As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 25, 2002
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
VALUEVISION INTERNATIONAL, INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
MINNESOTA 41-1673770 (State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer incorporation or organization) Identification No.) 6740 SHADY OAK ROAD EDEN PRAIRIE, MINNESOTA "WWW.SHOPNBC.COM" 55344-3433 (Address of principal executive (Zip Code) offices) |
VALUEVISION INTERNATIONAL, INC. 2001 OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN
AND
NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION AGREEMENTS WITH
MARSHALL S. GELLER, ROBERT J. KORKOWSKI, PAUL D. TOSSETTI, ROBIN LEACH, ROY SEINFELD, JAMES CARLSRUH, SAMUAL BROWN, JON CHERNEY, STEVEN GOLDSMITH, DAVID PAGE, AND STEVEN LARKIN
(Full title of the plan)
GENE MCCAFFERY
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
6740 SHADY OAK ROAD
EDEN PRAIRIE, MINNESOTA 55344-3433
(Name and address of agent for service)
Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service: (952) 943-6000
Copies to: ANDREW G. HUMPHREY, ESQ. NATHAN E. FAGRE, ESQ. FAEGRE & BENSON LLP SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL 2200 WELLS FARGO CENTER VALUEVISION INTERNATIONAL, INC. MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55402 6740 SHADY OAK ROAD (612) 336-3600 EDEN PRAIRIE, MINNESOTA 55344 (952) 947-5298 |
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
================== ===================== =============== ==================== ================= Proposed Proposed Maximum Title of Amount Maximum Aggregate Amount of Securities to to be Offering Price Offering Registration Be registered registered Per Share Price Fee ================== ===================== =============== ==================== ================= Common Stock, 3,000,000 shares (1) $19.42 (2) $58,260,000 (2) $5,360 $.01 par value ------------------ --------------------- --------------- -------------------- ----------------- Common Stock, 30,000 shares $16.625 (3) $498,750 (4) $46 $.01 par value ------------------ --------------------- --------------- -------------------- ----------------- Common Stock, 30,000 shares $23.21 (3) $696,300 (4) $65 $.01 par value ------------------ --------------------- --------------- -------------------- ----------------- Common Stock, 285,000 shares $14.375 (3) $4,096,875 (4) $377 $.01 par value ------------------ --------------------- --------------- -------------------- ----------------- Common Stock, 50,000 shares $12.00 (3) $600,000 (4) $56 $.01 par value ------------------ --------------------- --------------- -------------------- ----------------- Common Stock, 300,000 shares $10.688 (3) $3,206,400 (4) $295 $.01 par value ------------------ --------------------- --------------- -------------------- ----------------- Common Stock, 50,000 shares $17.90 (3) $895,000 (4) $83 $.01 par value ------------------ --------------------- --------------- -------------------- ----------------- TOTAL 3,745,000 shares N/A $68,253,325 $6,282 ------------------ --------------------- --------------- -------------------- ----------------- |
(1) Maximum number of shares available upon exercise of options issued or issuable under the ValueVision International, Inc. 2001 Omnibus Stock Plan.
(2) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h)(1) based on the average of the high and low sales prices per share of the Registration's Common Stock on January 23, 2002 as reported on the Nasdaq National Market.
(3) Option exercise price.
(4) Calculated under Rule 457(h)(1).
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.
The following documents of ValueVision International, Inc. (the "Company") filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), are, as of their respective dates, incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof:
(1) The Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2001 (which incorporates by reference certain portions of the Registrant's 2000 Annual Report to Shareholders, including financial statements and accompanying information, and certain portions of the Registrant's definitive proxy statement for its 2001 Annual Meeting of Shareholders) filed pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act;
(2) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the Annual Report referred to in (1) above; and
(3) The description of the Company's Common Stock which is contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A (Registration No. 0-14709) dated May 22, 1992 under the Exchange Act and all amendments and reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.
All reports and other documents filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment that indicates that all of the shares of Common Stock offered have been sold or that deregisters all shares of the Common Stock then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in and a part of this Registration Statement from the date of filing of such documents.
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 incorporated herein by reference or in any other subsequently filed document that 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 Company is subject to Minnesota Statutes Chapter 302A, the Minnesota
Business Corporation Act (the "Corporation Act"). Section 302A.521 of the
Corporation Act provides in substance that, unless prohibited by its articles of
incorporation or bylaws, a corporation must indemnify an officer or director who
is made or threatened to be made a party to a proceeding by reason of his
official capacity against judgments, penalties, fines, including, without
limitation, excise taxes assessed against the person with respect to an employee
benefit plan, settlements and reasonable expenses, including attorneys' fees and
disbursements, incurred by such person in connection with the proceeding, if
certain criteria are met. These criteria, all of which must be met by the person
complained of in the proceeding, are (a) that such person has not been
indemnified by another organization for the same judgments, penalties, fines,
settlements and expenses; (b) that such person must have acted in good faith;
(c) that no improper personal benefit was obtained by such person and such
person satisfied certain statutory conflicts of interest provisions, if
applicable; (d) that in the case of a criminal proceeding, such person had no
reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful; and (e) that such
person must have acted in a manner he reasonably believed was in the best
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interests of the corporation or, in certain limited circumstances, not opposed to the best interests of the corporation. The determination as to eligibility for indemnification is made by the members of the corporation's board of directors or a committee of the board who are at the time not parties to the proceedings under consideration, by special legal counsel, by the shareholders who are not parties to the proceedings or by a court.
ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.
Not Applicable.
ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.
Exhibit
4.1 Sixth Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended (incorporated herein by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB, for the quarter ended August 31, 1994, filed on September 13, 1994.). 4.2 Certificate of Designation of Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock (incorporated herein by reference to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated April 15, 1999, filed on April 29, 1999). 4.3 Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (incorporated herein by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB, for the quarter ended August 31, 1994, filed on September 13, 1994.). 5 Opinion of Faegre & Benson LLP, counsel for the Company. 23.1 Consent of Faegre & Benson LLP (included in Exhibit 5 to this Registration Statement). 23.2 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, Independent Public Accountants. 24 Powers of Attorney (included with signatures to this Registration Statement). 99(a) ValueVision International, Inc. 2001 Omnibus Stock Plan 99(b) Form of Option Agreement 99(c) Form of Option Agreement |
ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS.
A. The Company hereby undertakes:
(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 of 1933; (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or |
events arising after the effective date of the 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 the 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 Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a twenty percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective Registration Statement; and
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(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;
provided, however, that paragraphs (A)(1)(i) and (A)(1)(ii) do not apply if the Registration Statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Company pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each 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 Company hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Company's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, 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 of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Company has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Company 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 Company 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant 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 Minneapolis, State of Minnesota on the 25th day of January, 2002.
VALUEVISION INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By /s/ GENE MCCAFFERY -------------------------------------- Gene McCaffery Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
We, the undersigned officers and directors of ValueVision International, Inc., hereby severally constitute Gene McCaffery, Richard Barnes or Nathan E. Fagre, and each of them singly, as true and lawful attorneys with full power to them, and each of them singly, to sign for us and in our names, in the capacities indicated below the registration statement filed herewith and any amendments to said registration statement, and generally to do all such things in our name and behalf in our capacities as officers and directors to enable ValueVision International, Inc. to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said attorneys, or any of them, to said registration statement and any and all amendments thereto.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below on the 2nd day of January, 2002 by the following persons in the capacities indicated:
NAME TITLE ---- ----- Chairman of the Board, /s/ Gene McCaffery President, Chief Executive ------------------------------------------- Officer and Director Gene McCaffery Principal Executive Officer /s/ Richard Barnes Executive Vice President, ------------------------------------------- Chief Financial Officer and Richard Barnes Chief Operating Officer Principal Financial and Accounting Officer /s/ Marshall S. Geller Director ------------------------------------------- Marshall S. Geller /s/ Robert J. Korkowski Director ------------------------------------------- Robert J. Korkowski /s/ Paul D. Tosetti Director ------------------------------------------- Paul D. Tosetti Director ------------------------------------------- John Flannery /s/ Mark Begor Director ------------------------------------------- Mark Begor |
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INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit Number Exhibit Manner of Filing ------- ------- ---------------- 4.1 Sixth Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended (incorporated herein by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB, for the quarter ended August 31, 1994, filed on September 13, 1994)......................Incorporated by Reference 4.2 Certificate of Designation of Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock (incorporated herein by reference to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated April 15, 1999, filed on April 29, 1999).................................................Incorporated by Reference 4.3 Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Company (incorporated herein by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB, for the quarter ended August 31, 1994, filed on September 13, 1994)..............................................................Incorporated by Reference 5 Opinion of Faegre & Benson LLP, counsel for the Registrant.........Electronically Filed 23.1 Consent of Faegre & Benson LLP (included in Exhibit 5 to this Registration Statement)............................................Electronically Filed 23.2 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, Independent Public Accountants.....Electronically Filed 24 Powers of Attorney (included with signatures to this Registration Statement).........................................................Electronically Filed 99(a) ValueVision International, Inc. 2001 Omnibus Stock Plan............Electronically Filed 99(b) Form of Option Agreement...........................................Electronically Filed 99(c) Form of Option Agreement...........................................Electronically Filed |
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EXHIBIT 5
Faegre & Benson LLP
2200 Wells Fargo Center
90 South Seventh Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
January 25, 2002
Board of Directors
ValueVision International, Inc.
6740 Shady Oak Road
Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344
Gentlemen:
In connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Registration Statement"), relating to an aggregate offering of 3,745,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Shares"), of ValueVision International, Inc., a Minnesota corporation (the "Company"), to be issued by the Company pursuant to the terms of the ValueVision International, Inc. 2001 Omnibus Stock Plan and the Option Agreements between the Company, Marshall S. Geller, Robert J. Korkowski, Paul D. Tossetti, Robin Leach, Roy Seinfeld, James Carlsruh, Samual Brown, Jon Cherney, Steven Goldsmith, David Page, and Steven Larkin, respectively, we have examined such corporate records and other documents, including the Registration Statement, and have reviewed such matters of law as we have deemed relevant hereto, and, based upon such examination and review, it is our opinion that all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company has been taken to authorize the issuance and sale of the Shares and that, when issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Shares will be legally and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Faegre & Benson LLP FAEGRE & BENSON LLP |
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EXHIBIT 23.2
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this registration statement of our report dated March 12, 2001 included in ValueVision International, Inc.'s Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 2001 and to all references to our Firm included in this registration statement.
ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
January 25, 2002
EXHIBIT 99(a)
VALUEVISION INTERNATIONAL, INC.
2001 OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN
1. PURPOSE. The purpose of the ValueVision International, Inc. 2001 Omnibus Stock Plan (the "Plan") is to motivate key personnel to produce a superior return to the shareholders of the Company by offering such personnel an opportunity to realize Stock appreciation, by facilitating Stock ownership and by rewarding them for achieving a high level of corporate financial performance. The Plan is also intended to facilitate recruiting and retaining key personnel of outstanding ability by providing an attractive capital accumulation opportunity. Additionally, the Plan is intended to provide Outside Directors with an opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company, to compensate Outside Directors for their contribution to the Company and to aid in attracting and retaining Outside Directors.
2. DEFINITIONS.
2.1 The terms defined in this Section are used (and capitalized) elsewhere in the Plan.
(a) "Affiliate" means any corporation that is a "parent corporation" or "subsidiary corporation" of the Company, as those terms are defined in Code Section 424(e) and (f), or any successor provisions.
(b) "Agreement" means (i) a written contract consistent with the terms of the Plan entered into between the Company or an Affiliate and a Participant and (ii) containing the terms and conditions of an Award in such form and not inconsistent with this Plan as the Committee shall approve from time to time, together with all amendments thereto, which amendments may be unilaterally made by the Company where such amendment is required as a matter of law.
(c) "Award" or "Awards" means a grant made under this Plan in the form of Restricted Stock, Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Performance Units, Stock or any other stock-based award.
(d) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(e) "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time or any successor statute.
(f) "Committee" means the two or more Non-Employee Directors designated by the Board to administer the Plan under Plan Section 3.1 and constituted so as to permit grants thereby to comply with Exchange Act Rule 16b-3 and Code Section 162(m).
(g) "Company" means ValueVision International Inc., a Minnesota corporation, or the successor to all or substantially all of its businesses by merger, consolidation, purchase of assets or otherwise.
(h) "Effective Date" means the date specified in Plan Section 12.1.
(i) "Employee" means an employee (including a officer or director who is also an employee) of the Company or an Affiliate.
(j) "Event" means any of the following:
(1) The acquisition by any individual, entity or group
(within the meaning of Exchange Act Sections 13(d)(3) or
14(d)(2)) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Exchange
Act Rule 13d-3) of 30% or more of either (i) the then-outstanding
shares of common stock of the Company (the "Outstanding Company
Common Stock") or (ii) the combined voting power of the
then-outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to
vote generally in the election of the Board (the "Outstanding
Company Voting Securities"); provided, however, that the
following acquisitions shall not constitute an Event:
(A) any acquisition of common stock or voting securities of the Company directly from the Company,
(B) any acquisition of common stock or voting securities of the Company by the Company or any of its wholly owned Subsidiaries,
(C) any acquisition of common stock or voting securities of the Company by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or
(D) any acquisition by any corporation with respect to which, immediately following such acquisition, more than 70% of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock of such corporation and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors is then beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately before such acquisition in substantially the same proportions as was their ownership, immediately before such acquisition, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be;
(2) Individuals who, as of the Effective Date, constitute the Board (the "Incumbent Board") cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director of the Board after the Effective Date whose election, or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest
(3) Approval by the shareholders of the Company of a reorganization, merger, consolidation or statutory exchange of Outstanding Company Voting Securities, unless immediately following such reorganization, merger, consolidation or exchange, all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately before such reorganization, merger, consolidation or exchange beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 70% of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation resulting from such reorganization, merger, consolidation or exchange in substantially the same proportions as was their ownership, immediately before such reorganization, merger, consolidation or exchange, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be; or
(4) Approval by the shareholders of the Company of (i) a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or (ii) the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, other than to a corporation with respect to which, immediately following such sale or other disposition, more than 70% of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock of such corporation and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors is then beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately before such sale or other disposition in substantially the same proportion as was their ownership, immediately before such sale or other disposition, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the above, an Event shall not be deemed to occur with respect to a recipient of an Award if the acquisition of the 30% or greater interest referred to in paragraph (1) is by a group, acting in concert, that includes that recipient of an Award or if at least 30% of the then-outstanding common stock or combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities (or voting equity interests) of the surviving corporation or of any corporation (or other entity) acquiring all or substantially all of the assets of the Company shall be beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, immediately after a reorganization, merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or disposition of assets referred to in paragraphs (3) or (4) by a group, acting in concert, that includes that recipient of an Award.
(k) "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect from time to time, or any successor statute.
(l) "Exchange Act Rule 16b-3" means Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Exchange Act, as now in force and in effect from time to time or any successor regulation.
(m) "Fair Market Value" as of any date means, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan:
(i) the closing price of a Share on the date immediately preceding that date or, if no sale of Shares shall have occurred on that date, on the next preceding day on which a sale of Shares occurred
(A) on the composite tape for New York Stock Exchange listed shares, or
(B) if the Shares are not quoted on the composite tape for New York Stock Exchange listed shares, on the principal United States Securities Exchange registered under the Exchange Act on which the Shares are listed, or
(C) if the Shares are not listed on any such exchange, on the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation National Market System, or
(ii) if clause (i) is inapplicable, the mean between the closing "bid" and the closing "asked" quotation of a Share on the date immediately preceding that date, or, if no closing bid or asked quotation is made on that date, on the next preceding day on which a closing bid and asked quotation is made, on the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System or any system then in use, or
(iii) if clauses (i) and (ii) are inapplicable, what the Committee determines in good faith to be 100% of the fair market value of a Share on that date, using such criteria as it shall determine, in its sole discretion, to be appropriate for valuation.
However, if the applicable securities exchange or system has closed for the day at the time the event occurs that triggers a determination of Fair Market Value, whether the grant of an Award, the exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right or otherwise, all references in this paragraph to the "date immediately preceding that date" shall be deemed to be references to "that date." In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, if this determination of Fair Market Value is not consistent with the then current regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury, Fair Market Value shall be determined in accordance with those regulations. The determination of Fair Market Value shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Plan Section 16.
(n) "Fundamental Change" shall mean a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, a sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company, a merger or consolidation of the Company with or into any other corporation, regardless of whether the Company is the surviving corporation, or a statutory share exchange involving capital stock of the Company.
(o) "Incentive Stock Option" means any Option designated as such and granted in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 422 or any successor provision.
(p) "Insider" as of a particular date means any person who, as of that date is an officer of the Company as defined under Exchange Act Rule 16a-1(f) or its successor provision.
(q) "Non-Employee Director" means a member of the Board who is considered a non-employee director within the meaning of Exchange Act Rule 16b-3(b)(3) or its successor provision and an outside director for purposes of Code Section 162(m).
(r) "Non-Statutory Stock Option" means an Option other than an Incentive Stock Option.
(s) "Option" means a right to purchase Stock, including both Non-Statutory Stock Options and Incentive Stock Options.
(t) "Outside Director" means a director who is not an Employee.
(u) "Participant" means a person or entity to whom an Award is or has been made in accordance with the Plan.
(v) "Performance Cycle" means the period of time as specified in an Agreement over which Performance Units are to be earned.
(w) "Performance Units" means an Award made pursuant to Plan
Section 11.
(x) "Plan" means this ValueVision International, Inc. 2001 Omnibus Stock Plan, as may be amended and in effect from time to time.
(y) "Restricted Stock" means Stock granted under Plan Section 7 so long as such Stock remains subject to one or more restrictions.
(z) "Section 16" or "Section 16(b)" means Section 16 or Section
16(b), respectively, of the Exchange Act or any successor statute and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder as in effect and as
amended from time to time.
(aa) "Share" means a share of Stock.
(bb) "Stock" means the common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company.
(cc) "Stock Appreciation Right" means a right, the value of
which is determined in relation to the appreciation in
value of Shares pursuant to an Award granted under Plan
Section 10.
(dd) "Subsidiary" means a "subsidiary corporation," as that, term is defined in Code Section 424(f), or any successor provision.
(ee) "Successor" with respect to a Participant means the legal representative of an incompetent Participant, and if the Participant is deceased the estate of the Participant or the person or persons who may, by bequest or inheritance, or pursuant to the terms of an Award, acquire the right to exercise an Option or Stock Appreciation. Right or to receive cash and/or Shares issuable in satisfaction of an Award in the event of the Participant's death.
(ff) "Term" means the period during which an Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised or the period during which the restrictions or terms and conditions placed on Restricted Stock or any other Award are in effect.
(gg) "Transferee" means any member of the Participant's immediate family (i.e., his or her children, step-children, grandchildren and spouse) or one or more trusts for the benefit of such family members or partnerships in which such family members are the only partners.
2.2 GENDER AND NUMBER. Except when otherwise indicated by the context, reference to the masculine gender shall include, when used, the feminine gender and any term used in the singular shall also include the plural.
3. ADMINISTRATION AND INDEMNIFICATION.
3.1 ADMINISTRATION.
(a) The Committee shall administer the Plan. The Committee shall have
exclusive power to (i) make Awards, (ii) determine when and to
whom Awards will be granted, the form of each Award, the amount
of each Award (except as to the amount of the Annual Outside
Director Option, as provided in Plan Section 9.3), and any other
terms or conditions of each Award consistent with the Plan, and
(iii) determine whether, to what extent and under what
circumstances, Awards may be settled, paid or exercised in cash,
Shares or other Awards, or other property or canceled, forfeited
or suspended. Each Award shall be subject to an Agreement
authorized by the Committee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Board shall have the sole and exclusive power to administer the
Plan with respect to Awards granted to Outside Directors,
including any grants made under Plan Section 9.3(d).
(b) The Committee may delegate all or any portion of its authority under the Plan to one or more persons who are not Non-Employee Directors.
(c) To the extent within its discretion and subject to Plan Sections 15 and 16, other than price, the Committee may amend the terms and conditions of any outstanding Award.
(d) It is the intent that the Plan and all Awards granted pursuant to
it shall be administered by the Committee so as to permit the
Plan and Awards to comply with Exchange Act Rule 16b-3, except in
such instances as the Committee, in its discretion, may so
provide. If any provision of the Plan or of any Award would
otherwise frustrate or conflict with the intent expressed in this
Section 3.1(d), that provision to the extent possible shall be
interpreted and deemed amended in the manner determined by the
Committee so as to avoid the conflict. To the extent of any
remaining irreconcilable conflict with this intent, the provision
shall be deemed void as applicable to Insiders to the extent
permitted by law and in the manner deemed advisable by the
Committee.
(e) The Committee's interpretation of the Plan and of any Award or Agreement made under the Plan and all related decisions or resolutions of the Board or Committee shall be final and binding on all parties with an interest therein. Consistent with its terms, the Committee shall have the power to establish, amend or waive regulations to administer the Plan. In carrying out any of its responsibilities, the Committee shall have discretionary authority to construe the terms of the Plan and any Award or Agreement made under the Plan.
3.2 INDEMNIFICATION. Each person who is or shall have been a member of the Committee, or of the Board, and any other person to whom the Committee delegates authority under the Plan, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company, to the extent permitted by law, against and from any loss, cost, liability or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such person in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit or proceeding to which such person may be a party or in which such person may be involved by reason of any action taken or failure to act, made in good faith, under the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by such person in settlement thereof, with the Company's approval, or paid by such person in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding against such person, provided
such person shall give the Company an opportunity, at the Company's expense, to handle and defend the same before such person undertakes to handle and defend it on such person's own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such person or persons may be entitled under the Company's Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.
4. SHARES AVAILABLE UNDER THE PLAN.
(a) The number of Shares available for distribution under this Plan shall not exceed 3,000,000 (subject to adjustment pursuant to Plan Section 16).
(b) Any Shares subject to the terms and conditions of an Award under this Plan that are not used because the terms and conditions of the Award are not met may again be used for an Award under the Plan. But Shares with respect to which a Stock Appreciation Right has been exercised whether paid in cash and/or in Shares may not again be awarded under this Plan.
(c) Any unexercised or undistributed portion of any terminated, expired, exchanged, or forfeited Award, or any Award settled in cash in lieu of Shares (except as provided in Plan Section 4(b)) shall be available for further Awards.
(d) For the purposes of computing the total number of Shares granted under the Plan, the following rules shall apply to Awards payable in Shares where appropriate:
(i) each Option shall be deemed to be the equivalent of the maximum number of Shares that may be issued upon exercise of the particular Option;
(ii) an Award (other than an Option) payable in some other security shall be deemed to be equal to the number of Shares to which it relates;
(iii) where the number of Shares available under the Award is variable on the date it is granted, the number of Shares shall be deemed to be the maximum number of Shares that could be received under that particular Award; and
(iv) where two or more types of Awards (all of which are payable in Shares) are granted to a Participant in tandem with each other, such that the exercise of one type of Award with respect to a number of Shares cancels at least an equal number of Shares of the other, each such joint Award shall be deemed to be the equivalent of the maximum number of Shares available under the largest single Award.
Additional rules for determining the number of Shares granted under the Plan may be made by the Committee, as it deems necessary or desirable.
(e) No fractional Shares may be issued under the Plan; however, cash shall be paid in lieu of any fractional Share in settlement of an Award.
(f) The maximum number of Shares that may be awarded to a Participant in any calendar year in the form of Options is 250,000 and the maximum number of Shares that may be awarded to a Participant in any calendar year in the form of Stock Appreciation Rights is 250,000.
5. ELIGIBILITY. Participation in the Plan shall be limited to Employees and to individuals or entities who are not Employees but who provide services to the Company or an Affiliate, including services provided in the capacity of a consultant, adviser or director. The granting of Awards is solely at the discretion of the Committee, except that Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to Employees and Awards to Outside Directors are subject to the limits of Section 9.3.
6. GENERAL TERMS OF AWARDS.
6.1 AMOUNT OF AWARD. Each Agreement shall set forth the number of Shares of Restricted Stock, Stock or Performance Units subject to the Agreement, or the number of Shares to which the Option subject to the Agreement applies or with respect to which payment upon the exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right subject to the Agreement is to be determined, as the case may be, together with such other terms and conditions applicable to the Award as determined by the Committee acting in its sole discretion.
6.2 TERM. Each Agreement, other than those relating solely to Awards of Shares without restrictions, shall set forth the Term of the Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock or other Award or the Performance Cycle for the Performance Units, as the case may be. Acceleration of the expiration of the applicable Term is permitted, upon such terms and conditions as shall be set forth in the Agreement, which may, but need not, include (without limitation) acceleration resulting from the occurrence of an Event or in the event of the Participant's death or retirement. Acceleration of the Performance Cycle of Performance Units shall be subject to Plan Section 11.2.
6.3 TRANSFERABILITY. Except as provided in this Section, during the lifetime of a Participant to whom an Award is granted, only that Participant (or that Participant's legal representative) may exercise an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, or receive payment with respect to Performance Units or any other Award. No Award of Restricted Stock (before the expiration of the restrictions), Options, Stock Appreciation Rights or Performance Units or other Award may be sold, assigned, transferred, exchanged or otherwise encumbered other than pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order as defined in the Code or Title 1 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("E.R.I.S.A."), or the rules thereunder; any attempted transfer in violation of this Section 6.3 shall be of no effect. Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, the Committee, in an Agreement or otherwise at its discretion, may provide (i) that the Award subject to the Agreement shall be transferable to a Successor in the event of a Participant's death, or (ii) that the Award (other than Incentive Stock Options) may be transferable to a Transferee. Any Award held by a Transferee shall continue to be subject to the same terms an conditions that were applicable to that Award immediately before the transfer thereof to the Transferee.
6.4 TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. No Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised by a Participant, all Restricted Stock held by a Participant or any other Award then subject to restrictions shall be forfeited, and no payment with respect to Performance Units for which the applicable Performance Cycle has not been completed shall be made, if the Participant's employment or other relationship with the Company and its Affiliates shall be voluntarily terminated or involuntarily terminated with or without cause before the expiration of the
Term of the Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock or other Award, or the completion of the Performance Cycle, as the case may be, except as, and to the extent, provided in the Agreement applicable to that Award. An Award may be exercised by, or paid to, a Transferee or the Successor of a Participant following the death of the Participant to the extent, and during the period of time, if any, provided in the applicable Agreement.
6.5 RIGHTS AS SHAREHOLDER. Each Agreement shall provide that a Participant shall have no rights as a shareholder with respect to any securities covered by an Award if and until the date the Participant becomes the holder of record of the Stock, if any, to which the Award relates.
7. RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS.
(a) An Award of Restricted Stock under the Plan shall consist of Shares subject to restrictions on transfer and conditions of forfeiture, which restrictions and conditions shall be included in the applicable Agreement. The Committee may provide for the lapse or waiver of any such restriction or condition based on such factors or criteria as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may determine.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Agreement, each Stock certificate issued with respect to an Award of Restricted Stock shall either be deposited with the Company or its designee, together with an assignment separate from the certificate, in blank, signed by the Participant, or bear such legends with respect to the restricted nature of the Restricted Stock evidenced thereby as shall be provided for in the applicable Agreement.
(c) The Agreement shall describe the terms and conditions by which the restrictions and conditions of forfeiture upon awarded Restricted Stock shall lapse. Upon the lapse of the restrictions and conditions, Shares free of restrictive legends, if any, relating to such restrictions shall be issued to the Participant or a Successor or Transferee.
(d) A Participant or a Transferee with a Restricted Stock Award shall have all the other rights of a shareholder including, but not limited to, the right to receive dividends and the right to vote the Shares of Restricted Stock.
8. OTHER AWARDS. The Committee may from time to time grant Stock and other Awards under the Plan including without limitations those Awards pursuant to which Shares are or may in the future be acquired, Awards denominated in Stock units, securities convertible into Stock and phantom securities. The Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards provided that such Awards shall not be inconsistent with the terms and purposes of this Plan. The Committee may, at its sole discretion, direct the Company to issue Shares subject to restrictive legends and/or stop transfer instructions that are consistent with the terms and conditions of the Award to which the Shares relate.
9. STOCK OPTIONS.
9.1 TERMS OF ALL OPTIONS.
(a) An Option shall be granted pursuant to an Agreement as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Statutory Stock Option. The purchase price of each Share subject to an Option shall be set forth in the Agreement, but shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share as of the date the Option is granted (except as provided in Plan Section 19).
(b) The purchase price of the Shares with respect to which an Option is exercised shall be payable in full at the time of exercise, provided that to the extent permitted by law, the Agreement may permit some or all Participants to simultaneously exercise Options and sell the Shares thereby acquired pursuant to a brokerage or similar relationship and use the proceeds from the sale as payment of the purchase price of the Shares. The
purchase price may be payable in cash, by delivery or tender of Shares that have been owned by the Participant for at least the preceding 180 days and having a Fair Market Value as of the date the Option is exercised equal to the purchase price of the Shares being purchased pursuant to the Option, or a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee, but no fractional Shares will be issued or accepted.
(c) Each Option shall be exercisable in whole or in part on the terms provided in the Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan and except as otherwise provided in an Agreement, all Options granted to Employees shall vest and become exercisable in full upon the occurrence of an Event or a proposed Fundamental Change. In no event shall any Option be exercisable at any time after the expiration of its Term. When an Option is no longer exercisable, it shall be deemed to have lapsed or terminated.
9.2 INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. In addition to the other terms and conditions applicable to all Options:
(a) the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the date the Option is granted) of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options held by an individual first become exercisable in any calendar year (under this Plan and all other incentive stock option plans of the Company and its Affiliates) shall not exceed $100,000 (or such other limit as may be required by the Code) if this limitation is necessary to qualify the Option as an Incentive Stock Option and to the extent an Option or Options granted to a Participant exceed this limit the Option or Options shall be treated as a Non-Statutory Stock Option;
(b) an Incentive Stock Option shall not be exercisable more than 10 years after the date of grant (or such other limit as may be required by the Code) if this limitation is necessary to qualify the Option as an Incentive Stock Option;
(c) the Agreement covering an Incentive Stock Option shall contain such other terms and provisions that the Committee determines necessary to qualify this Option as an Incentive Stock Option; and
(d) notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, no Participant may receive an Incentive Stock Option under the Plan if, at the time the Award is granted, the Participant owns (after application of the rules contained in Code Section 424(d), or its successor provision), Shares possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or its Subsidiaries, unless (i) the option price for that Incentive Stock Option is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to that Incentive Stock Option on the date of grant and (ii) that Option is not exercisable after the date five years from the date that Incentive Stock Option is granted.
9.3 TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OUTSIDE DIRECTORS' OPTIONS
(a) Annual Outside Director Option Grants. For the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on June 21, 2001 and for each Annual Meeting of Shareholders thereafter during the term of this Plan, each Outside Director serving as an Outside Director of the Company immediately following the Annual Meeting shall be granted, by virtue of serving as an Outside Director of the Company, a Non-Statutory Stock Option to purchase 10,000 Shares or such other amount as may be established from time to time by the Board, but in no event to exceed 50,000 Shares (an "Annual Outside Director Option"). Each Annual Outside Director Option shall be deemed to be granted to each Outside Director immediately after an Annual Meeting.
(b) Vesting of Annual Outside Director Options. Subject to the provisions of Plan Section 9.3(c), Annual Outside Director Options shall vest and become exercisable as provided in the Agreement. Each Option, to the extent exercisable, shall be exercisable in whole or in part. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, all Annual Outside Director Options shall vest and become exercisable in full upon the occurrence of an Event or a proposed Fundamental Change.
(c) Termination of Annual Outside Directors' Options. Each Outside Director Option granted pursuant to this Plan and all rights to purchase Shares thereunder shall terminate on the earliest of:
(i) ten years after the date that the Outside Director Option was granted or such other time period specified in the Agreement;
(ii) the expiration of the period specified in the Agreement after the death or permanent disability of an Outside Director; or
(iii) ninety days after the date the Outside Director ceases to be a director of the Company, provided, however, that the option shall be exercisable during this 90-day period only to the extent the option was exercisable as of the date the person ceases to be an Outside Director unless the cessation results from the director's death or permanent disability. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, if an Outside Director who resigns or whose term expires then becomes a consultant or Employee of the Company within ninety days of such resignation or term expiration, the Outside Director Options of such person shall continue in full force and effect.
(e) Non-exclusivity of Section 9.3. The provisions of this Section 9.3 are not intended to be exclusive; the Committee, in its discretion, may grant Options or other Awards to an Outside Director.
10. STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS. An Award of a Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle the Participant (or a Successor or Transferee), subject to terms and conditions determined by the Committee, to receive upon exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right all or a portion of the excess of (i) the Fair Market Value of a specified number of Shares as of the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right over (ii) a specified price that shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such Shares as of the date of grant of the Stock Appreciation Right. A Stock Appreciation Right may be granted in connection with part or all of, in addition to, or completely independent of an Option or any other Award under this Plan. If issued in connection with a previously or contemporaneously granted Option, the Committee may impose a condition that exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right cancels a pro rata portion of the Option with which it is connected and vice versa. Each Stock Appreciation Right may be exercisable in whole or in part on the terms provided in the Agreement. No Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable at any time after the expiration of its Term. When a Stock Appreciation Right is no longer exercisable, it shall be deemed to have lapsed or terminated. Upon exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, payment to the Participant or a Successor or Transferee shall be made at such time or times as shall be provided in the Agreement in the form of cash, Shares or a combination of cash and Shares as determined by the Committee. The
Agreement may provide for a limitation upon the amount or percentage of the total appreciation on which payment (whether in cash and/or Shares) may be made in the event of the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right.
11. PERFORMANCE UNITS.
11.1 INITIAL AWARD.
(a) An Award of Performance Units under the Plan shall entitle the Participant or a Successor or Transferee to future payments of cash, Shares or a combination of cash and Shares, as determined by the Committee, based upon the achievement of pre-established performance targets. These performance targets may, but need not, include (without limitation) targets relating to one or more of the Company's or a group's, unit's, Affiliate's or an individual's performance. The Agreement may establish that a portion of a Participant's Award will be paid for performance that exceeds the minimum target but falls below the maximum target applicable to the Award. The Agreement shall also provide for the timing of the payment.
(b) Following the conclusion or acceleration of each Performance Cycle, the Committee shall determine the extent to which (i) performance targets have been attained, (ii) any other terms and conditions with respect to an Award relating to the Performance Cycle have been satisfied and (iii) payment is due with respect to an Award of Performance Units.
11.2 ACCELERATION AND ADJUSTMENT. The Agreement may permit an acceleration of the Performance Cycle and an adjustment of performance targets and payments with respect to some or all of the Performance Units awarded to a Participant, upon the occurrence of certain events, which may, but need not include without limitation an Event, a Fundamental Change, a recapitalization, a change in the accounting practices of the Company, a change in the Participant's title or employment responsibilities, the Participant's death or retirement or, with respect to payments in Shares with respect to Performance Units, a reclassification, stock dividend, stock split or stock combination as provided in Plan Section 16. The Agreement also may provide for a limitation on the value of an Award of Performance Units that a Participant may receive.
12. EFFECTIVE DATE AND DURATION OF THE PLAN.
12.1 EFFECTIVE DATE. The Plan shall become effective as of June 22, 2001, provided that the Plan is approved by the requisite vote of shareholders at the meeting of shareholders to be held June 21, 2001 or at any adjournment thereof.
12.2 DURATION OF THE PLAN. The Plan shall remain in effect until all Stock subject to it shall be distributed, all Awards have expired or lapsed, the Plan is terminated pursuant to Plan Section 15, or June 21, 2011 (the "Termination Date"); provided, however, Awards made before the Termination Date may be exercised, vested or otherwise effectuated beyond the Termination Date unless limited in the Agreement or otherwise. No Award of an Incentive Stock Option shall be made more than 10 years after the Effective Date (or such other limit as may be required by the Code) if this limitation is necessary to qualify the Option as an Incentive Stock Option.
13. PLAN DOES NOT AFFECT EMPLOYMENT STATUS.
(a) Status as an eligible Employee shall not be construed as a commitment that any Award will be made under the Plan to that eligible Employee or to eligible Employees generally.
(b) Nothing in the Plan or in any Agreement or related documents shall confer upon any Employee or Participant any right to continue in the employment of the Company or any Affiliate or constitute, any contract of employment or affect any right that the Company or any Affiliate may have to change such person's compensation, other benefits, job responsibilities, or title, or to terminate the employment of such person with or without cause.
14. TAX WITHHOLDING. The Company shall have the right to withhold from any cash payment under the Plan to a Participant or other person (including a Successor or Transferee) an amount sufficient to cover any required withholding taxes. The Company shall have the right to require a Participant or other person receiving Shares under the Plan to pay the Company a cash amount sufficient to cover any required withholding taxes before actual receipt of those Shares. In lieu of all or any part of a cash payment from a person receiving Shares under the Plan, the Committee may permit the individual to cover all or any part of the required withholdings, and to cover any additional withholdings up to the amount needed to cover the individual's full FICA and federal, state and local income taxes with respect to income arising from payment of the Award, through a reduction of the number of Shares delivered or delivery or tender return to the Company of Shares held by the Participant or other person, in each case valued in the same manner as used in computing the withholding taxes under the applicable laws.
15. AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION OF THE PLAN.
(a) The Board may at any time and from time to time terminate, suspend or modify the Plan. Except as limited in (b) below, the Committee may at any time alter or amend any or all Agreements under the Plan to the extent permitted by law.
(b) No termination, suspension, or modification of the Plan will materially and adversely affect any right acquired by any Participant or Successor or Transferee under an Award granted before the date of termination, suspension, or modification, unless otherwise agreed to by the Participant in the Agreement or otherwise, or required as a matter of law; but it will be conclusively presumed that any adjustment for changes in capitalization provided for in Plan Sections 11.2 or 16 does not adversely affect these rights.
16. ADJUSTMENT FOR CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION. Subject to any required
action by the Company's shareholders, appropriate adjustments, so as to prevent
enlargement of rights or inappropriate dilution -- (i) in the aggregate number
and type of Shares available for Awards under the Plan, (ii) in the limitations
on the number of Shares that may be issued to an individual Participant as an
Option or a Stock Appreciation Right in any calendar year or that may be issued
in the form of Restricted Stock or Shares without restrictions, (iii) in the
number and type of Shares and amount of cash subject to Awards then outstanding,
(iv) in the Option price as to any outstanding Options and, (v) subject to Plan
Section 11.2, in outstanding Performance Units and payments with respect to
outstanding Performance Units may be made by the Committee in its sole
discretion to give effect to adjustments made in the number or type of Shares
through a Fundamental Change (subject to Plan Section 17), recapitalization,
reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, stock combination or other
relevant change, provided that fractional Shares shall be rounded to the nearest
whole Share.
17. FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE. In the event of a proposed Fundamental Change, the Committee may, but shall not be obligated to:
(a) if the Fundamental Change is a merger or consolidation or statutory share exchange, make appropriate provision for the protection of the outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights by the substitution of options, stock appreciation rights and appropriate voting common stock of the corporation surviving any merger or consolidation or, if appropriate the parent corporation of the Company or such surviving corporation; or
(b) at least 30 days before the occurrence of the Fundamental Change, declare, and provide written notice to each holder of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right of the declaration, that each outstanding Option and Stock Appreciation Right, whether or not then exercisable, shall be canceled at the time of, or immediately before the occurrence of the Fundamental Change in exchange for payment to each holder of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, within days after the Fundamental Change, of cash equal to (i) for each Share covered by the canceled Option, the amount, if any, by which the Fair Market Value (as defined in this Section) per Share exceeds the exercise price per Share covered by such Option or (ii) for each Stock Appreciation Right, the price determined pursuant to Section 10, except that Fair Market Value of the Shares as of the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right, as used in clause (i) of Plan Section 10, shall be deemed to mean Fair Market Value for each Share with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is calculated determined in the manner hereinafter referred to in this Section. At the time of the declaration provided for in the immediately preceding sentence, each Stock Appreciation Right and each Option shall immediately become exercisable in full and each person holding an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right shall have the right, during the period preceding the time of cancellation of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, to exercise the Option or the Stock Appreciation Right in whole or in part, as the case may be. In the event of a declaration pursuant to this Plan Section 17(b), each outstanding Option and Stock Appreciation Right granted pursuant to the Plan that shall not have been exercised before the Fundamental Change shall be canceled at the time of, or immediately before, the Fundamental Change, as provided in the declaration. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no person holding an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right shall be entitled to the payment provided for in this Section 17 (b) if such Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall have expired pursuant to the Agreement. For purposes of this Section only, "Fair Market Value" per Share shall mean the cash plus the fair market value, as determined in good faith by the Committee, of the non-cash consideration to be received per Share by the shareholders of the Company upon the occurrence of the Fundamental Change.
18. FORFEITURES. An Agreement may provide that if a Participant has received or been entitled to payment of cash, delivery of Shares, or a combination thereof pursuant to an Award within six months before the Participant's termination of employment with the Company and its Affiliates, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may require the Participant to return or forfeit the cash and/or Shares received with respect to the Award (or its economic value as of (i) the date of the exercise of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, (ii) the date of, and immediately following, the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Stock or the receipt of Shares without restrictions, or (iii) the date on which the right of the Participant to payment with respect to Performance Units vests, as the case may be) in the event of certain occurrences specified in the Agreement. The Committee's right to require forfeiture must be exercised within 90 days after discovery of such an occurrence but in no event later than 15 months after the Participant's termination of employment with the Company and its Affiliates. The occurrences may, but need not include competition with the Company or any Affiliate, unauthorized disclosure of material proprietary information of the Company or any Affiliate, a violation of applicable business ethics policies of the Company or Affiliate or any other occurrence specified in the Agreement within the period or periods of time specified in the Agreement.
19. CORPORATE MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS, ETC. The Committee may also grant Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock or other Awards under the Plan having terms, conditions and provisions that vary from those specified in this Plan provided that any such awards are granted in substitution for, or in connection with the assumption of, existing options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock or other award granted, awarded or issued by another
corporation and assumed or otherwise agreed to be provided for by the Company pursuant to or by reason of a transaction involving a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation, reorganization or liquidation to which the Company or a subsidiary is a party.
20. UNFUNDED PLAN. The Plan shall be unfunded and the Company shall not be required to segregate any assets that may at any time be represented by Awards under the Plan. Neither the Company, its Affiliates, the Committee, nor the Board of Directors shall be deemed to be a trustee of any amounts to be paid under the Plan nor shall anything contained in the Plan or any action taken pursuant to its provisions create or be construed to create a fiduciary relationship between the Company and/or its Affiliates, and a Participant or Successor or Transferee. To the extent any person acquires a right to receive an Award under the Plan, this right shall be no greater than the right of an unsecured general creditor of the Company.
21. LIMITS OF LIABILITY.
(a) Any liability of the Company to any Participant with respect to an Award shall be based solely upon contractual obligations created by the Plan and the Award Agreement.
(b) Except as may be required by law, neither the Company nor any member of the Board of Directors or of the Committee, nor any other person participating in any determination of any question under the Plan, or in the interpretation, administration or application of the Plan, shall have any liability to any party for any action taken, or not taken, in good faith under the Plan.
22. COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS. No certificate for Shares distributable pursuant to this Plan shall be issued and delivered unless the issuance of a certificate complies with all applicable legal requirements including, without limitation, compliance with the provisions of applicable state securities laws, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and in effect from time to time or any successor statute, the Exchange Act and the requirements of the exchanges on which the Company's Shares may, at the time, be listed.
23. DEFERRALS AND SETTLEMENTS. The Committee may require or permit Participants to elect to defer the issuance of Shares or the settlement of Awards in cash under such rules and procedures as it may establish under the Plan. It may also provide that deferred settlements include the payment or crediting of interest on the deferral amounts.
24. OTHER BENEFIT AND COMPENSATION PROGRAMS. Payments and other benefits received by a Participant under an Award made pursuant to the Plan shall not be deemed a part of a Participant's regular, recurring compensation for purposes of the termination, indemnity or severance pay laws of any country and shall not be included in, nor have any effect on, the determination of benefits under any other employee benefit plan, contract or similar arrangement provided by the Company or an Affiliate unless expressly so provided by such other plan, contract or arrangement, or unless the Committee expressly determines that an Award or portion of an Award should be included to accurately reflect competitive compensation practices or to recognize that an Award has been made in lieu of a portion of competitive cash compensation.
25. BENEFICIARY UPON PARTICIPANT'S DEATH. To the extent that the transfer of a Participant's Award at his or her death is permitted under an Agreement, a Participant's Award shall be transferable at death to the estate or to the person who acquires the right to succeed to the Award by bequest or inheritance.
26. CHANGE-IN-CONTROL PAYMENTS.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Plan Section 17 above, if any
Award, either alone or together with other payments in the nature of
compensation to a Participant that are contingent on a change in the
ownership or effective control of the Company or in the ownership of a
substantial portion of the assets of the Company or otherwise, would result
in any portion thereof being subject to an excise tax imposed under Code
Section 4999, or any successor provision, or would not be deductible in
whole or in part by the Company, an affiliate of the Company (as defined in
Code Section 1504, or any successor provision), or other person making such
payments as a result of Code Section 280G, or any successor provision, such
Award and/or such other benefits and payments shall be reduced (but not
below zero) to the largest aggregate amount as will result in no portion
thereof being subject to such an excise tax or being not so deductible.
(b) For purposes of Plan Section 26(a), (i) no portion of payments the receipt or enjoyment of which a Participant shall have effectively waived in writing before the date of distribution of an Award shall be taken into account; (ii) no portion of such Award, benefits and other payments shall be taken into account that in the opinion of tax counsel selected by the Company's independent auditors and acceptable to the Participant does not constitute a "parachute payment" within the meaning of Code Section 280G(b)(2), or any successor provision; and (iii) the value of any non-cash benefit or any deferred payment or benefit included in such payment shall be determined by the Company's independent auditors in accordance with the principles of Code Sections 280G (d) (3) and (4) or any successor provisions;
(c) Any Award not paid as a result of this Plan Section 26 or reduced to zero as a result of the limitations imposed hereby, shall remain outstanding in full force and effect in accordance with the other terms and provisions of this Plan.
27. REQUIREMENTS OF LAW.
(a) To the extent that federal laws do not otherwise control, the Plan and all determinations made and actions taken pursuant to the Plan shall be governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota without regard to its conflicts-of-law principles and shall be construed accordingly.
(b) If any provision of the Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not effect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.
EXHIBIT 99(b)
OPTION AGREEMENT
VALUEVISION INTERNATIONAL, INC.
TO
OPTION AGREEMENT made as of the ____ day of ______________, ____, between ValueVision International, Inc., a Minnesota corporation ("ValueVision"), and ____________________ , an employee of ValueVision ("Employee").
WHEREAS, ValueVision desires, by affording Employee an opportunity to purchase its shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value ("Shares"), as hereinafter provided, to carry out the resolutions of the Board of Directors of ValueVision granting a non-qualified stock option to Employee as partial compensation for his efforts on behalf of ValueVision as its employee.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants hereinafter set forth and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Grant of Option. ValueVision hereby irrevocably grants to Employee the right and option, hereinafter called the Option, to purchase all or any part of an aggregate of _____ ( ) Shares (such number being subject to adjustment as provided in paragraph 7 hereof) on the terms and conditions herein set forth.
2. Purchase Price. The purchase price of the Shares covered by the Option shall be $ ______________, which is equal to the last price on the NASDAQ System of one share of ValueVision's Common Stock on the last trade date prior to the date hereof day first written above.
3. Exercise of Option. The right to exercise the Option in whole or in part, shall be effective, except as otherwise specifically limited herein, as follows: on and after the date hereof, Employee may purchase up to _______ Shares; on and after the first anniversary of the date hereof, Employee may purchase up to an additional _______ Shares; and on and after the second anniversary of the date hereof, Employee may purchase up to an additional _____ Shares. Each of the rights to purchase Shares granted in the preceding sentence shall expire five (5) years after the right to purchase the Shares became
effective, except as otherwise specifically limited herein. The purchase price of Shares acquired through exercise of any part of the Option shall be paid in full in cash at the time of exercise. Employee, as holder of the Option, shall not have any of the rights of a Shareholder with respect to the Shares covered by the Option except to the extent that one or more certificates for such Shares shall be delivered to Employee upon the due exercise of all or any part of the Option.
4. Non-Transferability. The Option shall not be transferable otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and the Option may be exercised, during the lifetime of Employee, only by Employee. More particularly (but without limiting the generality of the foregoing), the Option may not be assigned, transferred (except as provided above), pledged, or hypothecated in any way, shall not be assignable by operation of law, and shall not be subject to execution, attachment, or similar process. Any attempted assignment, transfer, pledge, hypothecation, or other disposition of the Option contrary to the provisions hereof, and the levy of any execution, attachment, or similar process upon the Option shall be null and void and without effect.
5. Exercise Upon Termination. If Employee ceases to serve as an employee of ValueVision, while the Option remains in effect, whether as a result of resignation or termination, with or without cause, the Option may be exercised (to the extent that Employee shall have been entitled to do so on the last day in which he served as an employee of ValueVision) by Employee at anytime within ninety (90) days of the day in which he ceased to serve as an employee of ValueVision. Upon the expiration of such ninety (90) day period, or, if earlier, upon the expiration date of the Option as set forth in Paragraph 3 hereof, the Option shall become null and void.
6. Exercise Upon Death. If Employee dies while the Option remains in effect, the Option may be exercised (to the extent that Employee shall have been entitled to do so at the date of his death) by the legatee or legatees of Employee under his will, or by his personal representatives or distributees, at any time within ninety (90) days after his death. Upon the expiration of such ninety (90) day period, or, if earlier, upon the expiration date of the Option as set forth in paragraph 3 hereof, the Option shall become null and void.
7. Changes in Capital Structure. If all or any portion of the Option shall be exercised subsequent to any Share dividend, split-up, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, combination or exchange of Shares, separation, reorganization, or liquidation occurring after the date hereof, as a result of which Shares of any class shall be issued in respect of outstanding Shares, or Shares shall be changed into the same or a different number of Shares of the same or another class or classes, the person or persons so exercising the Option shall receive, for the aggregate price paid upon such exercise, the aggregate number and class of Shares which, if Shares (as authorized at the date hereof) had been purchased at the date hereof for the same aggregate price (on the basis of the price per Share set forth in paragraph 2 hereof) and had not been disposed of, such person or persons would be holding, at the time of such exercise, as a result of such purchase and all such shared dividends, split-ups, recapitalizations, mergers, consolidations, combinations or exchanges of Shares, separations, reorganizations, or liquidations; provided, however, that no fractional Share shall be issued upon any such exercise, and the aggregate price paid shall be appropriately reduced on account of any fractional Share not issued.
8. Method of Exercising Option. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Option may only be exercised by written notice to ValueVision. Such notice shall state the election to exercise the Option and the number of Shares in respect of which it is being exercised, and shall be signed by the person or person so exercising the Option. Such notice shall either: (a) be accompanied by payment of the full purchase price of such Shares, in which event ValueVision shall deliver a certificate or certificates representing such Shares as soon as practicable after the notice shall be received; or (b) fix a date (not less than five (5) nor more than ten (10) business days from the date such notice shall be received by ValueVision) for the payment of the full purchase price of such Shares against delivery of a certificate or certificates representing such Shares. Payment of such purchase price shall, in either case, be made by certified or cashier's check payable to the order of ValueVision. All Shares that shall be purchased upon the exercise of the Option as provided herein shall be fully paid and non-assessable.
9. Investment Certificate and Registration. Prior to the receipt of the certificates pursuant to the exercise of the Option granted hereunder, Employee shall agree to hold the Shares acquired by exercise of the Option for investment and not with a view to resale or distribution thereof to the public, and shall deliver to ValueVision a certificate to that effect. Nothing in this Agreement shall require ValueVision to register the Option or the Shares purchased upon the exercise of said Option.
10. General. ValueVision shall at all times during the term of the Option reserve and keep available such number of Shares as will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this Option Agreement. This Option shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Minnesota.
[signatures on following page]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, ValueVision and Employee have executed this Agreement effective as of the date first written above.
VALUEVISION INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By ______________________________________
Gene McCaffery
Chief Executive Officer
Employee:
EXHIBIT 99(C)
OPTION AGREEMENT
VALUEVISION INTERNATIONAL, INC.
TO
OPTION AGREEMENT made as of the __st day of __________, ____, between ValueVision International, Inc., a Minnesota corporation ("ValueVision"), and ______________________, a director of ValueVision ("Director").
WHEREAS, ValueVision desires, by affording Director an opportunity to purchase its shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value ("Shares"), as hereinafter provided, to recognize the efforts of Director in serving on the Board of Directors of ValueVision.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants hereinafter set forth and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Grant of Option. ValueVision hereby irrevocably grants to Director the right and option, hereinafter called the Option, to purchase all or any part of an aggregate of ________________ (_____) Shares (such number being subject to adjustment as provided in paragraph 7 hereof) on the terms and conditions herein set forth.
2. Purchase Price. The purchase price of the Shares covered by the Option shall be ______.
3. Exercise of Option. The right to exercise the Option in whole or in part, shall be effective immediately. The rights to purchase Shares granted in the preceding sentence shall expire five (5) years from the anniversary date hereof. The purchase price of Shares acquired through exercise of any part of the Option shall be paid in full in cash at the time of exercise. Director, as holder of the Option, shall not have any of the rights of a Shareholder with respect to the Shares covered by the Option except to the extent that one or more certificates for such Shares shall be delivered to it upon the due exercise of all or any part of the Option.
4. Non-Transferability. The Option shall not be transferable otherwise than by will or the laws of decent and distribution, and the Option may be exercised, during the lifetime of Director, only by Director. More particularly (but without limiting the generality of the foregoing), the Option may not be assigned, transferred (except as provided above), pledged, or hypothecated in any way, shall not be assignable by operation of law, and shall not be subject to execution, attachment, or similar process. Any attempted assignment, transfer, pledge, hypothecation, or other disposition of the Option contrary to the provisions hereof, and the levy of any execution, attachment, or similar process upon the Option shall be null and void and without effect.
5. Exercise Upon Death. If Director dies while the Option remains in effect, with or without cause, the Option may be exercised (to the extent that Director shall have been entitled to so on the day of his death) by the legatee or legatees of Director under his will, or by his personal representatives or distributees, at anytime within ninety (90) days after his death. Upon the expiration of such ninety (90) day period, or, if earlier, upon the expiration date of the Option as set forth in Paragraph 3 hereof, the Option shall become null and void.
6. Changes in Capital Structure. If all or any portion of the Option shall be exercised subsequent to any Share dividend, split-up, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, combination or exchange of Shares, separation, reorganization, or liquidation occurring after the date hereof, as a result of which Shares of any class shall be issued in respect of outstanding Shares, or Shares shall be changed into the same or a different number of Shares of the same or another class or classes, the person or persons so exercising the Option shall receive, for the aggregate price paid upon such exercise, the aggregate number and class of Shares which, if Shares (as authorized at the date hereof) had been purchased at the date hereof for the same aggregate price (on the basis of the price per Share set forth in paragraph 2 hereof) and had not been disposed of, such person or persons would be holding, at the time of such exercise, as a result of such purchase and all such Share dividends, split-ups, recapitalizations, mergers, consolidations, combinations or exchanges of Shares, separations, reorganizations, or liquidations; provided, however, that no fractional Shares shall be issued upon any such exercise, and the aggregate price paid shall be appropriately reduced on account of any fractional Share not issued.
7. Method of Exercising Option. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Option may only be exercised by written notice to ValueVision. Such notice shall state the election to exercise the Option and the number of Shares in respect of which it is being exercised, and shall be signed by the person or person so exercising the Option. Such notice shall either: (a) be accompanied by payment of the full purchase price of such Shares, in which event ValueVision shall deliver a certificate or certificates representing such Shares as soon as practicable after the notice shall be received; or (b) fix a date
(not less than five (5) nor more than ten (10) business days from the date such notice shall be received by ValueVision) for the payment of the full purchase price of such Shares against delivery of a certificate or certificates representing such Shares. Payment of such purchase price shall, in either case, be made by certified or cashier's check payable to the order of ValueVision. All Shares that shall be purchased upon the exercise of the Option as provided herein shall be fully paid and non-assessable.
8. Investment Certificate and Registration. Prior to the receipt of the certificates pursuant to the exercise of the Option granted hereunder, Director shall agree to hold the Shares acquired by exercise of the Option for investment and not with a view to resale or distribution thereof to the public, and shall deliver to ValueVision a certificate to that effect. Nothing in this Agreement shall require ValueVision to register the Option or the Shares purchased upon the exercise of said Option.
9. General. ValueVision shall at all times during the term of the Option reserve and keep available such number of Shares as will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this Option Agreement. This Option shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Minnesota.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, ValueVision and Director have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
VALUEVISION INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By: _____________________________________
Nathan E. Fagre, Sr. Vice President
Director
By: _____________________________________