction effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates other than in connection with the acquisition by the Company or its Affiliates of a business) representing 50% or more of either the then-outstanding Shares or the combined voting power of the Company’s then-outstanding voting securities shall not be considered a Change in Control; or

 

(iv)   the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets in which any Person acquires (or has acquired during the 12-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such Person) assets from the Company that have a total gross fair market value equal to more than 50% of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Company immediately prior to such acquisition or acquisitions.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) no Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred if there is consummated any transaction or series of integrated transactions immediately following which the record holders of the Shares immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions continue to have substantially the same proportionate ownership in an entity which owns substantially all of the assets of the Company immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions and (B) no Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred upon the acquisition of additional control of the Company by any Person that is considered to effectively control the Company. In no event will a Change in Control be deemed to have occurred if any Participant is part of a “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act that effects a Change in Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any provision of any Award Agreement to the contrary, for any Award that provides for accelerated distribution on a Change in Control of amounts that constitute “deferred compensation” (as defined in Section 409A of the Code), if the event that constitutes such Change in Control does not also constitute a change in the ownership or effective control of the Company, or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets (in either case, as defined in Section 409A of the Code), such amount shall not be distributed on such Change in Control but instead shall vest as of such Change in Control and shall be distributed on the scheduled payment date specified in the applicable Award Agreement, except to the extent that earlier distribution would not result in the Participant who holds such Award incurring interest or additional tax under Section 409A of the Code.

 

(i)   Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the rules, regulations and guidance thereunder. Any reference to a provision in the Code shall include any successor provision thereto.

 

(j)   Committee” means the compensation committee of the Board unless another committee is designated by the Board. If there is no compensation committee of

 

 

 

the Board and the Board does not designate another committee, references herein to the “Committee” shall refer to the Board.

 

(k)   Consultant” means any individual, including an advisor, who is providing services to the Company or any Subsidiary or who has accepted an offer of service or consultancy from the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

(l)   Director” means any member of the Board.

 

(m)   Effective Date” means the date on which the registration statement covering the initial public offering of the Shares is declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(n)   Employee” means any individual, including any officer, employed by the Company or any Subsidiary or any prospective employee or officer who has accepted an offer of employment from the Company or any Subsidiary, with the status of employment determined based upon such factors as are deemed appropriate by the Committee in its discretion, subject to any requirements of the Code or applicable laws.

 

(o)   Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and the rules, regulations and guidance thereunder. Any reference to a provision in the Exchange Act shall include any successor provision thereto.

 

(p)   Fair Market Value” means (i) with respect to Shares, the closing price of a Share on the applicable date of determination (or, if there is no reported sale on such date, on the last preceding date on which any reported sale occurred), on the principal stock market or exchange on which the Shares are quoted or traded, or if Shares are not so quoted or traded, the fair market value of a Share as determined by the Committee, and (ii) with respect to any property other than Shares, the fair market value of such property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Committee.

 

(q)   Incentive Stock Option” means an option representing the right to purchase Shares from the Company, granted pursuant to Section 6, that meets the requirements of Section 422 of the Code.

 

(r)   Intrinsic Value” with respect to an Option or SAR Award means (i) the excess, if any, of the price or implied price per Share in a Change in Control or other event over (ii) the exercise or hurdle price of such Award multiplied by (iii) the number of Shares covered by such Award.

 

(s)   Non-Qualified Stock Option” means an option representing the right to purchase Shares from the Company, granted pursuant to Section 6, that is not an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(t)   Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

 

 

 

(u)   Other Stock-Based Award” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 11 that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Shares or factors that may influence the value of Shares, including convertible or exchangeable debt securities, other rights convertible or exchangeable into Shares, purchase rights for Shares, dividend rights or dividend equivalent rights or Awards with value and payment contingent upon performance of the Company or business units thereof or any other factors designated by the Committee.

 

(v)   Participant” means the recipient of an Award granted under the Plan.

 

(w)   Performance Award” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 10.

 

(x)   Performance Period” means the period established by the Committee with respect to any Performance Award during which the performance goals specified by the Committee with respect to such Award are to be measured.

 

(y)   Person” has 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) thereof.

 

(z)   Restricted Stock” means any Share subject to certain restrictions and forfeiture conditions, granted pursuant to Section 8.

 

(aa)   RSU” means a contractual right granted pursuant to Section 9 that is denominated in Shares. Each RSU represents a right to receive the value of one Share (or a percentage of such value) in cash, Shares or a combination thereof. Awards of RSUs may include the right to receive dividend equivalents.

 

(bb)   SAR” means a right granted pursuant to Section 7 to receive upon exercise by the Participant or settlement, in cash, Shares or a combination thereof, the excess of (i) the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of exercise or settlement over (ii) the exercise or hurdle price of the right on the date of grant.

 

(cc)   Service Agreement” means any employment, severance, consulting or similar agreement between the Company or any of its Affiliates and a Participant.

 

(dd)   Share” means a share of the Company’s Class A common stock, $0.001 par value.

 

(ee)   Subsidiary” means an entity of which the Company directly or indirectly holds all or a majority of the value of the outstanding equity interests of such entity or a majority of the voting power with respect to the voting securities of such entity. Whether employment by or service with a Subsidiary is included within the scope of the Plan shall be determined by the Committee. For the avoidance of doubt, Weber HoldCo LLC and its subsidiaries are each Subsidiaries.

 

 

 

(ff)   Substitute Award” means an Award granted in assumption of, or in substitution for, an outstanding award previously granted by a company or other business acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines.

 

(gg)   Termination of Service” means, in the case of a Participant who is an Employee, cessation of the employment relationship such that the Participant is no longer an employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, or, in the case of a Participant who is a Consultant or other service provider, the date the performance of services for the Company or any Subsidiary has ended; provided, however, that in the case of a Participant who is an Employee, the transfer of employment from the Company to a Subsidiary, from a Subsidiary to the Company, from one Subsidiary to another Subsidiary or, unless the Committee determines otherwise, the cessation of employee status but the continuation of the performance of services for the Company or a Subsidiary as a Director or Consultant shall not be deemed a cessation of service that would constitute a Termination of Service; provided, further, that a Termination of Service shall be deemed to occur for a Participant employed by, or performing services for, a Subsidiary when such Subsidiary ceases to be a Subsidiary unless such Participant’s employment or service continues with the Company or another Subsidiary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Award subject to Section 409A of the Code (and not exempt therefrom), a Termination of Service occurs when a Participant experiences a “separation of service” (as such term is defined under Section 409A of the Code).

 

Section 3.   Eligibility.

 

(a)   Any Employee, non-employee Director or Consultant shall be eligible to be selected to receive an Award under the Plan, to the extent that an offer or receipt of an Award is permitted by applicable law, stock market or exchange rules and regulations or accounting or tax rules and regulations.

 

(b)   Holders of equity compensation awards granted by a company that is acquired by the Company (or whose business is acquired by the Company) or with which the Company combines are eligible for grants of Substitute Awards under the Plan to the extent permitted under applicable regulations of any stock exchange on which the Company is listed.

 

Section 4.   Administration.

 

(a)   Administration of the Plan. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. All decisions of the Committee shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all parties, including the Company, its shareholders, Participants and any Beneficiaries thereof. The Committee may issue rules and regulations for administration of the Plan.

 

(b)   Delegation of Authority. To the extent permitted by applicable law, including under Section 157(c) of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Committee may delegate to one or more officers of the Company some or all of its authority under the Plan, including the authority to grant Options and SARs or other Awards in the form

 

 

 

of Share rights (except that such delegation shall not apply to any Award for a Person then covered by Section 16 of the Exchange Act), and the Committee may delegate to one or more committees of the Board (which may consist of solely one Director) some or all of its authority under the Plan, including the authority to grant all types of Awards, in accordance with applicable law.

 

(c)   Authority of Committee. Subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law, the Committee (or its delegate) shall have full discretion and authority to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards (including Substitute Awards) to be granted to each Participant under the Plan; (iii) determine the number of Shares to be covered by (or with respect to which payments, rights or other matters are to be calculated in connection with) Awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award and prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for each Participant; (v) determine whether, to what extent, under what circumstances and by which methods Awards may be settled or exercised in cash, Shares, other Awards, other property, net settlement (including broker-assisted cashless exercise), or any combination thereof, or canceled, forfeited or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other Awards, other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award under the Plan shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the holder thereof or of the Committee; (vii) amend terms or conditions of any outstanding Awards; (viii) correct any defect, supply any omission and reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or any Award, in the manner and to the extent it shall deem desirable to carry the Plan into effect; (ix) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award made under, the Plan; (x) establish, amend, suspend or waive such rules and regulations and appoint such agents, trustees, brokers, depositories and advisors and determine such terms of their engagement as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan and due compliance with applicable law, stock market or exchange rules and regulations or accounting or tax rules and regulations; and (xi) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan and due compliance with applicable law, stock market or exchange rules and regulations or accounting or tax rules and regulations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Board may, in its sole discretion, at any time and from time to time, grant Awards or administer the Plan. In any such case, the Board shall have all of the authority and responsibility granted to the Committee herein.

 

Section 5.   Shares Available for Awards.

 

(a)   Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 5(c) and except for Substitute Awards, the initial number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan shall not exceed in the aggregate 22,694,608 Shares. Shares underlying Substitute Awards and Shares remaining available for grant under a plan of an acquired company or of a company with which the Company combines (whether by way of amalgamation, merger, sale and purchase of shares or other securities or otherwise), appropriately adjusted to reflect the acquisition or combination transaction, shall not reduce the number of Shares remaining available for grant hereunder.

 

 

 

(b)   If any Award is forfeited, cancelled, expires, terminates or otherwise lapses or is settled in cash, in whole or in part, without the delivery of Shares, then the Shares covered by such forfeited, expired, terminated or lapsed Award shall again be available for grant under the Plan. The following shall not become available for issuance under the Plan: (i) any Shares withheld in respect of taxes relating to any Award and (ii) any Shares tendered or withheld to pay the exercise price of Options.

 

(c)   In the event that the Committee determines that, as a result of any dividend or other distribution (other than an ordinary dividend or distribution), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, separation, rights offering, split-up, spin-off, combination, or other similar corporate transaction or event affecting the Shares, or of changes in applicable laws, regulations or accounting principles, an adjustment is necessary in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, then the Committee shall, subject to Section 19 and applicable law, adjust equitably so as to ensure no undue enrichment or harm (including by payment of cash), any or all of:

 

(i)   the number and type of Shares (or other securities) which thereafter may be made the subject of Awards, including the aggregate limits specified in Section 5(a) and Section 5(f);

 

(ii)   the number and type of Shares (or other securities) subject to outstanding Awards;

 

(iii)   the grant, acquisition, exercise or hurdle price with respect to any Award or, if deemed appropriate, make provision for a cash payment to the holder of an outstanding Award; and

 

(iv)   the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards, including the performance criteria of any Performance Awards;

 

provided, however, that the number of Shares subject to any Award denominated in Shares shall always be a whole number.

 

(d)   Any Shares delivered pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Shares or Shares acquired by the Company.

 

(e)   A Participant who is a non-employee Director may not receive compensation for any calendar year in excess of $750,000 in the aggregate, including cash payments and Awards.

 

(f)   Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 5(c)(i), the maximum number of Shares available for issuance with respect to Incentive Stock Options shall be 22,694,608.

 

Section 6.   Options. The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Participants with the following terms and conditions and with such additional terms and

 

 

 

conditions, in either case not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine:

 

(a)   The exercise price per Share under an Option shall be determined by the Committee at the time of grant; provided, however, that, except in the case of Substitute Awards, such exercise price shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of such Option.

 

(b)   The term of each Option shall be fixed by the Committee but shall not exceed 10 years from the date of grant of such Option. The Committee shall determine the time or times at which an Option becomes vested and exercisable in whole or in part.

 

(c)   The Committee shall determine the methods by which, and the forms in which payment of the exercise price with respect thereto may be made or deemed to have been made, including cash, Shares, other Awards, other property, net settlement (including broker-assisted cashless exercise) or any combination thereof, having a Fair Market Value on the exercise date equal to the relevant exercise price.

 

(d)   To the extent an Option is not previously exercised as to all of the Shares subject thereto, and, if the Fair Market Value of one Share is greater than the exercise price then in effect, then the Option shall be deemed automatically exercised immediately before its expiration.

 

(e)   No grant of Options may be accompanied by a tandem award of dividend equivalents or provide for dividends, dividend equivalents or other distributions to be paid on such Options (except as provided under Section 5(c)).

 

(f)   The terms of any Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan shall comply in all respects with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to employees of the Company or of a parent or subsidiary corporation (as defined in Section 424 of the Code).

 

Section 7.   Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee is authorized to grant SARs to Participants with the following terms and conditions and with such additional terms and conditions, in either case not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine:

 

(a)   SARs may be granted under the Plan to Participants either alone (“freestanding”) or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan (“tandem”) and may, but need not, relate to a specific Option granted under Section 6.

 

(b)   The exercise or hurdle price per Share under a SAR shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that, except in the case of Substitute Awards, such exercise or hurdle price shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of such SAR.

 

 

 

(c)   The term of each SAR shall be fixed by the Committee but shall not exceed 10 years from the date of grant of such SAR. The Committee shall determine the time or times at which a SAR may be exercised or settled in whole or in part.

 

(d)   Upon the exercise of a SAR, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the number of Shares subject to the SAR multiplied by the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of one Share on the exercise date over the exercise or hurdle price of such SAR. The Company shall pay such excess in cash, in Shares valued at Fair Market Value, or any combination thereof, as determined by the Committee.

 

(e)   To the extent a SAR is not previously exercised as to all of the Shares subject thereto, and, if the Fair Market Value of one Share is greater than the exercise price then in effect, then the SAR shall be deemed automatically exercised immediately before its expiration.

 

(f)   No grant of SARs may be accompanied by a tandem award of dividend equivalents or provide for dividends, dividend equivalents or other distributions to be paid on such SARs (except as provided under Section 5(c)).

 

Section 8.   Restricted Stock. The Committee is authorized to grant Awards of Restricted Stock to Participants with the following terms and conditions and with such additional terms and conditions, in either case not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine:

 

(a)   The Award Agreement shall specify the vesting schedule.

 

(b)   Awards of Restricted Stock shall be subject to such restrictions as the Committee may impose, which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such time or times, in such installments or otherwise, as the Committee may deem appropriate.

 

(c)   Subject to the restrictions set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant generally shall have the rights and privileges of a shareholder with respect to Awards of Restricted Stock, including the right to vote such Shares of Restricted Stock and the right to receive dividends.

 

(d)   The Committee may, in its discretion, specify in the applicable Award Agreement that any or all dividends or other distributions paid on Awards of Restricted Stock prior to vesting be paid either in cash or in additional Shares and either on a current or deferred basis and that such dividends or other distributions may be reinvested in additional Shares, which may be subject to the same restrictions as the underlying Awards.

 

(e)   Any Award of Restricted Stock may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee may deem appropriate, including book-entry registration.

 

(f)   The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement that an Award of Restricted Stock is conditioned upon the Participant making or refraining from making an

 

 

 

election with respect to the Award under Section 83(b) of the Code. If a Participant makes an election pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code with respect to an Award of Restricted Stock, such Participant shall be required to file promptly a copy of such election with the Company and the applicable Internal Revenue Service office.

 

Section 9.   RSUs. The Committee is authorized to grant Awards of RSUs to Participants with the following terms and conditions and with such additional terms and conditions, in either case not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine:

 

(a)   The Award Agreement shall specify the vesting schedule and the delivery schedule (which may include deferred delivery later than the vesting date).

 

(b)   Awards of RSUs shall be subject to such restrictions as the Committee may impose, which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such time or times, in such installments or otherwise, as the Committee may deem appropriate.

 

(c)   An RSU shall not convey to a Participant the rights and privileges of a shareholder with respect to the Share subject to such RSU, such as the right to vote or the right to receive dividends, unless and until and to the extent a Share is issued to such Participant to settle such RSU.

 

(d)   The Committee may, in its discretion, specify in the applicable Award Agreement that any or all dividend equivalents or other distributions paid on Awards of RSUs prior to vesting or settlement, as applicable, be paid either in cash or in additional Shares and either on a current or deferred basis and that such dividend equivalents or other distributions may be reinvested in additional Shares, which may be subject to the same restrictions as such Awards.

 

(e)   Shares delivered upon the vesting and settlement of an RSU Award may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee may deem appropriate, including book-entry registration.

 

(f)   The Committee may determine the form or forms (including cash, Shares, other Awards, other property or any combination thereof) in which payment of the amount owing upon settlement of any RSU Award may be made.

 

Section 10.   Performance Awards. The Committee is authorized to grant Performance Awards to Participants with the following terms and conditions and with such additional terms and conditions, in either case not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine:

 

(a)   Performance Awards may be denominated as a cash amount, number of Shares or units or a combination thereof and are Awards that may be earned upon achievement or satisfaction of performance conditions specified by the Committee. In addition, the Committee may specify that any other Award shall constitute a Performance Award by conditioning the grant to a Participant or the right of a Participant to exercise the Award or have it settled, and the timing thereof, upon achievement or satisfaction of

 

 

 

such performance conditions as may be specified by the Committee. The Committee may use such business criteria and other measures of performance as it may deem appropriate in establishing any performance conditions. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the performance goals to be achieved during any Performance Period, the length of any Performance Period, the amount of any Performance Award granted and the amount of any payment or transfer to be made pursuant to any Performance Award shall be determined by the Committee.

 

(b)   Performance criteria may be measured on an absolute (e.g., plan or budget) or relative basis, and may be established on a corporate-wide basis, with respect to one or more business units, divisions, Subsidiaries or business segments, or on an individual basis. If the Committee determines that a change in the business, operations, corporate structure or capital structure of the Company, or the manner in which the Company conducts its business, or other events or circumstances render the performance objectives unsuitable, the Committee may modify the performance objectives or the related minimum acceptable level of achievement, in whole or in part, as the Committee deems appropriate and equitable such that it does not provide any undue enrichment or harm. Performance measures may vary from Performance Award to Performance Award and from Participant to Participant, and may be established on a stand-alone basis, in tandem or in the alternative. The Committee shall have the power to impose such other restrictions on Awards subject to this Section 10(b) as it may deem necessary or appropriate to ensure that such Awards satisfy all requirements of any applicable law, stock market or exchange rules and regulations or accounting or tax rules and regulations.

 

(c)   Settlement of Performance Awards shall be in cash, Shares, other Awards, other property, net settlement, or any combination thereof, as determined in the discretion of the Committee.

 

(d)   A Performance Award shall not convey to a Participant the rights and privileges of a shareholder with respect to the Share subject to such Performance Award, such as the right to vote (except as relates to Restricted Stock) or the right to receive dividends, unless and until and to the extent a Share is issued to such Participant to settle such Performance Award. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may provide that a Performance Award shall convey the right to receive dividend equivalents on the Shares subject to such Performance Award with respect to any dividends declared during the period that such Performance Award is outstanding, in which case, such dividend equivalent rights shall accumulate and shall be paid in cash or Shares on the settlement date of the Performance Award, subject to the Participant’s earning of the Shares with respect to which such dividend equivalents are paid upon achievement or satisfaction of performance conditions specified by the Committee. Shares delivered upon the vesting and settlement of a Performance Award may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee may deem appropriate, including book-entry registration. For the avoidance of doubt, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, no dividend equivalent rights shall be provided with respect to any Shares subject to Performance Awards that are not earned or otherwise do not vest or settle pursuant to their terms.

 

 

 

(e)   The Committee may, in its discretion, increase or reduce the amount of a settlement otherwise to be made in connection with a Performance Award.

 

Section 11.   Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law, to grant Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards. Shares delivered pursuant to an Award in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 11 shall be purchased for such consideration, and paid for at such times, by such methods and in such forms, including cash, Shares, other Awards, other property, net settlement, broker-assisted cashless exercise or any combination thereof, as the Committee shall determine; provided that the purchase price therefor shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of such Shares on the date of grant of such right.

 

Section 12.   Effect of Termination of Service or a Change in Control on Awards.

 

(a)   The Committee may provide, by rule or regulation or in any applicable Award Agreement, or may determine in any individual case, the circumstances in which, and the extent to which, an Award may be exercised, settled, vested, paid or forfeited in the event of a Participant’s Termination of Service prior to the end of a Performance Period or vesting, exercise or settlement of such Award.

 

(b)   Subject to the last sentence of Section 2(ii), the Committee may determine, in its discretion, whether, and the extent to which, (i) an Award will vest during a leave of absence, (ii) a reduction in service level (for example, from full-time to part-time employment) will cause a reduction, or other change, to an Award and (iii) a leave of absence or reduction in service will be deemed a Termination of Service.

 

(c)   In the event of a Change in Control, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, take any one or more of the following actions with respect to any outstanding Award, which need not be uniform with respect to all Participants and/or Awards:

 

(i)   continuation or assumption of such Award by the Company (if it is the surviving corporation) or by the successor or surviving entity or its parent;

 

(ii)   substitution or replacement of such Award by the successor or surviving entity or its parent with cash, securities, rights or other property to be paid or issued, as the case may be, by the successor or surviving entity (or a parent or subsidiary thereof), with substantially the same terms and value as such Award (including any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto);

 

(iii)   acceleration of the vesting of such Award and the lapse of any restrictions thereon and, in the case of an Option or SAR Award, acceleration of the right to exercise such Award during a specified period (and the termination of such Option or SAR Award without payment of any consideration therefor to the extent such Award is not timely exercised), in each case, either (A) immediately

 

 

 

prior to or as of the date of the Change in Control, (B) upon a Participant’s involuntary Termination of Service (including upon a termination of the Participant’s employment by the Company (or a successor corporation or its parent) without Cause, by a Participant for “good reason” and/or due to a Participant’s death or “disability”, as such terms may be defined in the applicable Award Agreement and/or a Participant’s Service Agreement, as the case may be) on or within a specified period following the Change in Control or (C) upon the failure of the successor or surviving entity (or its parent) to continue or assume such Award;

 

(iv)   in the case of a Performance Award, determination of the level of attainment of the applicable performance condition(s); and

 

(v)   cancellation of such Award in consideration of a payment, with the form, amount and timing of such payment determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, subject to the following: (A) such payment shall be made in cash, securities, rights and/or other property; (B) the amount of such payment shall equal the value of such Award, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion; provided that, in the case of an Option or SAR Award, if such value equals the Intrinsic Value of such Award, such value shall be deemed to be valid; provided further that, if the Intrinsic Value of an Option or SAR Award is equal to or less than zero, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide for the cancellation of such Award without payment of any consideration therefor (for the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a Change in Control, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, terminate any Option or SAR Awards for which the exercise or hurdle price is equal to or exceeds the per Share value of the consideration to be paid in the Change in Control transaction without payment of consideration therefor); and (C) such payment shall be made promptly following such Change in Control or on a specified date or dates following such Change in Control; provided that the timing of such payment shall comply with Section 409A of the Code.

 

Section 13.   General Provisions Applicable to Awards.

 

(a)   Awards shall be granted for such cash or other consideration, if any, as the Committee determines; provided that in no event shall Awards be issued for less than such minimal consideration as may be required by applicable law.

 

(b)   Awards may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to or in tandem with any other Award or any award granted under any other plan of the Company. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards, or in addition to or in tandem with awards granted under any other plan of the Company, may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards or awards.

 

(c)   Subject to the terms of the Plan, payments or transfers to be made by the Company upon the grant, exercise or settlement of an Award may be made in the form of

 

 

 

cash, Shares, other Awards, other property, net settlement, or any combination thereof, as determined by the Committee in its discretion at the time of grant, and may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments or on a deferred basis, in each case in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Committee. Such rules and procedures may include provisions for the payment or crediting of reasonable interest on installment or deferred payments or the grant or crediting of dividend equivalents in respect of installment or deferred payments.

 

(d)   Except as may be permitted by the Committee or as specifically provided in an Award Agreement, (i) no Award and no right under any Award shall be assignable, alienable, saleable or transferable by a Participant other than by will or pursuant to Section 13(e) and (ii) during a Participant’s lifetime, each Award, and each right under any Award, shall be exercisable only by such Participant or, if permissible under applicable law, by such Participant’s guardian or legal representative. The provisions of this Section 13(d) shall not apply to any Award that has been fully exercised or settled, as the case may be, and shall not preclude forfeiture of an Award in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

(e)   A Participant may designate a Beneficiary or change a previous Beneficiary designation only at such times as prescribed by the Committee, in its sole discretion, and only by using forms and following procedures approved or accepted by the Committee for that purpose.

 

(f)   All certificates, if any, for Shares and/or other securities delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award or the exercise or settlement thereof shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan or the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any stock market or exchange upon which such Shares or other securities are then quoted, traded or listed, and any applicable securities laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.

 

(g)   The Company will not be obligated to deliver any Shares under the Plan or remove restrictions from Shares previously delivered under the Plan until (i) all Award conditions have been met or removed to the Committee’s satisfaction, (ii) as determined by the Committee, all other legal matters regarding the issuance and delivery of such Shares have been satisfied, including any applicable securities laws, stock market or exchange rules and regulations or accounting or tax rules and regulations and (iii) the Participant has executed and delivered to the Company such representations or agreements as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to satisfy any applicable laws. The Company’s inability to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which the Committee determines is necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares, will relieve the Company of any liability for failing to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority has not been obtained.

 

(h)   The Committee may impose restrictions on any Award with respect to non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality and other restrictive covenants, or

 

 

 

requirements to comply with minimum share ownership requirements, as it deems necessary or appropriate in its sole discretion, which such restrictions may be set forth in any applicable Award Agreement or otherwise.

 

Section 14.   Amendments and Terminations.

 

(a)   Amendment or Termination of the Plan. Except to the extent prohibited by applicable law and unless otherwise expressly provided in an Award Agreement or in the Plan, the Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided, however, that no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation or termination shall be made without (i) shareholder approval if such approval is required by applicable law or the rules of the stock market or exchange, if any, on which the Shares are principally quoted or traded or (ii) subject to Section 5(c) and Section 12, the consent of the affected Participant, if such action would materially adversely affect the rights of such Participant under any outstanding Award, except (x) to the extent any such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination is made to cause the Plan to comply with applicable law, stock market or exchange rules and regulations or accounting or tax rules and regulations or (y) to impose any “clawback” or recoupment provisions on any Awards (including any amounts or benefits arising from such Awards) in accordance with Section 18. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan, the Committee may amend the Plan, or create sub-plans, in such manner as may be necessary or desirable to enable the Plan to achieve its stated purposes in any jurisdiction in a tax-efficient manner and in compliance with local rules and regulations.

 

(b)   Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, each Award shall terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such action, unless otherwise determined by the Committee.

 

(c)   Terms of Awards. The Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate any Award theretofore granted (including by substituting another Award of the same or a different type), prospectively or retroactively, without the consent of any relevant Participant or holder or Beneficiary of an Award; provided, however, that, subject to Section 5(c) and Section 12, no such action shall materially adversely affect the rights of any affected Participant or holder or Beneficiary under any Award theretofore granted under the Plan, except (x) to the extent any such action is made to cause the Plan or Award to comply with applicable law, stock market or exchange rules and regulations or accounting or tax rules and regulations, or (y) to impose any “clawback” or recoupment provisions on any Awards (including any amounts or benefits arising from such Awards) in accordance with Section 18. The Committee shall be authorized to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of events (including the events described in Section 5(c)) affecting the Company, or the financial statements of the Company, or of changes in applicable laws, regulations or accounting principles, whenever the Committee determines that such adjustments are appropriate in order to

 

 

 

prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan.

 

(d)   No Repricing. Except as provided in Section 5(c), the Committee may not, without shareholder approval, seek to effect any re-pricing of any previously granted “underwater” Option, SAR or similar Award by: (i) amending or modifying the terms of the Option, SAR or similar Award to lower the exercise price; (ii) cancelling the underwater Option, SAR or similar Award and granting either (A) replacement Options, SARs or similar Awards having a lower exercise price or (B)  Restricted Shares, RSUs, Performance Awards or Other Share-Based Awards in exchange; or (iii) cancelling or repurchasing the underwater Options, SARs or similar Awards for cash or other securities. An Option, SAR or similar Award will be deemed to be “underwater” at any time when the Fair Market Value of the Shares covered by such Award is less than the exercise price of the Award.

 

Section 15.   Miscellaneous.

 

(a)   No Employee, Consultant, non-employee Director, Participant, or other Person shall have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of employees, Participants or holders or Beneficiaries of Awards under the Plan. The terms and conditions of Awards need not be the same with respect to each recipient. Any Award granted under the Plan shall be a one-time Award that does not constitute a promise of future grants. The Company, in its sole discretion, maintains the right to make available future grants under the Plan.

 

(b)   The grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained in the employ of, or to continue to provide services to, the Company or any Affiliate. Further, the Company or any applicable Affiliate may at any time dismiss a Participant, free from any liability, or any claim under the Plan, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in any Award Agreement or in any other agreement binding on the parties. The receipt of any Award under the Plan is not intended to confer any rights on the receiving Participant except as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(c)   No payment pursuant to the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any severance, pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate, except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.

 

(d)   Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Company or any Affiliate from adopting or continuing in effect other or additional compensation arrangements, including the grant of options and other stock-based awards, and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

 

(e)   The Company shall be authorized to withhold from any Award granted or any payment due or transfer made under any Award or under the Plan or from any

 

 

 

compensation or other amount owing to a Participant the amount (in cash, Shares, other Awards, other property, net settlement, or any combination thereof) of applicable withholding taxes due in respect of an Award, its exercise or settlement or any payment or transfer under such Award or under the Plan and to take such other action (including providing for elective payment of such amounts in cash or Shares by such Participant) as may be necessary to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such taxes and, unless otherwise determined by the Committee in its discretion, to the extent such withholding would not result in liability classification of such Award (or any portion thereof) pursuant to FASB ASC Subtopic 718-10.

 

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

 

(g)   Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and a Participant or any other Person. To the extent that any Person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company.

 

(h)   No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine whether cash or other securities shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional Shares, or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated or otherwise eliminated.

 

(i)   Awards may be granted to Participants who are non-United States nationals or employed or providing services outside the United States, or both, on such terms and conditions different from those applicable to Awards to Participants who are employed or providing services in the United States as may, in the judgment of the Committee, be necessary or desirable to recognize differences in local law, tax policy or custom. The Committee also may impose conditions on the exercise or vesting of Awards in order to minimize the Company’s obligation with respect to tax equalization for Participants on assignments outside their home country.

 

Section 16.   Effective Date of the Plan. The Plan shall be effective as of the Effective Date.

 

Section 17.   Term of the Plan. No Award shall be granted under the Plan after the earliest to occur of (i) the 10-year anniversary of the Effective Date; (ii) the maximum number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan have been issued; or (iii) the Board terminates the Plan in accordance with Section 14(a). However, unless otherwise

 

 

 

expressly provided in the Plan or in an applicable Award Agreement, any Award theretofore granted may extend beyond such date, and the authority of the Committee to amend, alter, adjust, suspend, discontinue or terminate any such Award, or to waive any conditions or rights under any such Award, and the authority of the Board to amend the Plan, shall extend beyond such date.

 

Section 18.   Cancellation or “Clawback” of Awards.

 

(a)   The Committee may specify in an Award Agreement that a Participant’s rights, payments and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Award. Such events may include a Termination of Service with or without Cause (and, in the case of any Cause that is resulting from an indictment or other non-final determination, the Committee may provide for such Award to be held in escrow or abeyance until a final resolution of the matters related to such event occurs, at which time the Award shall either be reduced, cancelled or forfeited (as provided in such Award Agreement) or remain in effect, depending on the outcome), violation of material policies, breach of non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality or other restrictive covenants, or requirements to comply with minimum share ownership requirements, that may apply to the Participant, or other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company and/or its Affiliates.

 

(b)   The Committee shall have full authority to implement any policies and procedures necessary to comply with Section 10D of the Exchange Act and any rules promulgated thereunder and any other regulatory regimes. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Awards granted under the Plan (including any amounts or benefits arising from such Awards) shall be subject to any clawback or recoupment arrangements or policies the Company has in place from time to time, and the Committee may, to the extent permitted by applicable law and stock exchange rules or by any applicable Company policy or arrangement, and shall, to the extent required, cancel or require reimbursement of any Awards granted to the Participant or any Shares issued or cash received upon vesting, exercise or settlement of any such Awards or sale of Shares underlying such Awards.

 

Section 19.   Section 409A of the Code. With respect to Awards subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Plan is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, and the provisions of the Plan and any Award Agreement shall be interpreted in a manner that satisfies the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, and the Plan shall be operated accordingly. If any provision of the Plan or any term or condition of any Award would otherwise frustrate or conflict with this intent, the provision, term or condition shall be interpreted and deemed amended so as to avoid this conflict. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, if the Board considers a Participant to be a “specified employee” under Section 409A of the Code at the time of such Participant’s “separation from service” (as defined in Section 409A of the Code), and any amount hereunder is “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code, any distribution of such amount that otherwise would be made to such Participant

 

 

 

with respect to an Award as a result of such “separation from service” shall not be made until the date that is six months after such “separation from service,” except to the extent that earlier distribution would not result in such Participant’s incurring interest or additional tax under Section 409A of the Code. If an Award includes a “series of installment payments” (within the meaning of Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii) of the Treasury Regulations), a Participant’s right to such series of installment payments shall be treated as a right to a series of separate payments and not as a right to a single payment, and if an Award includes “dividend equivalents” (within the meaning of Section 1.409A-3(e) of the Treasury Regulations), a Participant’s right to such dividend equivalents shall be treated separately from the right to other amounts under the Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the tax treatment of the benefits provided under the Plan or any Award Agreement is not warranted or guaranteed, and in no event shall the Company be liable for all or any portion of any taxes, penalties, interest or other expenses that may be incurred by a Participant on account of non-compliance with Section 409A of the Code.

 

Section 20.   Successors and Assigns. The terms of the Plan shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and any successor entity, including any successor entity contemplated by Section 12(c).

 

Section 21.   Data Protection. By participating in the Plan, the Participant hereby acknowledges the collection, use, disclosure and processing of personal information provided by the Participant to the Company or any Affiliate, trustee or third party service provider, such as name, account information, social security number, tax number and contact information, for the Company’s legitimate business purposes and as necessary for all purposes relating to the operation and performance of the Plan. These include, but are not limited to:

 

(a)   administering and maintaining Participant records;

 

(b)   providing the services described in the Plan;

 

(c)   providing information to future purchasers or merger partners of the Company or any Affiliate, or the business in which such Participant works; and

 

(d)   responding to public authorities, court orders and legal investigations, as applicable.

 

The Company may share a Participant’s personal data with (i) Affiliates, (ii) trustees of any employee benefit trust, (iii) registrars, (iv) brokers, (v) third party administrators of the Plan, (vi) third party service providers acting on the Company’s behalf to provide the services described above or (vii) regulators and others, as required by law.

 

If necessary, the Company may transfer a Participant’s personal data to any of the parties mentioned above in any country or territory that may not provide the same protection for the information as a Participant’s home country. Any transfer of a Participant’s personal data from the E.U. to a third country is subject to appropriate

 

 

 

safeguards in the form of EU standard contractual clauses (according to decisions 2001/497/EC, 2004/915/EC, 2010/87/EU) or applicable derogations provided for under applicable law. Further information on those safeguards or derogations can be obtained through the contact listed below.

 

The Company will keep personal information for as long as necessary to operate the Plan or as necessary to comply with any legal or regulatory requirements.

 

A Participant has a right to (i) request access to and rectification or erasure of the personal data provided, (ii) request the restriction of the processing of his or her personal data, (iii) object to the processing of his or her personal data, (iv) receive the personal data provided to the Company and transmit such data to another party, and (v) to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

 

Please contact [___], if you have any questions regarding the above information.

 

Section 22.   Governing Law. The Plan and each Award Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without application of the conflicts of law principles thereof.

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.2

 

WEBER INC. EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

 

Section 1. Purpose. This Weber Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”) is intended to provide employees of the Company and its Participating Subsidiaries with an opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company through the purchase of Shares. Initially, the Plan is not intended to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code. From and after such date as the Committee, in its discretion, determines that the Plan is able to satisfy the requirements under Section 423 of the Code and that it will operate the Plan in accordance with such requirements (such date, the “Section 423 Effective Date”), the Plan is intended to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code and the Plan shall be interpreted in a manner that is consistent with that intent. Except as specifically provided under ‎Section 4, and unless the Plan is amended pursuant to ‎Section 19(i), the operative terms of the Plan as in effect on the Effective Date will remain the same on and after the Section 423 Effective Date.

 

Section 2. Definitions.

 

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

 

(b)       “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the rules, regulations and guidance thereunder. Any reference to a provision in the Code shall include any successor provision thereto.

 

(c)       “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board, unless another committee is designated by the Board. If there is no compensation committee of the Board and the Board does not designate another committee, references herein to the “Committee” shall refer to the Board.

 

(d)       “Company” means Weber Inc., a Delaware corporation, including any successor thereto.

 

(e)       “Compensation” means the base salary, wages, annual cash bonuses and commissions paid to an Eligible Employee by the Company or a Participating Subsidiary as compensation for services to the Company or Participating Subsidiary, before deduction for any salary deferral contributions made by the Eligible Employee to any tax-qualified or nonqualified deferred compensation plan.

 

(f)       “Corporate Transaction” means a merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation, reorganization or other corporate event described in Section 424 of the Code.

 

(g)       “Designated Broker” means the financial services firm or other agent designated by the Company to maintain ESPP Share Accounts on behalf of Participants who have purchased Shares under the Plan.

 

 

(h)       “Effective Date” means, once this Plan is adopted by the Board and approved by the shareholders of the Company in accordance with ‎Section 19(k), the later of (i) the date on which the registration statement covering the initial public offering of the Shares is declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission and (ii) a date to be determined by the Committee.

 

(i)       “Eligible Employee” means (i) on and after the Section 423 Effective Date, an Employee with at least ninety (90) days of service who is customarily employed for at least twenty (20) hours per week and more than five (5) months in any calendar year, provided that the Committee (x) may exclude from participation in the Plan or any Offering any Employees who are “highly compensated employees” or a sub-set of such “highly compensated employees” (within the meaning of Section 414(q) of the Code) or who otherwise may be excluded from participation pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(e) and (y) shall exclude any Employees located outside of the United States to the extent permitted under Section 423 of the Code and (ii) prior to the Section 423 Effective Date, any Employee with at least ninety (90) days of service who is customarily employed for at least twenty (20) hours per week and more than five (5) months in any calendar year and who is not otherwise excluded from participation in the Plan by the Committee.

 

(j)       “Employee” means any person who renders services to the Company or a Participating Subsidiary as an employee pursuant to an employment relationship with such employer. For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship shall be treated as continuing intact while the individual is on military leave, sick leave or other leave of absence approved by the Company or a Participating Subsidiary that meets the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-1(h)(2). Where the period of leave exceeds three (3) months, and the individual’s right to reemployment is not provided by statute or contract, the employment relationship shall be deemed to have terminated on the first day immediately following such three-month period.

 

(k)       “Enrollment Form” means an agreement pursuant to which an Eligible Employee may elect to enroll in the Plan, to authorize a new level of payroll deductions, or to stop payroll deductions and withdraw from an Offering.

 

(l)       “ESPP Share Account” means an account into which Shares purchased with accumulated payroll deductions at the end of a Purchase Period are deposited on behalf of a Participant.

 

(m)       “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and the rules, regulations and guidance thereunder. Any reference to a provision in the Exchange Act shall include any successor provision thereto.

 

(n)       “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the closing price of a Share on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of determination (or, if there is no reported sale on such date, on the last preceding date on which any reported sale occurred), on the principal stock market or exchange on which Shares are quoted or traded, or if Shares are not so quoted or traded, the fair market value of a Share as determined by the Committee, which such determination shall be conclusive and binding on all persons.

 

 

(o)       “Offering Date” means the first Trading Day of each Offering Period as designated by the Committee.

 

(p)       “Offering” or “Offering Period” means the period described in ‎Section 5.

 

(q)       “Participant” means an Eligible Employee who is actively participating in the Plan.

 

(r)       “Participating Subsidiaries” means the Subsidiaries that have been designated by the Committee as eligible to participate in the Plan, and such other Subsidiaries that may be designated by the Committee from time to time in its sole discretion.

 

(s)       “Plan” means this Weber Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as set forth herein, and as amended from time to time.

 

(t)       “Purchase Date” means the last Trading Day of each Purchase Period.

 

(u)       “Purchase Period” means the period described in Section 5.

 

(v)       “Purchase Price” means an amount equal to the lesser of (i) eighty-five (85%) (or such greater percentage as designated by the Committee) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Offering Date or (ii) eighty-five (85%) (or such greater percentage as designated by the Committee) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Purchase Date; provided that the Purchase Price per Share will in no event be less than the par value of the Shares.

 

(w)       “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and the rules, regulations and guidance thereunder. Any reference to a provision in the Securities Act includes any successor provision thereto.

 

(x)       “Share” means a share of the Company’s Class A common stock, $0.001 par value.

 

(y)       “Subsidiary” means (i) on and after the Section 423 Effective Date, any corporation, domestic or foreign, in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company of which at the time of the granting of an option pursuant to ‎Section 7, not less than 50% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock are held by the Company or a Subsidiary, whether or not such corporation exists now or is hereafter organized or acquired by the Company or a Subsidiary; provided, however, that a limited liability company or partnership may be treated as a Subsidiary to the extent either (a) such entity is treated as a disregarded entity under Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-3(a) by reason of the Company or any other Subsidiary that is a corporation being the sole owner of such entity or (b) such entity elects to be classified as a corporation under Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-3(a) and such entity would otherwise qualify as a Subsidiary; or (ii) prior to the Section 423 Effective Date, in addition to the entities in clause (i), “Subsidiary” shall also include any entity that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by, controls or is under common control with the Company, including, for the avoidance of doubt, Weber HoldCo LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its subsidiaries, and excluding, in each case, any entity for which the Committee or the Board has excluded its employees from participation in this Plan.

 

 

(z)       “Trading Day” means any day on which the national stock exchange upon which the Shares are listed is open for trading.

 

Section 3. Administration.

 

(a)       Administration of Plan. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee which shall have the authority to construe and interpret the Plan, prescribe, amend and rescind rules relating to the Plan’s administration and take any other actions necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan including, without limitation, adopting sub-plans applicable to particular Participating Subsidiaries or locations, which sub-plans may be designed to be outside the scope of Section 423 of the Code. The Committee may correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency or ambiguity in the Plan. The decisions of the Committee shall be final and binding on all persons. All expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee shall have the authority to change the minimum amount of Compensation for payroll deductions pursuant to ‎Section 6(a), the frequency with which a Participant may elect to change their rate of payroll deductions pursuant to ‎Section 6(b), the dates by which a Participant is required to submit an Enrollment Form pursuant to ‎Section 6(b) and ‎Section 10(a), and the effective date of a Participant’s withdrawal due to termination of employment or change in status pursuant to ‎Section 11, and the withholding procedures pursuant to ‎‎‎Section 19(n).

 

(b)       Delegation of Authority. To the extent permitted by applicable law, including under Section 157(c) of the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Committee may delegate to (i) one or more officers of the Company some or all of its authority under the Plan and (ii) one or more committees of the Board some or all of its authority under the Plan.

 

Section 4. Eligibility. In order to participate in an Offering, an Eligible Employee must deliver a completed Enrollment Form to the Company at least five (5) business days prior to the Offering Date (unless a different time is set by the Company for all Eligible Employees with respect to such Offering) and must elect their payroll deduction rate as described in ‎Section 6. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Eligible Employee shall be granted an option under the Plan if (i) immediately after the grant of the option, such Eligible Employee (or any other person whose stock would be attributed to such Eligible Employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) would own stock of the Company or hold outstanding options to purchase stock of the Company possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or any Subsidiary or (ii) such option would permit such Eligible Employee’s rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase plans (described in Section 423 of the Code) of the Company and its Subsidiaries to accrue at a rate that exceeds $25,000 of the Fair Market Value of such stock (determined at the time the option is granted) for each calendar year in which such option is outstanding at any time, in accordance with the provisions of Section 423(b)(8) of the Code.

 

Section 5. Offering Periods; Purchase Periods. The Plan shall be implemented by a series of Offering Periods, each of which shall be twelve (12) months in duration, with new Offering Periods commencing on January 1 of each year; provided, however, that the Committee shall have, prior to the commencement of a particular Offering Period, the authority to change the duration, frequency, start and end dates of Offering Periods (subject to a maximum Offering Period of twenty-seven (27) months). Each Offering Period shall be subdivided by Purchase Periods, each of which shall be six (6) months in duration, with new Purchase Periods commencing on January 1 and July 1 of each year; provided, however, that the Committee shall have, prior to the commencement of a particular Purchase Period, the authority to change the duration, frequency, start and end dates of Purchase Periods (subject to a maximum Purchase Period of twenty-seven (27) months).

 

Section 6. Participation.

 

(a)       Enrollment; Payroll Deductions. An Eligible Employee may elect to participate in the Plan by properly completing an Enrollment Form, which may be electronic, and submitting it to the Company, in accordance with the enrollment procedures established by the Committee. Participation in the Plan is entirely voluntary. By submitting an Enrollment Form, the Eligible Employee authorizes payroll deductions from their paycheck in an amount equal to a percentage (of at least one percent (1%)) of their Compensation on each payday occurring during an Offering Period. Payroll deductions shall commence as soon as administratively practicable following the Offering Date and end on the latest practicable payroll date on or before the end of the Offering Period. The Company shall maintain records of all payroll deductions but shall have no obligation to pay interest on payroll deductions or to hold such amounts in a trust or in any segregated account. Unless expressly permitted by the Committee, a Participant may not make any separate contributions or payments to the Plan.

 

(b)       Election Changes. During an Offering Period, a Participant may decrease (but not increase) their rate of payroll deductions applicable to such Offering Period only once unless otherwise determined by the Committee. To make such a change, the Participant must submit a new Enrollment Form authorizing the new rate of payroll deductions at least fifteen (15) days before the next Purchase Date for such Offering Period. A Participant may decrease or increase their rate of payroll deductions for future Offering Periods by submitting a new Enrollment Form authorizing the new rate of payroll deductions at least fifteen days before the start of the next Offering Period.

 

(c)       Automatic Re-enrollment. The deduction rate selected in the Enrollment Form shall remain in effect for subsequent Offering Periods unless the Participant (i) submits a new Enrollment Form authorizing a new level of payroll deductions in accordance with ‎Section 6(b), (ii) withdraws from the Plan in accordance with ‎Section 10, or (iii) terminates employment or otherwise becomes ineligible to participate in the Plan.

 

 

Section 7. Grant of Option. On each Offering Date, each Participant in the applicable Offering Period shall be granted an option to purchase, on each applicable Purchase Date, a number of Shares determined by dividing the Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions by the applicable Purchase Price.; provided, that the maximum number of Shares that may be purchased by a Participant during an Offering Period shall not exceed 2,500 Shares (subject to adjustment in accordance with ‎Section 18 and the limitations set forth in ‎Section 4 and ‎Section 13 of the Plan) (the “Offering Period Limit”).

 

Section 8. Exercise of Option/Purchase of Shares. A Participant’s option to purchase Shares will be exercised automatically on each Purchase Date. The Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions will be used to purchase the maximum number of whole Shares that can be purchased with the amounts in the Participant’s notional account, subject to the Offering Period Limit and the limitations set forth in ‎Section 4 and ‎Section 13 of the Plan. No fractional Shares may be purchased, and any contributions unused in a given Offering Period due to being less than the cost of a Share will be returned to the Participant as soon as administratively practicable after the end of the Offering Period, subject to earlier withdrawal by the Participant in accordance with ‎Section 10 or termination of employment or change in employment status in accordance with ‎Section 11. During a Participant’s lifetime, the Participant’s option to purchase Shares under the Plan is exercisable only by the Participant.

 

Section 9. Transfer of Shares. As soon as administratively practicable, but in no event later than thirty (30) days, after each Purchase Date, the Company will arrange for the delivery to each Participant of the Shares purchased upon exercise of the Participant’s option. The Committee may permit or require that the Shares be deposited directly into an ESPP Share Account established in the name of the Participant with a Designated Broker and may require that the Shares be retained with such Designated Broker for a specified period of time. Participants will not have any voting, dividend or other rights of a shareholder with respect to the Shares subject to any option granted under the Plan until such Shares have been delivered pursuant to this ‎Section 9.

 

Section 10. Withdrawal.

 

(a)       Withdrawal Procedure. A Participant may withdraw from an Offering by submitting to the Company a revised Enrollment Form indicating their election to withdraw at least fifteen (15) days before the next Purchase Date for such Offering Period. The accumulated payroll deductions held on behalf of a Participant in their notional account (that have not been used to purchase Shares) shall be paid to the Participant promptly following receipt of the Participant’s Enrollment Form indicating their election to withdraw and the Participant’s option shall be automatically terminated. If a Participant withdraws from an Offering Period, no payroll deductions will be made during any succeeding Offering Period, unless the Participant re-enrolls in accordance with ‎Section 6(a) of the Plan.

 

 

(b)       Effect on Succeeding Offering Periods. A Participant’s election to withdraw from an Offering Period will not have any effect upon the Participant’s eligibility to participate in succeeding Offering Periods that commence following the completion of the Offering Period from which the Participant withdraws.

 

Section 11. Termination of Employment; Change in Employment Status. Notwithstanding ‎Section 10, upon termination of a Participant’s employment for any reason prior to a Purchase Date, including death, disability or retirement, or a change in the Participant’s employment status following which the Participant is no longer an Eligible Employee, the Participant will be deemed to have withdrawn from an Offering in accordance with ‎Section 10 and the payroll deductions in the Participant’s notional account (that have not been used to purchase Shares) shall be returned to the Participant, or in the case of the Participant’s death, to the person(s) entitled to such amounts by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and the Participant’s option shall be automatically terminated.

 

Section 12. Interest. No interest shall accrue on or be payable with respect to the payroll deductions of a Participant in the Plan.

 

Section 13. Shares Reserved for Plan.

 

(a)       Number of Shares. The maximum number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan shall not exceed in the aggregate 9,077,843 Shares, subject to adjustment as provided in ‎‎‎Section 18. The Shares may be newly issued Shares, treasury Shares or Shares acquired on the open market. If any purchase of Shares pursuant to an option under the Plan is not consummated, the Shares not purchased under such option will again become available for issuance under the Plan.

 

(b)       Over-subscribed Offerings. If the Committee determines that, on a particular Purchase Date, the number of Shares with respect to which options are to be exercised exceeds the number of Shares then available under the Plan, the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the Shares remaining available for purchase in as uniform a manner as practicable and as the Committee determines to be equitable. No option granted under the Plan shall permit a Participant to purchase Shares which, if added together with the total number of Shares purchased by all other Participants in such Offering would exceed either the total number of Shares remaining available under the Plan.

 

Section 14. Transferability. No payroll deductions credited to a Participant, nor any rights with respect to the exercise of an option or any rights to receive Shares hereunder may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of in any way (other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or as provided in ‎Section 17) by the Participant. Any attempt to assign, transfer, pledge or otherwise dispose of such rights or amounts shall be without effect.

 

Section 15. Application of Funds. All payroll deductions received or held by the Company under the Plan may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose to the extent permitted by applicable law, and the Company shall not be required to segregate such payroll deductions or contributions.

 

 

Section 16. Statements. Participants will be provided with statements at least annually which shall set forth the contributions made by the Participant to the Plan, the Purchase Price of any Shares purchased with accumulated funds, the number of Shares purchased, and any payroll deduction amounts remaining in the Participant’s notional account.

 

  

 

Section 17. Designation of Beneficiary. If permitted by the Committee, a Participant may file, on forms supplied by the Committee, a written designation of beneficiary who, in the event of the Participant’s death, is to receive any Shares from the Participant’s ESPP Share Account or any payroll deduction amounts remaining in the Participant’s notional account.

 

Section 18. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization; Dissolution or Liquidation; Corporate Transactions.

 

(a)       Adjustments. In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, or other change in the Company’s structure affecting the Shares occurs, then in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, the Committee will, in such manner as it deems equitable, adjust the number of Shares and class of Shares that may be delivered under the Plan, the Purchase Price per Share and the number of Shares covered by each outstanding option under the Plan, and the numerical limits of ‎Section 7 and ‎Section 13.

 

(b)       Dissolution or Liquidation. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, in the event of a proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, any Offering Period then in progress will be shortened by setting a new Purchase Date and the Offering Period will end immediately prior to the proposed dissolution or liquidation. The new Purchase Date will be before the date of the Company’s proposed dissolution or liquidation. Before the new Purchase Date, the Committee will provide each Participant with written notice, which may be electronic, of the new Purchase Date and that the Participant’s option will be exercised automatically on such date, unless before such time, the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering in accordance with ‎Section 10 (or deemed to have withdrawn in accordance with ‎Section 11).

 

(c)       Corporate Transaction. In the event of a Corporate Transaction, each outstanding option will be assumed or an equivalent option substituted by the successor corporation or a parent or Subsidiary of such successor corporation. If the successor corporation refuses to assume or substitute the option, the Offering Period with respect to which the option relates will be shortened by setting a new Purchase Date on which the Offering Period will end. The new Purchase Date will occur before the date of the Corporate Transaction. Prior to the new Purchase Date, the Committee will provide each Participant with written notice, which may be electronic, of the new Purchase Date and that the Participant’s option will be exercised automatically on such date, unless before such date, the Participant has withdrawn (or, pursuant to ‎Section 11, been deemed to have withdrawn) from the Offering in accordance with ‎Section 10. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a Corporate Transaction, the Committee may also elect to terminate all outstanding Offering Periods in accordance with ‎Section 19(i).

 

 

Section 19. General Provisions.

 

(a)       Equal Rights and Privileges. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary and in accordance with Section 423 of the Code, all Eligible Employees who are granted options under the Plan shall have the same rights and privileges.

 

(b)       No Right to Continued Service. Neither the Plan nor any compensation paid hereunder will confer on any Participant the right to continue as an Employee or in any other capacity.

 

(c)       Rights as Shareholder. A Participant will become a shareholder with respect to the Shares that are purchased pursuant to options granted under the Plan when the Shares are transferred to the Participant or, if applicable, to the Participant’s ESPP Share Account. A Participant will have no rights as a shareholder with respect to Shares for which an election to participate in an Offering Period has been made until such Participant becomes a shareholder as provided herein.

 

(d)       Successors and Assigns. The Plan shall be binding on the Company and its successors and assigns.

 

(e)       Entire Plan. This Plan constitutes the entire plan with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior plans with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

(f)       Compliance with Law. The obligations of the Company with respect to payments under the Plan are subject to compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Shares shall not be issued with respect to an option granted under the Plan unless the exercise of such option and the issuance and delivery of the Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all applicable provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Shares may then be listed.

 

(g)       Disqualifying Dispositions. On and after the Section 423 Effective Date, each Participant shall give the Company prompt written notice of any disposition or other transfer of Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an option acquired under the Plan, if such disposition or transfer is made within two years after the Offering Date or within one year after the Purchase Date.

 

(h)       Term of Plan. The Plan shall become effective on the Effective Date and, unless terminated earlier pursuant to ‎Section 19(i), shall have a term of ten years.

 

(i)       Amendment or Termination. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, amend, suspend or terminate the Plan at any time and for any reason. If the Plan is terminated, the Committee may elect to terminate all outstanding Offering Periods either immediately or once Shares have been purchased on the next Purchase Date or permit Offering Periods to expire in accordance with their terms (and subject to any adjustment in accordance with ‎Section 18). If any Offering Period is terminated before its scheduled expiration, all amounts that have not been used to purchase Shares will be returned to Participants (without interest, except as otherwise required by law) as soon as administratively practicable.

 

 

(j)       Applicable Law. The laws of the State of Delaware shall govern all questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of the Plan, without regard to such state’s conflict of law rules.

 

(k)       Shareholder Approval. The Plan shall be subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company within twelve (12) months before or after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board.

 

(l)       Section 423. On and after the Section 423 Effective Date, the Plan is intended to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code, and any provision of the Plan that is inconsistent with Section 423 of the Code shall be reformed to comply with Section 423 of the Code.

 

(m)       Section 409A; Limitation of Liability. Prior to the Section 423 Effective Date, the Plan and all options are intended to be exempt from Section 409A of the Code as “short-term deferrals” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(b)(4), and on and after the Section 423 Effective Date, as “statutory stock options” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(b)(5)(ii), and the Plan and the options will be interpreted and administered accordingly. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan, neither the Company nor the Committee, nor any person acting on behalf of the Company or the Committee, will be liable to any Participant or other person by reason of any acceleration of income, any additional tax, or any other tax or liability asserted by reason of the failure of the Plan or any option to be exempt from or satisfy the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

 

(n)       Withholding. To the extent required by applicable Federal, state or local law, a Participant must make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the payment of any withholding or similar tax obligations that arise in connection with the Plan. At any time, the Company or any Subsidiary may, but will not be obligated to, withhold from a Participant’s compensation the amount necessary for the Company or any Subsidiary to meet applicable withholding obligations, including any withholding required to make available to the Company or any Subsidiary any tax deductions or benefits attributable to the sale or early disposition of Shares by such Participant. In addition, the Company or any Subsidiary may, but will not be obligated to, withhold from the proceeds of the sale of Shares or any other method of withholding that the Company or any Subsidiary deems appropriate to the extent permitted by, where applicable, Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(f). The Company will not be required to issue any Shares under the Plan until such obligations are satisfied.

 

(o)       Severability. If any provision of the Plan shall for any reason be held to be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision hereof, and the Plan shall be construed as if such invalid or unenforceable provision were omitted.

 

(p)       Headings. The headings of sections herein are included solely for convenience and shall not affect the meaning of any of the provisions of the Plan.

 

 

(q)       Participating Subsidiaries. This Plan shall constitute the Employee Stock Purchase Plan of the Company and each Participating Subsidiary. A Participating Subsidiary may withdraw from the Plan as of any Offering Date by giving written notice to the Board, which notice must be received by at least thirty (30) days prior to such Offering Date.