Exhibit 10.1
ENANTA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
2019 Equity Incentive Plan
(As amended through March 2, 2023)
The purpose of this 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (this “Plan”) of Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), is to advance the interests of the Company’s stockholders by enhancing the Company’s ability to attract, retain and motivate persons who are expected to make important contributions to the Company and by providing such persons with equity ownership opportunities and performance-based incentives that are intended to better align the interests of such persons with those of the Company’s stockholders. Except where the context otherwise requires, the term “Company” shall include any of the Company’s present or future parent or subsidiary corporations as defined in Sections 424(e) or (f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any regulations thereunder (the “Code”) and any other business venture (including, without limitation, joint venture or limited liability company) in which the Company has a controlling interest, as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”).
All of the Company’s employees, officers and directors, as well as consultants and advisors to the Company (as such terms consultants and advisors are defined and interpreted for purposes of Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or any successor form), are eligible to be granted Awards under this Plan. Each person who is granted an Award under this Plan is deemed a “Participant.” “Award” means Options (as defined in Section 5), SARs (as defined in Section 6), Restricted Stock (as defined in Section 7), Restricted Stock Units (as defined in Section 7) and Other Stock-Based Awards (as defined in Section 8).
3.Administration and Delegation
a.Administration by Board of Directors. This Plan will be administered by the Board. The Board shall have authority to grant Awards and to adopt, amend and repeal such administrative rules, guidelines and practices relating to this Plan as it shall deem advisable. The Board may construe and interpret the terms of this Plan and any Award certificate issued or Award agreement entered into under this Plan. The Board may correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in this Plan or any Award in the manner and to the extent it shall deem expedient, and it shall be the sole and final judge of such expediency. All decisions by the Board shall be made in the Board’s sole discretion and shall be final and binding on all persons having or claiming any interest in this Plan or in any Award.
b.Appointment of Committees. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Board may delegate any or all of its powers under this Plan to one or more committees or subcommittees of the Board (a “Committee”). All references in this Plan to the “Board” shall mean the Board or a Committee of the Board or the officers referred to in Section 3(c) to the extent that the Board’s powers or authority under this Plan have been delegated to such Committee or officers.
c.Delegation to Officers. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Board may delegate to one or more officers of the Company the power to grant Options and other Awards that constitute rights under Delaware law (subject to any limitations under this Plan) to employees or officers of the Company and to exercise such other powers under this Plan as the Board may determine, provided that the Board shall fix the terms of such Awards to be granted by such officers (including the exercise price of such Awards, which may include a formula by which the exercise price will be determined) and the maximum number of shares subject to such Awards that the
officers may grant; provided further, however, that no officer shall be authorized to grant such Awards to any “executive officer” of the Company (as defined by Rule 3b-7 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) or to any “officer” of the Company (as defined by Rule 16a-1 under the Exchange Act).
4.Stock Available for Awards
a.Number of Shares; Share Counting.
i.Authorized Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment under Section 9, Awards may be made under this Plan (any or all of which Awards may be in the form of Incentive Stock Options, as defined in Section 5(b)) for up to such number of shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) as is equal to the sum of:
1.4,575,000shares of Common Stock; plus
2.all shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Company’s 2012 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended through October 1, 2018 (the “2012 Plan”) and not issued as of the date and time of stockholder approval of this Plan (including any shares reserved for issuance under the Company’s 1995 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, that become available under the 2012 Plan), and including the 582,637 additional shares of Common Stock added on October 1, 2018 by the provision for automatic annual increases under the 2012 Plan, but not including any further increases under such provision, which provision shall have no further effect upon stockholder approval of this Plan; plus
3.all shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance upon exercise of options or unit awards that are outstanding as of the date and time of stockholder approval of this Plan and that subsequently expire or are terminated, surrendered or canceled without having been fully exercised or are forfeited in whole or in part or result in any Common Stock not being issued and such shares becoming available for the grant of Awards under this Plan pursuant to Section 4(a)(2)(B).
For the avoidance of doubt, shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the 2012 Plan can only become available for issuance under this Section 4(a)(1)(C), if they are not issuable or issued under awards made under the 2012 Plan.
4.Shares issued under this Plan may consist in whole or in part of authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares.
ii.Share Counting. For purposes of counting the number of shares available for the grant of Awards under this Plan:
1.all shares of Common Stock covered by SARs shall be counted against the number of shares available for the grant of Awards under this Plan; provided, however, that (i) SARs that may be settled only in cash shall not be so counted and (ii) if the Company grants an SAR in tandem with an Option for the same number of shares of Common Stock and provides that only one such Award may be exercised (a “Tandem SAR”), only the shares covered by the Option, and not the shares covered by the Tandem SAR, shall be so counted, and the expiration of one in connection with the other’s exercise will not restore shares to this Plan;
2.if any Award under this Plan or, as applicable, the 2012 Plan (i) expires or is terminated, surrendered or canceled without having been fully exercised or is forfeited in whole or in part (including as the result of shares of Common Stock subject to such Award being repurchased by the Company at the original issuance price pursuant to a contractual repurchase right) or (ii) results in any Common Stock not being issued (including as a result of an SAR that could be settled either in cash or in stock actually being settled in cash), the unused Common Stock covered by such Award shall become available for the grant of Awards under this Plan (even if previously granted under the 2012 Plan); provided, however, that (1) in the case of Incentive Stock Options, the foregoing shall be subject to any limitations under the Code, (2) in the case of the exercise of an SAR, the number of shares counted against the shares available under this Plan shall be the full number of shares subject to the SAR multiplied by the percentage of the SAR actually exercised, regardless of the number of shares actually used to settle such SAR upon exercise and (3) the shares covered by a tandem SAR shall not again become available for grant upon the expiration or termination of such tandem SAR;
3.shares of Common Stock delivered (either by actual delivery, attestation, or net exercise) to the Company by a Participant under this Plan or the 2012 Plan to (i) purchase shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an Award or (ii) satisfy tax withholding obligations (including shares retained from the Award creating the tax obligation) shall not be added back to the number of shares available for the future grant of Awards under this Plan.
4.shares of Common Stock repurchased by the Company in the open market with the proceeds of the exercise price of an option may not be reissued under this Plan.
b.Substitute Awards. In connection with a merger or consolidation of an entity with the Company or the acquisition by the Company of property or stock of an entity, the Board may grant Awards in substitution for any options or other stock or stock-based awards granted by such entity or an affiliate thereof. Substitute Awards may be granted on such terms as the Board deems appropriate in the circumstances, notwithstanding any limitations on Awards contained in this Plan. Substitute Awards shall not count against the overall share limit set forth in Section 4(a)(1) or any sublimit contained in this Plan, except as may be required by reason of Section 422 and related provisions of the Code.
c.Non-Employee Director Aggregate Compensation Limit. The aggregate value of all compensation granted or paid, as applicable, to any individual for service as a non-employee director of the Company with respect to any period commencing on the date of the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders for a particular year and ending on the day immediately prior to the date of the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders for the next subsequent year, including Awards granted and cash fees paid or payable by the Company to such non-employee director, will not exceed (i) $600,000 in total value or (ii) in the event such non-employee director is first appointed or elected to the Board during such period, $900,000 in total value. The value of any Awards included in the calculation of such total value shall be based on the grant date fair value of such Awards for financial reporting purposes, and any compensation shall be counted towards these limits for the service year in which it is earned (and not when settled or paid in the event any such compensation is deferred).
a.General. The Board may grant options to purchase Common Stock (each, an “Option”) and determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be covered by each Option, the exercise price of each Option and the conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of each Option, including conditions relating to applicable federal or state securities laws, as it considers necessary or advisable.
b. Incentive Stock Options. An Option that the Board intends to be an “incentive stock option” as defined in Section 422 of the Code (an “Incentive Stock Option”) shall only be granted to employees of Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc., any of Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s present or future parent or subsidiary corporations as defined in Sections 424(e) or (f) of the Code, and any other entities the employees of which are eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options under the Code, and shall be subject to and shall be construed consistently with the requirements of Section 422 of the Code. An Option that is not intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall be designated a “Nonstatutory Stock Option.” The Company shall have no liability to a Participant, or any other party, if an Option (or any part thereof) that is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option is not an Incentive Stock Option or if the Company converts an Incentive Stock Option to a Nonstatutory Stock Option. No Incentive Stock Option may be granted hereunder more than 10 years after the Effective Date (as defined in Section 11(d) and subject to reset as provided therein).
c.Exercise Price. The Board shall establish the exercise price of each Option and specify the exercise price in the applicable Option certificate. The exercise price shall be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the date the Option is granted; providedthat if the Board approves the grant of an Option with an exercise price to be determined on a future date, the exercise price shall be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on such future date. “Fair Market Value” of Common Stock on any given date means the fair market value of Common Stock determined in good faith by the Board; provided, however, that if Common Stock is admitted to quotation on a national securities exchange, the determination shall be made by reference to market quotations. If there are no market quotations for such date, the determination shall be made by reference to the last preceding such date for which there are market quotations.
d.Duration of Options. Each Option shall be exercisable at such times and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board may specify in the applicable option agreement; provided, however, that no Option will be granted with a term in excess of ten (10) years.
e.Exercise of Options. Options may be exercised by delivery to the Company of a notice of exercise in a form (which may be electronic) approved by the Company, together with payment in full (in the manner specified in Section 5(f)) of the exercise price for the number of shares for which the Option is exercised. Shares of Common Stock subject to the Option will be delivered by the Company as soon as practicable following exercise.
f.Payment Upon Exercise. Common Stock purchased upon the exercise of an Option granted under this Plan shall be paid for as follows:
i.in cash or by check, payable to the order of the Company;
ii.except as may otherwise be provided in the applicable Option certificate or approved by the Board, in its sole discretion, by (i) delivery of an irrevocable and unconditional undertaking by a creditworthy broker to deliver promptly to the Company sufficient funds to pay the exercise price and any required tax withholding or (ii) delivery by the Participant to the Company of a copy of irrevocable and unconditional instructions to a creditworthy broker
to deliver promptly to the Company cash or a check sufficient to pay the exercise price and any required tax withholding;
iii.to the extent provided for in the applicable Option certificate or approved by the Board, in its sole discretion, by delivery (either by actual delivery or attestation) of shares of Common Stock owned by the Participant valued at their Fair Market Value, provided (i) such method of payment is then permitted under applicable law, (ii) such Common Stock, if acquired directly from the Company, was owned by the Participant for such minimum period of time, if any, as may be established by the Board in its discretion and (iii) such Common Stock is not subject to any repurchase, forfeiture, unfulfilled vesting or other similar requirements;
iv.to the extent provided for in the applicable Nonstatutory Stock Option certificate or approved by the Board in its sole discretion, by delivery of a notice of “net exercise” to the Company, as a result of which the Participant would receive (i) the number of shares underlying the portion of the Option being exercised, less (ii) such number of shares as is equal to (A) the aggregate exercise price for the portion of the Option being exercised divided by (B) the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise;
v.to the extent permitted by applicable law and provided for in the applicable Option certificate or approved by the Board, in its sole discretion, by payment of such other lawful consideration as the Board may determine; or
vi.by any combination of the above permitted forms of payment.
g.Limitation on Repricing. Unless such action is approved by the Company’s stockholders, the Company may not (except as provided for under Section 9): (1) amend any outstanding Option granted under this Plan to provide an exercise price per share that is lower than the then-current exercise price per share of such outstanding Option, (2) cancel any outstanding option (whether or not granted under this Plan) and grant in substitution therefor new Awards under this Plan (other than Awards granted pursuant to Section 4(b)) covering the same or a different number of shares of Common Stock and having an exercise price per share lower than the then-current exercise price per share of the cancelled option, (3) cancel in exchange for a cash payment any outstanding Option with an exercise price per share above the then-current Fair Market Value, other than pursuant to Section 9, or (4) take any other action under this Plan that constitutes a “repricing” within the meaning of the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market.
6.Stock Appreciation Rights
a.General. The Board may grant Awards consisting of stock appreciation rights (“SARs”) entitling the holder, upon exercise, to receive an amount of Common Stock or cash or a combination thereof (such form to be determined by the Board) determined by reference to appreciation, from and after the date of grant, in the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock over the measurement price established pursuant to Section 6(b). The date as of which such appreciation is determined shall be the exercise date.
b.Measurement Price. The Board shall establish the measurement price of each SAR and specify it in the applicable SAR certificate. The measurement price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date the SAR is granted; provided that if the Board approves the grant of an SAR effective as of a future date, the measurement price shall be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on such future date.
c.Duration of SARs. Each SAR shall be exercisable at such times and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board may specify in the applicable SAR agreement; provided, however, that no SAR will be granted with a term in excess of 10 years.
d.Exercise of SARs. SARs may be exercised by delivery to the Company of a notice of exercise in a form (which may be electronic) approved by the Company, together with any other documents required by the Board.
e.Limitation on Repricing. Unless such action is approved by the Company’s stockholders, the Company may not (except as provided for under Section 9): (1) amend any outstanding SAR granted under this Plan to provide a measurement price per share that is lower than the then-current measurement price per share of such outstanding SAR, (2) cancel any outstanding SAR (whether or not granted under this Plan) and grant in substitution therefor new Awards under this Plan (other than Awards granted pursuant to Section 4(b)) covering the same or a different number of shares of Common Stock and having an exercise or measurement price per share lower than the then-current measurement price per share of the cancelled SAR, (3) cancel in exchange for a cash payment any outstanding SAR with a measurement price per share above the then-current Fair Market Value, other than pursuant to Section 9, or (4) take any other action under this Plan that constitutes a “repricing” within the meaning of the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market.
7.Restricted Stock; Restricted Stock Units
a.General. The Board may grant Awards entitling recipients to acquire shares of Common Stock (“Restricted Stock”), subject to the right of the Company to repurchase all or part of such shares at their issue price or other stated or formula price (or to require forfeiture of such shares if issued at no cost) from the recipient in the event that conditions specified by the Board in the applicable Award are not satisfied prior to the end of the applicable restriction period or periods established by the Board for such Award. The Board may also grant Awards entitling the recipient to receive shares of Common Stock or cash to be delivered at the time such Award vests (“Restricted Stock Units”) (Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units are each referred to herein as a “Restricted Stock Award”).
b.Terms and Conditions for All Restricted Stock Awards. The Board shall determine the terms and conditions of a Restricted Stock Award, including the conditions for vesting and repurchase (or forfeiture) and the issue price, if any.
c.Additional Provisions Relating to Restricted Stock.
i.Dividends. Any dividends (whether paid in cash, stock or property) declared and paid by the Company with respect to shares of Restricted Stock (“Accrued Dividends”) shall be paid to the Participant only if and when such shares become free from the restrictions on transferability and forfeitability that apply to such shares. Each payment of Accrued Dividends will be made no later than the end of the calendar year in which the dividends are paid to stockholders of that class of stock or, if later, the 15th day of the third month following the lapsing of the restrictions on transferability and the forfeitability provisions applicable to the underlying shares of Restricted Stock.
ii.Other Restrictions. The Company may require that stock transfer restrictions be implemented by the Company’s transfer agent with respect to shares of Restricted Stock, and that dividends or distributions paid on such Restricted Stock shall be deposited in escrow with the Company (or its designee) by the Participant, together with a stock power endorsed in blank. At the expiration of the applicable restriction periods, the Company (or
such designee) shall instruct the Company’s transfer agent to remove the restrictions on transfer regarding the applicable shares no longer subject to such restrictions and deliver them to the Participant, or if the Participant has died, to his or her Designated Beneficiary in accordance with appropriate instructions for electronic delivery of uncertificated shares. “Designated Beneficiary” means (i) the beneficiary designated, in a manner determined by the Board, by a Participant to receive amounts due or exercise rights of the Participant in the event of the Participant’s death or (ii) in the absence of an effective designation by a Participant, the Participant’s estate.
d.Additional Provisions Relating to Restricted Stock Units.
i.Settlement. Upon the vesting of and/or lapsing of any other restrictions (i.e., settlement) with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit, the Participant shall be entitled to receive from the Company one share of Common Stock or (if so provided in the applicable Award certificate) an amount of cash equal to the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock. The Board may, in its discretion, provide that settlement of Restricted Stock Units shall be deferred, on a mandatory basis or at the election of the Participant in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code.
ii.Voting Rights. A Participant shall have no voting rights with respect to any Restricted Stock Units.
iii.Dividend Equivalents. The Award certificate for Restricted Stock Units may provide Participants with the right to receive an amount equal to any dividends or other distributions declared and paid on an equal number of outstanding shares of Common Stock (“Dividend Equivalents”). To the extent provided in the Award certificate, Dividend Equivalents may be credited to an account for the Participant and may be settled in cash and/or shares; provided, however, that they shall be subject to the same restrictions on transfer and forfeitability as the Restricted Stock Units with respect to which they are credited. In no case shall Dividend Equivalents on Restricted Stock Units be paid before such units vest.
8.Other Stock-Based Awards
a.General. Other Awards of shares of Common Stock, and other Awards that are valued in whole or in part by reference to, or are otherwise based on, shares of Common Stock or other property (“Other Stock-Based-Awards”), may be granted hereunder to Participants. In no case shall Dividend Equivalents with respect to Other Stock-Based Awards be paid before such Awards vest. Such Other Stock-Based Awards shall also be available as a form of payment in the settlement of other Awards granted under this Plan or as payment in lieu of compensation to which a Participant is otherwise entitled. Other Stock-Based Awards may be paid in shares of Common Stock or cash, as the Board shall determine.
b.Terms and Conditions. Subject to the provisions of this Plan, the Board shall determine the terms and conditions of each Other Stock-Based Award, including any purchase price applicable thereto.
9.Adjustments for Changes in Common Stock and Certain Other Events
a.Changes in Capitalization. In the event of any stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, combination of shares, reclassification of shares, spin-off or other similar change in capitalization or event, or any dividend or distribution to holders of Common Stock other than
an ordinary cash dividend, (i) the number and class of securities available under this Plan, (ii) the share counting rules set forth in Section 4(a, (iii) the number and class of securities and exercise price per share of each outstanding Option, (iv) the share and per-share provisions and the measurement price of each outstanding SAR, (v) the number of shares subject to and the repurchase price per share subject to each outstanding Restricted Stock Award and (vi) the share and per-share-related provisions and the purchase price, if any, of each outstanding Other Stock-Based Award, shall be equitably adjusted by the Company (or substituted Awards may be made, if applicable) in the manner determined by the Board. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event the Company effects a split of the Common Stock by means of a stock dividend and the exercise price of and the number of shares subject to an outstanding Option are adjusted as of the date of the distribution of the dividend (rather than as of the record date for such dividend), then an optionee who exercises an Option between the record date and the distribution date for such stock dividend shall be entitled to receive, on the distribution date, the stock dividend with respect to the shares of Common Stock acquired upon such Option exercise, notwithstanding the fact that such shares were not outstanding as of the close of business on the record date for such stock dividend.
i.Definition. A “Reorganization Event” shall mean: (a) any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another entity as a result of which all of the Common Stock of the Company is converted into or exchanged for the right to receive cash, securities or other property or is cancelled, (b) any transfer or disposition of all of the Common Stock of the Company for cash, securities or other property pursuant to a share exchange or other transaction or (c) any liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
ii.Consequences of a Reorganization Event on Awards Other than Restricted Stock.
1.In connection with a Reorganization Event, the Board may take any one or more of the following actions as to all or any (or any portion of) outstanding Awards other than Restricted Stock on such terms as the Board determines (except to the extent specifically provided otherwise in an applicable Award certificate or agreement or another agreement between the Company and the Participant): (i) provide that such Awards shall be assumed, or substantially equivalent Awards shall be substituted, by the acquiring or succeeding corporation (or an affiliate thereof), (ii) upon written notice to a Participant, provide that all of the Participant’s unexercised Awards will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such Reorganization Event unless exercised by the Participant (to the extent then exercisable) within a specified period following the date of such notice, (iii) provide that outstanding Awards shall become exercisable, realizable, or deliverable, or restrictions applicable to an Award shall lapse, in whole or in part prior to or upon such Reorganization Event, (iv) in the event of a Reorganization Event under the terms of which holders of Common Stock will receive upon consummation thereof a cash payment for each share surrendered in the Reorganization Event (the “Acquisition Price”), make or provide for a cash payment to Participants with respect to each Award held by a Participant equal to (A) the number of shares of Common Stock subject to the vested portion of the Award (after giving effect to any acceleration of vesting that occurs upon or immediately prior to such Reorganization Event) multiplied by (B) the excess, if any, of (I) the Acquisition Price over (II) the exercise, measurement or purchase price of such Award and any applicable tax withholdings, in exchange for the termination of such Award, (v) provide that, in connection with a liquidation or dissolution of the Company, Awards shall convert into the right to receive liquidation proceeds (if applicable, net of the exercise, measurement or purchase price thereof and any applicable tax withholdings) and (vi) any combination of the foregoing. In taking any
of the actions permitted under this Section 9(b)(2), the Board shall not be obligated by this Plan to treat all Awards, all Awards held by a Participant, or all Awards of the same type, identically.
2.Notwithstanding the terms of Section 9(b)(2)(A), in the case of outstanding Restricted Stock Units that are subject to Section 409A of the Code: (i) if the applicable Restricted Stock Unit certificate provides that the Restricted Stock Units shall be settled upon a “change in control event” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(i), and the Reorganization Event constitutes such a “change in control event”, then no assumption or substitution shall be permitted pursuant to clause (i) of Section 9(b)(2)(A) and the Restricted Stock Units shall instead be settled in accordance with the terms of the applicable Restricted Stock Unit certificate; and (ii) the Board may only undertake the actions set forth in clauses (iii), (iv) or (v) of Section 9(b)(2)(A) if the Reorganization Event constitutes a “change in control event” as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(i) and such action is permitted or required by Section 409A of the Code; if the Reorganization Event is not a “change in control event” as so defined or such action is not permitted or required by Section 409A of the Code, and the acquiring or succeeding corporation does not assume or substitute the Restricted Stock Units pursuant to clause (i) of Section 9(b)(2)(A), then the unvested Restricted Stock Units shall terminate immediately prior to the consummation of the Reorganization Event without any payment in exchange therefor.
3.For purposes of clause (i) of Section 9(b)(2)(A), an Award (other than Restricted Stock) shall be considered assumed if, following consummation of the Reorganization Event, such Award confers the right to purchase or receive pursuant to the terms of such Award, for each share of Common Stock subject to the Award immediately prior to the consummation of the Reorganization Event, the consideration (whether cash, securities or other property) received as a result of the Reorganization Event by holders of Common Stock for each share of Common Stock held immediately prior to the consummation of the Reorganization Event (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock); provided, however, that if the consideration received as a result of the Reorganization Event is not solely common stock of the acquiring or succeeding corporation (or an affiliate thereof), the Company may, with the consent of the acquiring or succeeding corporation, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise or settlement of the Award to consist solely of such number of shares of common stock of the acquiring or succeeding corporation (or an affiliate thereof) that the Board determined to be equivalent in value (as of the date of such determination or another date specified by the Board) to the per share consideration received by holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock as a result of the Reorganization Event.
iii.Consequences of a Reorganization Event on Restricted Stock. Upon the occurrence of a Reorganization Event other than a liquidation or dissolution of the Company, the repurchase and other rights of the Company with respect to outstanding Restricted Stock shall inure to the benefit of the Company’s successor and shall, unless the Board determines otherwise, apply to the cash, securities or other property which the Common Stock was converted into or exchanged for pursuant to such Reorganization Event in the same manner and to the same extent as they applied to such Restricted Stock; provided, however, that the Board may provide for termination or deemed satisfaction of such repurchase or other rights under the instrument evidencing any Restricted Stock or any other agreement between a Participant and the Company, either initially or by amendment. Upon the occurrence of a Reorganization Event involving the liquidation or dissolution of the Company, except to the
extent specifically provided to the contrary in the instrument evidencing any Restricted Stock or any other agreement between a Participant and the Company, all restrictions and conditions on all Restricted Stock then outstanding shall automatically be deemed terminated or satisfied.
10.General Provisions Applicable to Awards
a.Transferability of Awards. Awards shall not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered by the person to whom they are granted, either voluntarily or by operation of law, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution or, other than in the case of an Incentive Stock Option or Awards subject to Section 409A of the Code, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order, and, during the life of the Participant, shall be exercisable only by the Participant; provided, however, except with respect to Awards subject to Section 409A of the Code, that the Board may permit or provide in an Award solely for the gratuitous transfer of the Award by the Participant to or for the benefit of any immediate family member, family trust or other entity established for the benefit of the Participant and/or an immediate family member thereof if the Company would be eligible to use a Form S-8 under the Securities Act for the registration of the sale of the Common Stock subject to such Award to such proposed transferee; provided further, that the Company shall not be required to recognize any such permitted transfer until such time as such permitted transferee shall, as a condition to such transfer, deliver to the Company a written instrument in form and substance satisfactory to the Company confirming that such transferee shall be bound by all of the terms and conditions of the Award. References to a Participant, to the extent relevant in the context, shall include references to authorized transferees. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained in this Section 10(a) shall be deemed to restrict a transfer to the Company.
b.Documentation. Each Award shall be evidenced in such form (written, electronic or otherwise) as the Board shall determine. Each Award may contain terms and conditions in addition to those set forth in this Plan.
c.Board Discretion. Except as otherwise provided by this Plan, each Award may be made alone or in addition or in relation to any other Award. The terms of each Award need not be identical, and the Board need not treat Participants uniformly.
d.Termination of Status. The Board shall determine the effect of the disability, death, termination or other cessation of employment, authorized leave of absence or other change in the employment or other status of a Participant on any Award of the Participant and the extent to which, and the period during which, the Participant, or the Participant’s legal representative, conservator, guardian or Designated Beneficiary, may exercise rights under the Award.
e.Withholding. The Participant must satisfy all applicable federal, state, and local or other income and employment tax withholding obligations before the Company will deliver stock certificates or otherwise recognize ownership of Common Stock under an Award. The Company may decide to satisfy the withholding obligations through additional withholding on salary or wages. If the Company elects not to or cannot withhold from other compensation, the Participant must pay the Company the full amount, if any, required for withholding or have a broker tender to the Company cash equal to the withholding obligations. Payment of withholding obligations is due before the Company will issue any shares on exercise, vesting or release from forfeiture of an Award or at the same time as payment of the exercise or purchase price, unless the Company determines otherwise. If provided for in an Award or approved by the Board in its sole discretion, a Participant may satisfy such tax obligations in whole or in part by delivery (either by actual delivery or attestation) of shares of Common Stock, including shares retained from the Award creating the tax obligation, valued at their Fair Market Value. Shares used to satisfy tax
withholding requirements cannot be subject to any repurchase, forfeiture, unfulfilled vesting or other similar requirements.
f.Amendment of Award. Except as set forth in Section 5(g) and 6(e), the Board may amend, modify or terminate any outstanding Award, including but not limited to, substituting therefor another Award of the same or a different type, changing the date of exercise or realization, and converting an Incentive Stock Option to a Nonstatutory Stock Option. The Participant’s consent to such action shall be required unless (i) the Board determines that the action, taking into account any related action, does not materially and adversely affect the Participant’s rights under this Plan or (ii) the change is permitted under Section 9. In addition, the Board may not take any other action that is considered a direct or indirect “repricing” for purposes of the stockholder approval rules of the applicable securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed, including any other action that is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.
g.Conditions on Delivery of Stock. The Company will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Plan or to remove restrictions from shares previously issued or delivered under this Plan until (i) all conditions of the Award have been met or removed to the satisfaction of the Company, (ii) in the opinion of the Company’s counsel, all other legal matters in connection with the issuance and delivery of such shares have been satisfied, including any applicable securities laws and regulations and any applicable stock exchange or stock market rules and regulations, and (iii) the Participant has executed and delivered to the Company such representations or agreements as the Company may consider appropriate to satisfy the requirements of any applicable laws, rules or regulations.
h.Acceleration. The Board may at any time provide that any Award shall become immediately exercisable in whole or in part, free of some or all restrictions or conditions, or otherwise realizable in whole or in part, as the case may be.
i.Awards. Restricted Stock Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards under this Plan may be made subject to the achievement of performance measures pursuant to this Section 10(i) (“Performance Awards”). Subject to Section 10(i)(4), no Performance Awards shall vest prior to the first anniversary of the date of grant.
ii.Performance Measures. For any Award that is designed to be a Performance Award, the Committee may specify the degree of granting, vesting and/or payout that shall be subject to the achievement of one or more objective performance measures at, below, or above target measures, as the Committee may determine. Such goals may reflect absolute entity or business unit performance or a relative comparison to the performance of a peer group of entities or other external measure of the selected performance criteria and may be absolute in their terms or measured against or in relationship to other companies comparably, similarly or otherwise situated. Such performance measures: (i) may vary by Participant and may be different for different Awards; and (ii) may be particular to a Participant or the department, branch, line of business, subsidiary or other unit in which the Participant works and may cover such period as may be specified by the Committee.
iii.Other. The Committee shall have the power to impose such other restrictions on Performance Awards as it may deem necessary or appropriate.
a.No Right To Employment or Other Status. No person shall have any claim or right to be granted an Award by virtue of the adoption of this Plan, and the grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to continued employment or any other relationship with the Company. The Company expressly reserves the right at any time to dismiss or otherwise terminate its relationship with a Participant free from any liability or claim under this Plan, except as expressly provided in the applicable Award.
b.No Rights As Stockholder. Subject to the provisions of the applicable Award, no Participant or Designated Beneficiary shall have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares of Common Stock to be distributed with respect to an Award until becoming the record holder of such shares.
c.Clawback. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, the Company may recover from a Participant any compensation received from any Award (whether or not settled) or cause a Participant to forfeit any Award (whether or not vested) to the extent that the Committee or the Board determines that such forfeiture should occur in accordance with any so-called “clawback” or recoupment policy duly adopted by the Board and then in effect.
d.Effective Date and Term of Plan. This Plan shall become effective on the date this Plan is approved by the Company’s stockholders (the “Effective Date”). No Awards shall be granted under this Plan after the expiration of ten (10) years from the Effective Date, but Awards previously granted may extend beyond that date. Any increase in the maximum number of shares that may be issued under this Plan (other than an increase merely reflecting a change in the number of outstanding shares of the Company’s capital stock, such as a stock dividend or stock split) shall be considered the adoption of a new plan requiring stockholder approval under Section 422 of the Code, and any such stockholder approval shall automatically reset the Effective Date to the date of such approval and the term of this Plan shall then be extended thereby until ten (10) years from such date.
e.Amendment of Plan. The Board may amend, suspend or terminate this Plan or any portion thereof at any time provided that no amendment that would require stockholder approval under the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market may be made effective unless and until the Company’s stockholders approve such amendment. In addition, if at any time the approval of the Company’s stockholders is required as to any other modification or amendment under Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision with respect to Incentive Stock Options, the Board may not implement such modification or amendment without such approval. Unless otherwise specified in the amendment, any amendment to this Plan adopted in accordance with this Section 11(e) shall apply to, and be binding on the holders of, all Awards outstanding under this Plan at the time the amendment is adopted, provided the Board determines that such amendment, taking into account any related action, does not materially and adversely affect the rights of Participants under this Plan. No Award shall be made that is conditioned upon stockholder approval of any amendment to this Plan unless the Award provides that (i) it will terminate or be forfeited if stockholder approval of such amendment is not obtained within no more than 12 months from the date of grant and (ii) it may not be exercised or settled (or otherwise result in the issuance of Common Stock) prior to such stockholder approval.
f.Authorization of Sub-Plans (including for Awards to non-U.S. Employees). The Board may from time to time establish one or more sub-plans under this Plan for purposes of satisfying applicable securities, tax or other laws of various jurisdictions. The Board shall establish such sub-plans by adopting supplements to this Plan containing (i) such limitations on the Board’s discretion under this Plan as the Board deems necessary or desirable or (ii) such additional terms and conditions not otherwise inconsistent with this Plan as the Board shall deem necessary or desirable. All
supplements adopted by the Board shall be deemed to be part of this Plan, but each supplement shall apply only to Participants within the affected jurisdiction and the Company shall not be required to provide copies of any supplement to Participants in any jurisdiction which is not the subject of such supplement.
g.Compliance with Section 409A of the Code. Except as provided in individual Award certificates or agreements initially or by amendment, if and to the extent (i) any portion of any payment, compensation or other benefit provided to a Participant pursuant to this Plan in connection with his or her employment termination constitutes “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and (ii) the Participant is a specified employee as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, in each case as determined by the Company in accordance with its procedures, by which determinations the Participant (through accepting the Award) agrees that he or she is bound, such portion of the payment, compensation or other benefit shall not be paid before the day that is six months plus one day after the date of “separation from service” (as determined under Section 409A of the Code) (the “New Payment Date”), except as Section 409A of the Code may then permit. The aggregate of any payments that otherwise would have been paid to the Participant during the period between the date of separation from service and the New Payment Date shall be paid to the Participant in a lump sum on such New Payment Date, and any remaining payments will be paid on their original schedule.
The Company makes no representations or warranty and shall have no liability to the Participant or any other person if any provisions of or payments, compensation or other benefits under this Plan are determined to constitute nonqualified deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code but do not to satisfy the conditions of that section.
h.Limitations on Liability. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Plan, no individual acting as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company will be liable to any Participant, former Participant, spouse, beneficiary, or any other person for any claim, loss, liability, or expense incurred in connection with this Plan, nor will such individual be personally liable with respect to this Plan because of any contract or other instrument he or she executes in his or her capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company. The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each director, officer, employee or agent of the Company to whom any duty or power relating to the administration or interpretation of this Plan has been or will be delegated, against any cost or expense (including attorneys’ fees) or liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim with the Board’s approval) arising out of any act or omission to act concerning this Plan unless arising out of such person’s own fraud or bad faith.
i.Governing Law. The provisions of this Plan and all Awards made hereunder shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, excluding choice-of-law principles of the law of such state that would require the application of the laws of a jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.
Approved by Board on Nov. 17, 2018, and by stockholders on Feb. 28, 2019;
Amended by the Board on January 8, 2021 and by stockholders on March 2, 2021;
Amended by the Board on January 7, 2022 and by stockholders on March 3, 2022;
Amended by the Board on January 13, 2023 and by stockholders on March 2, 2023.