American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc.

2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan

ARTICLE 1. ESTABLISHMENT, PURPOSE AND DURATION

1.1 Establishment .    American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, establishes an incentive compensation plan to be known as American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. 2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as set forth in this document. This Plan permits the grant of Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units, Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards. This Plan shall become effective upon shareholder approval (the " Effective Date ") and shall remain in effect as provided in Section 1.3.

1.2 Purpose of this Plan .    The purpose of the Plan is to foster and promote the long-term financial success of the Company and materially increase shareholder value by (a) motivating superior performance by means of performance-related incentives, (b) encouraging and providing for the acquisition of an ownership interest in the Company by Employees as well as Non-Employee Directors, and (c) enabling the Company to attract and retain qualified and competent persons to serve as members of an outstanding management team and the Board of Directors of the Company upon whose judgment, interest, and performance are required for the successful and sustained operations of the Company.

1.3 Duration of this Plan .    Unless sooner terminated as provided herein, this Plan shall terminate ten (10) years from the Effective Date. After this Plan is terminated, no Awards may be granted but Awards previously granted shall remain outstanding in accordance with their applicable terms and conditions and this Plan's terms and conditions.

ARTICLE 2. DEFINITIONS

Whenever used in this Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below, and when the meaning is intended, the initial letter of the word shall be capitalized.

2.1 "Annual Award Limit" or "Annual Award Limits" have the meaning set forth in Section 4.3.

2.2 "Award" means, individually or collectively, a grant under this Plan of Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units, Cash-Based Awards or Other Stock-Based Awards, in each case subject to the terms of this Plan.

2.3 "Award Agreement" means either (i) a written or electronic agreement entered into by the Company and a Participant setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to an Award granted under this Plan, including any amendment or modification thereof, or (ii) a written or electronic statement issued by the Company to a Participant describing the terms and provisions of such Award, including any amendment or modification thereof. The Committee may provide for the use of electronic, Internet or other non-paper Award Agreements, and the use of electronic, Internet or other non-paper means for the acceptance thereof and actions thereunder by a Participant. The Committee shall have the exclusive authority to determine the terms of an Award Agreement evidencing an Award granted under this Plan, subject to the provisions herein. The terms of an Award Agreement need not be uniform among all Participants or among similar types of Awards.

2.4 "Beneficial Owner" or "Beneficial Ownership" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.

2.5 "Board" or "Board of Directors" means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

2.6 "Cash-Based Award" means an Award, denominated in cash, granted to a Participant as described in Article 12.

2.7 "Code" means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time and the applicable regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder and any successor or similar provision.

2.8 "Committee" means the Compensation Committee of the Board or a subcommittee thereof or any other committee designated by the Board to administer this Plan. The members of the Committee shall be appointed from time to time by and shall serve at the discretion of the Board. If the Committee does not exist or cannot function for any reason, the Board may take any action under the Plan that would otherwise be the responsibility of the Committee in which case references to the "Committee" shall be deemed references to the Board. The Committee shall be constituted to comply with the requirements of Rule 16(b) of the Exchange Act, Code Section 162(m) and any applicable listing or governance requirements of any securities exchange on which the Shares are listed; provided , however , that, if any Committee member is found not to have met the qualification requirements of Code Section 162(m) and Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, any actions taken or Awards granted by the Committee shall not be invalidated by such failure to so qualify.

2.9 "Common Stock" means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share, or such other class of share or other securities as may be applicable under Section 4.4 of the Plan.

2.10 "Company" means American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc., and any successor thereto as provided in Section 23.22.

2.11 "Covered Employee" means any Employee who is or may become a "Covered Employee," as defined in Code Section 162(m), and who is designated, either as an individual Employee or class of Employees, by the Committee within the shorter of (i) 90 days after the beginning of the Performance Period, or (ii) 25% of the Performance Period has elapsed, as a "Covered Employee" under this Plan for such applicable Performance Period.

2.12 "Director" means any individual who is a member of the Board of Directors of the Company.

2.13 "Dividend Equivalent " has the meaning set forth in Section 18.

2.14 "Effective Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1.

2.15 "Employee" means any individual performing services for the Company or a Subsidiary and designated as an employee of the Company or the Subsidiary on its payroll records. An Employee shall not include any individual during any period he or she is classified or treated by the Company or Subsidiary as an independent contractor, a consultant or an employee of an employment, consulting or temporary agency or any other entity other than the Company or Subsidiary, without regard to whether such individual is subsequently determined to have been, or is subsequently retroactively reclassified, as a common-law employee of the Company or Subsidiary during such period. An individual shall not cease to be an Employee in the case of (i) any leave of absence approved by the Company or (ii) transfers between locations of the Company or between the Company or any Subsidiaries. For purposes of Incentive Stock Options, no such leave may exceed 90 days, unless reemployment upon expiration of such leave is guaranteed by statute or contract. If reemployment upon expiration of a leave of absence approved by the Company is not so guaranteed, then three months following the 91st day of such leave, any Incentive Stock Option held by a Participant shall cease to be treated as an Incentive Stock Option and shall be treated for tax purposes as a Nonqualified Stock Option. Neither service as a Director nor payment of a director's fee by the Company shall be sufficient to constitute "employment" by the Company.

2.16 "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, or any successor act thereto and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder.

 

2.17 "Fair Market Value" or "FMV" means, with respect to a Share, the fair market value thereof as of the relevant date of determination, as determined in accordance with the valuation methodology approved by the Committee (based on objective criteria) from time to time. In the absence of any alternative valuation methodology approved by the Committee, Fair Market Value shall be deemed to be equal to the closing selling price of a Share on the trading day immediately preceding the date on which such valuation is made on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), or such established national securities exchange as may be designated by the Committee or, in the event that the Common Stock is not listed for trading on the NYSE or such other national securities exchange as may be designated by the Committee but is quoted on an automated system, in any such case on the valuation date (or, if there were no sales on the valuation date, the average of the highest and lowest quoted selling prices as reported on said composite tape or automated system for the most recent day during which a sale occurred). The definition of FMV may differ depending on whether FMV is in reference to the grant, exercise, vesting, settlement or payout of an Award.

2.18 "Grant Date" means the date an Award is granted to a Participant pursuant to the Plan.

2.19 "Grant Price" means the price established at the time of grant of an SAR pursuant to Article 7.

2.20 "Incentive Stock Option" or "ISO" means an Award granted pursuant Article 6 that is designated as an Incentive Stock Option and that is intended to meet the requirements of Code Section 422 or any successor provision.

2.21 "Insider" shall mean an individual who is, on the relevant date, an officer (as defined in Rule 16a-1(f) of the Exchange Act (or any successor provision)) or Director of the Company, or a more than 10% Beneficial Owner of any class of the Company's equity securities that is registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, as determined by the Board in accordance with Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

2.22 "Non-Employee Director" means a Director who is not an Employee.

2.23 "Nonqualified Stock Option" or "NQSO" means an Award granted pursuant to Article 6 that is not intended to meet the requirements of Code Section 422, or that otherwise does not meet such requirements.

2.24 "Option" means an Award granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 6, which Award may be an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option.

2.25 "Option Price" means the price at which a Share may be purchased by a Participant pursuant to an Option.

2.26 "Other Stock-Based Award" means an equity-based or equity-related Award not otherwise described by the terms of this Plan that is granted pursuant to Article 12.

2.27 "Participant" means any eligible individual as set forth in Article 5 to whom an Award is granted.

2.28 "Performance-Based Compensation" means compensation under an Award that is intended to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 162(m) for certain performance-based compensation paid to Covered Employees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Plan shall be construed to mean that an Award that does not satisfy the requirements for performance-based compensation under Code Section 162(m) does not constitute performance-based compensation for other purposes, including Code Section 409A.

2.29 "Performance Measures" means measures, as described in Article 14, upon which performance goals are based and that are approved by the Company's shareholders pursuant to this Plan in order to qualify Awards as Performance-Based Compensation.

2.30 "Performance Period" means the period of time during which pre-established performance goals must be met in order to determine the degree of payout and/or vesting with respect to an Award.

  2.31 "Performance Share" means an Award granted pursuant to Article 10.

2.32 "Performance Unit" means an Award granted pursuant to Article 11.

2.33 "Period of Restriction" means the period when Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units are subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture (based on the passage of time, the achievement of performance goals or upon the occurrence of other events as determined by the Committee, in its discretion) as provided in Articles 8 and 9.

2.34 "Person" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, including a "group" as defined in Section 13(d) thereof.

2.35 "Plan" means the American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. 2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as may be amended from time to time.

2.36 "Restricted Stock" means an Award granted pursuant to Article 8.

2.37 "Restricted Stock Unit" means an Award granted pursuant to Article 9.

2.38 "Share" means a share of Common Stock.

2.39 "Stock Appreciation Right" or "SAR" means an Award granted pursuant to Article 7.

2.40 "Subsidiary" means (i) a corporation or other entity (whether domestic or foreign) with respect to which the Company, directly or indirectly, has the power, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, to elect at least a majority of the members of such corporation's board of directors or analogous governing body, or (ii) any other corporation or other entity in which the Company, directly or indirectly, has an equity or similar interest and which the Committee designates as a Subsidiary for purposes of the Plan.

2.41 "Termination of Employment" means the termination of the Participant's employment with the Company and the Subsidiaries, regardless of the reason for the termination of employment.

2.42 " Termination of Directorship " means the time when a Non-Employee Director ceases to be a Non-Employee Director for any reason, including, but not by way of limitation, a termination by resignation, failure to be elected, death or retirement.

2.43 "Third-Party Service Provider" means any consultant, agent, advisor or independent contractor who renders bona fide services to the Company or a Subsidiary that (a) are not in connection with the offer and sale of the Company's securities in a capital raising transaction, (b) do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company's securities, and (c) are provided by a natural person who has contracted directly with the Company or Subsidiary to render such services.

ARTICLE 3. ADMINISTRATION

3.1 General .    The Committee shall be responsible for administering this Plan, subject to this Article 3 and the other provisions of this Plan. The Committee may employ attorneys, consultants, accountants, agents and other individuals, any of whom may be an Employee, and the Committee, the Company, and its officers and Directors shall be entitled to rely upon the advice, opinions or valuations of any such individuals. No member of the Committee shall be liable for any action taken or not taken in reliance upon any such information and/or advice. All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee shall be made in its sole discretion and shall be final, binding and conclusive upon the Participants, the Company or Subsidiary, and all other interested individuals.

 

3.2 Authority of the Committee .    Subject to any express limitations set forth in the Plan, the Committee shall have full and exclusive discretionary power and authority to take such actions as it deems necessary and advisable with respect to the administration, interpretation and implementation of the Plan including, but not limited to, the following:

(a) To determine from time to time which of the persons eligible under the Plan shall be granted Awards, when and how each Award shall be granted, what type or combination of types of Awards shall be granted, the provisions of each Award granted (which need not be identical), including the time or times when a person shall be permitted to receive Shares pursuant to an Award and the number of Shares subject to an Award;

(b) To construe and interpret the Plan and Awards granted under it, and to establish, amend, and revoke rules and regulations for its administration. The Committee, in the exercise of this power, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan or in an Award Agreement, in a manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or expedient to make the Plan fully effective;

(c) To approve forms of Award Agreements for use under the Plan;

(d) To determine Fair Market Value of a Share in accordance with Section 2.17 of the Plan;

(e) To amend the Plan, an Award or any Award Agreement after the date of grant subject to the terms of the Plan;

(f) To adopt sub-plans and/or special provisions applicable to stock awards regulated by the laws of a jurisdiction other than and outside of the United States. Such sub-plans and/or special provisions may take precedence over other provisions of the Plan, but unless otherwise superseded by the terms of such sub-plans and/or special provisions, the provisions of the Plan shall govern;

(g) To authorize any person to execute on behalf of the Company any instrument required to effect the grant of an Award previously granted by the Board;

(h) To determine whether Awards will be settled in Shares, cash or in any combination thereof;

(i) To determine whether Awards will provide for Dividend Equivalents;

(j) To establish a program whereby Participants designated by the Committee may elect to receive Awards under the Plan in lieu of compensation otherwise payable in cash; and

(k) To impose such restrictions, conditions or limitations as it determines appropriate as to the timing and manner of any resales by a Participant or other subsequent transfers by a Participant of any Shares, including, without limitation, restrictions under an insider trading policy and restrictions as to the use of a specified brokerage firm for such resales or other transfers.

3.3 Delegation .    To the extent not prohibited by applicable laws, rules and regulations, the Committee may delegate to (i) one or more of its members, (ii) one or more officers of the Company or any Subsidiary or (iii) one or more agents or advisors such administrative duties or powers as it may deem appropriate or advisable under such conditions and limitations as the Committee may set at the time of such delegation or thereafter. The Committee or any individuals to whom it has delegated duties or powers as aforesaid may employ one or more individuals to render advice with respect to any responsibility the Committee or such individuals may have under this Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may not delegate its authority (i) to make Awards to Employees (A) who are Insiders, (B) whose compensation for such fiscal year may be subject to the limit on deductible compensation pursuant to Code Section 162(m) or (C) who are officers of the Company who are delegated authority by the Committee hereunder, or (ii) pursuant to Section 21 of the Plan. For purposes of the Plan, reference to the Committee shall be deemed to refer to any subcommittee, subcommittees, or other persons or groups of persons to whom the Committee delegates authority pursuant to this Section 3.3.

 

ARTICLE 4. SHARES SUBJECT TO THIS PLAN AND MAXIMUM AWARDS

4.1 Number of Shares Authorized and Available for Awards .    Subject to adjustment as provided under the Plan, the maximum number of Shares that are available for Awards under the Plan shall be 5,000,000 Shares. Such Shares may be authorized and unissued Shares, Shares that have been reacquired by the Company, treasury Shares or any combination of the foregoing, as may be determined from time to time by the Board or by the Committee. Any of the authorized Shares may be used for any type of Award under the Plan, and any or all of the Shares may be allocated to Incentive Stock Options.

4.2 Share Usage .    The number of Shares remaining available for issuance will be reduced by the number of Shares subject to outstanding Awards and, for Awards that are not denominated by Shares, by the number of Shares actually delivered upon settlement or payment of the Award. For purposes of determining the number of Shares that remain available for issuance under the Plan:

(a) The number of Shares related to an Award granted under this Plan that terminates by expiration, forfeiture, cancellation or otherwise without the issuance of the Shares, are settled through the issuance of consideration other than Shares

(including cash), shall be available again for grant under this Plan.

(b) The number of Shares tendered by a Participant (by either actual delivery or attestation) or withheld by the Company to pay the Option Price of an Option granted under this Plan to satisfy the Participant's tax withholding obligations associated with the exercise or settlement of an Award granted under this Plan, shall become available again for grant under this Plan.

(c) All of the Shares that were subject to a share settled SAR granted under this Plan (to the extent exercised) shall become available again for grant under this Plan.

4.3 Annual Award Limits .    Subject to adjustments pursuant to Section 4.4,

(a) the maximum number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to Options and SARs granted to any Participant in any calendar year shall be 2,000,000 Shares;

(b) the maximum number of Shares that may be paid to any Participant in any calendar year under an Award of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares or Other Stock Based Awards shall be 2,000,000 Shares determined as of the date of grant; and

(c) the maximum aggregate amount that may be paid to any Participant in any calendar year under an Award of Performance Units, Cash-Based Awards or any other Award that is payable in cash shall be $6,000,000, determined as of the date of grant.

4.4 Adjustments in Authorized Shares .    Adjustment in authorized Shares available for issuance under the Plan or under an outstanding Award and adjustments in Annual Award Limits shall be subject to the following provisions:

(a) In the event of any corporate event or transaction such as a merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, separation, reclassification, partial or complete liquidation, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, split up, spin-off, distribution of stock or property of the Company, combination of Shares, exchange of Shares, dividend in kind, extraordinary cash dividend, rights offering to purchase Shares at a price that is substantially below FMV or any other similar corporate event or transaction (" Corporate Transactions "), the Committee, in order to preserve, but not increase, Participants' rights under this Plan, shall substitute or adjust, as applicable, (1) the number and kind of Shares that may be issued under this Plan or under particular forms of Awards, (2) the number and kind of Shares subject to outstanding Awards (including by payment of cash to a Participant), (3) the Option Price or Grant Price applicable to outstanding Awards, and (4) the Annual Award Limits and other value determinations applicable to outstanding Awards. The Committee, in its discretion, shall determine the methodology or manner of making such substitution or adjustment subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations.

       (b) In addition to the adjustments permitted under paragraph 4.4(a) above, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may make such other adjustments or modifications in the terms of any Award that it deems appropriate to reflect any Corporate Transaction, including, but not limited to, modifications of performance goals and changes in the length of Performance Periods, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 14.4.

(c) The determination of the Committee as to the foregoing adjustments, if any, shall be conclusive and binding on Participants under this Plan. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, such adjusted Awards shall be subject to the same restrictions and vesting or settlement schedule to which the underlying Award is subject.

ARTICLE 5. ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

5.1 Eligibility to Receive Awards .    Individuals eligible to participate in this Plan include all Employees, Directors and Third-Party Service Providers.

5.2 Participation in the Plan .    Subject to the provisions of this Plan, the Committee may, from time to time, select from all individuals eligible to participate in the Plan, those individuals to whom Awards shall be granted and shall determine, in its sole discretion, the nature of any and all terms permissible by law and the amount of each Award.

ARTICLE 6. STOCK OPTIONS

6.1 Grant of Options .    Options may be granted to Participants in such number, and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion. Each grant of an Option shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement which shall specify whether the Option is in the form of a Nonqualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option.

6.2 Option Price .    The Option Price for each grant of an Option shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion and shall be specified in the Award Agreement evidencing such Option; provided , however , the Option Price must be at least equal to 100% of the FMV of a Share as of the Option's Grant Date, subject to adjustment as provided for under Section 4.4.

6.3 Term of Option .    The term of an Option granted to a Participant shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion; provided , however , no Option shall be exercisable later than the tenth anniversary date of its grant. If upon the expiration of the term of an Option (other than an Incentive Stock Option), a Participant is prohibited from trading in the Shares by applicable laws, rules or regulations or the Company's insider trading plan as in effect from time to time, the term of the Option shall be automatically extended to the 30th day following the expiration of such prohibition; provided , however , that this provision shall not apply if prohibited by applicable laws, rules and regulations in effect from time to time.

6.4 Exercise of Option .    An Option shall be exercisable at such times and be subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Committee shall in each instance approve, which terms and restrictions need not be the same for each grant or for each Participant.

6.5 Payment of Option Price .    An Option shall be exercised by the delivery of a notice of exercise to the Company or an agent designated by the Company in a form specified or accepted by the Committee, or by complying with any alternative procedures that may be authorized by the Committee, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is to be exercised, accompanied by full payment for the Shares. A condition of the issuance of the Shares as to which an Option shall be exercised shall be the payment of the Option Price. The Option Price of any exercised Option shall be payable to the Company in accordance with one of the following methods:

(a) in cash or its equivalent;

(b) by tendering (either by actual delivery or attestation) previously acquired Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the Option Price;

 

(c) by a cashless (broker-assisted) exercise in accordance with procedures authorized by the Committee from time to time;

(d) through net share settlement or similar procedure involving the withholding of Shares subject to the Option with a value equal to the Option Price;

(e) by any combination of (a), (b), (c) and (d); or

(f) any other method approved or accepted by the Committee in its sole discretion.

Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, all payments under all of the methods indicated above shall be paid in United States dollars or Shares, as applicable.

6.6 Special Rules Regarding ISOs .    The terms of any Incentive Stock Option ("ISO") granted under the Plan shall comply in all respects with the provisions of Code Section 422, or any successor provision thereto, as amended from time to time. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, an Option granted in the form of an ISO to a Participant shall be subject to the following rules:

(a) Special ISO definitions:

(i) " Parent Corporation " shall mean as of any applicable date a corporation in respect of the Company that is a parent corporation within the meaning of Code Section 424(e).

(ii) " ISO Subsidiary " shall mean as of any applicable date any corporation in respect of the Company that is a subsidiary corporation within the meaning of Code Section 424(f).

(iii) A " 10% Owner " is an individual who owns stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or its Parent Corporation or any ISO Subsidiary.

(b) Eligible employees .    An ISO may be granted solely to eligible Employees of the Company, Parent Corporation, or ISO Subsidiary.

(c) Specified as an ISO .    An Award Agreement evidencing the grant of an ISO shall specify that such grant is intended to be an ISO.

(d) Option price .    The Option Price for each grant of an ISO shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion and shall be specified in the Award Agreement; provided , however , the Option Price must be at least equal 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share as of the ISO's Grant Date (in the case of 10% Owners, the Option Price may not be not less than 110% of such Fair Market Value), subject to adjustment provided for under Section 4.4.

(e) Right to exercise .    Any ISO granted to a Participant shall be exercisable during his or her lifetime solely by such Participant.

(f) Exercise period .    The period during which a Participant may exercise an ISO shall not exceed ten years (five years in the case of a Participant who is a 10% Owner) from the date on which the ISO was granted.

(g) Termination of employment .    In the event a Participant terminates employment due to death or Disability (as defined in Code Section 22(e)(3), the Participant (or, in the case of death, the person(s) to whom the Option is transferred by will or the laws of descent and distribution) shall have the right to exercise the Participant's ISO award during the period specified in the applicable Award Agreement solely to the extent the Participant had the right to exercise the ISO on the date of his death or Disability; as applicable, provided , however , that such period may not exceed one year from the date of such termination of employment or if shorter, the remaining term of the ISO. In the event a Participant terminates employment for reasons other than death or Disability, the Participant shall have the right to exercise the Participant's ISO during the period specified in the applicable Award Agreement solely to the extent the Participant had the right to exercise the ISO on the date of such termination of employment; provided , however , that such period may not exceed three months from the date of such termination of employment or if shorter, the remaining term of the ISO.

(h) Dollar limitation .    To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of (i) the Shares with respect to which Options designated as Incentive Stock Options plus (ii) the shares of stock of the Company, Parent Corporation and any ISO Subsidiary with respect to which other Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by a holder of such Incentive Stock Options during any calendar year under all plans of the Company and ISO Subsidiary exceeds $100,000, such Options shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options. For purposes of the preceding sentence, Options shall be taken into account in the order in which they were granted, and the Fair Market Value of the Shares shall be determined as of the time the Option or other incentive stock option is granted.

(i) Duration of plan .    No ISO may be granted more than ten years after the earlier of (a) adoption of this Plan by the Board and (b) the Effective Date.

(j) Notification of disqualifying disposition .    If any Participant shall make any disposition of Shares issued pursuant to the exercise of an ISO, such Participant shall notify the Company of such disposition within 30 days thereof. The Company shall use such information to determine whether a disqualifying disposition as described in Code Section 421(b) has occurred.

(k) Transferability .    No ISO may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution; provided , however , that at the discretion of the Committee, an ISO may be transferred to a grantor trust under which Participant making the transfer is the sole beneficiary.

ARTICLE 7. STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

7.1 Grant of SARs .    SARs may be granted to Participants in such number, and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion. Each grant of SARs shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.

7.2 Grant Price .    The Grant Price for each grant of an SAR shall be determined by the Committee and shall be specified in the Award Agreement evidencing the SAR; provided , however , the Grant Price must be at least equal to 100% of the FMV of a Share as of the Grant Date, subject to adjustment as provided for under Section 4.4.

7.3 Term of SAR .    The term of an SAR granted to a Participant shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion; provided , however , no SAR shall be exercisable later than the tenth anniversary date of its grant.

7.4 Exercise of SAR .    An SAR shall be exercisable at such times and be subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Committee shall in each instance approve, which terms and restrictions need not be the same for each grant or for each Participant.

7.5 Notice of Exercise .    An SAR shall be exercised by the delivery of a notice of exercise to the Company or an agent designated by the Company in a form specified or accepted by the Committee, or by complying with any alternative procedures that may be authorized by the Committee, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is to be exercised.

7.6 Settlement of SARs .    Upon the exercise of an SAR, pursuant to a notice of exercise properly completed and submitted to the Company in accordance with Section 7.5, a Participant shall be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount equal to the product of (a) and (b) below:

(a) The excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over the Grant Price.

(b) The number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised.

Payment shall be made in cash, Shares or a combination thereof as provided for under the applicable Award Agreement.

ARTICLE 8. RESTRICTED STOCK

8.1 Grant of Restricted Stock .    Restricted Stock may be granted to Participants in such number, and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion. Each grant of Restricted Stock shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.

8.2 Nature of Restrictions .    Each grant of Restricted Stock shall subject to a Restriction Period that shall lapse upon the satisfaction of such conditions and restrictions as are determined by the Committee in its sole discretion and set forth in an applicable Award Agreement. Such conditions or restrictions may include, without limitation, one or more of the following:

(a) A requirement that a Participant pay a stipulated purchase price for each Share of Restricted Stock;

(b) Restrictions based upon the achievement of specific performance goals;

(c) Time-based restrictions on vesting following the attainment of the performance goals;

(d) Time-based restrictions; and/or

(e) Restrictions under applicable laws and restrictions under the requirements of any stock exchange or market on which such Shares are listed or traded.

8.3 Issuance of Shares .    To the extent deemed appropriate by the Committee, the Company may retain the certificates representing Shares of Restricted Stock in the Company's possession until such time as all conditions or restrictions applicable to such Shares have been satisfied or lapse. Shares of Restricted Stock covered by each Restricted Stock grant shall become freely transferable by the Participant after all conditions and restrictions applicable to such Shares have been satisfied or lapsed (including satisfaction of any applicable tax withholding obligations).

8.4 Shareholder Rights .    Unless otherwise determined by the Committee and set forth in a Participant's applicable Award Agreement, to the extent permitted or required by law a Participant holding Shares of Restricted Stock granted hereunder shall be granted full rights as a shareholder (including voting rights) with respect to those Shares during the Period of Restriction.

ARTICLE 9. RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

9.1 Grant of Restricted Stock Units .    Restricted Stock Units may be granted to Participants in such number, and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion. A grant of a Restricted Stock Unit or Restricted Stock Units shall not represent the grant of Shares but shall represent a promise to deliver a corresponding number of Shares or the value of each Share based upon the completion of service, performance conditions, or such other terms and conditions as specified in the applicable Award Agreement over the Restriction Period. Each grant of Restricted Stock Units shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.

9.2 Nature of Restrictions .    Each grant of Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to a Restriction Period that shall lapse upon the satisfaction of such conditions and restrictions as are determined by the Committee in its sole discretion and set forth in an applicable Award Agreement. Such conditions or restrictions may include, without limitation, one or more of the following:

(a) A requirement that a Participant pay a stipulated purchase price for each Restricted Stock Unit;

(b) Restrictions based upon the achievement of specific performance goals;

(c) Time-based restrictions on vesting following the attainment of the performance goals;

(d) Time-based restrictions; and/or

(e) Restrictions under applicable laws or under the requirements of any stock exchange on which Shares are listed or traded.

9.3 Settlement and Payment Restricted Stock Units .    Unless otherwise elected by the Participant or otherwise provided for in the Award Agreement, Restricted Stock Units shall be settled upon the date such Restricted Stock Units vest. Such settlement may be made in Shares, cash or a combination thereof, as specified in the Award Agreement.

ARTICLE 10. PERFORMANCE SHARES

10.1 Grant of Performance Shares .    Performance Shares may be granted to Participants in such number, and upon such terms and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion. Each grant of Performance Shares shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.

10.2 Value of Performance Shares .    Each Performance Share shall have an initial value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date. The Committee shall set performance goals in its discretion that, depending on the extent to which they are met over the specified Performance Period, shall determine the number of Performance Shares that shall be paid to a Participant.

10.3 Earning of Performance Shares .    After the applicable Performance Period has ended, the number of Performance Shares earned by the Participant over the Performance Period shall be determined as a function of the extent to which the applicable corresponding performance goals have been achieved. This determination shall be made solely by the Committee.

10.4 Form and Timing of Payment of Performance Shares .    The Committee shall pay at the close of the applicable Performance Period, or as soon as practicable thereafter, any earned Performance Shares in the form of cash or in Shares or in a combination thereof, as specified in a Participant's applicable Award Agreement. Any Shares paid to a Participant under this Section 10.4 may be subject to any restrictions deemed appropriate by the Committee.

ARTICLE 11. PERFORMANCE UNITS

11.1 Grant of Performance Units .    Subject to the terms and provisions of this Plan, Performance Units may be granted to a Participant in such number, and upon such terms and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion. Each grant of Performance Units shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.

11.2 Value of Performance Units .    Each Performance Unit shall have an initial notional value equal to a dollar amount determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion. The Committee shall set performance goals in its discretion that, depending on the extent to which they are met over the specified Performance Period, will determine the number of Performance Units that shall be settled and paid to the Participant.

11.3 Earning of Performance Units .    After the applicable Performance Period has ended, the number of Performance Units earned by the Participant over the Performance Period shall be determined as a function of the extent to which the applicable corresponding performance goals have been achieved. This determination shall be made solely by the Committee.

11.4 Form and Timing of Payment of Performance Units .    The Committee shall pay at the close of the applicable Performance Period, or as soon as practicable thereafter, any earned Performance Units in the form of cash or in Shares or in a combination thereof, as specified in a Participant's applicable Award Agreement. Any Shares paid to a Participant under this Section 11.4 may be subject to any restrictions deemed appropriate by the Committee.  

ARTICLE 12. OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS AND CASH-BASED AWARDS

12.1 Grant of Other Stock-Based Awards and Cash-Based Awards .

(a) The Committee may grant Other Stock-Based Awards not otherwise described by the terms of this Plan, including, but not limited to, the grant or offer for sale of unrestricted Shares and the grant of deferred Shares or deferred Share units, in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions, as the Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion. Such Awards may involve the transfer of actual Shares to Participants, or payment in cash or otherwise of amounts based on the value of Shares.

(b) The Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Cash-Based Awards to a Participant in such amounts and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion.

(c) Each grant of Other Stock-Based Awards and Cash-Based Awards shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.

12.2 Value of Other Stock-Based Awards and Cash-Based Awards .

(a) Each Other Stock-Based Award shall be expressed in terms of Shares or units based on Shares, as determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion.

(b) Each Cash-Based Award shall specify a payment amount or payment range as determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion. If the Committee exercises its discretion to establish performance goals, the value of Cash-Based Awards that shall be paid to the Participant will depend on the extent to which such performance goals are met.

12.3 Payment of Other Stock-Based Awards and Cash-Based Awards .    Payment, if any, with respect to Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Award shall be made in accordance with the terms of the applicable Award Agreement, in cash, Shares or a combination of both as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.

ARTICLE 13. TRANSFERABILITY OF AWARDS AND SHARES

13.1 Transferability of Awards .    Except as provided in Section 13.2, during a Participant's lifetime, Options and SARs shall be exercisable only by the Participant. Awards shall not be transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or pursuant to a domestic relations order entered into by a court of competent jurisdiction. No Awards shall be subject, in whole or in part, to attachment, execution or levy of any kind. Any purported transfer in violation of this Section 13.1 shall be null and void.

13.2 Committee Action .    Notwithstanding Section 13.1, the Committee may, subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations and such terms and conditions as it shall specify, determine that any or all Awards shall be transferable, for no consideration to a Permitted Transferee. Any Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall be further transferable only by last will and testament or the laws of descent and distribution or, for no consideration, to another Permitted Transferee of the Participant. " Permitted Transferees" include (i) a Participant's family member, (ii) one or more trusts established in whole or in part for the benefit of one or more of such family members, (iii) one or more entities which are beneficially owned in whole or in part by one or more such family members, or (iv) a charitable or not-for-profit organization. No Award may be transferred for value without shareholder approval.

13.3 Restrictions on Share Transferability .    The Committee may impose such restrictions on any Shares acquired by a Participant under the Plan as it may deem advisable, including, without limitation, minimum holding period requirements, restrictions under applicable federal securities laws, under the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which such Shares are then listed or traded or under any blue sky or state securities laws applicable to such Shares.

ARTICLE 14. PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION AND COMPLIANCE

WITH CODE SECTION 162(M)

14.1 Compliance with Section 162(m) .    The provisions of the Plan are intended to ensure that all Options and SARs granted hereunder to any Participant who is or may be a Covered Employee at the time of exercise of such Option or SAR qualify for exemption from the limitation on deductibility imposed by Code Section 162(m) and that such Options and SARs shall therefore be considered Performance-Based Compensation and this Plan shall be interpreted and operated consistent with that intention. The Committee may designate any Award (other than an Option or SAR) as Performance-Based Compensation upon grant, in each case based upon a determination that (i) the Participant is or may be a Covered Employee with respect to such Award, and (ii) the Committee wishes such award to qualify for exemption from the limitation on deductibility imposed by Code Section 162(m) that is set forth in Section 162(m)(4)(c). The Committee shall have the sole authority to specify which Awards are to be granted in compliance with Section 162(m) and treated as Performance-Based Compensation.

14.2 162(m) Performance-Based Compensation Grant .    The Participants to receive Performance-Based Compensation will be designated, and the targets for the applicable Performance Measures will be established, by the Committee within ninety (90) days following the commencement of the applicable performance period (or such earlier or later date permitted or required by Code Section 162(m)). Each Participant will be assigned a target dollar amount or number of Shares payable if the applicable performance targets are achieved. Any payment of Performance-Based Compensation intended to comply with Code Section 162(m) shall be conditioned on the written certification of the Committee in each case that the applicable targets for the Performance Measures and any other material conditions were satisfied. The Committee may determine, at the time of Award grant, that if performance exceeds the specified targets, the Award may be settled with payment greater than the target amount, but in no event may such payment exceed the Annual Award Limits. The Committee retains the right to reduce any Award notwithstanding the attainment of the target Performance Measures.

14.3 Performance Measures .    The performance goals upon which the payment or vesting of an Award to a Covered Employee that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation shall be limited to the following Performance Measures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Any Performance Measure(s) may, as the Committee, in its sole discretion deems appropriate, (i) relate to the performance of the Company or any Subsidiary as a whole or any business unit or division of the Company or any Subsidiary or any combination thereof, (ii) be compared to the performance of a group of comparator companies, or published or special index, (iii) be based on change in the Performance Measure over a specified period of time and such change may be measured based on an arithmetic change over the specified period (e.g., cumulative change or average change), or percentage change over the specified period (e.g., cumulative percentage change, average percentage change or compounded percentage change), (iv) relate to or be compared to one or more other Performance Measures, or (v) any combination of the foregoing. The Committee also has the authority to provide for accelerated vesting of any Award based on the achievement of performance goals pursuant to the Performance Measures specified in this Article 14.

14.4 Evaluation of Performance .    The Performance Measures shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied on a business unit, divisional, subsidiary or consolidated basis or any combination thereof. The Committee may provide in any Award intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation that any evaluation of performance may include or exclude the impact, if any, on reported financial results of any of the following events that occurs during a Performance Period: (a) asset write-downs, (b) litigation or claim judgments or settlements, (c) changes in tax laws, accounting principles or other laws or provisions, (d) reorganization or restructuring programs, (e) acquisitions or divestitures, (f) foreign exchange gains and losses, and (g) gains and losses that are treated as extraordinary items under Financial Accounting Standard No. 145 (Accounting Standards Codification 225). To the extent such inclusions or exclusions affect Awards to Covered Employees; they shall be prescribed in a form that meets the requirements of Code Section 162(m) for deductibility.

14.5 Adjustment of Performance-Based Compensation .    Awards that are intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation may not be adjusted upward. The Committee shall retain the discretion to adjust such Awards downward, either on a formula or discretionary basis or any combination, as the Committee determines, in its sole discretion.

14.6 Committee Discretion .    In the event that applicable tax or securities laws change to permit Committee discretion to alter the governing Performance Measures or permit flexibility with respect to the terms of any Award or Awards to be treated as Performance-Based Compensation without obtaining shareholder approval of such changes, the Committee shall have sole discretion to make such changes without obtaining shareholder approval. In addition, in the event that the Committee determines that it is advisable to grant Awards that shall not qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the Committee may make such grants without satisfying the requirements of Code Section 162(m) and base vesting on Performance Measures other than those set forth in Section 14.3.

  

ARTICLE 15. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT; TERMINATION OF DIRECTORSHIP AND

TERMINATION AS A THIRD-PARTY SERVICE PROVIDER

The Committee shall specify at or after the time of grant of an Award the provisions governing the disposition of an Award in the event of a Participant's Termination of Employment or Termination of Directorship. Subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations, in connection with a Participant's termination, the Committee shall have the discretion to accelerate the vesting, exercisability or settlement of, eliminate the restrictions and conditions applicable to, or extend the post-termination exercise period of an outstanding Award. Such provisions shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion and may be specified in the applicable Award Agreement or determined at a subsequent time. The Committee's decisions need not be uniform among all Award Agreements and Participants and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination. In addition, the Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion, the circumstances constituting a termination as a Third-Party Service Provider and shall set forth those circumstances in each Award Agreement entered into with each Third-Party Service Provider.

ARTICLE 16. NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR AWARDS

16.1 Awards to Non-Employee Directors .    The Board or Committee shall determine and approve all Awards to Non-Employee Directors. The terms and conditions of any grant of any Award to a Non-Employee Director shall be set forth in an Award Agreement.

16.2 Awards in Lieu of Fees.     The Board or Committee may permit a Non-Employee Director the opportunity to receive an Award in lieu of payment of all or a portion of future director fees (including but not limited to cash retainer fees and meeting fees) or other type of Awards pursuant to such terms and conditions as the Board or Committee may prescribe and set forth in an applicable sub-plan or Award Agreement.

ARTICLE 17. EFFECT OF A CHANGE IN CONTROL

The Committee shall have full authority to determine the effect, if any, of a change in control of the Company or any Subsidiary on the vesting, exercisability, settlement, payment or lapse of restrictions applicable to an Award, which may be specified in the applicable Award Agreement or determined at a subsequent time. Subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations, the Board or the Committee shall, at any time prior to, coincident with or after the effective time of a change in control, take such actions as it may consider appropriate, including, without limitation: (i) providing for the acceleration of any vesting conditions relating to the exercise or settlement of an Award or that an Award shall terminate or expire unless exercised or settled in full on or before a date fixed by the Committee; (ii) making such adjustments to the Awards then outstanding as the Committee deems appropriate to reflect such change in control; (iii) causing the Awards then outstanding to be assumed, or new rights substituted therefore, by the surviving corporation in such change in control; or (iv) permit or require Participants to surrender outstanding Options and SARs in exchange for a cash payment equal to the difference, if any, between the highest price paid for a Share in the change in control transaction and the Exercise Price of the Award (with out-of-the-money Options being cancelled for no consideration).

ARTICLE 18. DIVIDENDS AND DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS

The Committee may provide Participants with the right to receive dividends or payments equivalent to dividends (" Dividend Equivalents ") or interest with respect to an outstanding Award, which payments can either be paid currently or deemed to have been reinvested in Shares, and can be made in Shares, cash or a combination thereof, as the Committee shall determine; provided , however , that the terms of any reinvestment of dividends must comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, Code Section 409A. Dividends or Dividend Equivalents with respect to Awards that vest based on the achievement of Performance Measures shall be accumulated until such Award is earned, and the dividends or Dividend Equivalents shall not be paid if the Performance Measures are not satisfied. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no dividends or Dividend Equivalents shall be paid with respect to Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.

ARTICLE 19. BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION

Each Participant under this Plan may, from time to time, name any beneficiary or beneficiaries (who may be named contingently or successively) to whom any benefit under this Plan is to be paid in case of his death before he receives any or all of such benefit. Each such designation shall revoke all prior designations by the same Participant, shall be in a form prescribed by the Committee, and will be effective only when filed by the Participant in writing with the Company during the Participant's lifetime. In the absence of any such beneficiary designation, benefits remaining unpaid or rights remaining unexercised at the Participant's death shall be paid to or exercised by the Participant's executor, administrator or legal representative.

ARTICLE 20. RIGHTS OF PARTICIPANTS

20.1 Employment .    Nothing in this Plan or an Award Agreement shall (a) interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate any Participant's employment with the Company or any Subsidiary at any time or for any reason not prohibited by law or (b) confer upon any Participant any right to continue his employment or service as a Director or Third-Party Service Provider for any specified period of time. Neither an Award nor any benefits arising under this Plan shall constitute an employment contract with the Company or any Subsidiary and, accordingly, subject to Articles 3 and 21, this Plan and the benefits hereunder may be amended or terminated at any time in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Board without giving rise to any liability on the part of the Company, any Subsidiary, the Committee or the Board.

20.2 Participation.     No individual shall have the right to be selected to receive an Award under this Plan, or, having been so selected, to be selected to receive a future Award. The Committee may grant more than one Award to a Participant and may designate an individual as a Participant for overlapping periods of time.

20.3 Rights as a Shareholder .    Except as otherwise provided herein, a Participant shall have none of the rights of a shareholder with respect to Shares covered by any Award until the Participant becomes the record holder of such Shares. No adjustment shall be made for dividends or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date on which the Participant becomes the record holder of the Shares.

ARTICLE 21. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

21.1 Amendment and Termination of the Plan and Awards.     Subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations and Section 21.3 of the Plan, the Board may at any time amend or terminate the Plan or amend or terminate any outstanding Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no amendment of this Plan shall be made without shareholder approval if shareholder approval is required pursuant to rules promulgated by any stock exchange or quotation system on which Shares are listed or quoted or by applicable U.S. state corporate laws or regulations, applicable U.S. federal laws or regulations and the applicable laws of any foreign country or jurisdiction where Awards are, or will be, granted under the Plan.

21.2 Adjustment of Awards Upon the Occurrence of Certain Unusual or Nonrecurring Events .    Subject to Section 14.4, the Committee may make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, the events described in Section 4.4) affecting the Company or the financial statements of the Company or of changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles, whenever the Committee determines that such adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent unintended dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under this Plan. The determination of the Committee as to the foregoing adjustments, if any, shall be conclusive and binding on Participants under this Plan. By accepting an Award under this Plan, a Participant agrees to any adjustment to the Award made pursuant to this Section 21.2 without further consideration or action.

21.3 Awards Previously Granted .    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, other than Sections 21.2, 21.4 and 23.14, no termination or amendment of this Plan or an Award Agreement shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted under this Plan, without the written consent of the Participant holding such Award.

21.4 Amendment to Conform to Law.     Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, the Committee shall have the broad authority to amend the Plan, an Award or an Award Agreement, to take effect retroactively or otherwise, as deemed necessary or advisable in order to comply with, take into account changes in, or interpretations of, applicable tax laws, securities laws, employment laws, accounting rules and other applicable laws, rules, rulings and regulations promulgated thereunder. By accepting an Award under this Plan, a Participant agrees to any amendment made pursuant to this Section 21.4 to the Plan and any Award without further consideration or action.

21.5 Repricing of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights.     Except in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Company (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, stock split, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, or exchange of Shares), the terms of outstanding Awards may not be amended, without stockholder approval, to reduce the exercise price of outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, or to cancel outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights in exchange for cash, other Awards, or Options or Stock Appreciation Rights with an exercise price that is less than the exercise price of the original Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.

ARTICLE 22. TAX WITHHOLDING

22.1 Tax Withholding .    The Company may require any individual entitled to receive a payment of an Award to remit to the Company prior to payment, an amount sufficient to satisfy any applicable federal, state, local and foreign tax withholding requirements. The Company shall also have the right to deduct from all cash payments made to a Participant (whether or not such payment is made in connection with an Award) any applicable taxes required to be withheld with respect to such Award.

22.2 Share Withholding .    With respect to withholding required upon the exercise of Options or SARs, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Stock, upon the settlement of Restricted Stock Units, or upon the achievement of performance goals related to Performance Shares, or any other taxable event arising as a result of an Award granted hereunder (collectively and individually referred to as a "Share Payment" ), the Committee may permit or require a Participant to satisfy the withholding requirement, in whole or in part, by having the Company withhold Shares from a Share Payment (or repurchase Shares that were previously issued) having a Fair Market Value on the date the withholding is to be determined equal to the minimum statutory withholding requirement but in no event shall such withholding exceed the minimum statutory withholding requirement.

ARTICLE 23. GENERAL PROVISIONS

23.1 Forfeiture Events.     The Committee may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participant's rights, payments and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. 

 

23.2 Legend .    All certificates for Shares delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stock-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any exchange upon which the Shares are then listed, and any applicable securities law, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.

23.3 Gender and Number .    Except where otherwise indicated by the context, any masculine term used herein also shall include the feminine, the plural shall include the singular, and the singular shall include the plural.

23.4 Severability .    In the event any provision of this Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of this Plan, and this Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.

23.5 Requirements of Law .    The granting of Awards and the issuance of Shares under this Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required.

23.6 Delivery of Title .    The Company shall have no obligation to issue or deliver evidence of title for Shares issued under this Plan prior to:

(a) Obtaining any approvals from governmental agencies that the Company determines are necessary or advisable; and

(b) Completion of any registration or other qualification of the Shares under any applicable national, state or foreign law or ruling of any governmental body that the Company determines to be necessary or advisable.

23.7 Inability to Obtain Authority .    The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company's counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.

23.8 Investment Representations .    The Committee may require any individual receiving Shares pursuant to an Award under this Plan to represent and warrant in writing that the individual is acquiring the Shares for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares.

23.9 Employees Based Outside of the United States .    Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, in order to comply with the laws in other countries in which the Company or any Subsidiaries operate or have Employees, Directors or Third-Party Service Providers, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to:

(a) Determine which Subsidiaries shall be covered by this Plan;

(b) Determine which Employees, Directors or Third-Party Service Providers outside the United States are eligible to participate in this Plan;

(c) Modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to Employees, Directors or Third-Party Service Providers outside the United States to comply with applicable foreign laws;

(d) Establish sub-plans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures, to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable. Any sub-plans and modifications to Plan terms and procedures established under this Section 23.9 by the Committee shall be attached to this Plan document as appendices; and

(e) Take any action, before or after an Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain approval or comply with any necessary local government regulatory exemptions or approvals.

Notwithstanding the above, the Committee may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate applicable law.

 

23.10 Uncertificated Shares .    To the extent that this Plan provides for issuance of certificates to reflect the transfer of Shares, the transfer of such Shares may be effected on a noncertificated basis, to the extent not prohibited by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange.

23.11 Unfunded Plan .    Participants shall have no right, title or interest whatsoever in or to any investments that the Company or any Subsidiaries may make to aid it in meeting its obligations under this Plan. Nothing contained in this Plan, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind, or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and any Participant, beneficiary, legal representative or any other individual. To the extent that any individual acquires a right to receive payments from the Company or any Subsidiary under this Plan, such right shall be no greater than the right of an unsecured general creditor of the Company or the Subsidiary, as the case may be. All payments to be made hereunder shall be paid from the general funds of the Company, or the Subsidiary, as the case may be, and no special or separate fund shall be established, and no segregation of assets shall be made to assure payment of such amounts except as expressly set forth in this Plan.

23.12 No Fractional Shares .    No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to this Plan or any Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, Awards or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.

23.13 Retirement and Welfare Plans .    Neither Awards made under this Plan nor Shares or cash paid pursuant to such Awards may be included as "compensation" for purposes of computing the benefits payable to any Participant under the Company's or any Subsidiary's retirement plans (both qualified and nonqualified) or welfare benefit plans unless such other plan expressly provides that such compensation shall be taken into account in computing a Participant's benefit.

23.14 Deferrals.

(a) Notwithstanding any contrary provision in the Plan or an Award Agreement, if any provision of the Plan or an Award Agreement contravenes any regulations or guidance promulgated under Code Section 409A or would cause an Award to be subject to additional taxes, accelerated taxation, interest and/or penalties under Code Section 409A, such provision of the Plan or Award Agreement may be modified by the Committee without consent of the Participant in any manner the Committee deems reasonable or necessary. In making such modifications the Committee shall attempt, but shall not be obligated, to maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, the original intent of the applicable provision without contravening the provisions of Code Section 409A. Moreover, any discretionary authority that the Committee may have pursuant to the Plan shall not be applicable to an Award that is subject to Code Section 409A to the extent such discretionary authority would contravene Code Section 409A or the guidance promulgated thereunder.

(b) If a Participant is a "specified employee" as defined under Code Section 409A and the Participant's Award is to be settled on account of the Participant's separation from service (for reasons other than death) and such Award constitutes "deferred compensation" as defined under Code Section 409A, then any portion of the Participant's Award that would otherwise be settled during the six-month period commencing on the Participant's separation from service shall be settled as soon as practicable following the conclusion of the six-month period (or following the Participant's death if it occurs during such six-month period).

(c) In accordance with the procedures authorized by, and subject to the approval of, the Committee, Participants may be given the opportunity to defer the payment or settlement of an Award to one or more dates selected by the Participant; provided , however , that the terms of any deferrals must comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, Code Section 409A. No deferral opportunity shall exist with respect to an Award unless explicitly permitted by the Committee on or after the time of grant.

23.15 Nonexclusivity of this Plan .    The adoption of this Plan shall not be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board or Committee to adopt such other compensation arrangements as it may deem desirable for any Participant.

23.16 No Constraint on Corporate Action .    Nothing in this Plan shall be construed to: (i) limit, impair, or otherwise affect the Company's or a Subsidiary's right or power to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations or changes of its capital or business structure, or to merge or consolidate, or dissolve, liquidate, sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets; or, (ii) limit the right or power of the Company or a Subsidiary to take any action that such entity deems to be necessary or appropriate. The proceeds received by the Company from the sale of Shares pursuant to Awards will be used for general corporate purposes.

23.17 Conflicts.     In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the Plan and any Award Agreement, the Plan shall govern and the Award Agreement shall be interpreted to minimize or eliminate any such inconsistency.

23.18 Recoupment.     Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, all Awards granted under the Plan and any payments made under the Plan shall be subject to claw-back or recoupment as permitted or mandated by applicable law, rules, regulations or Company policy as enacted, adopted or modified from time to time. For the avoidance of doubt, this provision shall apply to any gains realized upon exercise or settlement of an Award.

23.19 Delivery and Execution of Electronic Documents .    To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Company may (i) deliver by email or other electronic means (including posting on a website maintained by the Company or by a third party under contract with the Company) all documents relating to the Plan or any Award thereunder (including without limitation, prospectuses and other securities requirements) and all other documents that the Company is required to deliver to its security holders (including without limitation, annual reports and proxy statements) and (ii) permit Participant's to electronically execute applicable Plan documents (including, but not limited to, Award Agreements) in a manner prescribed to the Committee.

23.20 No Representations or Warranties Regarding Tax Effect .    Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, the Company, Subsidiaries, the Board and the Committee neither represent nor warrant the tax treatment under any federal, state, local or foreign laws and regulations thereunder (individually and collectively referred to as the "Tax Laws") of any Award granted or any amounts paid to any Participant under the Plan including, but not limited to, when and to what extent such Awards or amounts may be subject to tax, penalties and interest under the Tax Laws.

23.21 Indemnification .    Subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations and the Company's Certificate of Incorporation as it may be amended from time to time, each individual who is or shall have been a member of the Board, or a Committee appointed by the Board, or an officer of the Company to whom authority was delegated in accordance with Article 3, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from (i) any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any good faith action taken or failure to act under this Plan, (ii) any and all amounts paid by him or her in settlement thereof, with the Company's approval, or paid by him or her in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her, provided he or she shall give the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his/her own behalf. Notwithstanding the forgoing, no individual shall be entitled to indemnification if such loss, cost, liability or expense is a result of his/her own willful misconduct. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such individuals 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.

23.22 Successors .    All obligations of the Company under this Plan with respect to Awards granted hereunder shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.

23.23 Governing Law .    The Plan and each Award Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the state of Delaware excluding any conflicts or choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of this Plan to the substantive law of another jurisdiction.

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS, INC.

2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan

Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Award Agreement

You have been selected to receive a grant of Nonqualified Stock Options pursuant to the American Axle Manufacturing & Holdings, Inc. 2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth below:

Participant: _______________________________________________________________________________

Number of Options Granted: _________________________________________________________________

Per Share Option Price: _____________________________________________________________________

Grant Date: _______________________________________________________________________________

Expiration Date: ___________________________________________________________________________

THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (the "Agreement"), is made effective as of the Grant Date, as specified above, between American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and the Participant.

RECITALS:

A.  The Company has adopted the American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. 2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). The Plan is incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement. Capitalized terms that are not defined in this Agreement have the same meanings as in the Plan; and

B.  The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Committee”) determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to grant the number of nonqualified stock options (the “Options”) set forth above to the Participant, pursuant to the Plan and this Agreement.

The parties agree as follows:

1.  Grant and Option Price . The Company grants to the Participant the Options. Each Option represents the right to purchase, on the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Agreement, one Share, subject to adjustment pursuant to the Plan.  The purchase price of the Shares subject to the Options (the "Option Price") is specified above. The Options are not intended to be “incentive stock options” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

2.  Vesting of the Options . At any time, the portion of the Options that have become vested and exercisable as described in this Section 2 is referred to as the "Vested Portion.”

(a) Vesting Schedule . Subject to Section 2(b), the Options shall vest and become exercisable, on the following dates (each a “Vesting Date”):

*Whole Shares only; fractional Shares, if any, are vested on the subsequent Vesting Date.

(b) Earlier Vesting and Forfeiture .

(i) Early Vesting: To the extent not already vested under the vesting schedule provided in Section 2(a), the Options shall vest and become immediately exercisable in full (by the Participant or the Participant's beneficiary, as applicable) upon the Participant's (A) death, (B) disability, as defined in the Company’s long-term disability plan applicable to the Participant (‘Disability”), or (C) upon a Change in Control..

(ii) Definition of “Change in Control:” For purposes of this Agreement, “Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:

(iii) Forfeiture: Except as otherwise expressly stated in Section 2(b)(i), if the Participant’s employment with the Company terminates for any reason, to the extent not already vested, the Options shall be forfeited and canceled without consideration, and the Vested Portion of the Options shall remain exercisable for the period set forth in Section 3(a).

3.  Exercise of Options .

(a)  Period of Exercise . The Participant may exercise all or any part of the Vested Portion of the Options at any time before the earliest of:

(i) The tenth anniversary of the Grant Date (after which the Options shall expire, subject Section 6.3 of the Plan):

(ii) Five years following the date of termination of the Participant's employment as a result of the Participant's death or Disability;

(iii) Five years following the date of Participant’s date of Retirement;

(iv) Ninety days following the date of termination of the Participant's employment by the Company without Cause or the date of the Participant's resignation; and

(v) The date of termination of the Participant's employment by the Company for Cause.

(vi) For purposes of this Agreement, “Retirement” means Participant’s voluntary resignation at any time (i) after attaining age 65, or (ii) after attaining age 55 but prior to age 65 with ten or more years of continuous

service with the Company.

(vii) For purposes of this Agreement, "Cause" means (i) neglect of or willful and continuing refusal of the Participant to perform his or her duties with the Company (other than due to Disability), (ii) a breach of any non-competition or "no raid" covenants to which the Participant is subject, (iii) engaging in conduct which is demonstrably injurious to the Company, the Company's Subsidiaries or Affiliates (including, without limitation, a breach of any confidentiality covenant to which the Participant is subject), or (iv) a conviction or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, dishonesty or theft, in each case as determined in the sole discretion of the Company. If an employment agreement between the Company and the Participant is in effect on the Grant Date, "Cause" has the meaning, if any, defined in the employment agreement.

(b) Method of Exercise .

(i) Subject to Section 3(a), the Vested Portion of the Options may be exercised by delivering to the Company at its principal executive offices, or its designee, written notice of intent to so exercise in accordance with the procedures established by the Company from time to time. The Options may be exercised with respect to whole Shares only. Such notice shall specify the number of Shares for which the Options are being exercised and shall be accompanied by payment in full of the aggregate Option Price for the Shares being purchased. The payment of the Option Price shall be made:

(ii) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, the Options may not be exercised before the completion of any registration or qualification of the Options or the Shares as required by applicable state and federal securities laws or any ruling or regulation of any governmental body or national securities exchange that the Company shall in its sole discretion determine in good faith to be necessary or advisable. The Participant may not exercise the Options and no Shares will be issued by the Company when such exercise is prohibited by law or any Company policy then in effect.

(iii) In the event of the Participant's death, the Vested Portion of the Options shall remain exercisable by the Participant's executor or administrator, or the person or persons to whom the Participant's rights under this Agreement shall pass by will or by the laws of descent and distribution to the extent set forth in Section 3(a). Any heir or legatee of the Participant shall take rights granted in this Agreement, subject to the Plan and this Agreement.

4.  No Right to Continued Employment or Further Awards .  

(a) Neither the Plan nor this Agreement shall (i) be construed as giving the Participant any right to continue in the employ of the Company and its Subsidiaries or (ii) be construed as giving the Participant any right to be reemployed by the Company and its Subsidiaries following any termination of employment. Moreover, the termination of employment provisions set forth in this Agreement only apply to the treatment of the Options as specified herein and shall not otherwise affect the Participant’s employment relationship.

(b) The Options are discretionary awards. None of the Options, this Agreement nor the Plan confers on the Participant any right or entitlement to receive another grant of Options, or any other equity-based award at any time in the future or in respect of any future period.

(c) The Company has granted the Options to the Participant in its sole discretion. The Options do not confer on the Participant any right or entitlement to receive compensation in any specific amount for any future fiscal year, and do not diminish in any way the Company's discretion to determine the amount, if any, of the Participant's compensation.

5.  Transferability .  

(a) The Options shall not be transferable other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution, pursuant to a domestic relations order entered into by a court of competent jurisdiction or to a Permitted Transferee for no consideration pursuant to the Plan. Any Option transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall be further transferable only by last will and testament or the laws of descent and distribution or, for no consideration, to another Permitted Transferee of the Participant. The Shares delivered to the Participant upon exercise shall not be subject to transfer restrictions and shall be fully paid, non-assessable and registered in the Participant’s name.

(b) Except as set forth in the Plan, a Participant’s rights under the Plan shall be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant, or in the event of the Participant’s legal incapacity, the Participant’s legal guardian or representative.     

6.  Withholding. No later than the date as of which an amount first becomes includable in the gross income of the Participant for applicable income tax purposes with respect to the Options, the Participant shall pay to the Company or make arrangements satisfactory to the Committee regarding payment of any federal, state or local taxes of any kind required by law to be withheld with respect to such amount. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Committee, the minimum required withholding obligations may be settled in Shares, including Shares to be delivered upon exercise of the Options. The obligation of the Company under this Agreement (including the obligation to deliver Shares upon exercise) shall be conditioned upon such payment or arrangements and the Company shall, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the Participant, including, without limitation, cash payments and withholding any Shares to be delivered upon exercise.

    

7.  Securities Laws; Shareholder Rights .  

(a) This Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required, or the Committee determines are advisable. The Participant agrees to take all steps the Company determines are necessary to comply with all applicable provisions of federal and state securities law in exercising his rights under this Agreement. The Committee may impose such restrictions on any Shares acquired by a Participant under the Options as it may deem necessary or advisable, under applicable federal securities laws, the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which such Shares are then listed or traded or any blue sky or state securities laws applicable to such Shares. In addition, the Shares shall be subject to any trading restrictions, stock holding requirements or other policies in effect from time to time as determined by the Committee.

(b) The Participant shall have no rights as a shareholder of the Company (including, without limitation the right to vote the Shares and the right to receive dividends) with respect to the Options, unless and until Shares are distributed to Participant upon exercise. Following delivery of the Shares upon exercise, the Participant shall have all rights as a shareholder.

8.  Notices .  Notice under this Agreement shall be addressed to the Company in care of its Secretary at the Company’s principal executive offices and to the Participant at the address appearing in the records of the Company for the Participant, or to either party at another address that the party designates in writing to the other. Notice shall be effective upon receipt.

9.  Governing Law . The interpretation, performance and enforcement of the Options and this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to principles of conflicts of law. To the extent any provision of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable or invalid for any reason, the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

10. Options Subject to Plan .

(a) The Options are granted subject to the Plan and to such rules and regulations as the Committee may adopt for administration of the Plan. The Committee is authorized to administer, construe, and make all determinations necessary or appropriate to the administration of the Plan and this Agreement, all of which shall be binding upon the Participant.

(b) To the extent of any inconsistencies between the Plan and this Agreement, the Plan shall govern. This Agreement and the Plan constitute the entire agreement between the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof.  They supersede all other agreements, representations or understandings (whether oral or written and whether express or implied) that relate to the subject matter hereof.

(c) The Committee may at any time, or from time to time, terminate, amend, modify or suspend the Plan, and the Committee may amend or modify this Agreement; provided , however , that no termination, amendment, modification or suspension shall materially and adversely alter or impair the rights of the Participant under this Agreement, without the Participant’s written consent.

11.  Section 409A .   The Options are not intended to provide for a “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and shall be interpreted, administered and construed in a manner consistent with that intent. Notwithstanding the forgoing, if any provision of this Agreement or the Plan causes the Options to be subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, or could otherwise cause the Participant to incur any additional tax, accelerated taxation, interest or penalties under Section 409A, the Committee may in its sole discretion and without the Participant’s consent, modify such provision to (i) comply with, or avoid being subject to, Section 409A, or to avoid the incurrence of any additional taxes, accelerated taxation, interest and penalties under Section 409A, and/or (ii) maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, the original intent and economic benefit to the Participant of the applicable provision without materially increasing the cost to the Company or contravening the provisions of Section 409A. This Section 11 does not create an obligation of the Company to modify the Plan or this Agreement and does not guarantee that the Options will not be subject to taxes, interest and penalties under Section 409A of the Code.

12.  Recoupment .  The Options and any gains received in connection with the exercise of the Options and the sale of the underlying Shares shall be subject to any clawback, recoupment or similar policy as permitted or mandated by applicable law, rules, regulations or any Company policy as enacted, adopted or modified from time to time.

13. Headings . The headings of sections and subsections are included solely for convenience of reference and shall not affect the meaning of the provisions of this Agreement.

14. Successor . All obligations of the Company under the Plan and this Agreement, with respect to the Options, shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.

15.  Signature in Counterparts . This Agreement may be signed in counterparts. Each counterpart shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures were on the same instrument.

Agreed and acknowledged

as of the Date of Grant:

                                         

{Insert Participant Name}

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS, INC.

2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement

You have been selected to receive a grant of Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”) pursuant to the American Axle Manufacturing & Holdings, Inc. 2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan in accordance with the terms and conditions below:

Participant: ________________________________________________________________________

Grant Date: ________________________________________________________________________

Number of RSUs: ____________________________________________________________________

           THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), is made effective as of the Grant Date, as specified above, between American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Participant.

           RECITALS :

          A. The Company has adopted the American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. 2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan is incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement. Capitalized terms that are not defined in this Agreement have the same meanings as in the Plan; and

          B. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Committee”) determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to grant the RSUs to the Participant, pursuant to the Plan and this Agreement.

          The parties agree as follows:

1. Grant of the RSUs . The Company grants to the Participant, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the number of RSUs set forth above. Each RSU corresponds to one Share (subject to adjustment pursuant to the Plan) and constitutes a contingent and unsecured promise of the Company to pay the Participant one Share on the vesting date for the RSU, subject to the terms of the Plan and this Agreement.

2. Vesting of the RSUs .

          (a) Vesting Schedule . Subject to Section 2(b), the RSUs shall vest as follows:

Vesting Date                      Total RSUs

First Annual Anniversary of Grant Date        100%

(b) Earlier Vesting and Forfeiture .

(i) Early Vesting: To the extent not already vested under Section 2(a), the RSUs shall vest in full upon the death or Disability of the Participant or the occurrence of a Change in Control.

(ii) Definition of “Disability:” For purposes of this Agreement, “Disability” means either of the following:

(1) Inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months; or

(2) By reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than 3 months under an accident and health plan covering Employees of the Company.

(iii) Definition of “Change in Control:” For purposes of this Agreement, “Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:

(iv) Forfeiture: Except as otherwise expressly stated in Section 2(b)(i), if the Participant’s service as a member of the Board ceases for any reason, prior to the Vesting Date, the RSUs shall be forfeited and cancelled without consideration.

(c)     Vesting Date . The date on which the RSUs vest pursuant to Section 2(a) or, if earlier, Section 2(b) is referred to as the “Vesting Date.”

 3. Payment of the RSU . Each RSU shall be settled by payment of one Share. Subject to any deferral elections, payment of the RSUs shall occur on the first business day of the month following the month in which the Vesting Date occurs (or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter, but in no event later than March 15th of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the Vesting Date occurs (the “Payment Date”).

               4. Shareholder Rights . Prior to the Payment Date, the Participant shall not have any rights as a shareholder of the Company, unless and until the Shares are distributed to Participant. Following delivery of the Shares upon the Payment Date, the Participant shall have all rights as a shareholder.

    

5. Dividend Equivalent s . Upon payment of dividends with respect to the Shares, the Participant shall be entitled to receive Dividend Equivalents with respect to each outstanding RSU. Dividend Equivalents will be paid quarterly as soon as administratively practicable following the payment of dividends with respect to the Shares, but in no event later than March 15 ^th of the year following the calendar year in which dividends are paid. The Company will determine the form of payment of Dividend Equivalents which may include cash, Shares or a combination thereof. Upon a forfeiture of the RSUs, further payments of Dividend Equivalents shall be cancelled.

6. No Right to Continued Service as a Director . Nothing in the Plan or this Agreement shall (i) be construed as giving the Participant the right to be retained as a member of the Board or (ii) confer on the Participant any right to receive another grant of RSUs or any other equity-based award at any time in the future or in respect of any future period.

7. Transferability .

(a) The RSUs shall not be transferable other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution, pursuant to a domestic relations order entered into by a court of competent jurisdiction or to a Permitted Transferee for no consideration pursuant to the Plan. Any RSU transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall be further transferable only by last will and testament or the laws of descent and distribution or, for no consideration, to another Permitted Transferee of the Participant. The Shares delivered to the Participant on the Payment Date shall not be subject to transfer restrictions and shall be fully paid, non-assessable and registered in the Participant’s name.

(b) Except as set forth in the Plan, a Participant’s rights under the Plan shall be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant, or in the event of the Participant’s legal incapacity, the Participant’s legal guardian or representative.

8. Securities Laws .   This Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required, or the Committee determines are advisable. The Participant agrees to take all steps the Company determines are necessary to comply with all applicable provisions of federal and state securities law in exercising Participant’s rights under this Agreement. The Committee may impose such restrictions on any Shares acquired by a Participant pursuant to the RSUs as it may deem necessary or advisable, under applicable federal securities laws, the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which such Shares are then listed or traded or any blue sky or state securities laws applicable to such Shares. In addition, the Shares shall be subject to any trading restrictions, stock holding requirements or other policies in effect from time to time as determined by the Committee.

9. Notices .  Notice under this Agreement shall be addressed to the Company in care of its Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company and to the Participant at the address appearing in the records of the Company for the Participant, or to either party at another address that the party designates in writing to the other. Notice shall be effective upon receipt.

10. Governing Law . The interpretation, performance and enforcement of the RSUs and this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to principles of conflicts of law. To the extent any provision of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable or invalid for any reason, the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

11. RSUs Subject to Plan .

(a) The RSUs are granted subject to the Plan and to such rules and regulations as the Committee may adopt for administration of the Plan. The Committee is authorized to administer, construe, and make all determinations necessary or appropriate to administer the Plan and this Agreement, all of which shall be binding upon the Participant.

(b) To the extent of any inconsistencies between the Plan and this Agreement, the Plan shall govern. This Agreement and the Plan constitute the entire agreement between the parties regarding the subject matter hereof.  They supersede all other agreements, representations or understandings (whether oral or written, express or implied) that relate to the subject matter hereof.

(c) The Committee may, at any time, terminate, amend, modify or suspend the Plan and amend or modify this Agreement; provided , however , that no termination, amendment, modification or suspension shall materially and adversely alter or impair the rights of the Participant under this Agreement, without the Participant’s written consent.

12. Section 409A . The RSUs are intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”). This Agreement shall be interpreted, administered and construed in a manner consistent with that intent. Notwithstanding the forgoing, if the Company determines that any provision of this Agreement or the Plan contravenes Section 409A or could cause the Participant to incur any tax, interest or penalties under Section 409A, the Committee may, in its sole discretion and without the Participant’s consent, modify such provision to (i) comply with, or avoid being subject to, Section 409A, or to avoid the incurrence of any taxes, interest and penalties under Section 409A, and/or (ii) maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, the original intent and economic benefit to the Participant of the applicable provision without materially increasing the cost to the Company or contravening the provisions of Section 409A. This Section 12 does not create an obligation of the Company to modify the Plan or this Agreement and does not guarantee that the RSUs will not be subject to taxes, interest and penalties under Section 409A.

13. Recoupment . The RSUs, the underlying Shares and any gains received in connection with the sale of the Shares shall be subject to any clawback, recoupment or similar policy as permitted or mandated by applicable law, rules, regulations or any Company policy as enacted, adopted or modified from time to time.

14. Headings . The headings of sections and subsections are included solely for convenience of reference and shall not affect the meaning of the provisions of this Agreement.

15. Successor . All obligations of the Company under the Plan and this Agreement, with respect to the RSUs, shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.

16. Signature in Counterparts . This Agreement may be signed in counterparts. Each counterpart shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures were on the same instrument.

Agreed and acknowledged
as of the Date of Grant:

                                         

{Insert Participant Name}

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS, INC.

2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement

You have been selected to receive a grant of Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”) pursuant to the American Axle Manufacturing & Holdings, Inc. 2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan in accordance with the terms and conditions below:

Participant: ________________________________________________________________________

Grant Date: ________________________________________________________________________

Number of RSUs: ____________________________________________________________________

           THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), is made effective as of the Grant Date, as specified above, between American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Participant.

           RECITALS :

          A. The Company has adopted the American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. 2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan is incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement. Capitalized terms that are not defined in this Agreement have the same meanings as in the Plan; and

          B. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Committee”) determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to grant the RSUs to the Participant, pursuant to the Plan and this Agreement.

          The parties agree as follows:

1. Grant of the RSUs . The Company grants to the Participant, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the number of RSUs set forth above. Each RSU corresponds to one Share (subject to adjustment pursuant to the Plan) and constitutes a contingent and unsecured promise of the Company to pay the Participant one Share on the vesting date for the RSU, subject to the terms of the Plan and this Agreement.

2. Vesting of the RSUs .

          (a) Vesting Schedule . Subject to Section 2(b) herein, the RSUs shall vest as follows:

Vesting Date                      Total RSUs

Third Annual Anniversary of Grant Date         100%

(b) Earlier Vesting and Forfeiture .

(i) Early Vesting: To the extent not already vested under Section 2(a), the RSUs shall vest in full upon the death or Disability of the Participant or the occurrence of a Change in Control.

(ii) Definition of “Disability:” For purposes of this Agreement, “Disability” means either of the following:

(1) Inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months; or

(2) By reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than 3 months under an accident and health plan covering Employees of the Company.

(iii) Definition of “Change in Control:” For purposes of this Agreement, “Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:

(iv) Forfeiture: Except as otherwise expressly stated in Section 2(b)(i), if the Participant’s employment with the Company terminates for any reason, prior to the Vesting Date, the RSUs shall be forfeited and cancelled without consideration.

(c) Vesting Date . The date on which the RSUs vest pursuant to Section 2(a) or, if earlier, Section 2(b) is referred to as the “Vesting Date.”

 3. Payment of the RSU . Each RSU shall be settled by payment of one Share. Payment of the RSUs shall occur on the first business day of the month following the month in which the Vesting Date occurs (or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter, but in no event later than March 15th of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the Vesting Date occurs (the “Payment Date”).

               4. Shareholder Rights . Prior to the Payment Date, the Participant shall not have any rights as a shareholder of the Company, unless and until the Shares are distributed to Participant. Following delivery of the Shares upon the Payment Date, the Participant shall have all rights as a shareholder.

    

5. Dividend Equivalent s . Upon payment of dividends with respect to the Shares, the Participant shall be entitled to receive Dividend Equivalents with respect to each outstanding RSU. Dividend Equivalents will be paid quarterly as soon as administratively practicable following the payment of dividends with respect to the Shares, but in no event later than March 15 ^th of the year following the calendar year in which dividends are paid. The Company will determine the form of payment of Dividend Equivalents which may include cash, Shares or a combination thereof. Upon a forfeiture of the RSUs, further payments of Dividend Equivalents shall be cancelled.

6.  No Right to Continued Employment or Further Awards .  

(a) Neither the Plan nor this Agreement shall (i) alter the Participant’s status as an “at-will” employee of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (ii) be construed as giving the Participant any right to continue in the employ of the Company and its Subsidiaries or (iii) be construed as giving the Participant any right to be reemployed by the Company and its Subsidiaries following any termination of employment. The termination of employment provisions set forth in this Agreement only apply to the treatment of the RSUs as specified herein and shall not otherwise affect the Participant’s employment relationship.

(b) The Company has granted the RSUs to the Participant in its sole discretion. None of the RSUs, this Agreement nor the Plan confers on the Participant any right or entitlement to receive another grant of RSUs, or any other equity-based award at any time in the future or in respect of any future period. The RSUs do not confer on the Participant any right or entitlement to receive compensation in any specific amount for any future fiscal year, and do not diminish in any way the Company's discretion to determine the amount, if any, of the Participant's compensation.

7. Transferability .

(a) The RSUs shall not be transferable other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution, pursuant to a domestic relations order entered into by a court of competent jurisdiction or to a Permitted Transferee for no consideration pursuant to the Plan. Any RSU transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall be further transferable only by last will and testament or the laws of descent and distribution or, for no consideration, to another Permitted Transferee of the Participant. The Shares delivered to the Participant on the Payment Date shall not be subject to transfer restrictions and shall be fully paid, non-assessable and registered in the Participant’s name.

(b) Except as set forth in the Plan, a Participant’s rights under the Plan shall be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant, or in the event of the Participant’s legal incapacity, the Participant’s legal guardian or representative.

8. Withholding. Except as provided in the following sentence, the Company shall withhold Shares from the RSUs to satisfy tax withholding obligations with respect to the RSUs. The Participant may also satisfy (or may be required by the Company to satisfy) all or part of any withholding obligation with respect to the RSUs by remitting the required withholding taxes to the Company, in accordance with the rules and procedures established by the Committee from time to time. The Company shall have the right to take any other action that may be necessary in the opinion of the Company to satisfy all obligations for the payment of withholding taxes with respect to the RSUs pursuant to this Agreement and the Plan.

9. Securities Laws .   This Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required, or the Committee determines are advisable. The Participant agrees to take all steps the Company determines are necessary to comply with all applicable provisions of federal and state securities law in exercising Participant’s rights under this Agreement. The Committee may impose such restrictions on any Shares acquired by a Participant pursuant to the RSUs as it may deem necessary or advisable, under applicable federal securities laws, the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which such Shares are then listed or traded or any blue sky or state securities laws applicable to such Shares. In addition, the Shares shall be subject to any trading restrictions, stock holding requirements or other policies in effect from time to time as determined by the Committee.

10. Notices .   Notice under this Agreement shall be addressed to the Company in care of its Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company and to the Participant at the address appearing in the records of the Company for the Participant, or to either party at another address that the party designates in writing to the other. Notice shall be effective upon receipt.

11. Governing Law . The interpretation, performance and enforcement of the RSUs and this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to principles of conflicts of law. To the extent any provision of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable or invalid for any reason, the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

12. RSUs Subject to Plan .

(a) The RSUs are granted subject to the Plan and to such rules and regulations as the Committee may adopt for administration of the Plan. The Committee is authorized to administer, construe, and make all determinations necessary or appropriate to administer the Plan and this Agreement, all of which shall be binding upon the Participant.

(b) To the extent of any inconsistencies between the Plan and this Agreement, the Plan shall govern. This Agreement and the Plan constitute the entire agreement between the parties regarding the subject matter hereof.  They supersede all other agreements, representations or understandings (whether oral or written, express or implied) that relate to the subject matter hereof.

(c) The Committee may, at any time, terminate, amend, modify or suspend the Plan and amend or modify this Agreement; provided , however , that no termination, amendment, modification or suspension shall materially and adversely alter or impair the rights of the Participant under this Agreement, without the Participant’s written consent.

13. Section 409A . The RSUs are intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”). This Agreement shall be interpreted, administered and construed in a manner consistent with that intent. Notwithstanding the forgoing, if the Company determines that any provision of this Agreement or the Plan contravenes Section 409A or could cause the Participant to incur any tax, interest or penalties under Section 409A, the Committee may, in its sole discretion and without the Participant’s consent, modify such provision to (i) comply with, or avoid being subject to, Section 409A, or to avoid the incurrence of any taxes, interest and penalties under Section 409A, and/or (ii) maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, the original intent and economic benefit to the Participant of the applicable provision without materially increasing the cost to the Company or contravening the provisions of Section 409A. This Section 13 does not create an obligation of the Company to modify the Plan or this Agreement and does not guarantee that the RSUs will not be subject to taxes, interest and penalties under Section 409A.

14. Recoupment . The RSUs, the underlying Shares and any gains received in connection with the sale of the Shares shall be subject to any clawback, recoupment or similar policy as permitted or mandated by applicable law, rules, regulations or any Company policy as enacted, adopted or modified from time to time.

15. Headings . The headings of sections and subsections are included solely for convenience of reference and shall not affect the meaning of the provisions of this Agreement.

16. Successor . All obligations of the Company under the Plan and this Agreement, with respect to the RSUs, shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.

17. Signature in Counterparts . This Agreement may be signed in counterparts. Each counterpart shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures were on the same instrument.

Agreed and acknowledged
as of the Date of Grant:

                                     _________    

{Insert Participant Name}

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS, INC.

2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement

You have been selected to receive a grant of Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”) pursuant to the American Axle Manufacturing & Holdings, Inc. 2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan in accordance with the terms and conditions below:

Participant: ________________________________________________________________________

Grant Date: ________________________________________________________________________

Number of RSUs: ____________________________________________________________________

           THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), is made effective as of the Grant Date, as specified above, between American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Participant.

           RECITALS :

          A. The Company has adopted the American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. 2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan is incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement. Capitalized terms that are not defined in this Agreement have the same meanings as in the Plan; and

          B. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Committee”) determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to grant the RSUs to the Participant, pursuant to the Plan and this Agreement.

          The parties agree as follows:

1. Grant of the RSUs . The Company grants to the Participant, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the number of RSUs set forth above. Each RSU corresponds to one Share (subject to adjustment pursuant to the Plan) and constitutes a contingent and unsecured promise of the Company to pay the Participant one Share on the vesting date for the RSU, subject to the terms of the Plan and this Agreement.

2. Vesting of the RSUs .

          (a) Vesting Schedule . Subject to Section 2(b), the RSUs shall vest as follows:

* Whole Shares only; fractional Shares, if any, are vested on the subsequent Vesting Date .

(b) Earlier Vesting and Forfeiture .

(i) Early Vesting: To the extent not already vested under Section 2(a), the RSUs shall vest in full upon the death or Disability of the Participant or the occurrence of a Change in Control.

(ii) Definition of “Disability:” For purposes of this Agreement, “Disability” means either of the following:

(1) Inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months; or

(2) By reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than 3 months under an accident and health plan covering Employees of the Company.

(iii) Definition of “Change in Control:” For purposes of this Agreement, “Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:

(iv) Forfeiture: Except as otherwise expressly stated in Section 2(b)(i) herein, if the Participant’s employment with the Company terminates for any reason, prior to the Vesting Date, the RSUs shall be forfeited and cancelled without consideration.

(c)     Vesting Date . The date on which the RSUs vest pursuant to Section 2(a) or, if earlier, Section 2(b) is referred to as the “Vesting Date.”

 3. Payment of the RSU . Each RSU shall be settled by payment of one Share. Payment of the RSUs shall occur on the first business day of the month following the month in which each Vesting Date occurs or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter, but in no event later than March 15th of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which each Vesting Date occurs (the “Payment Date”).

               4. Shareholder Rights . Prior to the Payment Date, the Participant shall not have any rights as a shareholder of the Company, unless and until the Shares are distributed to Participant. Following delivery of the Shares upon the Payment Date, the Participant shall have all rights as a shareholder.

5. Dividend Equivalent s . Upon payment of dividends with respect to the Shares, the Participant shall be entitled to receive Dividend Equivalents with respect to each outstanding RSU. Dividend Equivalents will be paid quarterly as soon as administratively practicable following the payment of dividends with respect to the Shares, but in no event later than March 15 ^th of the year following the calendar year in which dividends are paid. The Company will determine the form of payment of Dividend Equivalents which may include cash, Shares or a combination thereof. Upon a forfeiture of the RSUs, further payments of Dividend Equivalents shall be cancelled.

6.  No Right to Continued Employment or Further Awards .  

(a) Neither the Plan nor this Agreement shall (i) alter the Participant’s status as an “at-will” employee of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (ii) be construed as giving the Participant any right to continue in the employ of the Company and its Subsidiaries or (iii) be construed as giving the Participant any right to be reemployed by the Company and its Subsidiaries following any termination of employment. The termination of employment provisions set forth in this Agreement only apply to the treatment of the RSUs as specified herein and shall not otherwise affect the Participant’s employment relationship.

(b) The RSUs are discretionary awards. None of the RSUs, this Agreement nor the Plan confers on the Participant any right or entitlement to receive another grant of RSUs, or any other equity-based award at any time in the future or in respect of any future period.

(c) The Company has granted the RSUs to the Participant in its sole discretion. The RSUs do not confer on the Participant any right or entitlement to receive compensation in any specific amount for any future fiscal year, and do not diminish in any way the Company's discretion to determine the amount, if any, of the Participant's compensation.

7. Transferability .

(a) The RSUs shall not be transferable other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution, pursuant to a domestic relations order entered into by a court of competent jurisdiction or to a Permitted Transferee for no consideration pursuant to the Plan. Any RSU transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall be further transferable only by last will and testament or the laws of descent and distribution or, for no consideration, to another Permitted Transferee of the Participant. The Shares delivered to the Participant on the Payment Date shall not be subject to transfer restrictions and shall be fully paid, non-assessable and registered in the Participant’s name.

(b) Except as set forth in the Plan, a Participant’s rights under the Plan shall be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant, or in the event of the Participant’s legal incapacity, the Participant’s legal guardian or representative.

8. Withholding. Except as provided in the following sentence, the Company shall withhold Shares from the RSUs to satisfy tax withholding obligations with respect to the RSUs. The Participant may also satisfy (or may be required by the Company to satisfy) all or part of any withholding obligation with respect to the RSUs by remitting the required withholding taxes to the Company, in accordance with the rules and procedures established by the Committee from time to time. The Company shall have the right to take any other action that may be necessary in the opinion of the Company to satisfy all obligations for the payment of withholding taxes with respect to the RSUs pursuant to this Agreement and the Plan.

9. Securities Laws .   This Agreement shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required, or the Committee determines are advisable. The Participant agrees to take all steps the Company determines are necessary to comply with all applicable provisions of federal and state securities law in exercising Participant’s rights under this Agreement. The Committee may impose such restrictions on any Shares acquired by a Participant pursuant to the RSUs as it may deem necessary or advisable, under applicable federal securities laws, the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which such Shares are then listed or traded or any blue sky or state securities laws applicable to such Shares. In addition, the Shares shall be subject to any trading restrictions, stock holding requirements or other policies in effect from time to time as determined by the Committee.

10. Notices .   Notice under this Agreement shall be addressed to the Company in care of its Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company and to the Participant at the address appearing in the records of the Company for the Participant, or to either party at another address that the party designates in writing to the other. Notice shall be effective upon receipt.

11. Governing Law . The interpretation, performance and enforcement of the RSUs and this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to principles of conflicts of law. To the extent any provision of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable or invalid for any reason, the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

12. RSUs Subject to Plan .

(a) The RSUs are granted subject to the Plan and to such rules and regulations as the Committee may adopt for administration of the Plan. The Committee is authorized to administer, construe, and make all determinations necessary or appropriate to administer the Plan and this Agreement, all of which shall be binding upon the Participant.

(b) To the extent of any inconsistencies between the Plan and this Agreement, the Plan shall govern. This Agreement and the Plan constitute the entire agreement between the parties regarding the subject matter hereof.  They supersede all other agreements, representations or understandings (whether oral or written, express or implied) that relate to the subject matter hereof.

(c) The Committee may, at any time, terminate, amend, modify or suspend the Plan and amend or modify this Agreement; provided , however , that no termination, amendment, modification or suspension shall materially and adversely alter or impair the rights of the Participant under this Agreement, without the Participant’s written consent.

13. Section 409A . The RSUs are intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”). This Agreement shall be interpreted, administered and construed in a manner consistent with that intent. Notwithstanding the forgoing, if the Company determines that any provision of this Agreement or the Plan contravenes Section 409A or could cause the Participant to incur any tax, interest or penalties under Section 409A, the Committee may, in its sole discretion and without the Participant’s consent, modify such provision to (i) comply with, or avoid being subject to, Section 409A, or to avoid the incurrence of any taxes, interest and penalties under Section 409A, and/or (ii) maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, the original intent and economic benefit to the Participant of the applicable provision without materially increasing the cost to the Company or contravening the provisions of Section 409A. This Section 12 does not create an obligation of the Company to modify the Plan or this Agreement and does not guarantee that the RSUs will not be subject to taxes, interest and penalties under Section 409A.

14. Recoupment . The RSUs, the underlying Shares and any gains received in connection with the sale of the Shares shall be subject to any clawback, recoupment or similar policy as permitted or mandated by applicable law, rules, regulations or any Company policy as enacted, adopted or modified from time to time.

15. Headings . The headings of sections and subsections are included solely for convenience of reference and shall not affect the meaning of the provisions of this Agreement.

16. Successor . All obligations of the Company under the Plan and this Agreement, with respect to the RSUs, shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.

17. Signature in Counterparts . This Agreement may be signed in counterparts. Each counterpart shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures were on the same instrument.

Agreed and acknowledged
as of the Date of Grant:

                                     _________    

{Insert Participant Name}

AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS, INC.

2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan

Form of Performance Unit Award Agreement

                        

You have been selected to receive a grant of Performance Units pursuant to the American Axle Manufacturing & Holdings, Inc. 2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) as specified below:

Participant: ___________________________________________________________________________________

Grant Date: ___________________________________________________________________________________

Number of Performance Units Granted: Threshold: _______ Target: _______ Maximum: _______

Performance Period: ___________________________________________________________________________

          THIS AWARD AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), is made effective as of the Grant Date, as specified above, between American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Participant.

           RECITALS :

          A. The Company has adopted the American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. 2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan is incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement. Capitalized terms that are not defined in this Agreement have the same meanings as in the Plan; and

          B. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Committee”) determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to grant the Award provided for in this Agreement to the Participant, pursuant to the Plan and the terms of this Agreement.

          The parties agree as follows:

          1. Grant of the Award and Performance Period . The Company grants to the Participant, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, a Performance Unit award (the “Award”) with a target opportunity as specified above (the “Target Award Opportunity”), with each Performance Unit being equivalent to a fixed amount of $1.00, for the Performance Period specified above.

2. Performance Measure and Performance Goals . The performance measure under this Award shall be the Company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”). The performance measure under this Award shall relate to the achievement of certain performance goals (i.e. threshold, target and maximum) based on the thirty-three (33) month cumulative EBITDA as a percentage of net sales over the specified Performance Period, as calculated below:

33 Month Cumulative EBITDA % = Sum of EBITDA Over 33 Months

Sum of Net Sales Over 33 Months

The Participant shall earn the percentage of the Target Award Opportunity that corresponds to the achieved performance goal for the Performance Period as set forth below:

Linear interpolation shall be used to determine the percent of Target Award Opportunity earned above the threshold or below the maximum, in the event that the Company’s three-year cumulative EBITDA falls between the percentages listed in the chart above.

          3. Determination of the Award . Subject to the Plan and this Agreement, the Participant’s earned Award for the Performance Period shall equal the product of: (a) the Participant’s Target Award Opportunity and (b) the percent of Target Award Opportunity earned as determined in Section 2 above. Performance below Threshold will result in no payout, and performance above Maximum will result in a payout capped at the maximum 200%. The Committee shall have the sole authority to calculate the Participant’s earned Award.

4. Form and Timing of Award . Subject to the approval of the Committee, payment of the Participant’s earned Award, if any, shall be made in cash, in a single lump sum, in the following manner:

(a) T iming: The participant shall receive payment of his or her earned award no later than the fifteenth (15 ^th ) day of the third month following the end of the Performance Period (“Payment Date”), provided that the Participant has been continuously employed by the Company through the end of the Performance Period, until and including the Payment Date.

(b) Impact of Employment Termination: If the Participant’s employment is terminated during the Performance Period due to death, Disability, or Retirement, or by the Company other than for “Cause,” then the Participant shall be entitled to be paid a pro rata Award, as determined under this subparagraph (b). The pro rata Award shall equal the product of (x) and (y) where (x) is the Award the Participant would have earned based on actual performance measured as of the end of the quarterly reporting period that includes the date through which the Participant was employed by the Company and (y) is a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of calendar months that the Participant was employed by the Company during the Performance Period (with any partial month counting as a full month for this purpose) and the denominator of which is the number of months in the Performance Period. Any payouts shall be made as soon as is practical following such payout determination but no later than the the fifteenth (15 ^th ) day of the third month following the end of the quarterly reporting period that includes the date of termination of the Participant’s employment.

(c) Impact of a Change in Control: In the event of a Change in Control of the Company, the Participant shall be entitled to be paid a pro rata award, as determined under this subparagraph (c). The pro rata award shall be equal to the product of (x) and (y), where (x) is the Award the Participant would have earned based on actual performance measured as of the end of the quarterly reporting period that includes the occurrence of the Change in Control and (y) is a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of calendar months that the Participant was employed by the Company during the Performance Period (with any partial month counting as a full month for this purpose) prior to the occurrence of the Change in Control, and the denominator of which is the number of months in the Performance Period. Any payouts shall be made as soon as is practical following such payout determination but no later than the the fifteenth (15 ^th ) day of the third month following the end of the quarterly reporting period that includes the

date of the occurrence of a Change in Control.

(d) Definition of “Change in Control:” For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:

(e) Definition of “Disability:” For purposes of this Agreement, “Disability” means either of the following:

(1) Inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months; or

(2) By reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than 3 months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Company.

(f) Definition of “Cause:” For purposes of this Agreement, "Cause" means (i) neglect of or willful and continuing refusal of the Participant to perform his or her duties with the Company (other than due to Disability), (ii) a breach of any non-competition or "no raid" covenants to which the Participant is subject, (iii) engaging in conduct which is demonstrably injurious to the Company, the Company's Subsidiaries or Affiliates (including, without limitation, a breach of any confidentiality covenant to which the Participant is subject), or (iv) a conviction or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, dishonesty or theft, in each case as determined in the sole discretion of the Company. If an employment agreement between the Company and the Participant is in effect on the Grant Date, "Cause" has the meaning, if any, defined in the employment agreement.

(g) Definition of “Retirement:” For purposes of this Agreement, “Retirement” means the Participant’s voluntary resignation at any time (i) after attaining age 65, or (ii) after attaining age 55 but prior to age 65 with ten or more years of continuous service with the Company.

(h) Forfeiture. Except as otherwise expressly stated in Section 4(b), if the Participant’s employment with the Company terminates for any reason, prior to the end of the Performance Period, then the Participant shall not be entitled to the payment of any Award hereunder.

5. Discretion to Adjust Performance Measures and Performance Goals . I n calculating the Participant’s Award under this Agreement, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may exclude certain special items from EBITDA in accordance with the Plan.

6.  No Right to Continued Employment or Further Awards .  

(a) Neither the Plan nor this Agreement shall (i) alter the Participant’s status as an “at will” employee of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (ii) be construed as giving the Participant any right to continue in the employ of the Company and its Subsidiaries or (iii) be construed as giving the Participant any right to be reemployed by the Company and its Subsidiaries following any termination of employment. The termination of employment provisions in this Agreement only apply to the treatment of the Award as specified herein and shall not otherwise affect the Participant’s employment relationship.

(b) The Company has granted the Award to the Participant in its sole discretion. Neither this Agreement nor the Plan confers on the Participant any right or entitlement to receive another Award, or any other similar award at any time in the future or in respect of any future period. The Award does not confer on the Participant any right or entitlement to receive compensation in any specific amount for any future fiscal year, and does not diminish in any way the Company's discretion to determine the amount, if any, of the Participant's compensation.

7.  Transferability .  

(a) The Award shall not be transferable other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution, pursuant to a domestic relations order entered into by a court of competent jurisdiction or to a Permitted Transferee for no consideration pursuant to the Plan. Any Award transferred to a Permitted Transferee shall be further transferable only by last will and testament or the laws of descent and distribution or, for no consideration, to another Permitted Transferee of the Participant.

(b) Except as set forth in the Plan, a Participant’s rights under the Plan shall be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant, or in the event of the Participant’s legal incapacity, the Participant’s legal guardian or representative.

8. Withholding . Subject to the Plan, the Company may require any individual entitled to receive a payment of an Award to remit to the Company prior to payment, an amount sufficient to satisfy any applicable federal, state, local and foreign tax withholding requirements. The Company shall also have the right to deduct from all cash payments made to a Participant (whether or not such payment is made in connection with an Award) any applicable taxes required to be withheld with respect to such Award.

9. Notices . Notice under this Agreement shall be addressed to the Company in care of its Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Company and to the Participant at the address appearing in the records of the Company for the Participant, or to either party at another address that the party designates in writing to the other. Notice shall be effective upon receipt.

10.  Governing Law . The interpretation, performance and enforcement of the Award and this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to principles of conflicts of law. To the extent any provision of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable or invalid for any reason, the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

11. Award Subject to Plan .

(a) The Award is granted subject to the Plan and to such rules and regulations the Committee may adopt for administration of the Plan. The Committee is authorized to administer, construe, and make all determinations necessary or appropriate to administer the Plan and this Agreement, all of which shall be binding upon the Participant.

(b) To the extent of any inconsistencies between the Plan and this Agreement, the Plan shall govern. This Agreement and the Plan constitute the entire agreement between the parties regarding the subject matter hereof. They supersede all other agreements, representations or understandings (wherether oral or written, express or implied) that relate to the subject matter hereof.

(c) The Committee may terminate, amend, or modify or suspend the Plan and amend or modify this Agreement ; provided , however , that no termination, amendment, modification or suspension shall materially and adversely affect the Participant’s rights under this Agreement, without the Participant’s written consent.

  12. Section 409A . The Award is not intended to provide for a “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”) and shall be interpreted and construed in a manner consistent with that intent. If any provision of this Agreement or the Plan causes the Award to be subject to the requirements of Section 409A, or could otherwise cause the Participant to recognize income or be subject to the interest and penalties under Section 409A, then the provision shall have no effect or, to the extent practicable, the Committee may, in its sole discretion and without the Participant’s consent, modify the provision to (i) comply with, or avoid being subject to Section 409A, or to avoid the incurrence of any taxes, interest and penalties under Section 409A, and/or (ii) maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, the original intent and economic benefit to the Participant of the applicable provision without materially increasing the cost to the Company or contravening the provisions of Section 409A. This Section 12 does not create an obligation of the Company to modify the Plan or this Agreement and does not guarantee that the Award will not be subject to taxes, interest and penalties under Section 409A.

13. Recoupment . The Participant’s earned Award shall be subject to any clawback, recoupment or similar policy as permitted or mandated by applicable law, rules, regulations or any Company policy as enacted, adopted or modified from time to time.

14. Headings . The headings of sections and subsections are included solely for convenience of reference and shall not affect the meaning of the provisions of this Agreement.

15. Successor . All obligations of the Company under the Plan and this Agreement, with respect to the Award, shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.

16. Signature in Counterparts . This Agreement may be signed in counterparts. Each counterpart shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures were on the same instrument.

Agreed and acknowledged

as of the Date of Grant:

                                         

{Insert Participant Name}