UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO

SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): May 25, 2016

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

Delaware

 

001-35380

 

45-3007926

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or
Organization)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

15 W. Sixth Street, Suite 900, Tulsa, Oklahoma

 

74119

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (918) 513-4570

 

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

o             Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o             Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o             Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o             Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 



 

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers, Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

 

Amendment of Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan

 

Laredo Petroleum, Inc. (the “ Company ”) held its 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “ Annual Meeting ”) on Wednesday, May 25, 2016.  At the Annual Meeting, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment (the “ Amendment ”) to the Laredo Petroleum, Inc. 2011 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (the “ 2011 Plan ”) to, among other things, increase the maximum number of shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “ Common Stock ”), issuable under the 2011 Plan from 10,000,000 shares to 24,350,000 shares (the 2011 Plan, as amended and restated, the “ Amended Incentive Plan ”). The Company’s Board of Directors (the “ Board ”) had previously approved the Amendment on March 30, 2016, subject to stockholder approval.

 

Under the Amended Incentive Plan, awards of stock options, including both incentive stock options and nonstatutory stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and restricted stock units, stock bonus awards and performance compensation awards may be granted to current and future employees, consultants and directors of the Company and its subsidiaries, provided that incentive stock options may be granted only to employees. The Amended Incentive Plan will terminate automatically on December 20, 2021.  No awards will be granted under the Amended Incentive Plan after the termination date, but awards granted prior to the termination date may extend beyond such date.

 

The principal terms of the Amended Incentive Plan are described in the Company’s proxy statement for the Annual Meeting, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 4, 2016, which description is incorporated herein by reference and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Amended Incentive Plan, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 5.02 by reference.

 

Forms of Award Agreements

 

The Compensation Committee (the “ Committee ”) of the Board approved the following new forms of award agreements for use in connection with grants of awards under the Amended Incentive Plan: (1) form of restricted stock agreement, attached hereto as Exhibit 10.2; (2) form of stock option agreement, attached hereto as Exhibit 10.3; and (3) form of performance share unit award agreement, attached hereto as Exhibit 10.4, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.07.  Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

 

As discussed above, the Company held its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. At the Annual Meeting, the Company’s stockholders were requested to: (1) elect B.Z. (Bill) Parker, Pamela S. Pierce and Ambassador Francis Rooney (the “ Class III Directors ”) to serve on the Board for terms of office expiring at the Company’s 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and thereafter until each of their successors is elected and qualified or his or her earlier resignation or removal; (2) approve the Amendment and the performance-based compensation terms under the Amended Incentive Plan for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; (3) ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2016; and (4) approve an advisory (non-binding) resolution regarding the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers. As of March 28,

 

1



 

2016, the record date for the Annual Meeting, there were 213,447,648 shares of Common Stock outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting and a total of 200,532,455 (approximately 93.9%) were represented in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting, constituting a quorum. The following tables present the final voting results on proposals considered and voted upon at the Annual Meeting, each of which is more fully described in the Company’s definitive proxy statement filed on April 4, 2016:

 

1. Each of the Class III Directors was elected to the Board to serve a three-year term expiring at the Company’s 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and thereafter until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her earlier resignation or removal. Votes regarding the election of these directors were as follows:

 

NOMINEE

 

VOTES FOR

 

WITHHELD

 

BROKER NON-VOTES

 

B.Z. (Bill) Parker

 

190,224,250

 

475,804

 

9,832,401

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pamela S. Pierce

 

189,858,837

 

841,217

 

9,832,401

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ambassador Francis Rooney

 

156,781,599

 

33,918,455

 

9,832,401

 

 

2. The Amendment and the performance-based compensation terms under the Amended Incentive Plan were approved. The voting results were as follows:

 

VOTES FOR

 

VOTES AGAINST

 

VOTES ABSTAINED

 

BROKER NON-VOTES

 

179,511,289

 

10,862,783

 

325,982

 

9,832,401

 

 

3. Grant Thornton LLP was ratified as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2016. The voting results were as follows:

 

VOTES FOR

 

VOTES AGAINST

 

VOTES ABSTAINED

 

BROKER NON-VOTES

 

200,164,387

 

113,574

 

254,494

 

0

 

 

4. The voting results for the advisory (non-binding) resolution regarding the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers were as follows:

 

VOTES FOR

 

VOTES AGAINST

 

VOTES ABSTAINED

 

BROKER NON-VOTES

 

178,067,473

 

12,200,385

 

432,196

 

9,832,401

 

 

2



 

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)  Exhibits .

 

Exhibit Number

 

Description

 

 

 

10.1#

 

Laredo Petroleum, Inc. Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and restated as of March 30, 2016

10.2#

 

Form of Restricted Stock Agreement

10.3#

 

Form of Stock Option Agreement

10.4#

 

Form of Performance Share Unit Award Agreement

 


#  Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement

 

3



 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date: May 25, 2016

By:

/s/ Kenneth E. Dornblaser

 

 

Kenneth E. Dornblaser

 

 

Senior Vice President and General Counsel

 

4



 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit Number

 

Description

 

 

 

10.1#

 

Laredo Petroleum, Inc. Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and restated as of March 30, 2016

10.2#

 

Form of Restricted Stock Agreement

10.3#

 

Form of Stock Option Agreement

10.4#

 

Form of Performance Share Unit Award Agreement

 


#  Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement

 

5


Exhibit 10.1

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

(amended and restated as of March 30, 2016)

 

1.                                       Purpose .  The purpose of the Laredo Petroleum, Inc. Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan is to provide a means through which the Company and its Affiliates may attract and retain key personnel and to provide a means whereby directors, officers, employees, consultants and advisors (and prospective directors, officers, employees, consultants and advisors) of the Company and its Affiliates can acquire and maintain an equity interest in the Company, or be paid incentive compensation, which may (but need not) be measured by reference to the value of Common Stock, thereby strengthening their commitment to the welfare of the Company and its Affiliates and aligning their interests with those of the Company’s shareholders.

 

2.                                       Definitions .  The following definitions shall be applicable throughout the Plan:

 

(a)                                  Affiliate ” means any parent or direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company; provided , that , with respect to Incentive Stock Options, the term shall only mean “parent corporation” and “subsidiary corporation” as defined in Sections 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code; further , provided , that , with respect to the award of any “stock right” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, such affiliate must qualify as a “service recipient” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and in applying Section 1563(a)(1), (2) and (3) of the Code for purposes of determining a controlled group of corporations under Section 414(b) of the Code and in applying Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2 for purposes of determining trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) that are under common control for purposes of Section 414(c) of the Code, the language “at least 50 percent” is used instead of “at least 80 percent”.

 

(b)                                  Award ” means, individually or collectively, any Incentive Stock Option, Nonqualified Stock Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Stock Bonus Award, and Performance Compensation Award granted under the Plan.

 

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

 

(d)                                  Cause ” means, in the case of a particular Award, unless the applicable Award agreement states otherwise, (i) the Company or an Affiliate having “cause” or “good cause” to terminate a Participant’s employment or service, as defined in any employment or consulting agreement or similar services agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate in effect at the time of such termination or (ii) in the absence of any such employment, consulting, or similar services agreement (or the absence of any definition of “Cause” or “Good Cause” contained therein), (A) the Participant’s commission of, conviction for, plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude, or other material act or omission involving dishonesty or fraud, (B) the Participant’s conduct that results in or is reasonably likely to result in harm to the reputation or business of the Company or any of its Affiliates in any material way, (C) the Participant’s failure to perform duties as reasonably directed by the Company or the Participant’s material violation of any rule, regulation, policy or plan for the conduct of any service provider to the Company or its Affiliates or its or their business (which, if curable, is not cured within 5 days after notice thereof is provided to the

 

1



 

Participant) or (D) the Participant’s gross negligence, willful malfeasance or material act of disloyalty with respect to the Company or its Affiliates (which, if curable, is not cured within 5 days after notice thereof is provided to the Participant).  Any determination of whether Cause exists shall be made by the Committee in its sole discretion.

 

(e)                                   Change in Control ” shall, in the case of a particular Award, unless the applicable Award agreement states otherwise or contains a different definition of “Change in Control,” be deemed to occur upon:

 

(i)              Any “person” (as such term is used in Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”)) (a “ Person ”) (other than (A) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any affiliate thereof or (B) the Institutional Investors as of the Effective Date) acquires “beneficial ownership” (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company representing 40% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities; provided , however , that if the Company engages in a merger or consolidation in which the Company or the surviving entity in such merger or consolidation becomes a subsidiary of another entity, then references to the Company’s then outstanding securities shall be deemed to refer to the outstanding securities of such parent entity;

 

(ii)           A majority of the members of the Board shall not be Continuing Directors; or

 

(iii)        The consummation of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity (or if the surviving entity is or shall become a subsidiary of another entity, then such parent entity)) more than 40% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company (or such surviving entity or parent entity, as the case may be) outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation.

 

To the extent a Plan Award provides for “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and a Change in Control is intended to constitute a payment event under such Plan Award, then Change in Control shall mean a “change in control event” as defined in Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) and any interpretative guidance promulgated under Section 409A of the Code. In addition, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in any circumstance in which the definition of “Change in Control” under this Plan would otherwise be operative and with respect to which the additional tax under Section 409A of the Code would apply or be imposed, but where such tax would not apply or be imposed if the meaning of the term “Change in Control” met the requirements of Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(v) of the Code, then the term “Change in Control” herein shall mean, but only for the transaction, event or circumstance so affected and the item of income with respect to which the additional tax under Section 409A of the Code would otherwise be imposed, a transaction, event or circumstance that is both (x) described in the preceding provisions of this definition, and (y) a “change in control event” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).

 

2



 

(f)                                    Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor thereto.  Reference in the Plan to any section of the Code shall be deemed to include any regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, regulations or guidance.

 

(g)                                   Committee ” means the Compensation Committee, as constituted from time to time, of the Board, or if no such committee shall be in existence at any relevant time, the term “Committee” for purposes of the Plan shall mean the Board; provided , however , that while the Common Stock is publicly traded, (i) the Committee shall be a committee of the Board consisting solely of two or more Eligible Directors as necessary in each case to satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code and Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act with respect to Awards granted under the Plan and (ii) with respect to Awards to directors who are not employees of the Company, the Committee shall consist solely of one or more members of the Board who are “independent” within the meaning of the New York Stock Exchange corporate governance listing standards (or, if the Common Stock is not listed on the New York Stock Exchange, such similar standards of any other applicable registered stock exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted at any relevant time).

 

(h)                                  Common Stock ” means the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (and any stock or other securities into which such shares of common stock may be converted or into which they may be exchanged).

 

(i)                                      Company ” means Laredo Petroleum, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

(j)                                     Continuing Directors ” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board who: (i) was a member of the Board on the Effective Date; or (ii) was nominated for election or elected to the Board with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of the Board at the time of such nomination or election.

 

(k)                                  Date of Grant ” means the date on which the granting of an Award is authorized, or such other date as may be specified in such authorization; provided , however , that such date complies with the requirements of Sections 422 and 409A of the Code, as applicable.

 

(l)                                      Disability ” means the “disability” of a person as defined in a then effective long-term disability plan maintained by the Company that covers such person, or if such a plan does not exist at any relevant time, “Disability” means the permanent and total disability of a person within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.  For purposes of determining the time during which an Incentive Stock Option may be exercised under the terms of an Option Agreement, “Disability” means the permanent and total disability of a person within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.  Section 22(e)(3) of the Code provides that an individual is totally and permanently disabled if he is unable 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 which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months.

 

(m)                              Effective Date ” means December 20, 2011, the date on which the Plan originally became effective in connection with the Company’s initial public offering.

 

3



 

(n)                                  Eligible Director ” means a person who is (i) a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, and (ii) an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

(o)                                  Eligible Person ” means any (i) individual employed by the Company or an Affiliate; (ii) director of the Company or an Affiliate; (iii) consultant or advisor to the Company or an Affiliate, provided that if the Securities Act applies, such persons must be eligible to be offered securities registrable on Form S-8 under the Securities Act; or (iv) prospective employees, directors, officers, consultants or advisors who have accepted offers of employment or consultancy from the Company or its Affiliates (and would satisfy the provisions of clauses (i) through (iii) above once he or she begins employment with or begins providing services to the Company or its Affiliates).

 

(p)                                  Exchange Act ” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control,” and any reference in the Plan to any section of (or rule promulgated under) the Exchange Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section or rule, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, rules, regulations or guidance.

 

(q)                                  Exercise Price ” has the meaning given such term in Section 7(b) of the Plan.

 

(r)                                     Fair Market Value ” means, as of any date, the value of the Common Stock determined as follows:

 

(i)                                      The closing sales price for a share of Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on the day of determination (or if no such price is reported on that day, on last market trading day prior to the day of determination for which such a price is reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Committee deems reliable.

 

(ii)                                   In the absence of any listing or quotation of the Common Stock on any established national stock exchange or interdealer quotation system on a last sale basis, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock shall be determined in good faith by the Committee in a manner intended to satisfy the principles of Section 409A of the Code.

 

(s)                                    Immediate Family Members ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 14(b).

 

(t)                                     Incentive Stock Option ” means an Option that is designated by the Committee as an incentive stock option as described in Section 422 of the Code and otherwise meets the requirements set forth in the Plan and Section 422 of the Code.

 

(u)                                  Indemnifiable Person ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(e) of the Plan.

 

4



 

(v)                                  Institutional Investors ” means Warburg Pincus Private Equity IX, L.P., WP IX Finance LP (collectively, “ Warburg Pincus IX ”), Warburg Pincus Private Equity X O&G, L.P. and Warburg Pincus X Partners, L.P. (collectively, “ Warburg Pincus X ”) and any transferee of capital stock of the Company (including subsequent transferees) directly or indirectly (in a chain of title) from Warburg Pincus IX or Warburg Pincus X and who is a stockholder of the Company.

 

(w)                                Negative Discretion ” shall mean the discretion authorized by the Plan to be applied by the Committee to eliminate or reduce the size of a Performance Compensation Award consistent with Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

(x)                                  Nonqualified Stock Option ” means an Option that is not designated by the Committee as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(y)                                  Officer means a person who is an “officer” of the Company or any Affiliate within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act (whether or not the Company is subject to the requirements of the Exchange Act).

 

(z)                                   Option ” means an Award granted under Section 7 of the Plan.

 

(aa)                           Option Period ” has the meaning given such term in Section 7(b) of the Plan.

 

(bb)                           Participant ” means an Eligible Person who has been selected by the Committee to participate in the Plan and to receive an Award pursuant to Section 6 of the Plan.

 

(cc)                             Performance Compensation Award ” shall mean any Award designated by the Committee as a Performance Compensation Award pursuant to Section 11 of the Plan, which, for the avoidance of doubt, could include, without limitation, performance units, performance-based shares and other equity and non-equity performance-based awards.

 

(dd)                           Performance Criteria ” shall mean the criterion or criteria that the Committee shall select for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal(s) for a Performance Period with respect to any Performance Compensation Award under the Plan.

 

(ee)                             Performance Formula ” shall mean, for a Performance Period, the one or more objective formulae applied against the relevant Performance Goal to determine, with regard to the Performance Compensation Award of a particular Participant, whether all, some portion but less than all, or none of the Performance Compensation Award has been earned for the Performance Period.

 

(ff)                               Performance Goals ” shall mean, for a Performance Period, the one or more goals established by the Committee for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria.

 

(gg)                             Performance Period ” shall mean the one or more periods of time, as the Committee may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be

 

5



 

measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to, and the payment of, a Performance Compensation Award.

 

(hh)                           Permitted Transferee ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 14(b) of the Plan.

 

(ii)                                   Person ” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control.”

 

(jj)                                 Plan ” means this Laredo Petroleum, Inc. Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan.

 

(kk)                           Restricted Period ” means the period of time determined by the Committee during which an Award is subject to restrictions or, as applicable, the period of time within which performance is measured for purposes of determining whether an Award has been earned.

 

(ll)                                   Restricted Stock Unit ” means an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver shares of Common Stock, cash, other securities or other property, subject to certain restrictions (including, without limitation, a requirement that the Participant remain continuously employed or provide continuous services for a specified period of time), granted under Section 9 of the Plan.

 

(mm)                   Restricted Stock ” means shares of Common Stock, subject to certain specified restrictions (including, without limitation, a requirement that the Participant remain continuously employed or provide continuous services for a specified period of time), granted under Section 9 of the Plan.

 

(nn)                           SAR Period ” has the meaning given such term in Section 8(b) of the Plan.

 

(oo)                           Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any successor thereto.  Reference in the Plan to any section of the Securities Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, rules, regulations or guidance.

 

(pp)                           Stock Appreciation Right ” or SAR means an Award granted under Section 8 of the Plan.

 

(qq)                           Stock Bonus Award ” means an Award granted under Section 10 of the Plan.

 

(rr)                                 Strike Price ” means, except as otherwise provided by the Committee in the case of Substitute Awards, (i) in the case of a SAR granted in tandem with an Option, the Exercise Price of the related Option, or (ii) in the case of a SAR granted independent of an Option, an amount not less than the Fair Market Value on the Date of Grant.

 

(ss)                               Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any specified Person:

 

6



 

(i)              any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares or any equivalent equity-type ownership (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency and after giving effect to any voting agreement or shareholders’ agreement that effectively transfers voting power) is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof); and

 

(ii)           any partnership (or any comparable foreign entity) (a) the sole general partner (or functional equivalent thereof) or the managing general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners (or functional equivalents thereof) of which are that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination thereof).

 

(tt)                                 Substitute Award ” has the meaning given such term in Section 5(e).

 

3.                                       Effective Date; Duration .  The Plan originally became effective as of the Effective Date.  The Plan, as amended and restated herein, is effective as of March 30, 2016, subject to approval by the Company’s shareholders.  Unless sooner terminated by the Board in accordance with Section 13 hereof, the expiration date of the Plan, on and after which date no Awards may be granted hereunder, shall be the tenth (10 th ) anniversary of the Effective Date; provided , however , that such expiration shall not affect Awards then outstanding, and the terms and conditions of the Plan shall continue to apply to such Awards.

 

4.                                       Administration .

 

(a)                                  The Committee shall administer the Plan.  To the extent required to comply with the provisions of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (if the Board is not acting as the Committee under the Plan) or necessary to obtain the exception for performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, as applicable, it is intended that each member of the Committee shall, at the time he takes any action with respect to an Award under the Plan, be an Eligible Director.  However, the fact that a Committee member shall fail to qualify as an Eligible Director shall not invalidate any Award granted by the Committee that is otherwise validly granted under the Plan.  The acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present or acts approved in writing by a majority of the Committee shall be deemed the acts of the Committee.

 

(b)                                  Subject to the provisions of the Plan and applicable law, the Committee shall have the sole and plenary authority, in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by the Plan, to:  (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant; (iii) determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights, or other matters are to be calculated in connection with, Awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award; (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled or exercised in cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities, other Awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited, or suspended and the method or methods by which Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited, or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances the delivery of cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities, other Awards

 

7



 

or other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the Participant or of the Committee; (vii) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any defect in and/or supply any omission in the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award granted under, the Plan; (viii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Committee shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; (ix) accelerate the vesting or exercisability of, payment for or lapse of restrictions on, Awards; and (x) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.

 

(c)                                   The Committee may delegate to one or more Officers of the Company or any Affiliate the authority to act on behalf of the Committee with respect to any matter, right, obligation, or election that is the responsibility of or that is allocated to the Committee herein, and that may be so delegated as a matter of law, except for grants of Awards to persons (i) subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (ii) who are, or who are reasonably expected to be, “covered employees” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

(d)                                  Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award or any documents evidencing Awards granted pursuant to the Plan shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all persons or entities, including, without limitation, the Company, any Affiliate, any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of any Award, and any shareholder of the Company.

 

(e)                                   No member of the Board, the Committee, delegate of the Committee or any employee or agent of the Company (each such person, an “ Indemnifiable Person ”) shall be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or any determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award hereunder.  Each Indemnifiable Person shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost, liability, or expense (including attorneys’ fees) that may be imposed upon or incurred by such Indemnifiable Person in connection with or resulting from any action, suit or proceeding to which such Indemnifiable Person may be a party or in which such Indemnifiable Person may be involved by reason of any action taken or omitted to be taken under the Plan or any Award agreement and against and from any and all amounts paid by such Indemnifiable Person with the Company’s approval, in settlement thereof, or paid by such Indemnifiable Person in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding against such Indemnifiable Person, provided , that the Company shall have the right, at its own expense, to assume and defend any such action, suit or proceeding and once the Company gives notice of its intent to assume the defense, the Company shall have sole control over such defense with counsel of the Company’s choice.  The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be available to an Indemnifiable Person to the extent that a final judgment or other final adjudication (in either case not subject to further appeal) binding upon such Indemnifiable Person determines that the acts or omissions of such Indemnifiable Person giving rise to the indemnification claim resulted from such Indemnifiable Person’s bad faith, fraud or willful criminal act or omission or that such right of indemnification is otherwise prohibited by law or by the Company’s constituent documents. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such Indemnifiable Persons may be entitled under the Company’s constituent documents, as a matter

 

8



 

of law, or otherwise, or any other power that the Company may have to indemnify such Indemnifiable Persons or hold them harmless.

 

(f)                                    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Plan, the Board may, in its sole discretion, at any time and from time to time, grant Awards and administer the Plan with respect to such Awards.  In any such case, the Board shall have all the authority granted to the Committee under the Plan.

 

5.                                       Shares Subject to the Plan; Grant of Awards; Limitations .

 

(a)                                  Awards granted under the Plan shall be subject to the following limitations: (i) subject to Section 12 of the Plan, the Committee is authorized to deliver under the Plan an aggregate of 24,350,000 shares of Common Stock; (ii) subject to Section 12 of the Plan, grants of Options or SARs under the Plan in respect of no more than 14,350,000 shares of Common Stock may be made to any single Participant during any single calendar year, and, subject to Section 12 of the Plan, grants of Incentive Stock Options under the Plan in respect of no more than 14,350,000 shares of Common Stock may be made to any single Participant during any single calendar year; (iii) subject to Section 12 of the Plan, no more than 14,350,000 shares of Common Stock may be earned in respect of Performance Compensation Awards denominated in shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to Section 11 of the Plan to any single Participant for a single calendar year during a Performance Period, or in the event such Performance Compensation Award is paid in cash, other securities, other Awards or other property, no more than the Fair Market Value of 14,350,000 shares of Common Stock on the last day of the Performance Period to which such Award relates; (iv) the maximum amount that can be paid to any single Participant in any one calendar year pursuant to a cash bonus Award described in Section 11(a) of the Plan shall be $5,000,000; and (v) subject to Section 12 of the Plan, no more than 1,435,000 shares of Common Stock may be issued in respect of Awards granted to any single Participant who is a non-employee director for a single calendar year.

 

(b)                                  The Committee may, from time to time, grant Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Bonus Awards and/or Performance Compensation Awards to one or more Eligible Persons selected in its sole discretion.  An Eligible Person may be granted more than one Award under the Plan, and Awards may be granted at any time or times during the term of the Plan. The grant of an Award to an Eligible Person shall not be deemed either to entitle that individual to, or to disqualify that individual from, participation in any other grant of Awards under the Plan.

 

(c)                                   Use of shares of Common Stock to pay the required Exercise Price or tax obligations, or shares not issued in connection with settlement of an Option or SAR shall, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, not be available again for other Awards under the Plan.  Shares underlying Awards under this Plan that are forfeited, cancelled, expire unexercised, or are settled in cash are available again for Awards under the Plan.  For the avoidance of doubt, Awards that can only be settled in cash shall not be treated as shares of Common Stock granted for purposes of this Plan.

 

9



 

(d)                                  Shares of Common Stock delivered by the Company in settlement of Awards may be authorized and unissued shares, shares held in the treasury of the Company, shares purchased on the open market or by private purchase, or a combination of the foregoing.

 

(e)                                   Awards may, in the sole discretion of the Committee, be granted under the Plan in assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by an entity acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines (“ Substitute Awards ”).  The number of shares of Common Stock underlying any Substitute Awards shall be counted against the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock available for Awards under the Plan.

 

6.                                       Eligibility .  Participation shall be limited to Eligible Persons who have entered into an Award agreement or who have received written notification from the Committee, or from a person designated by the Committee, that they have been selected to participate in the Plan.

 

7.                                       Options .

 

(a)                                  Generally .  Each Option granted under the Plan shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 7, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award agreement.  All Options granted under the Plan shall be Nonqualified Stock Options unless the applicable Award agreement expressly states that the Option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option.  Incentive Stock Options shall be granted only to Eligible Persons who are employees of the Company and its Affiliates, and no Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any Eligible Person who is ineligible to receive an Incentive Stock Option under the Code.  No Option shall be treated as an Incentive Stock Option unless the Plan has been approved by the shareholders of the Company in a manner intended to comply with the stockholder approval requirements of Section 422(b)(1) of the Code, provided , that any Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall not fail to be effective solely on account of a failure to obtain such approval, but rather such Option shall be treated as a Nonqualified Stock Option unless and until such approval is obtained.  In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the terms and conditions of such grant shall be subject to and comply with such rules as may be prescribed by Section 422 of the Code.  If for any reason an Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option (or any portion thereof) shall not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, then, to the extent of such nonqualification, such Option or portion thereof shall be regarded as a Nonqualified Stock Option appropriately granted under the Plan.

 

(b)                                  Exercise Price .  The exercise price (“ Exercise Price ”) per share of Common Stock for each Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such share determined as of the Date of Grant; provided , however , that , in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to an employee who, at the time of the grant of such Option, owns shares representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of shares of the Company or any Affiliate, the Exercise Price per share shall not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value per share on the Date of Grant.

 

(c)                                   Vesting and Expiration .  Subject to the last sentence of this Section 7(c), Options shall (i) vest and become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates, and (ii) expire after such period, not to exceed ten years (the “ Option Period ”), in each case as may be determined by the Committee and as set forth in an Award agreement; provided , however , that

 

10



 

the Option Period shall not exceed five years from the Date of Grant in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant who on the Date of Grant owns shares representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of shares of the Company or any Affiliate; provided , further , that notwithstanding any vesting dates set by the Committee in the Award agreement, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the exercisability of any Option, which acceleration shall not affect the terms and conditions of such Option other than with respect to exercisability.  Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award agreement:  (i)  the unvested portion of an Option shall expire upon termination of employment or service of the Participant granted the Option, and the vested portion of such Option shall remain exercisable for (A) one year following termination of employment or service by reason of such Participant’s death or Disability, but not later than the expiration of the Option Period or (B) ninety (90) days following termination of employment or service for any reason other than such Participant’s death or Disability, and other than such Participant’s termination of employment or service for Cause, but not later than the expiration of the Option Period and (ii) both the unvested and the vested portion of an Option shall expire upon the termination of the Participant’s employment or service by the Company for Cause. Options that vest based on a Participant’s continued service shall not become vested or exercisable prior to the first anniversary following the Date of Grant other than in connection with the Participant’s death, Disability or pursuant to Section 12 of the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, up to five percent (5%) of the available shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance pursuant to Section 5(a) of the Plan may be subject to Awards of Options and SARs that vest, partially or in full, prior to the first anniversary of the Date of Grant.

 

(d)                                  Method of Exercise and Form of Payment .  No shares of Common Stock shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of an Option until payment in full of the Exercise Price therefor is received by the Company and the Participant has paid to the Company an amount equal to any federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and employment taxes required to be withheld.  Options that have become exercisable may be exercised by delivery of written notice of exercise or, if provided for, electronic notice of exercise, to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Option accompanied by payment of the Exercise Price.  The Exercise Price shall be payable (i) in cash, check, cash equivalent and/or shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the Exercise Price (including, pursuant to procedures approved by the Committee, by means of attestation of ownership of a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock in lieu of actual delivery of such shares to the Company), provided , that such shares of Common Stock are not subject to any pledge or other security interest and are held for the applicable period as determined by the Company’s auditors to avoid adverse accounting charges, and (ii) by such other method as the Committee may permit in accordance with applicable law, in its sole discretion, including without limitation:  (A) in other property having a fair market value on the date of exercise equal to the Exercise Price or (B) if there is a public market for the shares of Common Stock at such time, by means of a broker-assisted “cashless exercise” pursuant to which the Company is delivered a copy of irrevocable instructions to a stockbroker to sell the shares of Common Stock otherwise deliverable upon the exercise of the Option and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount equal to the Exercise Price or (C) by a “net exercise” method whereby the Company withholds from the delivery of the shares of Common Stock for which the Option was exercised that number of shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the aggregate Exercise Price for the shares of Common Stock for which the Option was exercised.  Any fractional shares of Common Stock shall be settled in cash.  The Committee may specify a reasonable minimum number of shares of

 

11



 

Common Stock or a percentage of the shares subject to an Option that may be purchased on any exercise of an Option; provided , that such minimum number will not prevent Optionee from exercising the full number of shares of Common Stock as to which the Option is then exercisable.

 

(e)                                   Notification upon Disqualifying Disposition of an Incentive Stock Option .  Each Participant awarded an Incentive Stock Option under the Plan shall notify the Company in writing immediately after the date the Participant makes a disqualifying disposition of any shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Incentive Stock Option.  A disqualifying disposition is any disposition (including, without limitation, any sale) of such shares of Common Stock before the later of (A) two years after the Date of Grant of the Incentive Stock Option or (B) one year after the date of exercise of the Incentive Stock Option.  The Company may, if determined by the Committee and in accordance with procedures established by the Committee, retain possession of any shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option as agent for the applicable Participant until the end of the period described in the preceding sentence.

 

(f)                                    Compliance With Laws, etc .  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall a Participant be permitted to exercise an Option in a manner that the Committee determines would violate the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, if applicable, or any other applicable law or the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or the applicable rules and regulations of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company are listed, traded or reported.

 

8.                                       Stock Appreciation Rights .

 

(a)                                  Generally .  Each SAR granted under the Plan shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 8, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award agreement.  Any Option granted under the Plan may include tandem SARs.  The Committee also may award SARs to Eligible Persons independent of any Option.

 

(b)                                  Strike Price .  The Strike Price per share of Common Stock for each SAR shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such share determined as of the Date of Grant

 

(c)                                   Vesting and Expiration .  Subject to the last sentence of this Section 8(c), a SAR granted in connection with an Option shall become exercisable and shall expire according to the same vesting schedule and expiration provisions as the corresponding Option.  A SAR shall (i) vest and become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates, and (ii) expire after such period, not to exceed ten years (the “ SAR Period ”), in each case as may be determined by the Committee and as set forth in an Award agreement; provided , however , that notwithstanding any vesting dates set by the Committee in the Award agreement, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the exercisability of any SAR, which acceleration shall not affect the terms and conditions of such SAR other than with respect to exercisability.  Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award agreement:  (i) the unvested portion of a SAR shall expire upon termination of employment or service of the Participant granted the SAR, and

 

12



 

the vested portion of such SAR shall remain exercisable for (A) one year following termination of employment or service by reason of such Participant’s death or Disability, but not later than the expiration of the SAR Period or (B) ninety (90) days following termination of employment or service for any reason other than such Participant’s death or Disability, and other than such Participant’s termination of employment or service for Cause, but not later than the expiration of the SAR Period and (ii) both the unvested and the vested portion of a SAR shall expire upon the termination of the Participant’s employment or service by the Company for Cause. SARs that vest based on a Participant’s continued service shall not become vested or exercisable prior to the first anniversary following the Date of Grant other than in connection with the Participant’s death, Disability or pursuant to Section 12 of the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, up to five percent (5%) of the available shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance pursuant to Section 5(a) of the Plan may be subject to Awards of Options and SARs that vest, partially or in full, prior to the first anniversary of the Date of Grant.

 

(d)                                  Method of Exercise .  SARs that have become exercisable may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Award, specifying the number of SARs to be exercised and the date on which such SARs were awarded.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if on the last day of the Option Period (or in the case of a SAR independent of an Option, the SAR Period), the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock exceeds the Strike Price, the Participant has not exercised the SAR or the corresponding Option (if applicable), and neither the SAR nor the corresponding Option (if applicable) has expired, such SAR shall be deemed to have been exercised by the Participant on such last day and the Company shall make the appropriate payment therefor.

 

(e)                                   Payment .  Upon the exercise of a SAR, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the number of shares subject to the SAR that are being exercised multiplied by the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the exercise date over the Strike Price, less an amount equal to any federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and employment taxes required to be withheld.  The Company shall pay such amount in cash, in shares of Common Stock with a Fair Market Value equal to such amount, or any combination thereof, as determined by the Committee in an Award agreement.  Any fractional share of Common Stock shall be settled in cash.

 

9.                                       Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units .

 

(a)                                  Generally .   Each such grant of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units under the Plan shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 9, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award agreement.

 

(b)                                  Restricted Stock — Accounts, Escrow or Similar Arrangement .  Upon the grant of Restricted Stock, a book entry in a restricted account shall be established in the Participant’s name at the Company’s transfer agent and, if the Committee determines that the Restricted Stock shall be held by the Company or in escrow rather than held in such restricted account pending the release of the applicable restrictions, the Committee may require the Participant to additionally execute and deliver to the Company (i) an escrow agreement satisfactory to the Committee, if applicable, and (ii) the appropriate share power (endorsed in blank) with respect to the Restricted Stock covered by such agreement.  If a Participant shall fail

 

13



 

to execute an agreement evidencing an Award of Restricted Stock and, if applicable, an escrow agreement and blank share power within the amount of time specified by the Committee, the Award shall be null and void.  Subject to the restrictions set forth in this Section 9 and unless otherwise set forth in an applicable Award agreement, the Participant generally shall have the rights and privileges of a shareholder as to such Restricted Stock, including without limitation the right to vote such Restricted Stock and the right to receive dividends, if applicable.  To the extent shares of Restricted Stock are forfeited, any share certificates issued to the Participant evidencing such shares shall be returned to the Company, and all rights of the Participant to such shares and as a shareholder with respect thereto shall terminate without further obligation on the part of the Company.

 

(c)                                   Vesting; Acceleration of Lapse of Restrictions .  The Restricted Period shall lapse with respect to an Award of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units at such times as provided by the Committee in an Award agreement, and the unvested portion of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall terminate and be forfeited upon termination of employment or service of the Participant.

 

(d)                                  Delivery of Restricted Stock and Settlement of Restricted Stock Units .

 

(i)              Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any shares of Restricted Stock, the restrictions set forth in the applicable Award agreement shall be of no further force or effect with respect to such shares, except as set forth in the applicable Award agreement.  If an escrow arrangement is used, upon such expiration, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, or his beneficiary, without charge, the share certificate evidencing the shares of Restricted Stock that have not then been forfeited and with respect to which the Restricted Period has expired (rounded down to the nearest full share).  Dividends, if any, that may have been withheld by the Committee and attributable to any particular share of Restricted Stock shall be distributed to the Participant in cash or, at the sole discretion of the Committee, in shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends, upon the release of restrictions on such share and, if such share is forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such dividends (except as otherwise set forth by the Committee in the applicable Award agreement).

 

(ii)           Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award agreement, upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any outstanding Restricted Stock Units, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, or his beneficiary, without charge, one share of Common Stock for each such outstanding Restricted Stock Unit; provided , however , that the Committee may, in its sole discretion, elect to (i) pay cash or part cash and part Common Stock in lieu of delivering only shares of Common Stock in respect of such Restricted Stock Units or (ii) defer the delivery of shares of Common Stock (or cash or part Common Stock and part cash, as the case may be) beyond the expiration of the Restricted Period if such delivery would result in a violation of applicable law until such time as is no longer the case.  If a cash payment is made in lieu of delivering shares of Common Stock, the amount of such payment shall be equal to the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock as of the date on which the Restricted Period lapsed with

 

14



 

respect to such Restricted Stock Units, less an amount equal to any federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and employment taxes required to be withheld.

 

10.                                Stock Bonus Awards .  The Committee may issue unrestricted shares of Common Stock, or other Awards denominated in shares of Common Stock, under the Plan to Eligible Persons, either alone or in tandem with other awards, in such amounts as the Committee shall from time to time in its sole discretion determine.  Each Stock Bonus Award granted under the Plan shall be subject to such conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award agreement.

 

11.                                Performance Compensation Awards .

 

(a)                                  Generally .   The Committee shall have the authority, at the time of grant of any Award described in Sections 9 or 10 of the Plan, to designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.  The Committee shall also have the authority to make an award of a cash bonus to any Participant and designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

(b)                                  Discretion of Committee with Respect to Performance Compensation Awards .  With regard to a particular Performance Period, the Committee shall have sole discretion to select the length of such Performance Period, the type(s) of Performance Compensation Awards to be issued, the Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goal(s), the kind(s) and/or level(s) of the Performance Goals(s) that is (are) to apply and the Performance Formula.  Within the first 90 days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code, if applicable), the Committee shall, with regard to the Performance Compensation Awards to be issued for such Performance Period, exercise its discretion with respect to each of the matters enumerated in the immediately preceding sentence and record the same in writing.

 

(c)                                   Performance Criteria .  The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goal(s) shall be based on the attainment of specific levels of performance of the Company (and/or one or more Affiliates, divisions, reportable segments or operational units, or any combination of the foregoing) and shall include one or more of the following:  (i) net earnings or net income (before or after taxes); (ii) basic or diluted earnings per share (before or after taxes); (iii) net revenue or revenue growth; (iv) gross profit or gross profit growth; (v) operating income or profit (before or after taxes); (vi) return measures (including, but not limited to, return on assets, capital, invested capital, equity, or sales); (vii) cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow, and cash flow return on capital); (viii) earnings before or after taxes, interest, depreciation and/or amortization; (ix) gross or operating margins; (x) productivity ratios; (xi) share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total shareholder return (absolute or relative)); (xii) expense targets; (xiii) margins; (xiv) operating efficiency; (xv) working capital targets; (xvi) measures of economic value added; (xvii) enterprise value; (xviii) debt levels and net debt; (xix) combined ratio; (xx) timely launch of new facilities; (xxi) employee retention; (xxii) performance relative to budget; (xxiii) safety performance targets; (xxiv)  objective measures of personal targets, goals or completion of projects; (xxv) drilling capital efficiency; (xxvi) drilling rate of return; (xxvii)

 

15



 

production; (xxviii) new reserves; (xxix) direct lifting costs; and (xxx) SEC finding costs.  Any one or more of the Performance Criteria may be used on an absolute or relative basis to measure the performance of a Participant and the Company (and/or one or more Affiliates, divisions, reportable segments or operational units, or any combination of the foregoing), as the Committee may deem appropriate, or any of the above Performance Criteria may be compared to the performance of a selected group of comparison companies or a published or special index that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, or as compared to various stock market indices.  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 Criteria specified in this paragraph.  To the extent required under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee shall, within the first 90 days of a Performance Period (or, if shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code), define in an objective fashion the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for such Performance Period and thereafter promptly communicate such Performance Criteria to the Participant.

 

(d)                                  Modification of Performance Criteria/Goal(s) .  In the event that applicable tax and/or securities laws change to permit Committee discretion to alter the governing Performance Criteria without obtaining shareholder approval of such alterations, the Committee shall have sole discretion to make such alterations without obtaining shareholder approval.  The Committee shall adjust or modify the calculation of a Performance Goal for a Performance Period, based on and in order to appropriately reflect the following events:  (i) asset write-downs; (ii) litigation or claim judgments or settlements; (iii) the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or regulatory rules affecting reported results; (iv) any reorganization and restructuring programs; (v) extraordinary nonrecurring items as described in Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 30 (or any successor pronouncement thereto) and/or in management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations appearing in the Company’s annual report to shareholders for the applicable year; (vi) acquisitions or divestitures; (vii) any other specific unusual or nonrecurring events, or objectively determinable category thereof; (viii) foreign exchange gains and losses; and (ix) a change in the Company’s fiscal year.

 

(e)                                   Payment of Performance Compensation Awards .

 

(i)              Condition to Receipt of Payment .  Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award agreement, a Participant must be employed by the Company or an Affiliate of the Company on the date of payment with respect to a Performance Period to be eligible to receive such payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award for the preceding Performance Period.

 

(ii)           Limitation .  A Participant shall be eligible to receive payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award only to the extent that:  (A) the Performance Goals for such period are achieved; and (B) all or some of the portion of such Participant’s Performance Compensation Award has been earned for the Performance Period based on the application of the Performance Formula to such achieved Performance Goals.

 

(iii)        Certification .  Following the completion of a Performance Period, the Committee shall review and certify in writing whether, and to what extent, the

 

16



 

Performance Goals for the Performance Period have been achieved and, if so, calculate and certify in writing that amount of the Performance Compensation Awards earned for the period based upon the Performance Formula.  The Committee shall then determine the amount of each Participant’s Performance Compensation Award actually payable for the Performance Period and, in so doing, may apply Negative Discretion.

 

(iv)       Use of Negative Discretion .  In determining the actual amount of an individual Participant’s Performance Compensation Award for a Performance Period, the Committee may reduce or eliminate the amount of the Performance Compensation Award earned under the Performance Formula in the Performance Period through the use of Negative Discretion if, in its sole judgment, such reduction or elimination is appropriate.  The Committee shall not have the discretion, except as is otherwise provided in the Plan, to (A) grant or provide payment in respect of Performance Compensation Awards for a Performance Period if the Performance Goals for such Performance Period have not been attained; or (B) increase a Performance Compensation Award above the applicable limitations set forth in Section 5 of the Plan.

 

(f)                                    Timing of Award Payments .  Performance Compensation Awards granted for a Performance Period shall be paid to Participants as soon as administratively practicable following completion of the certifications required by this Section 11, but in no event later than two-and-one-half months following the end of the fiscal year during which the Performance Period is completed; provided , however , that such Performance Compensation Awards may be deferred and paid after such date so long deferrals are made in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and applicable guidance thereunder.

 

12.                                Changes in Capital Structure and Similar Events .

 

(a)                                  Effect of Certain Events . In the event of (A) any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, split-up, split-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to acquire shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) that affects the shares of Common Stock, or (B) unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) affecting the Company, any Affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any Affiliate, or changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations or other requirements of any governmental body or securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system, accounting principles or law, such that in either case an adjustment is determined by the Committee in its sole discretion to be necessary or appropriate, then the Committee shall make any such adjustments in such manner as it may deem equitable, including without limitation any or all of the following:

 

(i)              adjusting any or all of (A) the number of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) that may be delivered in respect of Awards or with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan (including, without limitation, adjusting any or all of the limitations under Section 5 of the Plan) and (B) the terms of any outstanding Award, including, without

 

17



 

limitation, (1) the number of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) subject to outstanding Awards or to which outstanding Awards relate, (2) the Exercise Price or Strike Price with respect to any Award or (3) any applicable performance measures (including, without limitation, Performance Criteria and Performance Goals);

 

(ii)           providing for a substitution or assumption of Awards, accelerating the exercisability of, lapse of restrictions on, or termination of, Awards or providing for a period of time for exercise prior to the occurrence of such event; and

 

(iii)        canceling any one or more outstanding Awards or portion thereof and causing to be paid to the holders thereof, in cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property, or any combination thereof, the value of such Awards, if any, as determined by the Committee (which if applicable may be based upon the price per share of Common Stock received or to be received by other shareholders of the Company in such event), including without limitation, in the case of an outstanding Option or SAR, a cash payment in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value (as of a date specified by the Committee) of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Option or SAR over the aggregate Exercise Price or Strike Price of such Option or SAR, respectively (it being understood that, in such event, any Option or SAR having a per share Exercise Price or Strike Price equal to, or in excess of, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock subject thereto may be canceled and terminated without any payment or consideration therefor); provided , however , that in the case of any “equity restructuring” (within the meaning of the Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (Revised 2004) and FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718) or any successor rule, the Committee shall make an equitable or proportionate adjustment to outstanding Awards to reflect such equity restructuring.  Any adjustment in Incentive Stock Options under this Section 12 (other than any cancellation of Incentive Stock Options) shall be made only to the extent not constituting a “modification” within the meaning of Section 424(h)(3) of the Code, and any adjustments under this Section 12 shall be made in a manner that does not adversely affect the exemption provided pursuant to Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act or the exemption under Section 409A, to the extent applicable.  The Company shall give each Participant notice of an adjustment hereunder and, upon notice, such adjustment shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes.

 

(b)                                  Effect of Change in Control .  Unless specifically provided otherwise with respect to Change in Control events in an Award or in a then-effective written employment agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, if, during the effectiveness of the Plan, a Change in Control occurs, (i) each Option and SAR which is at the time outstanding under the Plan shall automatically become fully vested and exercisable with respect to all shares of Common Stock covered thereby, (ii) the Restricted Period shall expire and restrictions applicable to all outstanding Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Units shall lapse and such Awards shall become fully vested and (iii) Performance Periods in effect on the date the Change in Control occurs shall end on such date and the Committee shall (A) determine the extent to which Performance Goals with respect to each such Performance Period have been met based upon such audited or unaudited financial information or other information

 

18



 

then available as it deems relevant and (B) cause the Participant to receive partial or full payment of Awards for each such Performance Period based upon the Committee’s determination of the degree of attainment of the Performance Goals, or assuming that the applicable “target” levels of performance have been attained or on such other basis determined by the Committee whichever is greater.

 

(c)                                   The existence of this Plan and Awards granted hereunder shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Board or the stockholders of the Company to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of debt or equity securities ahead of or affecting Company Shares or the rights thereof, the dissolution or liquidation of the Company or any sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of all or any part of its assets or business or any other corporate act or proceeding.

 

13.                                Amendments and Termination .

 

(a)                                  Amendment and Termination of the Plan .  The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided , that (i) no amendment to Section 11(c) or Section 13(b) (to the extent required by the proviso in such Section 13(b)) shall be made without shareholder approval and (ii) no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation or termination shall be made without shareholder approval if such approval is necessary to comply with any tax or regulatory requirement applicable to the Plan (including, without limitation, as necessary to comply with any rules or requirements of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock may be listed or quoted or to prevent the Company from being denied a tax deduction under Section 162(m) of the Code); provided , further , that any such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant or any holder or beneficiary of any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant, holder or beneficiary.

 

(b)                                  Amendment of Award agreements .  The Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate, any Award theretofore granted or the associated Award agreement, prospectively or retroactively; provided that any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant with respect to any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant; provided , further , that without shareholder approval, except as otherwise permitted under Section 12 of the Plan, (i) no amendment or modification may reduce the Exercise Price or minimum vesting requirements of any Option or the Strike Price or minimum vesting requirements of any SAR, (ii) the Committee may not cancel any outstanding Option or SAR and replace it with a new Option or SAR, another Award or cash and (iii) the Committee may not take any other action that is considered a “repricing” for purposes of the shareholder approval rules of the applicable securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted.

 

19



 

14.                                General .

 

(a)                                  Award Agreements .  Each Award under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award agreement, which shall be delivered to the Participant (whether in paper or electronic medium (including email or the posting on a web site maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company)) and shall specify the terms and conditions of the Award and any rules applicable thereto, including without limitation, the effect on such Award of the death, Disability or termination of employment or service of a Participant, or of such other events as may be determined by the Committee.

 

(b)                                  Nontransferability .

 

(i)              Each Award shall be exercisable only by a Participant during the Participant’s lifetime, or, if permissible under applicable law, by the Participant’s legal guardian or representative.  No Award may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or an Affiliate; provided that the designation of a beneficiary shall not constitute an assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance.

 

(ii)           Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, permit Awards (other than Incentive Stock Options) to be transferred by a Participant, without consideration, subject to such rules as the Committee may adopt consistent with any applicable Award agreement to preserve the purposes of the Plan, to:  (A) any person who is a “family member” of the Participant, as such term is used in the instructions to Form S-8 under the Securities Act (collectively, the “ Immediate Family Members ”); (B) a trust solely for the benefit of the Participant and his or her Immediate Family Members; (C) a partnership or limited liability company whose only partners or stockholders are the Participant and his or her Immediate Family Members; or (D) any other transferee as may be approved either (I) by the Board or the Committee in its sole discretion, or (II) as provided in the applicable Award agreement (each transferee described in clauses (A), (B) (C) and (D) above is hereinafter referred to as a “ Permitted Transferee ”); provided , that the Participant gives the Committee advance written notice describing the terms and conditions of the proposed transfer and the Committee notifies the Participant in writing that such a transfer would comply with the requirements of the Plan.

 

(iii)        The terms of any Award transferred in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to the Permitted Transferee, and any reference in the Plan, or in any applicable Award agreement, to a Participant shall be deemed to refer to the Permitted Transferee, except that (A) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to transfer any Award, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; (B) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to exercise any transferred Option unless there shall be in effect a registration statement on an appropriate form covering the Common Stock to be acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Option if the Committee determines, consistent with any applicable Award agreement, that such a registration statement is necessary or appropriate; (C) the Committee or the Company shall not be required to provide any notice to a Permitted Transferee, whether or not such notice is or

 

20



 

would otherwise have been required to be given to the Participant under the Plan or otherwise; and (D) the consequences of the termination of the Participant’s employment by, or services to, the Company or an Affiliate under the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award agreement shall continue to be applied with respect to the Participant, including, without limitation, that an Option shall be exercisable by the Permitted Transferee only to the extent, and for the periods, specified in the Plan and the applicable Award agreement.

 

(c)                                   Tax Withholding .

 

(i)              A Participant shall be required to pay to the Company or any Affiliate, and the Company or any Affiliate shall have the right and is hereby authorized to withhold, from any cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property deliverable under any Award or from any compensation or other amounts owing to a Participant, the amount (in cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property) of any required withholding taxes in respect of an Award, its exercise, or any payment or transfer under an Award or under the Plan and to take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Committee or the Company to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding taxes.

 

(ii)           Without limiting the generality of clause (i) above, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, permit a Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the foregoing withholding liability by (A) the delivery of shares of Common Stock (which are not subject to any pledge or other security interest and are held for the applicable period as determined by the Company’s auditors to avoid adverse accounting charges) owned by the Participant having a fair market value equal to such withholding liability or (B) having the Company withhold from the number of shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable or deliverable pursuant to the exercise or settlement of the Award a number of shares with a fair market value equal to such withholding liability (but no more than the minimum required statutory withholding liability).

 

(d)                                  No Claim to Awards; No Rights to Continued Employment; Waiver .  No employee of the Company or an Affiliate, or other person, shall have any claim or right to be granted an Award under the Plan or, having been selected for the grant of an Award, to be selected for a grant of any other Award.  There is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants or holders or beneficiaries of Awards.  The terms and conditions of Awards and the Committee’s determinations and interpretations with respect thereto need not be the same with respect to each Participant and may be made selectively among Participants, whether or not such Participants are similarly situated.  Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any Participant any right to be retained in the employ or service of the Company or an Affiliate, nor shall it be construed as giving any Participant any rights to continued service on the Board.  The Company or any of its Affiliates may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment or discontinue any consulting relationship, free from any liability or any claim under the Plan, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or any Award agreement.  By accepting an Award under the Plan, a Participant shall thereby be deemed to have waived any claim to continued exercise or vesting of an Award or to damages or severance entitlement related to non-continuation of the Award beyond the period provided under the Plan

 

21



 

or any Award agreement, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any written employment contract or other agreement between the Company and its Affiliates and the Participant, whether any such agreement is executed before, on or after the Date of Grant.

 

(e)                                   International Participants .  With respect to Participants who reside or work outside of the United States of America and who are not (and who are not expected to be) “covered employees” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee may in its sole discretion amend the terms of the Plan or outstanding Awards (or adopt a subplan) with respect to such Participants in order to conform such terms with the requirements of local law or to obtain more favorable tax or other treatment for a Participant, the Company or its Affiliates.

 

(f)                                    Designation and Change of Beneficiary .  Each Participant may file with the Committee a written designation of one or more persons as the beneficiary(ies) who shall be entitled to receive the amounts payable with respect to an Award, if any, due under the Plan upon his death.  A Participant may, from time to time, revoke or change his beneficiary designation without the consent of any prior beneficiary by filing a new designation with the Committee.  The last such designation received by the Committee shall be controlling; provided , however , that no designation, or change or revocation thereof, shall be effective unless received by the Committee prior to the Participant’s death, and in no event shall it be effective as of a date prior to such receipt.  If no beneficiary designation is filed by a Participant, the beneficiary shall be deemed to be his or her spouse or, if the Participant is unmarried at the time of death, his or her estate.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, to the extent that a Participant’s beneficiary designation would result in a duplication of, or unintended, benefits payable under this Plan or would otherwise violate applicable law, the Committee shall have the authority to disregard such designation and payments shall be made in accordance with applicable law.

 

(g)                                   Termination of Employment/Service .  Unless determined otherwise by the Committee at any point following such event or as otherwise provided in an Award agreement, service shall not be considered terminated in the case of (i) any approved leave of absence, (ii) transfers among the Company, any Affiliate, or any successor, in any capacity of any employee, director or consultant, or (iii) any change in status as long as the individual remains in the service of the Company or an Affiliate in any capacity of employee, director or consultant.  An approved leave of absence shall include sick leave, military leave, or any other authorized personal leave.  For purposes of each Incentive Stock Option, if such leave exceeds three (3) months, and re-employment upon expiration of such leave is not guaranteed by statute or contract, then the Incentive Stock Option shall be treated as a Non-Qualified Stock Option on the day following the expiration of such three (3) month period.

 

(h)                                  No Rights as a Stockholder .  Except as otherwise specifically provided in the Plan or any Award agreement, no person shall be entitled to the privileges of ownership in respect of shares of Common Stock that are subject to Awards hereunder until such shares have been issued or delivered to that person.

 

(i)                                      Government and Other Regulations .

 

(i)              The obligation of the Company to settle Awards in shares of Common Stock or other consideration shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to

 

22



 

such approvals by governmental agencies as may be required.  Notwithstanding any terms or conditions of any Award to the contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to offer to sell or to sell, and shall be prohibited from offering to sell or selling, any shares of Common Stock pursuant to an Award unless such shares have been properly registered for sale pursuant to the Securities Act with the Securities and Exchange Commission or unless the Company has received an opinion of counsel, satisfactory to the Company, that such shares may be offered or sold without such registration pursuant to an available exemption therefrom and the terms and conditions of such exemption have been fully complied with.  The Company shall be under no obligation to register for sale under the Securities Act any of the shares of Common Stock to be offered or sold under the Plan.  The Committee shall have the authority to provide that all certificates for shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan, the applicable Award agreement, the federal securities laws, or the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system upon which such shares or other securities are then listed or quoted and any other applicable federal, state, local or non-U.S. laws, and, without limiting the generality of Section 9 of the Plan, the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.  Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, the Committee reserves the right to add any additional terms or provisions to any Award granted under the Plan that it in its sole discretion deems necessary or advisable in order that such Award complies with the legal requirements of any governmental entity to whose jurisdiction the Award is subject.

 

(ii)           The Committee may cancel an Award or any portion thereof if it determines, in its sole discretion, that legal or contractual restrictions and/or blockage and/or other market considerations would make the Company’s acquisition of shares of Common Stock from the public markets, the Company’s issuance of shares of Common Stock to the Participant, the Participant’s acquisition of shares of Common Stock from the Company and/or the Participant’s sale of shares of Common Stock to the public markets, illegal, impracticable or inadvisable.  If the Committee determines to cancel all or any portion of an Award in accordance with the foregoing, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the excess of (A) the aggregate Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Award or portion thereof canceled (determined as of the applicable exercise date, or the date that the shares would have been vested or delivered, as applicable), over (B) the aggregate Exercise Price or Strike Price (in the case of an Option or SAR, respectively) or any amount payable as a condition of delivery of shares of Common Stock (in the case of any other Award).  Such amount shall be delivered to the Participant as soon as practicable following the cancellation of such Award or portion thereof.

 

(iii)        Notwithstanding any provision in this Plan or any Award agreement to the contrary, Awards granted hereunder shall be subject, to the extent applicable, (A) to any clawback policy adopted by the Company, and (B) to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, as amended, and rules, regulations and binding, published

 

23



 

guidance thereunder, which legislation provides for the clawback and recovery of incentive compensation in the event of certain financial statement restatements.   If, pursuant to Section 10D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Company would not be eligible for continued listing, if applicable, under Section 10D(a) of the Exchange Act if it did not adopt policies consistent with Section 10D(b) of the Exchange Act, then, in accordance with those policies that are so required, any incentive-based compensation payable to a Participant under this Plan shall be subject to claw-back in the circumstances, to the extent, and in the manner, required by Section 10D(b)(2) of the Exchange Act, as interpreted by rules of the Securities Exchange Commission.

 

(j)                                     Payments to Persons Other Than Participants .  If the Committee shall find that any person to whom any amount is payable under the Plan is unable to care for his affairs because of illness or accident, or is a minor, or has died, then any payment due to such person or his estate (unless a prior claim therefor has been made by a duly appointed legal representative) may, if the Committee so directs the Company, be paid to his spouse, child, relative, an institution maintaining or having custody of such person, or any other person deemed by the Committee to be a proper recipient on behalf of such person otherwise entitled to payment.  Any such payment shall be a complete discharge of the liability of the Committee and the Company therefor.

 

(k)                                  Nonexclusivity of the Plan .  Neither the adoption of this Plan by the Board nor the submission of this Plan to the shareholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of stock options or other equity-based awards otherwise than under this Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases.

 

(l)                                      No Trust or Fund Created .  Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any Affiliate, on the one hand, and a Participant or other person or entity, on the other hand.  No provision of the Plan or any Award shall require the Company, for the purpose of satisfying any obligations under the Plan, to purchase assets or place any assets in a trust or other entity to which contributions are made or otherwise to segregate any assets, nor shall the Company maintain separate bank accounts, books, records or other evidence of the existence of a segregated or separately maintained or administered fund for such purposes.  Participants shall have no rights under the Plan other than as unsecured general creditors of the Company, except that insofar as they may have become entitled to payment of additional compensation by performance of services, they shall have the same rights as other employees under general law.

 

(m)                              Reliance on Reports .  Each member of the Committee and each member of the Board shall be fully justified in acting or failing to act, as the case may be, and shall not be liable for having so acted or failed to act in good faith, in reliance upon any report made by the independent public accountant of the Company and its Affiliates and/or any other information furnished in connection with the Plan by any agent of the Company or the Committee or the Board, other than himself.

 

24



 

(n)                                  Relationship to Other Benefits .  No payment under the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, profit sharing, group insurance or other benefit plan of the Company except as otherwise specifically provided in such other plan.

 

(o)                                  Governing Law .  The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the conflict of laws provisions thereof.

 

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

 

(q)                                  Obligations Binding on Successors .  The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be binding upon any successor corporation or organization resulting from the merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other reorganization of the Company, or upon any successor corporation or organization succeeding to substantially all of the assets and business of the Company.

 

(r)                                     Shareholder Approval .  The Plan, as amended and restated herein, is effective as of March 30, 2016, subject to approval by the Company’s shareholders.

 

(s)                                    Expenses; Gender; Titles and Headings .  The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Affiliates.  Masculine pronouns and other words of masculine gender shall refer to both men and women.  The titles and headings of the sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only, and in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings shall control.

 

(t)                                     Other Agreements .  Notwithstanding the above, the Committee may require, as a condition to the grant of and/or the receipt of shares of Common Stock under an Award, that the Participant execute lock-up, shareholder or other agreements, as it may determine in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

(u)                                  Payments Participants shall be required to pay, to the extent required by applicable law, any amounts required to receive shares of Common Stock under any Award made under the Plan.

 

(v)                                  Section 409A .   The Plan and the Awards hereunder are intended to either comply with, or be exempt from, the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. To the extent that the Plan or any Award is not exempt from the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, the Plan and any such Award intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code shall be limited, construed and interpreted in accordance with such intent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event whatsoever shall the Company be liable for any additional tax, interest or

 

25



 

penalty that may be imposed by Section 409A of the Code or any damages relating to any failure to comply with Section 409A of the Code.

 

26


Exhibit 10.2

 

RESTRICTED STOCK AGREEMENT

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

THIS AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is made as of                  (the “Effective Date”) by and between Laredo Petroleum, Inc. (the “Company”) and                  (the “Grantee”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H :

 

WHEREAS, the Grantee is currently an employee of the Company and the Company desires to have Grantee remain in such capacity and to afford Grantee the opportunity to acquire, or enlarge, Grantee’s stock ownership in the Company.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.                                       Grant of Restricted Stock . Subject to the restrictions, terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Company’s Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), the Company hereby grants to the Grantee                  shares of the Company’s common stock, par value per share $0.01 (the “Restricted Stock”).  The provisions of the Plan are incorporated herein by reference, and all capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the same meaning as set forth in the Plan.  In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions of the Plan and this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall govern and control.

 

2.                                       Restrictions and Vesting .

 

(a)                                  General .  Except as provided in this Agreement, shares of Restricted Stock are not transferable and are subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture until vested as set forth in Section 2(b).  The Grantee’s interest in the Restricted Stock shall become transferable and nonforfeitable as of the vesting dates provided in Section 2(b) (each, a “Vesting Date”), provided the Grantee is an employee of the Company or an affiliate of the Company on the Vesting Date and has been an employee throughout the period beginning on the Effective Date and ending on the applicable Vesting Date.

 

(b)                                  Vesting Schedule .  The Restricted Stock shall vest, become transferable and no longer be subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture pursuant to the following schedule:

 

(i) Thirty-three percent (33%) of the shares of Restricted Stock (rounded down to the nearest whole share) shall vest and the transfer restrictions thereon shall lapse on February 19, 2017;

 

(ii) An additional thirty-three percent (33%) of the shares of Restricted Stock (rounded down to the nearest whole share) shall vest and the transfer restrictions thereon shall lapse February 19, 2018; and

 

1



 

(iii) the balance of the Restricted Stock shall vest and the transfer restrictions thereon shall lapse on February 19, 2019.

 

(c)                                   Forfeiture Provisions .  The following forfeiture provisions shall apply to the Restricted Stock:

 

(i) If Grantee’s employment with the Company or an affiliate of the Company is terminated by the Company or an affiliate of the Company for any reason, with or without cause, or Grantee resigns (in either case, other than as set forth in Section 2(c)(ii) below), then Grantee shall forfeit to the Company all unvested Restricted Stock and all rights arising from such unvested shares and from being a holder. Such unvested Restricted Stock shall automatically be cancelled as issued under the Plan by the Company with no further action or notice required on the part of the Company or Grantee.

 

(ii) If Grantee’s employment with the Company or an affiliate of the Company is terminated (i) upon the death of Grantee or (ii) because Grantee is determined by the Board of Directors of the Company or the Administrator (as defined below) of the Plan to be subject to a Disability, then all of Grantee’s unvested shares shall automatically become vested shares as of the date of such termination and thereafter no longer be subject to the restrictions set forth in this Agreement.

 

3.                                       Issuance of Restricted Stock .  Restricted Stock may be issued, at the Company’s option, as follows:  (i) certificates evidencing the Restricted Stock may be issued by the Company and, if so, shall be registered in the Grantee’s name on the stock transfer books of the Company promptly after the date hereof, but shall remain in the physical custody of the Company or its designee at all times prior to the vesting of such Restricted Stock pursuant to Section 2(b); or (ii) may be registered in book entry form on the stock transfer books of the Company without issuance of physical certificates.

 

4.                                       Rights as a Stockholder .  The Grantee shall be the record owner of the shares of Restricted Stock until or unless such Restricted Stock is forfeited pursuant to Section 2 hereof, and as record owner shall generally be entitled to all rights of a stockholder with respect to the Restricted Stock (other than the right to transfer or dispose of such shares), including the right to vote and receive dividends (cash or otherwise); provided, however, that the Company will retain custody of all dividends and distributions, if any (“Retained Distributions”), made or declared on the Restricted Stock (and such Retained Distributions shall be subject to forfeiture and the same restrictions, terms, vesting and other conditions as are applicable to the Restricted Stock) until such time, if ever, as the Restricted Stock with respect to which such Retained Distributions shall have been made, paid or declared shall have become vested, and such Retained Distributions shall not bear interest or be segregated in a separate account. As soon as practicable following each Vesting Date, the restricted designation on the book entry form on the stock transfer books of the Company will be removed, and any applicable Retained Distributions, shall be delivered to the Grantee or to the Grantee’s legal guardian or representative.

 

5.                                       Legend on Certificates .  The certificates representing the vested Restricted Stock delivered in the name of the Grantee as contemplated by Section 4 above shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Company may deem advisable under the rules,

 

2



 

regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any stock exchange upon which such shares are listed, and any applicable federal or state laws, and the Company may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions as the Company deems appropriate.

 

6.                                       No Right to Continued Employment .  This Agreement does not confer upon the Grantee any right to continuance of employment by the Company, nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the Company to terminate Grantee’s employment at any time.

 

7.                                       Delivery of Laredo Petroleum, Inc. Prospectus dated May 25, 2016. Grantee acknowledges that Grantee has been provided a copy of the Company’s prospectus related to the Company’s Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan through such prospectus’ availability on the Company’s shared network drive, at S:\Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan Prospectus .  A copy will also be provided to Grantee, upon Grantee’s written request to the Company.

 

8.                                       Terms of Issuance .  The Grantee acknowledges being subject to all terms, conditions and policies contained in the Company’s Employee Manual, as the same may be amended or modified from time-to-time at the sole discretion of the Company.

 

9.                                       Transferability . The Restricted Stock may not, at any time prior to becoming vested pursuant to Section 2(b), be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by the Grantee and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable.

 

10.                                Notice . Every notice or other communication relating to this Agreement shall be in writing, and shall be mailed to or delivered to the party for whom it is intended at such address as may from time to time be designated in a notice mailed or delivered to the other party as provided herein; provided that, unless and until some other address be so designated, all notices or communications by the Grantee to the Company shall be mailed or delivered to the Company at its Tulsa, Oklahoma, office and all notices or communications by the Company to the Grantee may be given to the Grantee personally or mailed to the Grantee’s home address as reflected on the books of the Company.

 

11.                                Administration .  This Agreement and the issuance of shares contemplated hereunder shall be administered by Board or a committee of one or more members of the Board appointed by the Board to administer this Agreement and such issuance (the “Administrator”).  Subject to applicable law, the Administrator shall have the sole and plenary authority to: (i)  interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any defect in and/or supply any omission in this Agreement; (ii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Administrator shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of this Agreement; (iii) accelerate the lapse of restrictions on shares; and (iv) make any other determination and take any other action that the Administrator deems necessary or desirable for the administration of this Agreement.  The Administrator may delegate to one or more officers of the Company the authority to act on behalf of the Administrator with respect to any matter, right, obligation, or election that is the responsibility of or that is allocated to the Administrator herein, and that may be so delegated as a matter of law. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a Change of Control (as defined in the

 

3



 

Plan) the provisions of the Plan shall apply, including, without limitation, with regard to the vesting of the Restricted Stock.

 

12.                                Governing Law .  THIS AGREEMENT IS GOVERNED BY AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES OF SUCH STATE.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.

 

13.                                Special Tax Election .  The Grantee may elect under Section 83 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) to be taxed in the year that the Restricted Stock is granted, rather than when and as such Restricted Stock vests.  This election must be filed with the Internal Revenue Service within thirty (30) days after the date of this Agreement (which is also the grant date of the Restricted Stock).  By making the election, the Grantee will elect to treat the value of the grant as ordinary income in the year of the Effective Date, even though (i) the value of the stock may be less when and if the Restricted Stock vests, and (ii) the Grantee could, in the future, forfeit his or her rights to any unvested stock.  You should consult with your own tax advisor concerning the benefits or risks of filing a Section 83(b) election .

 

14.                                Withholding .  In the event that the Company determines that tax withholding is required with respect to the Grantee, the Grantee shall be required to pay to the Company, and the Company shall have the right to deduct from any compensation paid to the Grantee pursuant to the Plan, the amount of any required withholding taxes in respect of the Restricted Stock and to take such other action as the Administrator deems necessary to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding and taxes.  The Administrator may permit the Grantee to satisfy the withholding liability: (a) in cash, (b) by having the Company withhold from the number of shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable or deliverable pursuant to the settlement of the Restricted Stock a number of shares with a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum withholding obligation, (c) by delivering shares of Common Stock owned by the Grantee unless such delivery would result in adverse accounting consequences for the Company, or (d) by a combination of any such methods.  For purposes hereof, shares Common Stock shall be valued at Fair Market Value.

 

15.                                                 Miscellaneous .

 

(a)                                  Amendment and Waiver .   The provisions of this Agreement may be amended, modified or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company and Grantee, and no course of conduct or failure or delay in enforcing the provisions of this Agreement shall be construed as a waiver of such provisions or affect the validity, binding effect or enforceability of this Agreement or any provision hereof.

 

(b)                                  Severability .  Any provision in this Agreement which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction by reason of applicable law shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating or affecting the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

4



 

(c)                                   Entire Agreement and Effectiveness .  This Agreement embodies the complete agreement and understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede and preempt any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties, written or oral, which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way.

 

(d)                                  Counterparts .  This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.

 

(e)                                   Headings .  The paragraph headings have been inserted for purposes of convenience and shall not be used for interpretive purposes.

 

(f)                                    Gender and Plurals .  Whenever the context may require, any pronouns used herein shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns and pronouns shall include the plural and vice versa.

 

(g)                                   Successors and Assigns .  This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by and against Grantee, the Company and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, representatives and estates, as the case may be.

 

(h)                                  Construction .  Where specific language is used to clarify by example a general statement contained herein, such specific language shall not be deemed to modify, limit or restrict in any manner the construction of the general statement to which it relates.  The language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction shall be applied against any party.

 

(i)                                      Survival of Representations, Warranties and Agreements .  All representations, warranties and agreements contained herein shall survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the termination of this Agreement.

 

(j)                                     WAIVER OF PUNITIVE AND EXEMPLARY DAMAGE CLAIMS .  EACH PARTY, BY EXECUTING THIS AGREEMENT, WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW, ANY CLAIMS TO RECOVER PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY OR SIMILAR DAMAGES NOT MEASURED BY THE PREVAILING PARTY’S ACTUAL DAMAGES IN ANY DISPUTE OR CONTROVERSY ARISING UNDER, RELATING TO OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT.

 

5



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the Effective Date.

 

 

COMPANY:

 

 

 

 

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Randy A. Foutch

 

Chairman & CEO

 

 

 

 

 

GRANTEE:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

6


Exhibit 10.3

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

 

This Stock Option Agreement (“Agreement”) is made effective as of                  (the “Grant Date”) by and between Laredo Petroleum, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and                  (the “Optionee”), pursuant to the Laredo Petroleum, Inc. Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (as amended, the “Plan”).  The provisions of the Plan are incorporated herein by reference, and all capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the same meaning as set forth in the Plan.

 

W I T N E S S E T H:

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Plan, the Company desires to grant to the Optionee and the Optionee desires to accept an option to purchase shares of common stock, $.01 par value, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.                                       The Company hereby grants to the Optionee on the Grant Date an option to purchase                  shares of Common Stock at an Exercise Price of $4.10 (the “Option”).  This Option is intended to be treated as a so-called “non-qualified stock option” and this Agreement will be construed and interpreted accordingly.

 

2.                                       Except as specifically provided herein, the Option will become exercisable in accordance with the following schedule based upon the number of full years of the Optionee’s continuous employment or service with the Company or any other affiliate of the Company, following the Grant Date:

 

Full Years of Continuous
Employment

 

Incremental Percentage of
Option Exercisable

 

Cumulative Percentage
of Option Exercisable

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Less than 1

 

0

%

0

%

1

 

25

%

25

%

2

 

25

%

50

%

3

 

25

%

75

%

4 or more

 

25

%

100

%

 

No shares of Common Stock may be purchased hereunder unless the Optionee shall have remained in the continuous employ or service of the Company or any affiliate of the Company through the applicable anniversary of the Grant Date.  Unless sooner terminated, the Option will expire if and to the extent it is not exercised within ten (10) years from the Grant Date (the “Option Period”).

 

3.                                       The Option may be exercised in whole or in part in accordance with the above schedule by delivering to the Secretary of the Company:  (a) a written notice specifying the

 



 

number of shares to be purchased; and (b) payment in full of the Exercise Price, together with the amount, if any, deemed necessary by the Company to enable it to satisfy any income tax withholding obligations with respect to the exercise (unless other arrangements, acceptable to the Company, are made for the satisfaction of such withholding obligations).  The Exercise Price shall be payable (i) in cash, check, cash equivalent and/or shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the Exercise Price (including, pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrator (as defined herein), by means of attestation of ownership of a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock in lieu of actual delivery of such shares to the Company), provided , that such shares of Common Stock are not subject to any pledge or other security interest and are held for the applicable period as determined by the Company’s auditors to avoid adverse accounting charges, and (ii) by such other method as the Administrator may permit in accordance with applicable law, in its sole discretion, including without limitation, provided there is a public market for the shares of Common Stock at such time, (A) by means of a broker-assisted “cashless exercise” pursuant to which the Company is delivered a copy of irrevocable instructions to a stockbroker to sell the shares of Common Stock otherwise deliverable upon the exercise of the Option and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount equal to the Exercise Price or (B) by a “net exercise” method whereby the Company withholds from the delivery of the shares of Common Stock for which the Option was exercised that number of shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the aggregate Exercise Price for the shares of Common Stock for which the Option was exercised.  Any fractional shares of Common Stock shall be settled in cash.  The Administrator may specify a reasonable minimum number of shares of Common Stock or a percentage of the shares subject to an Option that may be purchased on any exercise of an Option; provided , that such minimum number will not prevent Optionee from exercising the full number of shares of Common Stock as to which the Option is then exercisable.

 

4.                                       No shares of Common Stock shall be sold or delivered hereunder until full payment for such shares has been made.  The Optionee shall have no rights as a stockholder with respect to any Common Stock covered by the Option until a stock certificate for such shares is issued to him (or book entry transfer made).  Except as otherwise provided herein, no adjustment shall be made for dividends or distributions of other rights for which the record date is prior to the date such stock certificate is issued or book entry transfer made.

 

5.                                       (a)                                  The unvested portion of an Option shall expire upon termination of employment of the Optionee, and the vested portion of such Option shall remain exercisable for (A) one year following termination of employment or service by reason of the Optionee’s death or Disability, but not later than the expiration of the Option Period, or (B) ninety (90) days following termination of employment or service for any reason other than the Optionee’s death or Disability, and other than the Optionee’s termination of employment or service for Cause, but not later than the expiration of the Option Period.

 

(b)                                  Both the unvested and the vested but unexercised portion of an Option shall expire upon the termination of the Optionee’s employment or service by the Company for Cause.

 

2



 

6.                                       No Right to Continued Employment .  This Agreement does not confer upon the Optionee any right to continuance of employment by the Company, nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the Company to terminate the Optionee’s employment at any time.

 

7.                                       Delivery of Laredo Petroleum, Inc. Prospectus dated May 25, 2016 .  The Optionee acknowledges that the Optionee has been provided a copy of the Company’s prospectus related to the Plan through such prospectus’ availability on the Company’s shared network drive, at S:\Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan Prospectus .  A copy will also be provided to the Optionee, upon the Optionee’s written request to the Company.

 

8.                                       Terms of Issuance .  The Optionee acknowledges being a party to one of the following agreements with the Company: (i) a non-competition and confidentiality agreement; or (ii) a confidentiality, non-solicitation and non-disparagement agreement.

 

9.                                       Transferability .  Neither the Option granted hereunder nor the underlying Common Stock may, at any time prior to becoming vested pursuant to Section 2, be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by the Optionee and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable.

 

10.                                Notice . Every notice or other communication relating to this Agreement shall be in writing, and shall be mailed to or delivered to the party for whom it is intended at such address as may from time to time be designated in a notice mailed or delivered to the other party as provided herein; provided that , unless and until some other address be so designated, all notices or communications by the Optionee to the Company shall be mailed or delivered to the Company at its Tulsa, Oklahoma, office and all notices or communications by the Company to the Optionee may be given to the Optionee personally or mailed to the Optionee’s home address as reflected on the books of the Company.

 

11.                                Administration .  This Agreement and the issuance of shares contemplated hereunder shall be administered by the Board or a committee of one or more members of the Board appointed by the Board to administer this Agreement and such issuance (the “Administrator”).  Subject to applicable law, the Administrator shall have the sole and plenary authority to: (i)  interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any defect in and/or supply any omission in this Agreement; (ii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Administrator shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of this Agreement; (iii) accelerate the lapse of restrictions on shares; and (iv) make any other determination and take any other action that the Administrator deems necessary or desirable for the administration of this Agreement.  The Administrator may delegate to one or more officers of the Company the authority to act on behalf of the Administrator with respect to any matter, right, obligation, or election that is the responsibility of or that is allocated to the Administrator herein, and that may be so delegated as a matter of law. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a Change of Control the provisions of the Plan shall apply, including, without limitation, with regard to the vesting of options, payment amount and payment timing.

 

12.                                Governing Law .  THIS AGREEMENT IS GOVERNED BY AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE,

 

3



 

WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES OF SUCH STATE.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.

 

13.                                Miscellaneous .

 

(a)                                  Amendment and Waiver .  The provisions of this Agreement may be amended, modified or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company and the Optionee, and no course of conduct or failure or delay in enforcing the provisions of this Agreement shall be construed as a waiver of such provisions or affect the validity, binding effect or enforceability of this Agreement or any provision hereof.

 

(b)                                  Severability .  Any provision in this Agreement which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction by reason of applicable law shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating or affecting the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

(c)                                   Entire Agreement and Effectiveness .  This Agreement shall embody the complete agreement and understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede and preempt any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties, written or oral, which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way.

 

(d)                                  Counterparts .  This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.

 

(e)                                   Headings .  The paragraph headings have been inserted for purposes of convenience and shall not be used for interpretive purposes.

 

(f)                                    Gender and Plurals .  Whenever the context may require, any pronouns used herein shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns and pronouns shall include the plural and vice versa.

 

(g)                                   Successors and Assigns .  This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by and against the Optionee, the Company and their respective successors, permitted assigns, heirs, representatives and estates, as the case may be.

 

(h)                                  Construction .  Where specific language is used to clarify by example a general statement contained herein, such specific language shall not be deemed to modify, limit or restrict in any manner the construction of the general statement to which it relates.  The language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction shall be applied against any party.

 

4



 

(i)                                      Survival of Representations, Warranties and Agreements .  All representations, warranties and agreements contained herein shall survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the termination of this Agreement.

 

(j)                                     WAIVER OF PUNITIVE AND EXEMPLARY DAMAGE CLAIMS .  EACH PARTY, BY EXECUTING THIS AGREEMENT, WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW, ANY CLAIMS TO RECOVER PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY OR SIMILAR DAMAGES NOT MEASURED BY THE PREVAILING PARTY’S ACTUAL DAMAGES IN ANY DISPUTE OR CONTROVERSY ARISING UNDER, RELATING TO OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement to be effective as of the Grant Date.

 

 

 

COMPANY:

 

 

 

 

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Randy A. Foutch

 

Chairman & CEO

 

 

 

 

 

OPTIONEE:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

5


Exhibit 10.4

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

PERFORMANCE SHARE UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

 

This Performance Share Unit Award Agreement (“Agreement”) is made as of                 , by and between Laredo Petroleum, Inc. (the “Company”) and                  (the “Participant”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H :

 

WHEREAS, the Participant is currently an employee of the Company, and the Company desires to have the Participant remain in such capacity and to afford the Participant the opportunity to participate in the potential increase in value of the Company over the Performance Period (as defined below).

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.                                       Grant of Performance Share Units .  Subject to the restrictions, terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Company’s Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), the Company hereby grants to the Participant                  performance share units (the “Performance Share Units”, or the “Award”). The provisions of the Plan are incorporated herein by reference, and all capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the same meaning as set forth in the Plan.  In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions of the Plan and this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall govern and control.

 

The Performance Share Units will be payable, if at all, solely in common stock of the Company (“Stock”) (other than the settlement in cash of any fractional share values), based upon the achievement by the Company of the Performance Goals as described on Exhibit A, over a three (3) year period commencing January 1, 2016 and ending on December 31, 2018 (the “Performance Period”).  The date on which the Performance Period ends either (i) on account of the end of the Performance Period or, if earlier, (ii) due to the Participant’s termination as set forth in Section 4(b) of this Agreement is referred to herein as the “Maturity Date.” The Participant’s right in the Performance Share Units shall vest on February 19, 2019 (the “Vest Date”); provided, however that if the Maturity Date is on or prior to December 31, 2018, then such Maturity Date shall be considered the Vest Date.

 

The specific Performance Goals described on Exhibit A were established by the Compensation Committee of the Company.  Subject to the other terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Plan, payment of the Performance Share Units will only be made if the Administrator certifies, following the close of the Performance Period, that the pre-established threshold Performance Goals have been exceeded in whole or in part on the Maturity Date and that the Participant is still employed by the Company on the Vest Date, and then only to the extent of the level of performance so certified as having been achieved.

 

1



 

2.                                       Form of Payment .  Except with respect to cash payments for fractional shares, the Award earned by reason of the Administrator’s certification as described above will be payable in Stock to the Participant (or the Participant’s beneficiary, or personal administrator in the case of your death or Disability) in the calendar year following the Maturity Date sometime following the Vest Date and on or before March 15 of such calendar year.  The amount of Stock to be paid will be determined by multiplying the number of Performance Share Units set forth in paragraph 1 by the Total Shareholder Return Modifier (such resulting number, the “Award Amount”). The Participant shall receive a number of shares of Stock equal to the Award Amount. For purposes of this paragraph, the Total Shareholder Return Modifier means the percentage, if any, achieved by attainment of the Relative TSR Performance Goals for the Performance Period in accordance with the schedule set forth on Exhibit A, as certified by the Administrator.

 

3.                                       Transferability .  This Award shall not be transferable otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.  Any attempt by the Participant (or in the case of the Participant’s death or Disability, the Participant’s beneficiary or personal administrator) to assign or transfer the Award, either voluntarily or involuntarily, contrary to the provisions hereof, shall be null and void and without effect and shall render the Award itself null and void.

 

4.                                       Forfeiture Provisions .  The following forfeiture provisions shall apply to the Performance Share Units:

 

(a)                                  If the Participant’s employment with the Company or any if its Subsidiaries is terminated by the Company or such Subsidiary for any reason, with or without Cause, or the Participant resigns (in either case, other than as set forth in Section 4(b) below) prior to the Vest Date, then no amount shall be paid in respect of the Award.

 

(b)                                  If the Participant’s employment with the Company or any Subsidiary is terminated (i) by reason of the Participant’s death or (ii) because the Participant is determined by the Board or the Administrator to be subject to a Disability, then the Participant shall be eligible to receive a pro-rated Award, taking into account the time that the Participant was employed during the Performance Period prior to the date of such termination. Any amount payable pursuant to this paragraph 4 shall be paid in accordance with Sections 1 and 2.

 

5.                                       Compliance with Section 162(m) .  The Administrator shall exercise its discretion with respect to this Award in all cases so as to preserve the deductibility of payments under the Award against disallowance by reason of Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

6.                                       Withholding .  The Company shall be obligated to withhold amounts sufficient to satisfy any tax withholding or similar withholding obligations to which the Company or its Subsidiaries may be subject by reason of payment under this Award.  The Participant expressly acknowledges and agrees that the Participant’s rights hereunder are subject to this obligation of the Company regarding any applicable taxes required to be withheld in connection with the Award, in a form and manner satisfactory to the Company.

 

2



 

7.                                       No Right to Continued Employment .  This Agreement does not confer upon the Participant any right to continuance of employment by the Company, nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the Company to terminate the Participant’s employment at any time.

 

8.                                       Terms of Issuance .  The Participant acknowledges being subject to all terms, conditions and policies contained in the Company’s Employee Manual, as the same may be amended or modified from time-to-time at the sole discretion of the Company.

 

9.                                       Notice . Every notice or other communication relating to this Agreement shall be in writing, and shall be mailed to or delivered to the party for whom it is intended at such address as may from time to time be designated in a notice mailed or delivered to the other party as provided herein; provided that, unless and until some other address be so designated, all notices or communications by the Participant to the Company shall be mailed or delivered to the Company at its Tulsa, Oklahoma, office and all notices or communications by the Company to the Participant may be given to the Participant personally or mailed to the Participant’s home address as reflected on the books of the Company.

 

10.                                Administration .  This Agreement and the issuance of Stock contemplated hereunder shall be administered by Board or a committee of one or more members of the Board appointed by the Board to administer this Agreement and such issuance (the “Administrator”).  Subject to applicable law, the Administrator shall have the sole and plenary authority to: (i)  interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any defect in and/or supply any omission in this Agreement; (ii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Administrator shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of this Agreement; (iii) accelerate the lapse of restrictions on Stock; and (iv) make any other determination and take any other action that the Administrator deems necessary or desirable for the administration of this Agreement.  The Administrator may delegate to one or more officers of the Company the authority to act on behalf of the Administrator with respect to any matter, right, obligation, or election that is the responsibility of or that is allocated to the Administrator herein, and that may be so delegated as a matter of law. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a Change of Control (as defined in the Plan) the provisions of the Plan shall apply, including, without limitation, with regard to the vesting of Performance Share Units, payment amount and payment timing.

 

11.                                Governing Law .  THIS AGREEMENT IS GOVERNED BY AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES OF SUCH STATE.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.

 

3



 

12.                                Miscellaneous .

 

(a)                                  Amendment and Waiver.   The provisions of this Agreement may be amended, modified or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company and the Participant, and no course of conduct or failure or delay in enforcing the provisions of this Agreement shall be construed as a waiver of such provisions or affect the validity, binding effect or enforceability of this Agreement or any provision hereof.

 

(b)                                  Severability .  Any provision in this Agreement which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction by reason of applicable law shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating or affecting the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

(c)                                   Entire Agreement and Effectiveness .  This Agreement embodies the complete agreement and understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede and preempt any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or among the parties, written or oral, which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way.

 

(d)                                  Counterparts .  This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.

 

(e)                                   Headings .  The paragraph headings have been inserted for purposes of convenience and shall not be used for interpretive purposes.

 

(f)                                    Gender and Plurals .  Whenever the context may require, any pronouns used herein shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns and pronouns shall include the plural and vice versa.

 

(g)                                   Successors and Assigns .  This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by and against the Participant, the Company and their respective successors, allowable assigns, heirs, representatives and estates, as the case may be.

 

(h)                                  Construction .  Where specific language is used to clarify by example a general statement contained herein, such specific language shall not be deemed to modify, limit or restrict in any manner the construction of the general statement to which it relates.  The language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction shall be applied against any party.

 

(i)                                      Survival of Representations, Warranties and Agreements .  All representations, warranties and agreements contained herein shall survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the termination of this Agreement.

 

(j)                                     WAIVER OF PUNITIVE AND EXEMPLARY DAMAGE CLAIMS .  EACH PARTY, BY EXECUTING THIS AGREEMENT, WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT

 

4



 

ALLOWED BY LAW, ANY CLAIMS TO RECOVER PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY OR SIMILAR DAMAGES NOT MEASURED BY THE PREVAILING PARTY’S ACTUAL DAMAGES IN ANY DISPUTE OR CONTROVERSY ARISING UNDER, RELATING TO OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT.

 

(k)                                  Delivery of Laredo Petroleum, Inc. Prospectus dated May 25, 2016 . Participant acknowledges that Participant has been provided a copy of the Company’s prospectus related to the Company’s Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan through such prospectus’ availability on the Company’s shared network drive, at S:\Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan Prospectus .  A copy will also be provided to Participant, upon Participant’s written request to the Company

 

13.                                Section 409A .  Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, it is intended that this Agreement comply with, or be exempt from, the provisions of Section 409A of the Code and that this Award not result in unfavorable tax consequences to the Participant under Section 409A of the Code.  This Agreement will be administered and interpreted in a manner consistent with such intent.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, to the extent required in order to avoid accelerated taxation and/or tax penalties under Section 409A of the Code, the Participant shall not be considered to have terminated employment with Company for purposes of this Agreement and no payments shall be due to him or her under this Agreement which are payable upon his or her termination of employment until he or she would be considered to have incurred a “separation from service” from the Company within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.  To the extent required in order to avoid accelerated taxation and/or tax penalties under Section 409A of the Code, amounts that would otherwise be payable and benefits that would otherwise be provided to a “specified employee” pursuant to this Agreement during the six-month period immediately following the Participant’s termination of employment shall instead be paid within 30 days following the first business day after the date that is six months following his or her termination of employment (or upon his death, if earlier).  In addition, for purposes of this Agreement, each amount to be paid or benefit to be provided to the Participant pursuant to this Agreement shall be construed as a separate identified payment for purposes of Section 409A of the Code.  Notwithstanding any of the foregoing to the contrary, the Company and its respective officers, directors, employees, or agents make no guarantee that the terms of this Agreement as written comply with, or are exempt from, the provisions of Section 409A of the Code, and none of the foregoing shall have any liability for the failure of the terms of this Agreement as written to comply with, or be exempt from, the provisions of Section 409A of the Code.

 

14.                                Clawback .  The Participant acknowledges and agrees that payments made under this Agreement are subject to clawback if such payments are made (i) on account of fraud or misconduct by the Participant, (ii) following an accounting restatement under certain circumstances (as referenced in the Company’s Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan) or (iii) as may be required by any other policy of the Company which may now exist or hereafter be adopted regarding repayment of incentive-based compensation, as may be in effect from time to time.

 

5



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the day and year first above written.

 

 

COMPANY:

 

 

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Randy A. Foutch

 

Chairman & CEO

 

 

 

PARTICIPANT:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

6



 

Exhibit A

 

Performance Goals

 

Start of Performance Period — End of Performance Period

 

The Performance Goals established by the Compensation Committee of the Company are based on the Company’s relative three year total shareholder return (“TSR”) over the Performance Period measured against the Company’s Peer Group.  The final number of shares associated with each Performance Share Unit granted at the Maturity Date can range from 0% to 200% (rounded to the nearest tenth decimal point) of the target amount in accordance with the following chart:

 

 

 

Relative TSR Performance Goal

 

TSR Modifier

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below Threshold

 

Below 40 th  percentile

 

0

%

Threshold

 

40 th  percentile

 

50

%

Target

 

60 th  percentile

 

100

%

Maximum

 

80 th  percentile

 

200

%

 

The Committee will interpolate all points between the Threshold and the Maximum Performance Goal. In the event that the Start Average Stock Price is greater than the End Average Stock Price plus Dividends then, unless otherwise determined by the Board, Committee or the Administrator, the TSR modifier shall be no greater than 150%.

 

TSR is calculated on the basis of the following formula:

 

End Average Stock Price plus Dividends*  — Start Average Stock Price

TSR                           =                                                                                                                                                                                        Start Average Stock Price

 

with the Start Average Stock Price being the average closing stock price for the first 30 trading days of calendar year 2016 and the End Average Stock Price being the average closing stock price for the 30 trading days immediately preceding the Maturity Date, as reported on the stock exchange on which such shares are listed.

 

The Peer Group consists of the following companies:**

 

QEP Resources, Inc.

 

Clayton Williams Energy, Inc.

Concho Resources, Inc.

 

Diamondback Energy, Inc.

SM Energy Co.

 

Parsley Energy, Inc.

Cimarex Energy Co.

 

RSP Permian, Inc.

EP Energy Corp.

 

Whiting Petroleum Corp.

Energen Corp.

 

 

 

7



 

·                   Dividends shall be assumed to be reinvested, as applicable

 

·                   ** the Board, Committee or Administrator may, in its good faith, substitute or set a specific applicable price in the event of a liquidation, bankruptcy, dissolution, merger, acquisition or similar event affecting any peer company in accordance with then current policy.

 

8