UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM S-8

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

BioTelemetry, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

46-2568498

(State or other jurisdiction of

 

(IRS Employer

incorporation or organization)

 

Identification No.)

 

 

 

1000 Cedar Hollow Road, Malvern, Pennsylvania

 

19355

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

BIOTELEMETRY, INC. 2017 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

BIOTELEMETRY, INC. 2017 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

(Full title of the plans)

 

Peter Ferola

Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

BioTelemetry, Inc.

1000 Cedar Hollow Road, Suite 102

Malvern, Pennsylvania  19355

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

(610) 729-7000

(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

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

 

Large accelerated filer

 

o

 

Accelerated filer

x

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-accelerated filer

 

o

 

Smaller reporting company

o

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emerging growth company

o

 

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

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title of
securities
to be
registered

 

Amount
to be
registered (1)

 

Proposed
maximum
offering
price
per share

 

Proposed
maximum
aggregate
offering
price (2)

 

Amount of
registration
fee

 

Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share

 

3,000,000 shares

 

(2)

 

$

85,650,000

 

$

9,927

 

Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share

 

500,000 shares

 

(2)

 

$

14,275,000

 

$

1,655

 

(1)          An aggregate of 3,500,000 shares of the Registrant’s common stock are registered hereby, consisting of (i) 3,000,000 shares which may be issued under the Registrant’s 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “2017 OIP”) and (ii) 500,000 shares which may be issued under the Registrant’s 2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2017 ESPP” and together with the 2017 OIP, the “Plans”). Pursuant to Rule 416 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of the Registrant’s common stock that become issuable under the Plans by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization, or any other similar transaction.

 

(2)          Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rule 457(c) and 457(h) of the Securities Act, based upon the average of the high and low sales prices of the Registrant’s common stock as reported by the NASDAQ Stock Market on May 23, 2017.

 

 

 



 

PART I

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

 

All information required by Part I of Form S-8 to be contained in the Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act and the Note to Part I of Form S-8. The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8 will be sent or given to participants in the Plans as required by Rule 428 under the Securities Act.

 

PART II

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

 

The Registrant is subject to the informational and reporting requirements of Sections 13(a), 14, and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and in accordance therewith files reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”).  The following documents, which are on file with the Commission, are incorporated in this Registration Statement by reference, other than information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K:

 

(a)               The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the Commission on February 22, 2017;

 

(b)               The Registrant’s Current Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on May 4, 2017;

 

(c)                The Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on February 1, 2017;

 

(d)               The Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed with the Commission on February 13, 2017;

 

(e)                The Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on April 10, 2017;

 

(f)                 The Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 8, 2017;

 

(g)                The Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 16, 2017;

 

(h)               The Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 22, 2017; and

 

(i)                   The description of the Registrant’s common stock contained in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed with the Commission on April 22, 2013, as amended and declared effective by the Commission (File No. 333-188058), and all amendments and reports updating such description.

 

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

 

2



 

Item 4. Description of Securities.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) empowers a corporation to indemnify its directors and officers and to purchase insurance with respect to liability arising out of their capacity or status as directors and officers, provided that the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the company, and, with respect to any criminal action, had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s actions were unlawful. The DGCL further provides that the indemnification permitted thereunder shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the directors and officers may be entitled under the company’s bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or otherwise.

 

The Registrant’s bylaws require that it indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent not prohibited by the DGCL or any other applicable law; provided, however, that the Registrant may modify the extent of such indemnification by individual contracts with the Registrant’s directors and officers; and, provided, further, that the Registrant shall not be required to indemnify any director or officer in connection with any proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless: (i) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law; (ii) the proceeding was authorized by the Registrant’s board of directors; (iii) such indemnification is provided by the Registrant, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Registrant under the DGCL or any other applicable law or (iv) such indemnification is required to be made under Section 43(d) of the bylaws of the Registrant.

 

The Registrant’s bylaws provide further that the Registrant shall advance to any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director or officer of the Registrant, or is or was serving at the request of the company as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, prior to the final disposition of the proceeding, promptly following request therefor, all expenses incurred by any director or officer in connection with such proceeding provided, however, that if the DGCL requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Registrant of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under the bylaws of the Registrant or otherwise.

 

Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL permits a corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of the company shall not be personally liable to the company or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the company or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) for payments of unlawful dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. The Registrant’s certificate of incorporation provides that the liability of the directors of the Registrant for monetary damages shall be eliminated to the fullest extent under applicable law. If the DGCL is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Registrant shall be eliminated to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended.

 

The Registrant maintains insurance policies under which its directors and officers are insured, within the limits and subject to the limitations of those policies, against certain expenses in connection with the defense of, and certain liabilities which might be imposed as a result of, actions, suits or proceedings to which they are parties by reason of being or having been directors or officers. The coverage provided by these policies may apply whether or not the Registrant would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.

 

3



 

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 8. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
No.

 

Description

 

 

 

5.1

 

Opinion of Greenberg Traurig, P.A.

 

 

 

10.1

 

Biotelemetry, Inc. 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 

 

 

10.2

 

Biotelemetry, Inc. 2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

 

 

 

23.1

 

Consent of Greenberg Traurig, P.A. (included in Exhibit 5.1)

 

 

 

23.2

 

Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

 

 

 

24.1

 

Power of Attorney (included on signature page)

 

Item 9. Undertakings.

 

(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

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

 

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

 

(ii)           To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement

 

4



 

relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

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

 

5



 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Malvern, State of Pennsylvania, on May 25, 2017.

 

 

BIOTELEMETRY, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Peter F. Ferola

 

 

Peter F. Ferola

 

 

Senior Vice President and General Counsel

 

6



 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Each of the undersigned officers and directors of BioTelemetry, Inc. hereby severally constitutes and appoints Peter Ferola as the undersigned’s true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and revocation, for and in the undersigned’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signatures

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Joseph H. Capper

 

President and Chief Executive Officer 

 

May 25, 2017

Joseph H. Capper

 

(Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Heather C. Getz

 

Executive Vice President and Chief

 

May 25, 2017

Heather C. Getz

 

Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Kirk E. Gorman

 

Director and Chairman

 

May 25, 2017

Kirk E. Gorman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Anthony J. Conti

 

Director

 

May 25, 2017

Anthony J. Conti

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Joseph A. Frick

 

Director

 

May 25, 2017

Joseph A. Frick

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Rebecca W. Rimel

 

Director

 

May 25, 2017

Rebecca W. Rimel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Robert J. Rubin, M.D.

 

Director

 

May 25, 2017

Robert J. Rubin, M.D.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Colin Hill

 

Director

 

May 25, 2017

Colin Hill

 

 

 

 

 

7



 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
No.

 

Description

 

 

 

5.1

 

Opinion of Greenberg Traurig, P.A.

 

 

 

10.1

 

Biotelemetry, Inc. 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan

 

 

 

10.2

 

Biotelemetry, Inc. 2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

 

 

 

23.1

 

Consent of Greenberg Traurig, P.A. (included in Exhibit 5.1)

 

 

 

23.2

 

Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

 

 

 

24.1

 

Power of Attorney (included on signature page)

 

8


Exhibit 5.1

 

 

May 25, 2017

 

BioTelemetry, Inc.

1000 Cedar Hollow Road

Malvern, Pennsylvania  19355

 

Re:                              Shares to be Issued Under the BioTelemetry, Inc. 2017 Omnibus

Incentive Plan and the 2017 Biotelemetry, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have assisted in the preparation of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “ Registration Statement ”) to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), relating to an aggregate of  3,500,000  shares (the “ Shares ”) of common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “ Common Stock ”), of BioTelemetry, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), consisting of (i) 3,000,000  shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Company’s 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “ 2017 OIP ”) and (ii) 500,000  shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Company’s 2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ 2017 ESPP ,” and together with the 2017 OIP, the “ Plans ”).

 

We have examined the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company, each as amended and restated to date, and originals, or copies certified to our satisfaction, of all pertinent records of the meetings of the directors and stockholders of the Company, the Registration Statement, the Plans and such other documents relating to the Company as we have deemed material for the purposes of this opinion.

 

In our examination of the foregoing documents, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, photostatic or other copies, the authenticity of the originals of any such documents and the legal competence of all signatories to such documents.

 

We assume that the appropriate action will be taken, prior to the offer and sale of the Shares in accordance with the Plans, to register and qualify the Shares for sale under all applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws.  We express no opinion herein as to the laws of any state or jurisdiction other than the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the federal laws of the United States of America.  Please note that we are opining only as to the matters expressly set forth herein, and no opinion should be inferred as to any other matters.

 

Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and, when the Shares are issued and paid for in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plans, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission in connection with the Registration Statement in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.  In giving such consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission.

 

 

ALBANY

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WASHINGTON, D.C.

WESTCHESTER COUNTY

WEST PALM BEACH

 

¬ OPERATES AS GREENBERG

TRAURIG GERMANY, LLP

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Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

Greenberg Traurig, P.A.

 

GREENBERG TRAURIG, P.A. · ATTORNEYS AT LAW · WWW.GTLAW.COM

401 East Las Olas Boulevard · Suite 2000 · Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 · Tel 954.765.0500 · Fax 954.765.1477

 


 

Exhibit 10.1

 


 

BIOTELEMETRY, INC.

 

2017 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

 


 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

1.

PURPOSE

1

 

 

 

2.

DEFINITIONS

1

 

 

 

3.

ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN

8

 

3.1

Committee

8

 

 

3.1.1

Powers and Authorities

8

 

 

3.1.2

Composition of the Committee

9

 

 

3.1.3

Other Committees

9

 

 

3.1.4

Delegation by the Committee

9

 

3.2

Board

10

 

3.3

Terms of Awards

10

 

 

3.3.1

Committee Authority

10

 

 

3.3.2

Forfeiture; Recoupment

11

 

3.4

No Repricing

11

 

3.5

Deferral Arrangement

11

 

3.6

Registration; Share Certificates

11

 

 

 

4.

STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

12

 

4.1

Number of Shares of Stock Available for Awards

12

 

4.2

Adjustments in Authorized Shares of Stock

12

 

4.3

Share Usage

12

 

 

 

5.

TERM; AMENDMENT, SUSPENSION, AND TERMINATION

13

 

5.1

Term

13

 

5.2

Amendment, Suspension, and Termination

13

 

 

 

6.

AWARD ELIGIBILITY AND LIMITATIONS

13

 

6.1

Eligible Grantees

13

 

6.2

Limitation on Shares of Stock Subject to Awards and Cash Awards

14

 

6.3

Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem, and Substitute Awards

14

 

6.4

Minimum Vesting Period

15

 

 

 

7.

AWARD AGREEMENT

15

 

 

 

8.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTIONS

15

 

8.1

Option Price

15

 

8.2

Vesting and Exercisability

15

 

8.3

Term

15

 

8.4

Termination of Service

16

 

8.5

Limitations on Exercise of Option

16

 

8.6

Method of Exercise

16

 

8.7

Rights of Holders of Options

16

 

8.8

Delivery of Stock

16

 

8.9

Transferability of Options

16

 

i



 

 

8.10

Family Transfers

17

 

8.11

Limitations on Incentive Stock Options

17

 

8.12

Notice of Disqualifying Disposition

17

 

 

 

9.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

17

 

9.1

Right to Payment and SAR Price

17

 

9.2

Other Terms

18

 

9.3

Term

18

 

9.4

Rights of Holders of SARs

18

 

9.5

Transferability of SARs

18

 

9.6

Family Transfers

18

 

 

 

10.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF RESTRICTED STOCK, RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS, AND DEFERRED STOCK UNITS

19

 

10.1

Grant of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, and Deferred Stock Units

19

 

10.2

Restrictions

19

 

10.3

Registration; Restricted Stock Certificates

19

 

10.4

Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock

19

 

10.5

Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units

20

 

 

10.5.1

Voting and Dividend Rights

20

 

 

10.5.2

Creditor’s Rights

20

 

10.6

Termination of Service

20

 

10.7

Purchase of Restricted Stock and Shares of Stock Subject to Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units

20

 

10.8

Delivery of Shares of Stock

21

 

 

 

11.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF UNRESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS AND OTHER EQUITY-BASED AWARDS

21

 

11.1

Unrestricted Stock Awards

21

 

11.2

Other Equity-Based Awards

21

 

 

 

12.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF DIVIDEND EQUIVALENT RIGHTS

22

 

12.1

Dividend Equivalent Rights

22

 

12.2

Termination of Service

22

 

 

 

13.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PERFORMANCE-BASED AWARDS

22

 

13.1

Grant of Performance-Based Awards

22

 

13.2

Value of Performance-Based Awards

22

 

13.3

Earning of Performance-Based Awards

22

 

13.4

Form and Timing of Payment of Performance-Based Awards

23

 

13.5

Performance Conditions

23

 

13.6

Performance-Based Awards Granted to Designated Covered Employees

23

 

 

13.6.1

Performance Goals Generally

23

 

 

13.6.2

Timing For Establishing Performance Goals

23

 

 

13.6.3

Payment of Awards; Other Terms

24

 

 

13.6.4

Performance Measures

24

 

 

13.6.5

Evaluation of Performance

25

 

 

13.6.6

Adjustment of Performance-Based Compensation

26

 

 

13.6.7

Committee Discretion

26

 

 

13.6.8

Status of Awards Under Code Section 162(m)

26

 

ii



 

14.

FORMS OF PAYMENT

26

 

14.1

General Rule

26

 

14.2

Surrender of Shares of Stock

26

 

14.3

Cashless Exercise

27

 

14.4

Other Forms of Payment

27

 

 

 

15.

REQUIREMENTS OF LAW

27

 

15.1

General

27

 

15.2

Rule 16b-3

28

 

 

 

16.

EFFECT OF CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION

29

 

16.1

Changes in Stock

29

 

16.2

Reorganization in Which the Company Is the Surviving Entity Which Does Not Constitute a Change in Control

29

 

16.3

Change in Control in Which Awards Are Not Assumed

30

 

16.4

Change in Control in Which Awards Are Assumed

31

 

16.5

Adjustments

32

 

16.6

No Limitations on Company

32

 

 

 

17.

PARACHUTE LIMITATIONS

32

 

 

 

18.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

33

 

18.1

Disclaimer of Rights

33

 

18.2

Nonexclusivity of the Plan

33

 

18.3

Withholding Taxes

33

 

18.4

Captions

34

 

18.5

Construction

34

 

18.6

Other Provisions

34

 

18.7

Number and Gender

34

 

18.8

Severability

34

 

18.9

Governing Law

34

 

18.10

Foreign Jurisdictions

34

 

18.11

Section 409A of the Code

35

 

18.12

Limitation on Liability

35

 

iii



 

BIOTELMETRY, INC.

2017 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

 

1.                                       PURPOSE

 

The Plan is intended to (a) provide eligible individuals with an incentive to contribute to the success of the Company and to operate and manage the Company’s business in a manner that will provide for the Company’s long-term growth and profitability and that will benefit its shareholders and other important stakeholders, including its employees and customers, and (b) provide a means of recruiting, rewarding, and retaining key personnel.  To this end, the Plan provides for the grant of Awards of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, Unrestricted Stock, Dividend Equivalent Rights, Performance Shares and other Performance-Based Awards, Other Equity-Based Awards, and cash bonus awards.  Any of these Awards may, but need not, be made as performance incentives to reward the holders of such Awards for the achievement of performance goals in accordance with the terms of the Plan.  Options granted under the Plan may be Non-qualified Stock Options or Incentive Stock Options, as provided herein.

 

As of the Effective Date of this Plan, the Prior Plans shall terminate and no future Awards shall be granted thereunder.  The Prior Plans shall remain in existence solely with respect to Awards that were granted thereunder and remain outstanding as of the Effective Date.

 

2.                                       DEFINITIONS

 

For purposes of interpreting the Plan documents, including the Plan and Award Agreements, the following capitalized terms shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

 

2.1           “ Affiliate ” shall mean any Person that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Rule 405 of Regulation C under the Securities Act, including any Subsidiary.  For purposes of grants of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, an entity may not be considered an Affiliate unless the Company holds a Controlling Interest in such entity.

 

2.2           “ Applicable Laws ” shall mean the legal requirements relating to the Plan and the Awards under (a) applicable provisions of the Code, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any rules or regulations thereunder, and any other laws, rules, regulations, and government orders of any jurisdiction applicable to the Company or its Affiliates, (b) applicable provisions of the corporate, securities, tax, and other laws, rules, regulations, and government orders of any jurisdiction applicable to Awards granted to residents thereof, and (c) the rules of any Stock Exchange or Securities Market on which the Stock is listed or publicly traded.

 

2.3           “ Award ” shall mean a grant under the Plan of an Option, a Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, a Restricted Stock Unit, a Deferred Stock Unit, Unrestricted Stock, a Dividend Equivalent Right, a Performance Share or other Performance-Based Award, an Other Equity-Based Award, or cash.

 

2.4           “ Award Agreement ” shall mean the written agreement, in such written, electronic, or other form as determined by the Committee, between the Company and a Grantee that evidences and sets forth the terms and conditions of an Award.

 



 

2.5           “ Beneficial Owner ” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act.

 

2.6           “ Benefit Arrangement ” shall mean any formal or informal plan or other arrangement for the direct or indirect provision of compensation to a Grantee (including groups or classes of Grantees or beneficiaries of which the Grantee is a member), whether or not such compensation is deferred, is in cash, or is in the form of a benefit to or for the Grantee.

 

2.7           “ Board ” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

2.8           “ Cause ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Grantee’s employment agreement with the Company, as in effect on the date an Award is granted; provided that if no such agreement or definition exists, “Cause” shall mean, unless otherwise specified in the Award Agreement: (a) conviction of any felony or indictable offense (other than one related to a vehicular offense) or other criminal act involving fraud; (b) willful misconduct that results in a material economic detriment to the Company; (c) material violation of Company policies and directives, which is not cured after written notice and an opportunity for cure; (d) continued refusal by the Grantee to perform the Grantee’s duties after written notice identifying the deficiencies and an opportunity for cure; (e) a material violation by the Grantee of any material covenants to the Company and (f) such other actions constituting cause under applicable common law.  No action or inaction shall be deemed willful if not demonstrably willful and if taken or not taken by the Grantee in good faith and with the understanding that such action or inaction was not adverse to the best interests of the Company. Reference in this definition to the Company shall also include direct and indirect Subsidiaries of the Company, and materiality shall be measured based on the action or inaction and the impact upon the Company taken as a whole.  Any determination by the Committee regarding whether an event constituting Cause shall have occurred shall be final, binding, and conclusive.

 

2.9           “ Capital Stock ” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations, or other equivalents (however designated, whether voting or non-voting) in equity of such Person, whether outstanding on the Effective Date or issued thereafter, including, without limitation, all shares of Stock.

 

2.10         “ Change in Control ” shall mean, subject to Section 18.11 , the occurrence of any of the following:

 

(a)           the acquisition (other than from the Company), by any person (as such term is defined in Section 13(c) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding voting securities;

 

(b)          the individuals who, as of the Effective Date, are members of the Board (the “ Incumbent Board ”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board, unless the election, or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders, of any new director was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Incumbent Board, and such new director shall be considered as a member of the Incumbent Board;

 

(c)           the closing of a merger or similar business combination (each, an “ Business Combination ”) involving the Company if (i) the shareholders of the Company, immediately before such Business Combination, do not, as a result of such Business Combination, own, directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting

 

2



 

securities of the entity resulting from such Business Combination in substantially the same proportion as their ownership of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately before such Business Combination or (ii) immediately following the Business Combination, the individuals who comprised the Board immediately prior thereto do not constitute at least a majority of the board of directors of the entity resulting from such Business Combination (or, if the entity resulting from such Business Combination is then a subsidiary, the ultimate parent thereof); or

 

(d)           a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or the closing of an agreement for the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control shall not be deemed to occur solely because fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities is acquired by (i) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under one or more employee benefit plans maintained by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (ii) any corporation which, immediately prior to such acquisition, is owned directly or indirectly by the shareholders of the Company in the same proportion as their ownership of shares in the Company immediately prior to such acquisition.

 

2.11         “ Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, as now in effect or as hereafter amended, and any successor thereto.  References in the Plan to any Code Section shall be deemed to include, as applicable, regulations and guidance promulgated under such Code Section.

 

2.12         “ Committee ” shall mean a committee of, and designated from time to time by resolution of, the Board, which shall be constituted as provided in Section 3.1.2 and Section 3.1.3 (or, if no Committee has been so designated, the Board).

 

2.13         “ Company ” shall mean BioTelemetry, Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

2.14         “ Controlling Interest ” shall have the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2(b)(2)(i); provided that (a) except as specified in clause (b) below, an interest of “at least 50 percent” shall be used instead of an interest of “at least 80 percent” in each case where “at least 80 percent” appears in Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2(b)(2)(i), and (b) where a grant of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights is based upon a legitimate business criterion, an interest of “at least 20 percent” shall be used instead of an interest of “at least 80 percent” in each case where “at least 80 percent” appears in Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2(b)(2)(i).

 

2.15                         Covered Employee ” shall mean a Grantee who is, or could become, a “covered employee” within the meaning of Code Section 162(m)(3).

 

2.16         “ Deferred Stock Unit ” shall mean a Restricted Stock Unit, the terms of which provide for delivery of the underlying shares of Stock, cash, or a combination thereof subsequent to the date of vesting, at a time or times consistent with the requirements of Code Section 409A.

 

2.17         “ Disability ” shall mean, unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, that the Grantee is (a) unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months or (b) by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three (3) months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Company; provided, that, if applicable to the Award, “Disability” shall be determined in a manner consistent with Section 409A of the Code.

 

3



 

2.18         “ Disqualified Individual ” shall have the meaning set forth in Code Section 280G(c).

 

2.19         “ Dividend Equivalent Right ” shall mean a right, granted to a Grantee pursuant to Article 12 , entitling the Grantee thereof to receive, or to receive credits for the future payment of, cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property equal in value to dividend payments or distributions, or other periodic payments, declared or paid with respect to a number of shares of Stock specified in such Dividend Equivalent Right (or other Award to which such Dividend Equivalent Right relates) as if such shares of Stock had been issued to and held by the Grantee of such Dividend Equivalent Right as of the record date.

 

2.20         “ Effective Date ” shall mean May 11, 2017, subject to approval of the Plan by the Company’s shareholders on such date, the Plan having been approved by the Board on March 13, 2017.

 

2.21         “ Employee ” shall mean, as of any date of determination, an employee (including an officer) of the Company or an Affiliate.

 

2.22         “ Exchange Act ” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as now in effect or as hereafter amended, and any successor thereto.

 

2.23         “ Fair Market Value ” shall mean the fair market value of a share of Stock for purposes of the Plan, which shall be, as of any date of determination:

 

(a)           If on such date the shares of Stock are listed on a Stock Exchange, or are publicly traded on another Securities Market, the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock shall be the closing price of the Stock as reported on such Stock Exchange or such Securities Market (provided that, if there is more than one such Stock Exchange or Securities Market, the Committee shall designate the appropriate Stock Exchange or Securities Market for purposes of the Fair Market Value determination).  If there is no such reported closing price on such date, the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock shall be the closing price of the Stock on the next preceding day on which any sale of Stock shall have been reported on such Stock Exchange or such Securities Market.

 

(b)           If on such date the shares of Stock are not listed on a Stock Exchange or publicly traded on a Securities Market, the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock shall be the value of the Stock as determined by the Committee by the reasonable application of a reasonable valuation method, in a manner consistent with Code Section 409A.

 

Notwithstanding this Section 2.23 or Section 18.3 , for purposes of determining taxable income and the amount of the related tax withholding obligation pursuant to Section 18.3 , the Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Committee in good faith using any reasonable method as it deems appropriate, to be applied consistently with respect to Grantees; provided, further, that the Committee shall determine the Fair Market Value of shares of Stock for tax withholding obligations due in connection with sales, by or on behalf of a Grantee, of such shares of Stock subject to an Award to pay the Option Price, SAR Price, and/or any tax withholding obligation on the same date on which such shares may first be sold pursuant to the terms of the applicable Award Agreement (including broker-assisted cashless exercises of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, as described in Section 14.3 , and sell-to-cover transactions) in any manner consistent with applicable

 

4



 

provisions of the Code, including but not limited to using the sale price of such shares on such date (or if sales of such shares are effectuated at more than one sale price, the weighted average sale price of such shares on such date) as the Fair Market Value of such shares, so long as such Grantee has provided the Company, or its designee or agent, with advance written notice of such sale.

 

2.24         “ Family Member ” shall mean, with respect to any Grantee as of any date of determination, (a) a Person who is a spouse, former spouse, child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother, sister, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships, of such Grantee, (b) any Person sharing such Grantee’s household (other than a tenant or employee), (c) a trust in which any one or more of the Persons specified in clauses (a) and (b) above (and such Grantee) own more than fifty percent (50%) of the beneficial interest, (d) a foundation in which any one or more of the Persons specified in clauses (a) and (b) above (and such Grantee) control the management of assets, and (e) any other entity in which one or more of the Persons specified in clauses (a) and (b) above (and such Grantee) own more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting interests.

 

2.25         “ Good Reason ” shall have the meaning set forth in the Grantee’s employment agreement with the Company, as in effect on the date an Award is granted; provided that if no such agreement or definition exists, “Good Reason” shall mean, unless otherwise specified in the Award Agreement, the occurrence of any of the events or conditions described in clauses (a) and (b) immediately below which are not cured by the Company (if susceptible to cure by the Company) within thirty (30) days after the Company has received written notice from the Grantee which notice must be provided by the Grantee within ninety (90) days of the initial existence of the event or condition constituting Good Reason specifying the particular events or conditions which constitute Good Reason and the specific cure requested by the Grantee: (a) any material reduction in the Grantee’s duties or responsibilities as in effect immediately prior thereto; provided that diminution of responsibility shall not include any such diminution resulting from a promotion, death or Disability, the termination of the Grantee’s employment for Cause, or the Grantee’s termination of employment other than for Good Reason; and (b) any reduction in the Grantee’s base salary or target bonus opportunity which is not comparable to reductions in the base salary or target bonus opportunity of other similarly-situated employees at the Company.

 

2.26         “ Grant Date ” shall mean, as determined by the Committee, the latest to occur of (a) the date as of which the Committee approves the Award, (b) the date on which the recipient of an Award first becomes eligible to receive an Award under Article 6 hereof (e.g., in the case of a new hire, the first date on which such new hire performs any Service), or (c) such subsequent date specified by the Committee in the corporate action approving the Award.

 

2.27         “ Grantee ” shall mean a Person who receives or holds an Award under the Plan.

 

2.28         “ Incentive Stock Option ” shall mean an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Code Section 422.

 

2.29         “ Non-qualified Stock Option ” shall mean an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option.

 

2.30         “ Non-Employee Director ” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act.

 

2.31         “ Officer ” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 16a-1(f) under the Exchange Act.

 

5



 

2.32         “ Option ” shall mean an option to purchase one or more shares of Stock at a specified Option Price awarded to a Grantee pursuant to Article 8 .

 

2.33         “ Option Price ” shall mean the per share exercise price for shares of Stock subject to an Option.

 

2.34         “ Other Agreement ” shall mean any agreement, contract, or understanding heretofore or hereafter entered into by a Grantee with the Company or an Affiliate, except an agreement, contract, or understanding that expressly addresses Code Section 280G and/or Code Section 4999.

 

2.35         “ Other Equity-Based Award ” shall mean an Award representing a right or other interest that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to Stock, other than an Option, a Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, a Restricted Stock Unit, a Deferred Stock Unit, Unrestricted Stock, a Dividend Equivalent Right, or a Performance Share.

 

2.36         “ Outside Director ” shall have the meaning set forth in Code Section 162(m)(4)(C)(i).

 

2.37         “ Parachute Payment ” shall mean a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Code Section 280G(b)(2).

 

2.38         “ Performance-Based Award ” shall mean an Award of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, Performance Shares, Other Equity-Based Awards, or cash made subject to the achievement of performance goals (as provided in Article 13 ) over a Performance Period specified by the Committee.

 

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

 

2.40         “ Performance Measures ” shall mean measures as specified in Section 13.6.4 on which the performance goal or goals under Performance-Based Awards are based and which are approved by the Company’s shareholders pursuant to, and to the extent required by, the Plan in order to qualify such Performance-Based Awards as Performance-Based Compensation.

 

2.41         “ Performance Period ” shall mean the period of time, up to ten (10) years, during or over which the performance goals under Performance-Based Awards must be met in order to determine the degree of payout and/or vesting with respect to any such Performance-Based Awards.

 

2.42         “ Performance Shares ” shall mean a Performance-Based Award representing a right or other interest that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to Stock, made subject to the achievement of performance goals (as provided in Article 13 ) over a Performance Period.

 

2.43         “ Person ” shall mean an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, an association, a trust, or any other entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof; provided that, for purposes of Section 2.10(a), Section 2.10(c)  and Section 2.10(d) , Person shall have the meaning set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act.

 

6



 

2.44         “ Plan ” shall mean this BioTelemetry, Inc. 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

 

2.45         “ Prior Plans ” shall mean the BioTelemetry, Inc. 2008 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

 

2.46         “ Qualified Performance-Based Compensation ” shall have the meaning set forth in Code Section 162(m).

 

2.47         “ Restricted Period ” shall mean a period of time established by the Committee during which an Award of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units is subject to restrictions.

 

2.48         “ Restricted Stock ” shall mean shares of Stock awarded to a Grantee pursuant to Article 10 .

 

2.49         “ Restricted Stock Unit ” shall mean a bookkeeping entry representing the equivalent of one (1) share of Stock awarded to a Grantee pursuant to Article 10 that may be settled, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable Award Agreement, in shares of Stock, cash, or a combination thereof.

 

2.50         “ SAR Price ” shall mean the per share exercise price of a SAR.

 

2.51         “ Securities Act ” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as now in effect or as hereafter amended, and any successor thereto.

 

2.52         “ Securities Market ” shall mean an established securities market.

 

2.53         “ Separation from Service ” shall have the meaning set forth in Code Section 409A.

 

2.54         “ Service ” shall mean service qualifying a Grantee as a Service Provider to the Company or an Affiliate.  Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a Grantee’s change in position or duties shall not result in interrupted or terminated Service, so long as such Grantee continues to be a Service Provider to the Company or an Affiliate.  Subject to the preceding sentence, any determination by the Committee whether a termination of Service shall have occurred for purposes of the Plan shall be final, binding, and conclusive.  If a Service Provider’s employment or other Service relationship is with an Affiliate and the applicable entity ceases to be an Affiliate, a termination of Service shall be deemed to have occurred when such entity ceases to be an Affiliate unless the Service Provider transfers his or her employment or other Service relationship to the Company or any other Affiliate.

 

2.55         “ Service Provider ” shall mean (a) an Employee or director of the Company or an Affiliate, or (b) a consultant or adviser to the Company or an Affiliate (i) who is a natural person, (ii) who is currently providing bona fide services to the Company or an Affiliate, and (iii) whose services are not in connection with the Company’s sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s Capital Stock.

 

2.56         “ Service Recipient Stock ” shall have the meaning set forth in Code Section 409A.

 

2.57         “ Share Limit ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1 .

 

7



 

2.58         “ Short-Term Deferral Period ” shall have the meaning set forth in Code Section 409A.

 

2.59         “ Stock ” shall mean the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, or any security into which shares of Stock may be changed or for which shares of Stock may be exchanged as provided in Section 16.1 .

 

2.60         “ Stock Appreciation Right ” or “ SAR ” shall mean a right granted to a Grantee pursuant to Article 9 .

 

2.61         “ Stock Exchange ” shall mean the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Capital Market, the NASDAQ Global Market, the NASDAQ Global Select Market, or another established national or regional stock exchange.

 

2.62         “ Subsidiary ” shall mean any corporation (other than the Company) or non-corporate entity with respect to which the Company owns, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of Voting Stock.  In addition, any other entity may be designated by the Committee as a Subsidiary, provided that (a) such entity could be considered as a subsidiary according to generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and (b) in the case of an Award of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, such Award would be considered to be granted in respect of Service Recipient Stock under Code Section 409A.

 

2.63         “ Substitute Award ” shall mean an Award granted upon assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted under a compensatory plan of the Company, an Affiliate, or a business entity acquired or to be acquired by the Company or an Affiliate or with which the Company or an Affiliate has combined or will combine.

 

2.64         “ Ten Percent Shareholder ” shall mean a natural Person who owns more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of Voting Stock of the Company, the Company’s parent (if any), or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries.  In determining stock ownership, the attribution rules of Code Section 424(d) shall be applied.

 

2.65         “ Unrestricted Stock ” shall mean Stock that is free of any restrictions.

 

2.66         “ Voting Stock ” shall mean, with respect to any Person, Capital Stock of any class or kind ordinarily having the power to vote for the election of directors, managers, or other voting members of the governing body of such Person.

 

3.                                       ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN

 

3.1           Committee .

 

3.1.1        Powers and Authorities .

 

The Committee shall administer the Plan and shall have such powers and authorities related to the administration of the Plan as are consistent with the Company’s articles of incorporation and bylaws and Applicable Laws.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee shall have full power and authority to take all actions and to make all determinations required or provided for under the Plan, any Award, or any Award Agreement and shall have full power and authority to take all such other actions and to make all such other determinations not inconsistent with the specific terms and provisions of the Plan which the

 

8



 

Committee deems to be necessary or appropriate to the administration of the Plan, any Award, or any Award Agreement.  All such actions and determinations shall be made by (a) the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present, or (b) the unanimous consent of the members of the Committee executed in writing or evidenced by electronic transmission in accordance with the Company’s articles of incorporation and bylaws and Applicable Laws.  Unless otherwise expressly determined by the Board, the Committee shall have the authority to interpret and construe all provisions of the Plan, any Award, and any Award Agreement, and any such interpretation or construction, and any other determination contemplated to be made under the Plan or any Award Agreement, by the Committee shall be final, binding, and conclusive on all Persons, whether or not expressly provided for in any provision of the Plan, such Award, or such Award Agreement.

 

In the event that the Plan, any Award, or any Award Agreement provides for any action to be taken by the Board or any determination to be made by the Board, such action may be taken or such determination may be made by the Committee constituted in accordance with this Section 3.1 if the Board has delegated the power and authority to do so to such Committee.

 

3.1.2        Composition of the Committee .

 

The Committee shall be a committee composed of not fewer than two (2) directors of the Company designated by the Board to administer the Plan.  Each member of the Committee shall be (a) a Non-Employee Director, (b) an Outside Director, and (c) an independent director in accordance with the rules of any Stock Exchange on which the Stock is listed; provided that any action taken by the Committee shall be valid and effective whether or not members of the Committee at the time of such action are later determined not to have satisfied the requirements for membership set forth in this Section 3.1.2 or otherwise provided in any charter of the Committee.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee may be the Compensation Committee of the Board or a subcommittee thereof if the Compensation Committee of the Board or such subcommittee satisfies the foregoing requirements.

 

3.1.3        Other Committees .

 

The Board also may appoint one or more committees of the Board, each composed of one or more directors of the Company who need not be Outside Directors, which (a) may administer the Plan with respect to Grantees who are not Officers or directors of the Company, (b) may grant Awards under the Plan to such Grantees, and (c) may determine all terms of such Awards, in each case, excluding (for the avoidance of doubt) Performance-Based Awards intending to constitute Qualified Performance-Based Compensation and subject, if applicable, to the requirements of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act and the rules of any Stock Exchange or Securities Market on which the Stock is listed or publicly traded.

 

3.1.4        Delegation by the Committee.

 

To the extent permitted by Applicable Laws, the Committee may, by resolution, delegate some or all of its authority with respect to the Plan and Awards to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and/or any other officer of the Company designated by the Committee, provided that the Committee may not delegate its authority hereunder (a) to make Awards to directors of the Company, (b) to make Awards to Employees who are (i) Officers, (ii) Covered Employees, or (iii) officers of the Company who are delegated authority by the Committee pursuant to this Section 3.1.4 , or (c) to interpret the Plan, any Award, or any Award Agreement.  Any delegation hereunder shall be subject to the restrictions and limits that the Committee specifies at the time of such delegation or thereafter.  Nothing in the Plan shall be construed as obligating the Committee to

 

9



 

delegate authority to any officer of the Company, and the Committee may at any time rescind the authority delegated to an officer of the Company appointed hereunder and delegate authority to one or more other officers of the Company.  At all times, an officer of the Company delegated authority pursuant to this Section 3.1.4 shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of the Committee.  Any action undertaken by any such officer of the Company in accordance with the Committee’s delegation of authority shall have the same force and effect as if undertaken directly by the Committee, and any reference in the Plan to the “Committee” shall, to the extent consistent with the terms and limitations of such delegation, be deemed to include a reference to each such officer.

 

3.2           Board .

 

The Board, from time to time, may exercise any or all of the powers and authorities related to the administration and implementation of the Plan, as set forth in Section 3.1 and other applicable provisions of the Plan, as the Board shall determine, consistent with the Company’s articles of incorporation and bylaws and Applicable Laws.

 

3.3           Terms of Awards .

 

3.3.1        Committee Authority .

 

Subject to the other terms and conditions of the Plan, the Committee shall have full and final authority to:

 

(a)           designate Grantees;

 

(b)           determine the type or types of Awards to be made to a Grantee;

 

(c)           determine the number of shares of Stock to be subject to an Award or to which an Award relates;

 

(d)           establish the terms and conditions of each Award (including the Option Price, the SAR Price, and the purchase price for applicable Awards; the nature and duration of any restriction or condition (or provision for lapse thereof) relating to the vesting, exercise, transfer, or forfeiture of an Award or the shares of Stock subject thereto; the treatment of an Award in the event of a Change in Control (subject to applicable agreements); and any terms or conditions that may be necessary to qualify Options as Incentive Stock Options);

 

(e)           prescribe the form of each Award Agreement evidencing an Award;

 

(f)            subject to the limitation on repricing in Section 3.4 , amend, modify, or supplement the terms of any outstanding Award, which authority shall include the authority, in order to effectuate the purposes of the Plan but without amending the Plan, to make Awards or to modify outstanding Awards made to eligible natural Persons who are foreign nationals or are natural Persons who are employed outside the United States to reflect differences in local law, tax policy, or custom; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, no amendment, modification, or supplement of the terms of any outstanding Award shall, without the consent of the Grantee thereof, materially impair such Grantee’s rights under such Award; and

 

(g)           make Substitute Awards.

 

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3.3.2                      Forfeiture; Recoupment .

 

The Committee may reserve the right in an Award Agreement to cause a forfeiture of the gain realized by a Grantee with respect to an Award thereunder on account of actions taken by, or failed to be taken by, such Grantee in violation or breach of, or in conflict with, any (a) employment agreement, (b) non-competition agreement, (c) agreement prohibiting solicitation of Employees or clients of the Company or an Affiliate, (d) confidentiality obligation with respect to the Company or an Affiliate, (e) Company or Affiliate policy or procedure, (f) other agreement, or (g) other obligation of such Grantee to the Company or an Affiliate, as and to the extent specified in such Award Agreement.  If the Grantee of an outstanding Award is an Employee of the Company or an Affiliate and such Grantee’s Service is terminated for Cause, the Committee may annul such Grantee’s outstanding Award as of the date of the Grantee’s termination of Service for Cause.

 

Any Award granted pursuant to the Plan shall be subject to mandatory repayment by the Grantee to the Company (x) to the extent set forth in an Award Agreement or (y) to the extent the Grantee is, or in the future becomes, subject to (1) any Company or Affiliate “clawback” or recoupment policy that is adopted to comply with the requirements of any Applicable Laws, or (2) any Applicable Laws which impose mandatory recoupment, under circumstances set forth in such Applicable Laws, and in the event of an inconsistency between (x) and (y), the provision of broader applicability shall apply.

 

3.4                                No Repricing .

 

Except in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Company (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, distribution (whether in the form of cash, shares of Stock, other securities, or other property), stock split, extraordinary dividend, recapitalization, Change in Control, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of shares of Stock, or other securities or similar transaction), the Company may not: (a) amend the terms of outstanding Options or SARs to reduce the Option Price or SAR Price, as applicable, of such outstanding Options or SARs; (b) cancel outstanding Options or SARs in exchange for or substitution of Options or SARs with an Option Price or SAR Price, as applicable, that is less than the Option Price or SAR Price, as applicable, of the original Options or SARs; or (c) cancel outstanding Options or SARs with an Option Price or SAR Price, as applicable, above the current Fair Market Value in exchange for cash or other securities, in each case, unless such action is subject to and approved by the Company’s shareholders.

 

3.5                                Deferral Arrangement .

 

The Committee may permit or require the deferral of any payment pursuant to any Award into a deferred compensation arrangement, subject to such rules and procedures as it may establish, which may include provisions for the payment or crediting of interest or Dividend Equivalent Rights and, in connection therewith, provisions for converting such credits into Deferred Stock Units and for restricting deferrals to comply with hardship distribution rules affecting tax-qualified retirement plans subject to Code Section 401(k)(2)(B)(IV); provided that no Dividend Equivalent Rights may be granted in connection with, or related to, an Award of Options or SARs.  Any such deferrals shall be made in a manner that complies with Code Section 409A, including, if applicable, with respect to when a Separation from Service occurs.

 

3.6                                Registration; Share Certificates .

 

Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, the ownership of the shares of Stock issued under the Plan may be evidenced in such a manner as the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, including by book-entry or direct registration (including transaction advices) or the issuance of one or more share certificates.

 

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4.                                       STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

 

4.1                                Number of Shares of Stock Available for Awards .

 

Subject to such additional shares of Stock as shall be available for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 4.2 , and subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 16 , the maximum number of shares of Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan shall be equal to the sum of (i) 3,000,000 plus (ii) the number of shares of Stock related to awards outstanding under the Prior Plans as of the Effective Date that thereafter terminate by expiration or forfeiture, cancellation, or otherwise without the issuance of such shares of Stock (collectively, the “ Share Limit ”).  Such shares of Stock may be authorized and unissued shares of Stock, treasury shares of Stock, or any combination of the foregoing, as may be determined from time to time by the Board or by the Committee.  Any of the shares of Stock reserved and available for issuance under the Plan may be used for any type of Award under the Plan.  Notwithstanding anything in this Section 4.1 to the contrary but subject to adjustment as provided in Sections 4.2 and 4.3 hereof, the maximum aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be delivered under the Plan as a result of the exercise of the Incentive Stock Options shall be 3,000,000  shares of Stock.

 

4.2                                Adjustments in Authorized Shares of Stock .

 

In connection with mergers, reorganizations, separations, or other transactions to which Code Section 424(a) applies, the Committee shall have the right to cause the Company to assume awards previously granted under a compensatory plan of another business entity that is a party to such transaction and to grant Substitute Awards under the Plan for such awards.  The Share Limit shall neither be increased nor decreased by the number of shares of Stock subject to any such assumed awards and Substitute Awards.  Shares available for issuance under a shareholder-approved plan of a business entity that is a party to such transaction (as appropriately adjusted, if necessary, to reflect such transaction) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the number of shares of Stock otherwise available for issuance under the Plan, subject to applicable rules of any Stock Exchange or Securities Market on which the Stock is listed or publicly traded.

 

4.3                                Share Usage .

 

(a)                                  Shares of Stock subject to an Award shall be counted as used as of the Grant Date for purposes of calculating the number of shares of Stock available for issuance under Section 4.1 .

 

(b)                                  Any shares of Stock that are subject to Awards, including shares of Stock acquired through dividend reinvestment pursuant to Article 10 , shall be counted against the Share Limit as one (1) share of Stock for every one (1) share of Stock subject to an Award.  The number of shares of Stock subject to an Award of Stock-settled SARs shall be counted against the Share Limit as one (1) share of Stock for every one (1) share of Stock subject to such Award regardless of the number of shares of Stock actually issued to settle such SARs upon the exercise of the SARs.  A number of shares of Stock at least equal to the target number of shares issuable under Performance Shares shall be counted against the Share Limit as of the Grant Date, but such number shall be adjusted to equal the actual number of shares issued upon settlement of the Performance Shares to the extent different from such number of shares.  Awards that do not entitle the Grantee thereof to receive or purchase shares of Stock and Awards that are settled in cash shall not be counted against the Share Limit set forth in Section 4.1 .

 

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(c)                                   If any shares of Stock subject to an Award are not purchased or are forfeited or expire or if an Award otherwise terminates without delivery of any Stock subject thereto or is settled in cash in lieu of shares, then the number of shares of Stock counted against the Share Limit with respect to such Award shall, to the extent of any such forfeiture, termination, expiration, or settlement, again be available for making Awards under the Plan.

 

(d)                                  The number of shares of Stock available for issuance under the Plan shall not be increased by the number of shares of Stock (i) tendered, withheld, or subject to an Option granted under the Plan surrendered in connection with the payment of the Option Price upon exercise of an Option or in connection with the Company’s tax withholding obligations with respect to Options or Stock-settled SARs, (ii) that were not issued upon the net settlement or net exercise of a Stock-settled SAR granted under the Plan, (iii) deducted or delivered from payment of an Award granted under the Plan in connection with the Company’s tax withholding obligations as provided in Section 18.3 , or (iv) purchased by the Company with proceeds from Option exercises.

 

5.                                       TERM; AMENDMENT, SUSPENSION, AND TERMINATION

 

5.1                                Term .

 

The Plan shall become effective as of the Effective Date.  Following the Effective Date, no awards shall be made under the Prior Plans.  The Plan shall terminate on the first to occur of (a) the day before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date, (b) the date determined in accordance with Section 5.2 , and (c) the date determined in accordance with Section 16.3 ; provided, however, that Incentive Stock Options may not be granted under the Plan after the tenth (10th) anniversary of the date of the Board’s adoption of the Plan.  Upon such termination of the Plan, all outstanding Awards shall continue to have full force and effect in accordance with the provisions of the terminated Plan and the applicable Award Agreement (or other documents evidencing such Awards).

 

5.2                                Amendment, Suspension, and Termination .

 

The Board may, at any time and from time to time, amend, suspend, or terminate the Plan; provided that, with respect to Awards theretofore granted under the Plan, no amendment, suspension, or termination of the Plan shall, without the consent of the Grantee, materially impair the rights or obligations under any such Award.  The effectiveness of any amendment to the Plan shall be contingent on approval of such amendment by the Company’s shareholders to the extent provided by the Board or required by Applicable Laws; provided that no amendment shall be made to the no-repricing provisions of Section 3.4 , the Option Pricing provisions of Section 8.1 , or the SAR Pricing provisions of Section 9.1 without the approval of the Company’s shareholders.

 

6.                                       AWARD ELIGIBILITY AND LIMITATIONS

 

6.1                                Eligible Grantees .

 

Subject to this Article 6 , Awards may be made under the Plan to (a) any Service Provider, as the Committee shall determine and designate from time to time, and (b) any other individual whose participation in the Plan is determined to be in the best interests of the Company by the Committee.

 

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6.2                                Limitation on Shares of Stock Subject to Awards and Cash Awards .

 

During any time when the Company has any class of common equity securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, but subject to adjustment as provided in Article 16 :

 

(a)                                  The maximum number of shares of Stock that may be granted under the Plan, pursuant to Options or SARs, in a calendar year to any Person eligible for an Award under Section 6.1 , other than a non-employee director of the Company, is one million five hundred thousand (1,500,000) shares;

 

(b)                                  The maximum number of shares of Stock that may be granted under the Plan, pursuant to Awards other than Options or SARs that are intended to be Qualified Performance-Based Compensation and are Stock-denominated and are either Stock- or cash-settled, in a calendar year to any Person eligible for an Award under Section 6.1 who is a Covered Employee is one million five hundred thousand (1,500,000) shares;

 

(c)                                   The maximum number of shares of Stock subject to Awards granted during a single calendar year to any non-employee director, taken together with any cash fees paid to such non-employee director during the calendar year, shall not exceed $1,000,000 in total value (calculating the value of any such Awards based on the grant date fair value of such Awards for financial reporting purposes); and

 

(d)                                  The maximum amount that may be paid as a cash-denominated Performance-Based Award (whether or not cash-settled) that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation for a Performance Period of twelve (12) months or less to any Person eligible for an Award under Section 6.1 who is a Covered Employee shall be ten million dollars ($10,000,000), and the maximum amount that may be paid as a cash-denominated Performance-Based Award (whether or not cash-settled) that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation for a Performance Period of greater than twelve (12) months to any Person eligible for an Award under Section 6.1 who is a Covered Employee shall be ten million dollars ($10,000,000) times the number of years in the Performance Period.

 

6.3                                Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem, and Substitute Awards .

 

Subject to Section 3.4 , Awards granted under the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution or exchange for, (a) any other Award, (b) any award granted under another plan of the Company, an Affiliate, or any business entity that has been a party to a transaction with the Company or an Affiliate, or (c) any other right of a Grantee to receive payment from the Company or an Affiliate.  Such additional, tandem, exchange, or Substitute Awards may be granted at any time.  If an Award is granted in substitution or exchange for another Award, or for an award granted under another plan of the Company, an Affiliate, or any business entity that has been a party to a transaction with the Company or an Affiliate, the Committee shall require the surrender of such other Award or award under such other plan in consideration for the grant of such exchange or Substitute Award.  In addition, Awards may be granted in lieu of cash compensation, including in lieu of cash payments under other plans of the Company or an Affiliate.  Notwithstanding Section 8.1 and Section 9.1 , but subject to Section 3.4 , the Option Price of an Option or the SAR Price of a SAR that is a Substitute Award may be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the original Grant Date; provided that such Option Price or SAR Price is determined in accordance with the principles of Code Section 424 for any Incentive Stock Option and consistent with Code Section 409A for any other Option or SAR.

 

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6.4                                Minimum Vesting Period .

 

Except with respect to a maximum of five percent (5%) of the Share Limit, as may be adjusted pursuant to Section 4.2 , and except as otherwise provided in Section 16 , no Award shall provide for vesting which is any more rapid than vesting on the one (1) year anniversary of the Grant Date or, with respect to Awards that vest upon the attainment of performance goals, a Performance Period that is less than twelve (12) months.  The foregoing five percent (5%) share issuance limit shall be subject to adjustment consistent with the adjustment provisions of Section 16 and the share usage rules of Section 4.3 .

 

7.                                       AWARD AGREEMENT

 

Each Award granted pursuant to the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which shall be in such form or forms as the Committee shall from time to time determine.  Award Agreements utilized under the Plan from time to time or at the same time need not contain similar provisions but shall be consistent with the terms of the Plan.  Each Award Agreement evidencing an Award of Options shall specify whether such Options are intended to be Non-qualified Stock Options or Incentive Stock Options, and, in the absence of such specification, such Options shall be deemed to constitute Non-qualified Stock Options.  In the event of any inconsistency between the Plan and an Award Agreement, the provisions of the Plan shall control.

 

8.                                       TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTIONS

 

8.1                                Option Price .

 

The Option Price of each Option shall be fixed by the Committee and stated in the Award Agreement evidencing such Option.  Except in the case of Substitute Awards, the Option Price of each Option shall be at least the Fair Market Value of one (1) share of Stock on the Grant Date; provided that, in the event that a Grantee is a Ten Percent Shareholder, the Option Price of an Option granted to such Grantee that is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall be not less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of one (1) share of Stock on the Grant Date.  In no case shall the Option Price of any Option be less than the par value of one (1) share of Stock.

 

8.2                                Vesting and Exercisability .

 

Subject to Sections 8.3 and 16.3 , each Option granted under the Plan shall become vested and/or exercisable at such times and under such conditions as shall be determined by the Committee and stated in the Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or otherwise in writing.

 

8.3                                Term .

 

Each Option granted under the Plan shall terminate, and all rights to purchase shares of Stock thereunder shall cease, on the day before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Grant Date of such Option, or under such circumstances and on such date prior thereto as is set forth in the Plan or as may be fixed by the Committee and stated in the Award Agreement relating to such Option; provided that, in the event that the Grantee is a Ten Percent Shareholder, an Option granted to such Grantee that is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall not be exercisable after the day before the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Grant Date of such Option.

 

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8.4                                Termination of Service .

 

Each Award Agreement with respect to the grant of an Option shall set forth the extent to which the Grantee thereof, if at all, shall have the right to exercise such Option following termination of such Grantee’s Service.  Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, need not be uniform among all Options issued pursuant to the Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination of Service.

 

8.5                                Limitations on Exercise of Option .

 

Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in no event may any Option be exercised, in whole or in part, after the occurrence of an event referred to in Article 16 which results in the termination of such Option.

 

8.6                                Method of Exercise .

 

Subject to the terms of Article 14 and Section 18.3 , an Option that is exercisable may be exercised by the Grantee’s delivery to the Company or its designee or agent of notice of exercise on any business day, at the Company’s principal office or the office of such designee or agent, on the form specified by the Company and in accordance with any additional procedures specified by the Committee.  Such notice shall specify the number of shares of Stock with respect to which such Option is being exercised and shall be accompanied by payment in full of the Option Price of the shares of Stock for which such Option is being exercised, plus the amount (if any) of federal and/or other taxes which the Company may, in its judgment, be required to withhold with respect to the exercise of such Option.

 

8.7                                Rights of Holders of Options .

 

Unless otherwise stated in the applicable Award Agreement, a Grantee or other Person holding or exercising an Option shall have none of the rights of a shareholder of the Company (for example, the right to receive cash or dividend payments or distributions attributable to the shares of Stock subject to such Option, to direct the voting of the shares of Stock subject to such Option, or to receive notice of any meeting of the Company’s shareholders) until the shares of Stock subject thereto are fully paid and issued to such Grantee or other Person.  Except as provided in Article 16 , no adjustment shall be made for dividends, distributions, or other rights with respect to any shares of Stock subject to an Option for which the record date is prior to the date of issuance of such shares of Stock.

 

8.8                                Delivery of Stock .

 

Promptly after the exercise of an Option by a Grantee and the payment in full of the Option Price with respect thereto, such Grantee shall be entitled to receive such evidence of such Grantee’s ownership of the shares of Stock subject to such Option as shall be consistent with Section 3.6 .

 

8.9                                Transferability of Options .

 

Except as provided in Section 8.10 , during the lifetime of a Grantee of an Option, only such Grantee (or, in the event of such Grantee’s legal incapacity or incompetency, such Grantee’s guardian or legal representative) may exercise such Option.  Except as provided in Section 8.10 , no Option shall be assignable or transferable by the Grantee to whom it is granted, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

 

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8.10                         Family Transfers .

 

If authorized in the applicable Award Agreement or by the Committee, in its sole discretion, a Grantee may transfer, not for value, all or part of an Option which is not an Incentive Stock Option to any Family Member.  For the purpose of this Section 8.10 , a transfer “not for value” is a transfer which is (a) a gift, (b) a transfer under a domestic relations order in settlement of marital property rights, or (c) unless Applicable Laws do not permit such transfer, a transfer to an entity in which more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting interests are owned by Family Members (and/or the Grantee) in exchange for an interest in such entity.  Following a transfer under this Section 8.10 , any such Option shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions as were applicable immediately prior to such transfer.  Subsequent transfers of transferred Options shall be prohibited except to Family Members of the original Grantee in accordance with this Section 8.10 or by will or the laws of descent and distribution.  The provisions of Section 8.4 relating to termination of Service shall continue to be applied with respect to the original Grantee of the Option, following which such Option shall be exercisable by the transferee only to the extent, and for the periods specified, in Section 8.4 .

 

8.11                         Limitations on Incentive Stock Options.

 

An Option shall constitute an Incentive Stock Option only (a) if the Grantee of such Option is an Employee of the Company or any corporate Subsidiary, (b) to the extent specifically provided in the related Award Agreement, and (c) to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time such Option is granted) of the shares of Stock with respect to which all Incentive Stock Options held by such Grantee become exercisable for the first time during any calendar year (under the Plan and all other plans of the Company and its Affiliates) does not exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).  Except to the extent provided in the regulations under Code Section 422, this limitation shall be applied by taking Options into account in the order in which they were granted.

 

8.12                         Notice of Disqualifying Disposition.

 

If any Grantee shall make any disposition of shares of Stock issued pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option under the circumstances provided in Code Section 421(b) (relating to certain disqualifying dispositions), such Grantee shall notify the Company of such disposition immediately but in no event later than ten (10) days thereafter.

 

9.                                       TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

 

9.1                                Right to Payment and SAR Price .

 

A SAR shall confer on the Grantee to whom it is granted a right to receive, upon exercise thereof, the excess of (a) the Fair Market Value of one (1) share of Stock on the date of exercise, over (b) the SAR Price as determined by the Committee.  The Award Agreement for a SAR shall specify the SAR Price, which shall be no less than the Fair Market Value of one (1) share of Stock on the Grant Date of such SAR.  SARs may be granted in tandem with all or part of an Option granted under the Plan or at any subsequent time during the term of such Option, in combination with all or any part of any other Award, or without regard to any Option or other Award; provided that a SAR that is granted in tandem with all or part of an Option shall have the same term, and expire at the same time, as the related Option.

 

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9.2                                Other Terms .

 

The Committee shall determine, on the Grant Date or thereafter, the time or times at which, and the circumstances under which, a SAR may be exercised in whole or in part (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future Service requirements); the time or times at which SARs shall cease to be or become exercisable following termination of Service or upon other conditions; the method of exercise, method of settlement, form of consideration payable in settlement, method by or forms in which shares of Stock shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Grantees, whether or not a SAR shall be granted in tandem or in combination with any other Award; and any and all other terms and conditions of any SAR; provided that no SARs shall be granted to Grantees who are entitled to overtime under Applicable Laws that will vest or be exercisable within a six (6)-month period starting on the Grant Date.

 

9.3                                Term .

 

Each SAR granted under the Plan shall terminate, and all rights thereunder shall cease, on the day before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Grant Date of such SAR or under such circumstances and on such date prior thereto as is set forth in the Plan or as may be fixed by the Committee and stated in the Award Agreement relating to such SAR.

 

9.4                                Rights of Holders of SARs .

 

Unless otherwise stated in the applicable Award Agreement, a Grantee or other Person holding or exercising a SAR shall have none of the rights of a shareholder of the Company (for example, the right to receive cash or dividend payments or distributions attributable to the shares of Stock underlying such SAR, to direct the voting of the shares of Stock underlying such SAR, or to receive notice of any meeting of the Company’s shareholders) until the shares of Stock underlying such SAR, if any, are issued to such Grantee or other Person.  Except as provided in Article 16 , no adjustment shall be made for dividends, distributions, or other rights with respect to any shares of Stock underlying a SAR for which the record date is prior to the date of issuance of such shares of Stock, if any.

 

9.5                                Transferability of SARs .

 

Except as provided in Section 9.6 , during the lifetime of a Grantee of a SAR, only the Grantee (or, in the event of such Grantee’s legal incapacity or incompetency, such Grantee’s guardian or legal representative) may exercise such SAR.  Except as provided in Section 9.6 , no SAR shall be assignable or transferable by the Grantee to whom it is granted, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

 

9.6                                Family Transfers .

 

If authorized in the applicable Award Agreement or by the Committee, in its sole discretion, a Grantee may transfer, not for value, all or part of a SAR to any Family Member.  For the purpose of this Section 9.6 , a transfer “not for value” is a transfer which is (a) a gift, (b) a transfer under a domestic relations order in settlement of marital property rights, or (c) unless Applicable Laws do not permit such transfer, a transfer to an entity in which more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting interests are owned by Family Members (and/or the Grantee) in exchange for an interest in such entity.  Following a transfer under this Section 9.6 , any such SAR shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions as were in effect immediately prior to such transfer.  Subsequent transfers of transferred SARs shall be prohibited except to Family Members of the original Grantee in accordance with this Section 9.6 or by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

 

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10.                                TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF RESTRICTED STOCK, RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS, AND DEFERRED STOCK UNITS

 

10.1                         Grant of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, and Deferred Stock Units .

 

Awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, and Deferred Stock Units may be made for consideration or for no consideration, other than the par value of the shares of Stock, which shall be deemed paid by past Service or, if so provided in the related Award Agreement or a separate agreement, the promise by the Grantee to perform future Service to the Company or an Affiliate.

 

10.2                         Restrictions .

 

At the time a grant of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units is made, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, (a) establish a Restricted Period applicable to such Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units and (b) prescribe restrictions in addition to or other than the expiration of the Restricted Period, including the achievement of corporate or individual performance goals, which may be applicable to all or any portion of such Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units as provided in Article 13 .  Awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, and Deferred Stock Units may not be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, or otherwise encumbered or disposed of during the Restricted Period or prior to the satisfaction of any other restrictions prescribed by the Committee with respect to such Awards.

 

10.3                         Registration; Restricted Stock Certificates .

 

Pursuant to Section 3.6 , to the extent that ownership of Restricted Stock is evidenced by a book-entry registration or direct registration (including transaction advices), such registration shall be notated to evidence the restrictions imposed on such Award of Restricted Stock under the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.  Subject to Section 3.6 and the immediately following sentence, the Company may issue, in the name of each Grantee to whom Restricted Stock has been granted, certificates representing the total number of shares of Restricted Stock granted to the Grantee, as soon as reasonably practicable after the Grant Date of such Restricted Stock.  The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement with respect to an Award of Restricted Stock that either (a) the Secretary of the Company shall hold such certificates for such Grantee’s benefit until such time as such shares of Restricted Stock are forfeited to the Company or the restrictions applicable thereto lapse and such Grantee shall deliver a stock power to the Company with respect to each certificate, or (b) such certificates shall be delivered to such Grantee, provided that such certificates shall bear legends that comply with Applicable Laws and make appropriate reference to the restrictions imposed on such Award of Restricted Stock under the Plan and such Award Agreement.

 

10.4                         Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock .

 

Unless the Committee provides otherwise in an Award Agreement and subject to the restrictions set forth in the Plan, any applicable Company program, and the applicable Award Agreement, holders of Restricted Stock shall have the right to vote such shares of Restricted Stock and the right to receive any dividend payments or distributions declared or paid with respect to such shares of Restricted Stock.  The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement evidencing a grant of Restricted Stock that (a) any cash dividend payments or distributions paid on Restricted Stock shall be reinvested in shares of Stock, which may or may not be subject to the same vesting conditions and restrictions as applicable to such underlying shares of Restricted Stock or (b) any dividend payments or distributions declared or paid on shares of Restricted Stock

 

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shall only be made or paid upon satisfaction of the vesting conditions and restrictions applicable to such shares of Restricted Stock.  Dividend payments or distributions declared or paid on shares of Restricted Stock which vest or are earned based upon the achievement of performance goals shall not vest unless such performance goals for such shares of Restricted Stock are achieved, and if such performance goals are not achieved, the Grantee of such shares of Restricted Stock shall promptly forfeit and, to the extent already paid or distributed, repay to the Company such dividend payments or distributions.  All stock dividend payments or distributions, if any, received by a Grantee with respect to shares of Restricted Stock as a result of any stock split, stock dividend, combination of stock, or other similar transaction shall be subject to the same vesting conditions and restrictions as applicable to such underlying shares of Restricted Stock.

 

10.5                         Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units .

 

10.5.1               Voting and Dividend Rights .

 

Holders of Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units shall have no rights as shareholders of the Company (for example, the right to receive dividend payments or distributions attributable to the shares of Stock underlying such Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units, to direct the voting of the shares of Stock underlying such Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units, or to receive notice of any meeting of the Company’s shareholders).  The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement evidencing an Award of Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units that the holder thereof shall be entitled to receive Dividend Equivalent Rights with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit or Deferred Stock Unit.

 

10.5.2               Creditor’s Rights .

 

A holder of Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units shall have no rights other than those of a general unsecured creditor of the Company.  Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units represent unfunded and unsecured obligations of the Company, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable Award Agreement.

 

10.6                         Termination of Service .

 

Unless the Committee provides otherwise in an Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or otherwise in writing after such Award Agreement is issued, but prior to termination of Grantee’s Service, upon the termination of such Grantee’s Service, any Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units held by such Grantee that have not vested, or with respect to which all applicable restrictions and conditions have not lapsed, shall immediately be deemed forfeited.  Upon forfeiture of such Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units, the Grantee thereof shall have no further rights with respect thereto, including any right to vote such Restricted Stock or any right to receive dividends or Dividend Equivalent Rights, as applicable, with respect to such Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units.

 

10.7                         Purchase of Restricted Stock and Shares of Stock Subject to Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units .

 

The Grantee of an Award of Restricted Stock, vested Restricted Stock Units, or vested Deferred Stock Units shall be required, to the extent required by Applicable Laws, to purchase such Restricted Stock or the shares of Stock subject to such vested Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units from the Company at a purchase price equal to the greater of (x) the aggregate par value of the shares of Stock represented by such Restricted Stock or such vested Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units or (y) the purchase price, if

 

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any, specified in the Award Agreement relating to such Restricted Stock or such vested Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units.  Such purchase price shall be payable in a form provided in Article 14 or, in the sole discretion of the Committee, in consideration for Service rendered or to be rendered by the Grantee to the Company or an Affiliate.

 

10.8                         Delivery of Shares of Stock .

 

Upon the expiration or termination of any Restricted Period and the satisfaction of any other conditions prescribed by the Committee, including, without limitation, any performance goals or delayed delivery period, the restrictions applicable to Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units settled in shares of Stock shall lapse, and, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a book-entry or direct registration (including transaction advices) or a certificate evidencing ownership of such shares of Stock shall, consistent with Section 3.6 , be issued, free of all such restrictions, to the Grantee thereof or such Grantee’s beneficiary or estate, as the case may be.  Neither the Grantee, nor the Grantee’s beneficiary or estate, shall have any further rights with regard to a Restricted Stock Unit or Deferred Stock Unit once the shares of Stock represented by such Restricted Stock Unit or Deferred Stock Unit have been delivered in accordance with this Section 10.8 .

 

11.                                TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF UNRESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS AND OTHER EQUITY-BASED AWARDS

 

11.1                         Unrestricted Stock Awards .

 

Subject to Section 6.4 , the Committee may, in its sole discretion, grant (or sell at the par value of a share of Stock or at such other higher purchase price as shall be determined by the Committee) an Award to any Grantee pursuant to which such Grantee may receive shares of Unrestricted Stock under the Plan.  Awards of Unrestricted Stock may be granted or sold to any Grantee as provided in the immediately preceding sentence in respect of Service rendered or, if so provided in the related Award Agreement or a separate agreement, to be rendered by the Grantee to the Company or an Affiliate or other valid consideration, in lieu of or in addition to any cash compensation due to such Grantee.

 

11.2                         Other Equity-Based Awards .

 

The Committee may, in its sole discretion, grant Awards in the form of Other Equity-Based Awards, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan.  Awards granted pursuant to this Section 11.2 may be granted with vesting, value, and/or payment contingent upon the achievement of one or more performance goals.  The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of Other Equity-Based Awards on the Grant Date or thereafter.  Unless the Committee provides otherwise in an Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or otherwise in writing after such Award Agreement is issued, but prior to termination of the Grantee’s Service, upon the termination of a Grantee’s Service, any Other Equity-Based Awards held by such Grantee that have not vested, or with respect to which all applicable restrictions and conditions have not lapsed, shall immediately be deemed forfeited.  Upon forfeiture of any Other Equity-Based Award, the Grantee thereof shall have no further rights with respect to such Other Equity-Based Award.

 

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12.                                TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF DIVIDEND EQUIVALENT RIGHTS

 

12.1                         Dividend Equivalent Rights .

 

A Dividend Equivalent Right may be granted hereunder, provided that no Dividend Equivalent Rights may be granted in connection with, or related to, an Award of Options or SARs.  The terms and conditions of Dividend Equivalent Rights shall be specified in the Award Agreement therefor.  Dividend equivalents credited to the holder of a Dividend Equivalent Right may be paid currently (with or without being subject to forfeiture or a repayment obligation) or may be deemed to be reinvested in additional shares of Stock or Awards, which may thereafter accrue additional Dividend Equivalent Rights (with or without being subject to forfeiture or a repayment obligation).  Dividend Equivalent Rights may be settled in cash, shares of Stock, or a combination thereof, in a single installment or in multiple installments, all as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.  A Dividend Equivalent Right granted as a component of another Award will (a) provide that such Dividend Equivalent Right shall be settled upon exercise, settlement, or payment of, or lapse of restrictions on, such other Award and that such Dividend Equivalent Right shall expire or be forfeited or annulled under the same conditions as such other Award and (b) Dividend Equivalent Rights credited pursuant to a Dividend Equivalent Right granted as a component of another Award which vests or is earned based upon the achievement of performance goals shall not vest unless such performance goals for such underlying Award are achieved, and if such performance goals are not achieved, the Grantee of such Dividend Equivalent Rights shall promptly forfeit and, to the extent already paid or distributed, repay to the Company payments or distributions made in connection with such Dividend Equivalent Rights.

 

12.2                         Termination of Service .

 

Unless the Committee provides otherwise in an Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or otherwise in writing after such Award Agreement is issued, a Grantee’s rights in all Dividend Equivalent Rights shall automatically terminate upon such Grantee’s termination of Service for any reason.

 

13.                                TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PERFORMANCE-BASED AWARDS

 

13.1                         Grant of Performance-Based Awards .

 

Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Performance-Based Awards in such amounts and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine.

 

13.2                         Value of Performance-Based Awards .

 

Each grant of a Performance-Based Award shall have an initial cash value or an actual or target number of shares of Stock that is established by the Committee as of the Grant Date.  The Committee shall set performance goals in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are achieved, shall determine the value and/or number of shares of Stock subject to a Performance-Based Award that shall be paid out to the Grantee thereof.

 

13.3                         Earning of Performance-Based Awards .

 

Subject to the terms of the Plan, in particular Section 13.6.3 , after the applicable Performance Period has ended, the Grantee of a Performance-Based Award shall be entitled to receive a payout of the value earned under such Performance-Based Award by such Grantee over such Performance Period.

 

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13.4                         Form and Timing of Payment of Performance-Based Awards .

 

Payment of the value earned under Performance-Based Awards shall be made, as determined by the Committee, in the form, at the time, and in the manner described in the applicable Award Agreement.  Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee, in its sole discretion, (i) may pay the value earned under Performance-Based Awards in the form of cash, shares of Stock, other Awards, or a combination thereof, including shares of Stock and/or Awards that are subject to any restrictions deemed appropriate by the Committee, and (ii) shall pay the value earned under Performance-Based Awards at the close of the applicable Performance Period, or as soon as reasonably practicable after the Committee has determined that the performance goal or goals relating thereto have been achieved; provided that, unless specifically provided in the Award Agreement for such Performance-Based Awards, such payment shall occur no later than the fifteenth (15 th ) day of the third (3 rd ) month following the end of the calendar year in which such Performance Period ends.  The determination of the Committee with respect to the form of payout of such Performance-Based Awards shall be set forth in the Award Agreement therefor.

 

13.5                         Performance Conditions .

 

The right of a Grantee to exercise or to receive a grant or settlement of any Performance-Based Award, and the timing thereof, may be subject to such performance conditions as may be specified by the Committee.  The Committee may use such business criteria and other measures of performance as it may deem appropriate in establishing any performance conditions.  If and to the extent required under Code Section 162(m), any power or authority relating to an Award intended to qualify under Code Section 162(m) shall be exercised by the Committee and not by the Board.

 

13.6                         Performance-Based Awards Granted to Designated Covered Employees .

 

If and to the extent that the Committee determines that a Performance-Based Award to be granted to a Grantee should constitute Qualified Performance-Based Compensation for purposes of Code Section 162(m), the grant, exercise, and/or settlement of such Performance-Based Award shall be contingent upon achievement of pre-established performance goals and other terms set forth in this Section 13.6 .

 

13.6.1               Performance Goals Generally .

 

The performance goals for Performance-Based Awards shall consist of one or more business criteria and a targeted level or levels of performance with respect to each of such criteria, as specified by the Committee consistent with this Section 13.6 .  Performance goals shall be objective and shall otherwise meet the requirements of Code Section 162(m), including the requirement that the level or levels of performance targeted by the Committee result in the achievement of performance goals being “substantially uncertain.”  The Committee may determine that such Awards shall be granted, exercised, and/or settled upon achievement of any single performance goal or of two (2) or more performance goals.  Performance goals may differ for Performance-Based Awards granted to any one Grantee or to different Grantees.

 

13.6.2               Timing For Establishing Performance Goals .

 

Performance goals for any Performance-Based Award shall be established not later than the earlier of (a) ninety (90) days after the beginning of any Performance Period applicable to such Performance-Based Award, and (b) the date on which twenty-five percent (25%) of any Performance Period applicable to such Performance-Based Award has expired, or at such other date as may be required or permitted for compensation payable to a Covered Employee to constitute Performance-Based Compensation.

 

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13.6.3               Payment of Awards; Other Terms .

 

Payment of Performance-Based Awards shall be in cash, shares of Stock, other Awards, or a combination thereof, including shares of Stock and/or Awards that are subject to any restrictions deemed appropriate by the Committee, in each case as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.  The Committee may, in its sole discretion, reduce the amount of a payment otherwise to be made in connection with such Performance-Based Awards.  The Committee shall specify the circumstances in which such Performance-Based Awards shall be paid or forfeited in the event of termination of Service by the Grantee prior to the end of a Performance Period or settlement of such Performance-Based Awards.  In the event payment of the Performance-Based Award is made in the form of another Award subject to Service-based vesting, the Committee shall specify the circumstances in which the payment Award shall be paid or forfeited in the event of a termination of Service.

 

13.6.4               Performance Measures .

 

The performance goals upon which the vesting or payment of a Performance-Based Award to a Covered Employee that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation may be conditioned shall be limited to the following Performance Measures, with or without adjustment (including pro forma adjustments):

 

(a)                                  revenues, income before taxes and extraordinary items, net income, operating income, earnings before income tax, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, cash flow or a combination of any or all of the foregoing;

 

(b)                                  after-tax or pre-tax profits including, without limitation, that attributable to continuing and/or other operations;

 

(c)                                   the level of the Company’s bank debt or other long-term or short-term public or private debt or other similar financial obligations of the Company either in absolute terms or as it relates to a profitability ratio including operating income or EBITDA;

 

(d)                                  return on capital employed, return on assets, or return on invested capital;

 

(e)                                   after-tax or pre-tax return on stockholders’ equity;

 

(f)                                    economic value added targets based on a cash flow return on investment formula;

 

(g)                                   Stock price, including growth measures and total shareholder return;

 

(h)                                  the market capitalization or enterprise value of the Company, either in amount or relative to industry peers;

 

(i)                                      the value of an investment in the Stock assuming the reinvestment of dividends;

 

(j)                                     the achievement of operating margin targets or other measures of improving profitability;

 

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(k)                                  the filing of one or more new medical device application(s) (“ 510(k) ”) or the clearance of one or more 510(k)(s) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration;

 

(l)                                      the achievement of, or progress toward, a launch of one or more new product(s) or device(s);

 

(m)                              the achievement of research and development milestones;

 

(n)                                  the achievement of other strategic milestones including, without limitation, the achievement of specific synergy capture and cost savings realization relating to integrations and the successful creation or execution of a restructuring plan for a specific business or function;

 

(o)                                  the successful completion of clinical trial phases;

 

(p)                                  licensing or acquiring new products or product platforms;

 

(q)                                  acquisition or divestiture of products or business;

 

(r)                                     the entering into new, or exiting from existing, geographic markets or industry segments; or

 

(s)                                    the attainment of a certain level of, reduction of, or other specified objectives with regard to limiting the level in or increase in, all or a portion of controllable expenses or costs or other expenses or costs.

 

Performance under any of the foregoing Performance Measures (a) may be used to measure the performance of (i) the Company, its Subsidiaries, and other Affiliates as a whole, (ii) the Company, any Subsidiary, any other Affiliate, or any combination thereof, or (iii) any one or more business units or operating segments of the Company, any Subsidiary, and/or any other Affiliate, in each case as the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, (b) may be compared to the performance of one or more other companies or one or more published or special indices designated or approved by the Committee for such comparison, as the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, and (c) may be stated as a combination of one or more Performance Measures, and on an absolute or relative basis.  In addition, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may select performance under the Performance Measure specified in clause (g) above for comparison to performance under one or more stock market indices designated or approved by the Committee. The Committee shall also have the authority to provide for accelerated vesting of any Performance-Based Award based on the achievement of performance goals pursuant to the Performance Measures specified in this Article 13 .

 

13.6.5               Evaluation of Performance .

 

The Committee may provide in any Performance-Based Award that any evaluation of performance may include or exclude any of the following events that occur during a Performance Period: (a) asset write-downs; (b) litigation or claims, judgments, or settlements; (c) the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or provisions affecting reported results; (d) any reorganization or restructuring events or programs; (e) extraordinary, non-core, non-operating, or non-recurring items and items that are either of an unusual nature or of a type that indicates infrequency of occurrence as a separate component of income from continuing operations; (f) acquisitions or divestitures; (g) foreign exchange gains and losses; (h) impact of shares of Stock purchased through share repurchase programs; (i) tax valuation allowance reversals; (j) impairment expense; and (k) environmental expense.  To the extent such inclusions or exclusions affect Awards to Covered Employees that are intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, such inclusions or exclusions shall be prescribed in a form that meets the requirements of Code Section 162(m) for deductibility.

 

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13.6.6               Adjustment of Performance-Based Compensation .

 

The Committee shall have the sole discretion to adjust Awards that are intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, either on a formula or discretionary basis, or on any combination thereof, as the Committee determines consistent with the requirements of Code Section 162(m) for deductibility.

 

13.6.7               Committee Discretion .

 

In the event that Applicable Laws change to permit Committee discretion to alter the governing Performance Measures without obtaining shareholder approval of such changes, the Committee shall have sole discretion to make such changes without obtaining shareholder approval, provided that the exercise of such discretion shall not be inconsistent with the requirements of Code Section 162(m).  In addition, in the event that the Committee determines that it is advisable to grant Awards that shall not qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the Committee may make such grants without satisfying the requirements of Code Section 162(m) and base vesting on Performance Measures other than those set forth in Section 13.6.4 .

 

13.6.8               Status of Awards Under Code Section 162(m) .

 

It is the intent of the Company that Performance-Based Awards under Section 13.6 granted to Grantees who are designated by the Committee as likely to be Covered Employees shall, if so designated by the Committee, constitute Qualified Performance-Based Compensation.  Accordingly, the terms of Section 13.6 , including the definitions of Covered Employee and other terms used therein, shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with Code Section 162(m).  If any provision of the Plan, the applicable Award Agreement, or any other agreement relating to any such Performance-Based Award does not comply or is inconsistent with the requirements of Code Section 162(m), such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such requirements.

 

14.                                FORMS OF PAYMENT

 

14.1                         General Rule .

 

Payment of the Option Price for the shares of Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option or the purchase price, if any, for Restricted Stock, vested Restricted Stock Units, and/or vested Deferred Stock Units shall be made in cash or in cash equivalents acceptable to the Company.

 

14.2                         Surrender of Shares of Stock .

 

To the extent that the applicable Award Agreement so provides, payment of the Option Price for shares of Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option or the purchase price, if any, for Restricted Stock, vested Restricted Stock Units, and/or vested Deferred Stock Units may be made all or in part through the tender or attestation to the Company of shares of Stock, which shall be valued, for purposes of determining the extent to which such Option Price or purchase price has been paid thereby, at their Fair Market Value on the date of such tender or attestation.

 

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14.3                         Cashless Exercise .

 

To the extent permitted by Applicable Laws and to the extent the Award Agreement so provides, payment of the Option Price for shares of Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option may be made all or in part by delivery (on a form acceptable to the Committee) of an irrevocable direction to a licensed securities broker acceptable to the Company to sell shares of Stock and to deliver all or part of the proceeds of such sale to the Company in payment of such Option Price and/or any withholding taxes described in Section 18.3 .

 

14.4                         Other Forms of Payment .

 

To the extent that the applicable Award Agreement so provides and/or unless otherwise specified in an Award Agreement, payment of the Option Price for shares of Stock purchased pursuant to exercise of an Option or the purchase price, if any, for Restricted Stock, vested Restricted Stock Units, and/or vested Deferred Stock Units may be made in any other form that is consistent with Applicable Laws, including (a) with respect to Restricted Stock, vested Restricted Stock Units, and/or vested Deferred Stock Units only, Service rendered or to be rendered by the Grantee thereof to the Company or an Affiliate and (b) with the consent of the Company, by withholding the number of shares of Stock that would otherwise vest or be issuable in an amount equal in value to the Option Price or purchase price and/or the required tax withholding amount.

 

15.                                REQUIREMENTS OF LAW

 

15.1                         General .

 

The Company shall not be required to offer, sell, or issue any shares of Stock under any Award, whether pursuant to the exercise of an Option, a SAR, or otherwise, if the offer, sale, or issuance of such shares of Stock would constitute a violation by the Grantee, the Company, an Affiliate, or any other Person of any provision of the Company’s articles of incorporation or bylaws or of Applicable Laws, including any federal or state securities laws or regulations.  If at any time the Company shall determine, in its discretion, that the listing, registration, or qualification of any shares of Stock subject to an Award upon any Stock Exchange or Securities Market or under any governmental regulatory body is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the offering, sale, issuance, or purchase of shares of Stock in connection with any Award, no shares of Stock may be offered, sold, or issued to the Grantee or any other Person under such Award, whether pursuant to the exercise of an Option, a SAR, or otherwise, unless such listing, registration, or qualification shall have been effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company, and any delay caused thereby shall in no way affect the date of termination of such Award.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, upon the exercise of any Option or any SAR that may be settled in shares of Stock or the delivery of any shares of Stock underlying an Award, unless a registration statement under the Securities Act is in effect with respect to the shares of Stock subject to such Award, the Company shall not be required to offer, sell, or issue such shares of Stock unless the Committee shall have received evidence satisfactory to it that the Grantee or any other Person exercising such Option or SAR or accepting delivery of such shares may acquire such shares of Stock pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act.  Any determination by the Committee in connection with the foregoing shall be final, binding, and conclusive.  The Company may register, but shall in no event be obligated to register, any shares of Stock or other securities issuable pursuant to the Plan pursuant to the Securities Act.  The Company shall not be obligated to take any affirmative action in order to cause the exercise of an Option or a SAR or the issuance of shares of Stock or other securities issuable pursuant to the Plan or any Award to comply with any Applicable Laws.  As to any

 

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jurisdiction that expressly imposes the requirement that an Option or SAR that may be settled in shares of Stock shall not be exercisable until the shares of Stock subject to such Option or SAR are registered under the securities laws thereof or are exempt from such registration, the exercise of such Option or SAR under circumstances in which the laws of such jurisdiction apply shall be deemed conditioned upon the effectiveness of such registration or the availability of such an exemption.

 

15.2                         Rule 16b-3 .

 

During any time when the Company has any class of common equity securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, it is the intention of the Company that Awards pursuant to the Plan and the exercise of Options and SARs granted hereunder that would otherwise be subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act shall qualify for the exemption provided by Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act.  To the extent that any provision of the Plan or action by the Committee does not comply with the requirements of such Rule 16b-3, such provision or action shall be deemed inoperative with respect to such Awards to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws and deemed advisable by the Committee and shall not affect the validity of the Plan.  In the event that such Rule 16b-3 is revised or replaced, the Committee may exercise its discretion to modify the Plan in any respect necessary or advisable in its judgment to satisfy the requirements of, or to permit the Company to avail itself of the benefits of, the revised exemption or its replacement.

 

15.3                         Clawback of Benefits

 

The Company may (A) cause the cancellation of any Award, (B) require reimbursement of any Award by a Grantee or Beneficiary, and (C) effect any other right of recoupment of equity or other compensation provided under this Plan or otherwise in accordance with any Company policies that currently exist or that may from time to time be adopted or modified in the future by the Company and/or applicable law (each, a “ Clawback Policy ”).  In addition, a Grantee may be required to repay to the Company certain previously paid compensation, whether provided under this Plan or an Award Agreement or otherwise, in accordance with any Clawback Policy.  By accepting an Award, a Grantee is also agreeing to be bound by any existing or future Clawback Policy adopted by the Company, or any amendments that may from time to time be made to the Clawback Policy in the future by the Company in its discretion (including without limitation any Clawback Policy adopted or amended to comply with applicable laws or stock exchange requirements) and is further agreeing that all of the Grantee’s Award Agreements may be unilaterally amended by the Company, without the Grantee’s consent, to the extent that the Company in its discretion determines to be necessary or appropriate to comply with any Clawback Policy.

 

If the Grantee, without the consent of the Company, while employed by or providing services to the Company or any Related Entity or after termination of such employment or service, violates a non-competition, non-solicitation or non-disclosure covenant or agreement or otherwise engages in activity that is in conflict with or adverse to the interest of the Company or any Related Entity, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, then (i) any outstanding, vested or unvested, earned or unearned portion of the Award may, at the Committee’s discretion, be canceled and (ii) the Committee, in its discretion, may require the Grantee or other person to whom any payment has been made or Shares or other property have been transferred in connection with the Award to forfeit and pay over to the Company, on demand, all or any portion of the gain (whether or not taxable) realized upon the exercise of any Option or SAR and the value realized (whether or not taxable) on the vesting or payment of any other Award during the time period specified in the Award Agreement or otherwise specified by the Committee

 

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16.                                EFFECT OF CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION

 

16.1                         Changes in Stock .

 

If the number of outstanding shares of Stock is increased or decreased or the shares of Stock are changed into or exchanged for a different number of shares or kind of Capital Stock or other securities of the Company on account of any merger, reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, stock split, reverse stock split, spin-off, combination of stock, exchange of stock, stock dividend or other distribution payable in capital stock, or other increase or decrease in shares of Stock effected without receipt of consideration by the Company occurring after the Effective Date, the number and kinds of shares of Capital Stock for which grants of Options and other Awards may be made under the Plan, including the Share Limit set forth in Section 4.1 , the individual share limitations set forth in Section 6.2 , and the share limitations in Section 6.4 , shall be adjusted proportionately and accordingly by the Committee. In addition, the number and kind of shares of Capital Stock for which Awards are outstanding shall be adjusted proportionately and accordingly by the Committee so that the proportionate interest of the Grantee therein immediately following such event shall, to the extent practicable, be the same as immediately before such event.  Any such adjustment in outstanding Options or SARs shall not change the aggregate Option Price or SAR Price payable with respect to shares that are subject to the unexercised portion of such outstanding Options or SARs, as applicable, but shall include a corresponding proportionate adjustment in the per share Option Price or SAR Price, as the case may be.  The conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be treated as an increase in shares effected without receipt of consideration.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of any distribution to the Company’s shareholders of securities of any other entity or other assets (including an extraordinary dividend, but excluding a non-extraordinary dividend, declared and paid by the Company) without receipt of consideration by the Company, the Board or the Committee constituted pursuant to Section 3.1.2 shall, in such manner as the Board or the Committee deems appropriate, adjust (a) the Share limit set forth in Section 4.1 , the individual share limitations set forth in Section 6.2 , and the share limitations in Section 6.4 , (b) the number and kind of shares of Capital Stock subject to outstanding Awards and/or (c) the aggregate and per share Option Price of outstanding Options and the aggregate and per share SAR Price of outstanding SARs as required to reflect such distribution.

 

16.2                         Reorganization in Which the Company Is the Surviving Entity Which Does Not Constitute a Change in Control .

 

Subject to Section 16.3 , if the Company shall undergo any reorganization, merger, or consolidation of the Company with one or more other entities which does not constitute a Change in Control, any Award theretofore granted pursuant to the Plan shall pertain to and apply to the Capital Stock to which a holder of the number of shares of Stock subject to such Award would have been entitled immediately following such reorganization, merger, or consolidation, with a corresponding proportionate adjustment of the per share Option Price or SAR Price of any outstanding Option or SAR so that the aggregate Option Price or SAR Price thereafter shall be the same as the aggregate Option Price or SAR Price of the shares of Stock remaining subject to the Option or SAR as in effect immediately prior to such reorganization, merger, or consolidation. Subject to any contrary language in an Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or as otherwise set forth in writing, any restrictions applicable to such Award shall apply as well to any replacement shares of Capital Stock subject to such Award, or received by the Grantee, as a result of such reorganization, merger, or consolidation.  In the event of any reorganization, merger, or consolidation of the Company referred to in this Section 16.2 , Performance-Based Awards shall be adjusted (including any adjustment to the Performance Measures applicable to such Awards deemed appropriate by the Committee) so as to apply to the Capital Stock that a holder of the number of shares of Stock subject to the Performance-Based Awards would have been entitled to receive immediately following such reorganization, merger, or consolidation.

 

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16.3                         Change in Control in Which Awards Are Not Assumed .

 

Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or as otherwise set forth in writing, upon the occurrence of a Change in Control in which outstanding Awards are not being assumed or continued, the following provisions shall apply to such Award, to the extent not assumed or continued:

 

(a)                                  Immediately prior to the occurrence of such Change in Control, in each case with the exception of Performance-Based Awards, all outstanding shares of Restricted Stock, and all Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, and Dividend Equivalent Rights shall be deemed to have vested, and all shares of Stock and/or cash subject to such Awards shall be delivered; and either or both of the following two (2) actions shall be taken:

 

(i)                                      At least fifteen (15) days prior to the scheduled consummation of such Change in Control, all Options and SARs outstanding hereunder shall become immediately exercisable and shall remain exercisable for a period of fifteen (15) days.  Any exercise of an Option or SAR during this fifteen (15)-day period shall be conditioned upon the consummation of the applicable Change in Control and shall be effective only immediately before the consummation thereof, and upon consummation of such Change in Control, the Plan and all outstanding but unexercised Options and SARs shall terminate, with or without consideration (including, without limitation, consideration in accordance with clause (ii) below) as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.  The Committee shall send notice of an event that shall result in such a termination to all Persons who hold Options and SARs not later than the time at which the Company gives notice thereof to its shareholders.

 

and/or

 

(ii)                                   The Committee may elect, in its sole discretion, to cancel any outstanding Awards of Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, and/or Dividend Equivalent Rights and pay or deliver, or cause to be paid or delivered, to the holder thereof an amount in cash or Capital Stock having a value (as determined by the Committee acting in good faith), in the case of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, and Dividend Equivalent Rights (for shares of Stock subject thereto), equal to the formula or fixed price per share paid to holders of shares of Stock pursuant to such Change in Control and, in the case of Options or SARs, equal to the product of the number of shares of Stock subject to such Options or SARs multiplied by the amount, if any, by which (x) the formula or fixed price per share paid to holders of shares of Stock pursuant to such transaction exceeds (y) the Option Price or SAR Price applicable to such Options or SARs.  For the avoidance of doubt, if the formula or fixed price per share paid to holders of shares of Stock pursuant to such transaction is equal to or less than the Option Price or SAR Price applicable to a given Option or SAR, then such Option or SAR may be cancelled without payment therefore.

 

(b)                                  Performance-Based Awards shall vest on a pro rata basis determined based on the portion of the applicable Performance Period that has elapsed through the date of the consummation of the Change in Control, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.  Actual performance to date shall be determined as of a date reasonably proximal to the date of consummation of the Change in Control as determined by the

 

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Committee, in its sole discretion, and that level of performance thus determined shall be treated as achieved immediately prior to occurrence of the Change in Control.  For purposes of the preceding sentence, if, based on the discretion of the Committee, actual performance is not determinable, the Performance-Based Awards shall be treated as though target performance has been achieved.  After application of this Section 16.3(b) , if any Awards arise from application of this Article 16 , such Awards shall be settled under the applicable provision of Section 16.3(a) .

 

(c)                                   Other Equity-Based Awards shall be governed by the terms of the applicable Award Agreement.

 

16.4                         Change in Control in Which Awards Are Assumed .

 

Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or as otherwise set forth in writing, upon the occurrence of a Change in Control in which outstanding Awards are being assumed or continued, the following provisions shall apply to such Award, to the extent assumed or continued:

 

The Plan and the Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, Dividend Equivalent Rights, and Other Equity-Based Awards granted under the Plan shall continue in the manner and under the terms so provided in the event of any Change in Control to the extent that provision is made in writing in connection with such Change in Control for the assumption or continuation of such Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, Dividend Equivalent Rights, and Other Equity-Based Awards, or for the substitution for such Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, Dividend Equivalent Rights, and Other Equity-Based Awards of new stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, deferred stock units, dividend equivalent rights, and other equity-based awards relating to the Capital Stock of a successor entity, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number of shares (disregarding any consideration that is not common stock) and exercise prices of options and stock appreciation rights.

 

In the event an Award (other than a Performance-Based Award) is assumed, continued, or substituted upon the consummation of any Change in Control and the Service of such Grantee with the Company or an Affiliate is terminated without Cause or for Good Reason, in each case within twelve (12) months following the consummation of such Change in Control, (i) such Award shall become fully vested and exercisable, and (ii) the restrictions, payment conditions, and forfeiture conditions applicable to any such Award shall lapse.  In the event a Performance-Based Award is assumed, continued, or substituted upon the consummation of any Change in Control and the Service of such Grantee with the Company or an Affiliate is terminated without Cause or for Good Reason, in each case within twelve (12) months following the consummation of such Change in Control, (i) such Performance-Based Award shall become vested and exercisable on a pro rata basis determined based on the portion of the applicable Performance Period that has elapsed through the date of the Grantee’s termination of Service, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, (ii) the restrictions, payment conditions, and forfeiture conditions applicable to any such Performance-Based Award shall lapse on the same pro rata basis, and (iii) actual performance to date shall be determined as of a date reasonably proximal to the date of the Grantee’s termination of Service as determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion, and that level of performance thus determined shall be treated as achieved immediately prior to occurrence of the Grantee’s termination of Service; provided, that, if, based on the discretion of the Committee, actual performance is not determinable, the Performance-Based Award shall be treated as though target performance has been achieved.

 

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16.5                         Adjustments .

 

Adjustments under this Article 16 related to shares of Stock or other Capital Stock of the Company shall be made by the Committee, whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding, and conclusive.  No fractional shares or other securities shall be issued pursuant to any such adjustment, and any fractions resulting from any such adjustment shall be eliminated in each case by rounding downward to the nearest whole share.  The Committee may provide in the applicable Award Agreement as of the Grant Date, in another agreement with the Grantee, or otherwise in writing at any time thereafter with the consent of the Grantee, for different provisions to apply to an Award in place of those provided in Sections 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, and 16.4 .  This Article 16 shall not limit the Committee’s ability to provide for alternative treatment of Awards outstanding under the Plan in the event of an internal reorganization change in control event involving the Company that is not a Change in Control.

 

16.6                         No Limitations on Company .

 

The making of Awards pursuant to the Plan shall not affect or limit in any way the right or power of the Company to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations, or changes of its capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve, or liquidate, or to sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets (including all or any part of the business or assets of any Subsidiary or other Affiliate) or to engage in any other transaction or activity.

 

17.                                PARACHUTE LIMITATIONS

 

If any Grantee is a Disqualified Individual, then, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or of any Other Agreement to the contrary and notwithstanding any Benefit Arrangement, any right of the Grantee to any exercise, vesting, payment, or benefit under the Plan shall be reduced or eliminated:

 

(a)                                  to the extent that such right to exercise, vesting, payment, or benefit, taking into account all other rights, payments, or benefits to or for the Grantee under the Plan, all Other Agreements, and all Benefit Arrangements, would cause any exercise, vesting, payment, or benefit to the Grantee under the Plan to be considered a Parachute Payment; and

 

(b)                                  if, as a result of receiving such Parachute Payment, the aggregate after-tax amounts received by the Grantee from the Company under the Plan, all Other Agreements, and all Benefit Arrangements would be less than the maximum after-tax amount that could be received by the Grantee without causing any such payment or benefit to be considered a Parachute Payment.

 

Except as required by Code Section 409A or to the extent that Code Section 409A permits discretion, the Committee shall have the right, in the Committee’s sole discretion, to designate those rights, payments, or benefits under the Plan, all Other Agreements, and all Benefit Arrangements that should be reduced or eliminated so as to avoid having such rights, payments, or benefits be considered a Parachute Payment; provided, however, to the extent any payment or benefit constitutes deferred compensation under Code Section 409A, in order to comply with Code Section 409A, the Company shall instead accomplish such reduction by first reducing or eliminating any cash payments (with the payments to be made furthest in the future being reduced first), then by reducing or eliminating any accelerated vesting of Performance-Based Awards, then by reducing or eliminating any accelerated vesting of Options or SARs, then by reducing or eliminating any accelerated vesting of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units, then by reducing or eliminating any other remaining Parachute Payments.

 

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18.                                GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

18.1                         Disclaimer of Rights .

 

No provision in the Plan, any Award, or any Award Agreement shall be construed (a) to confer upon any individual the right to remain in the Service of the Company or an Affiliate, (b) to interfere in any way with any contractual or other right or authority of the Company or an Affiliate either to increase or decrease the compensation or other payments to any Person at any time, or (c) to terminate any Service or other relationship between any Person and the Company or an Affiliate.  In addition, notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, unless otherwise stated in the applicable Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or otherwise in writing, no Award granted under the Plan shall be affected by any change of duties or position of the Grantee thereof, so long as such Grantee continues to provide Service.  The obligation of the Company to pay any benefits pursuant to the Plan shall be interpreted as a contractual obligation to pay only those amounts provided herein, in the manner and under the conditions prescribed herein.  The Plan and Awards shall in no way be interpreted to require the Company to transfer any amounts to a third-party trustee or otherwise hold any amounts in trust or escrow for payment to any Grantee or beneficiary under the terms of the Plan.

 

18.2                         Nonexclusivity of the Plan .

 

Neither the adoption of the Plan nor the submission of the Plan to the shareholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations upon the right and authority of the Board or the Committee to adopt such other incentive compensation arrangements (which arrangements may be applicable either generally to a class or classes of individuals or specifically to a particular individual or particular individuals) as the Board or the Committee in their discretion determine desirable.

 

18.3                         Withholding Taxes .

 

The Company or an Affiliate, as the case may be, shall have the right to deduct from payments of any kind otherwise due to a Grantee any federal, state, or local taxes of any kind required by Applicable Laws to be withheld with respect to the vesting of or other lapse of restrictions applicable to an Award or upon the issuance of any shares of Stock upon the exercise of an Option or pursuant to any other Award.  At the time of such vesting, lapse, or exercise, the Grantee shall pay in cash to the Company or an Affiliate, as the case may be, any amount that the Company or such Affiliate may reasonably determine to be necessary to satisfy such withholding obligation; provided that if there is a same-day sale of shares of Stock subject to an Award, the Grantee shall pay such withholding obligation on the day on which such same-day sale is completed.  Subject to the prior approval of the Company or an Affiliate, which may be withheld by the Company or such Affiliate, as the case may be, in its sole discretion, the Grantee may elect to satisfy such withholding obligation, in whole or in part, (a) by causing the Company or such Affiliate to withhold shares of Stock otherwise issuable to the Grantee or (b) by delivering to the Company or such Affiliate shares of Stock already owned by the Grantee.  The shares of Stock so withheld or delivered shall have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to such withholding obligation.  The Fair Market Value of the shares of Stock used to satisfy such withholding obligation shall be determined by the Company or such Affiliate as of the date on which the amount of tax to be withheld is to be determined.  A Grantee who has made an election pursuant to this Section 18.3 may satisfy such Grantee’s withholding obligation only with shares of Stock that are not subject to any repurchase, forfeiture, unfulfilled vesting, or other similar requirements.  The maximum number of shares of Stock that may be withheld from any Award to satisfy any federal, state, or local tax withholding requirements upon the exercise, vesting, or lapse of restrictions applicable to any Award or payment of shares of Stock pursuant to

 

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such Award, as applicable, may not exceed such number of shares of Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the maximum statutory amount required by the Company or the applicable Affiliate to be withheld and paid to any such federal, state, or local taxing authority with respect to such exercise, vesting, lapse of restrictions, or payment of shares of Stock.

 

18.4                         Captions .

 

The use of captions in the Plan or any Award Agreement is for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the meaning of any provision of the Plan or such Award Agreement.

 

18.5                         Construction .

 

Unless the context otherwise requires, all references in the Plan to “including” shall mean “including without limitation.”

 

18.6                         Other Provisions .

 

Each Award granted under the Plan may contain such other terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion.

 

18.7                         Number and Gender .

 

With respect to words used in the Plan, the singular form shall include the plural form, and the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender, as the context requires.

 

18.8                         Severability .

 

If any provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement shall be determined to be illegal or unenforceable by any court of law in any jurisdiction, the remaining provisions hereof and thereof shall be severable and enforceable in accordance with their terms, and all provisions shall remain enforceable in any other jurisdiction.

 

18.9                         Governing Law .

 

The validity and construction of the Plan and the instruments evidencing the Awards hereunder shall be governed by, and construed and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the State of Maryland, other than any conflicts or choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of the Plan and the instruments evidencing the Awards granted hereunder to the substantive laws of any other jurisdiction.

 

18.10                  Foreign Jurisdictions .

 

To the extent the Committee determines that the material terms set by the Committee imposed by the Plan preclude the achievement of the material purposes of the Plan in jurisdictions outside the United States, the Committee shall have the authority and discretion to modify those terms and provide for such additional terms and conditions as the Committee determines to be necessary, appropriate, or desirable to accommodate differences in local law, policy, or custom or to facilitate administration of the Plan.  The Committee may adopt or approve sub-plans, appendices, or supplements to, or amendments, restatements, or alternative versions of the Plan as in effect for any other purposes.  The special terms and any appendices, supplements, amendments, restatements, or alternative versions, however, shall not include any provisions that are inconsistent with the terms of the Plan as in effect, unless the Plan could have been amended to eliminate such inconsistency without further approval by the Company’s stockholders.

 

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18.11                  Section 409A of the Code .

 

The Plan is intended to comply with Code Section 409A to the extent subject thereto, and, accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted, the Plan shall be interpreted and administered to be in compliance with Code Section 409A.  Any payments described in the Plan that are due within the Short-Term Deferral Period shall not be treated as deferred compensation unless Applicable Laws require otherwise. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, to the extent required to avoid accelerated taxation and tax penalties under Code Section 409A, amounts that would otherwise be payable and benefits that would otherwise be provided pursuant to the Plan during the six (6)-month period immediately following the Grantee’s Separation from Service shall instead be paid on the first payroll date after the six (6)-month anniversary of the Grantee’s Separation from Service (or the Grantee’s death, if earlier).

 

Furthermore, notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, in the case of an Award that is characterized as deferred compensation under Code Section 409A, and pursuant to which settlement and delivery of the cash or shares of Stock subject to the Award is triggered based on a Change in Control, in no event shall a Change in Control be deemed to have occurred for purposes of such settlement and delivery of cash or shares of Stock if the transaction is not also a “change in the ownership or effective control of” the Company or “a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of” the Company as determined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) (without regard to any alternative definition thereunder).  If an Award characterized as deferred compensation under Code Section 409A is not settled and delivered on account of the provision of the preceding sentence, the settlement and delivery shall occur on the next succeeding settlement and delivery triggering event that is a permissible triggering event under Code Section 409A.  No provision of this paragraph shall in any way affect the determination of a Change in Control for purposes of vesting in an Award that is characterized as deferred compensation under Code Section 409A.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the Company nor the Committee shall have any obligation to take any action to prevent the assessment of any excise tax or penalty on any Grantee under Code Section 409A, and neither the Company or an Affiliate nor the Board or the Committee shall have any liability to any Grantee for such tax or penalty.

 

18.12                  Limitation on Liability .

 

No member of the Board or the Committee shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan, any Award, or any Award Agreement.  Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, neither the Company, an Affiliate, the Board, the Committee, nor any person acting on behalf of the Company, an Affiliate, the Board, or the Committee shall be liable to any Grantee or to the estate or beneficiary of any Grantee or to any other holder of an Award under the Plan by reason of any acceleration of income, or any additional tax (including any interest and penalties), asserted by reason of the failure of an Award to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 422 or Code Section 409A or by reason of Code Section 4999, or otherwise asserted with respect to the Award; provided, that this Section 18.12 shall not affect any of the rights or obligations set forth in an applicable agreement between the Grantee and the Company or an Affiliate.

 

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Exhibit 10.2

 

BIOTELEMETRY, INC.

 

2017 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

 

This Biotelemetry, Inc. 2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ Plan ”) is effective May 11, 2017 (the “ Effective Date ”), subject to approval by the Company’s stockholders within twelve (12) months after the Effective Date.  If stockholder approval is not obtained, then this Plan and any grants made hereunder, shall immediately terminate and be null and void.

 

1.                                       Purpose and Structure of the Plan and its Sub-Plans .

 

1.1                                The purpose of this Plan is (a) to provide eligible employees of the Company and Participating Companies who wish to become stockholders in the Company a convenient method of doing so, (b) to encourage employees to work in the best interests of stockholders of the Company, (c) to support recruitment and retention of qualified employees, and (d) to provide employees an advantageous means of accumulating long-term investments.  It is believed that employee participation in the ownership of the business will be to the mutual benefit of both the employees and the Company.  This Plan document is an omnibus document which includes a sub-plan (“ Statutory Plan ”) designed to permit offerings of grants to employees of certain Subsidiaries that are Participating Companies where such offerings are intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 423 of the Code (although the Company makes no undertaking nor representation to obtain or maintain qualification under Section 423 for any Subsidiary, individual, offering or grant) and also separate sub-plans (“ Non-Statutory Plans ”) which permit offerings of grants to employees of certain Participating Companies which are not intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 423 of the Code.  Section 6 of the Plan sets forth the maximum number of shares to be offered under the Plan (and its sub-plans), subject to adjustments as permitted under Sections 19 and 20.

 

1.2                                The Statutory Plan shall be a separate and independent plan from the Non-Statutory Plans, provided, however, that the total number of shares authorized to be issued under the Plan applies in the aggregate to both the Statutory Plan and the Non-Statutory Plans.  Offerings under the Non-Statutory Plans may be made to achieve desired tax or other objectives in particular locations outside the United States of America or to comply with local laws applicable to offerings in such foreign jurisdictions.  Offerings under the Non-Statutory Plans may also be made to employees of entities that are not Subsidiaries.

 

1.3                                All employees who participate in the Statutory Plan shall have the same rights and privileges under such sub-plan except for differences that may be mandated by local law and are consistent with the requirements of Code Section 423(b)(5).  The terms of the Statutory Plan shall be those set forth in this Plan document to the extent such terms are consistent with the requirements for qualification under Code Section 423.  The Administrator may adopt Non-Statutory Plans applicable to particular Participating Companies or locations that are not participating in the Statutory Plan.  The terms of each Non-Statutory Plan may take precedence over other provisions in this document, with the exception of Sections 6, 19 and 20 with respect to the total number of shares available to be offered under the Plan for all sub-plans.  Unless

 

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otherwise superseded by the terms of such Non-Statutory Plan, the provisions of this Plan document shall govern the operation of such Non-Statutory Plan.  Except to the extent expressly set forth herein or where the context suggests otherwise, any reference herein to “Plan” shall be construed to include a reference to the Statutory Plan and the Non-Statutory Plans.

 

2.                                       Definitions .

 

2.1                                Account ” means the funds accumulated with respect to an individual employee as a result of deductions from such employee’s paycheck (or otherwise as permitted in certain circumstances under the terms of the Plan) for the purpose of purchasing Common Stock under this Plan.  The funds allocated to an employee’s Account shall be deposited in the Company’s general corporate accounts and may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate or otherwise set apart such funds allocated to an employee’s Account from any other corporate funds, except to the extent such commingling may be prohibited by the laws of any applicable jurisdiction.

 

2.2                                Administrator ” means the Committee or the persons acting within the scope of their authority to administer the Plan pursuant to a delegation of authority from the Committee pursuant to Section 22.

 

2.3                                Affiliate ” means an entity, other than a Subsidiary, in which the Company has an equity or other ownership interest.

 

2.4                                Beneficial Owner ” and “ Beneficial Ownership ” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act and any successor to such Rule.

 

2.5                                Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

2.6                                Change in Control ” means, except as otherwise specified in any employment agreement between the Participant and the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, the occurrence of any of the following:

 

(a)                                  The acquisition by any Person of Beneficial Ownership of more than fifty percent (50%) of either (A) the value of then outstanding equity securities of the Company (the “ Outstanding Company Stock ”) or (B) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “ Outstanding Company Voting Securities ”) (the foregoing Beneficial Ownership hereinafter being referred to as a “ Controlling Interest ”); provided, however, that for purposes of this Section 2.6, the following acquisitions shall not constitute or result in a Change in Control:  (v) any acquisition directly from the Company; (w) any acquisition by the Company; (x) any acquisition by any Person that as of the Effective Date owns Beneficial Ownership of a Controlling Interest; (y) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Related Entity; or (z) any acquisition by any entity pursuant to a transaction which complies with clauses (1), (2) and (3) of subsection (c) below; or

 

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(b)                                  During any period of two (2) consecutive years (not including any period prior to the Effective Date) individuals who constitute the Board on the Effective Date (the “ Incumbent Board ”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the Effective Date whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board; or

 

(c)                                   Consummation of (A) a reorganization, merger, statutory share exchange or consolidation or similar transaction involving (x) the Company or (y) any of its Subsidiaries, but in the case of this clause (y) only if equity securities of the Company are issued or issuable in connection with the transaction (each of the events referred to in this clause (A) being hereinafter referred to as a “ Business Reorganization ”), or (B) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the acquisition of assets or equity of another entity by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each an “ Asset Sale ”), in each case, unless, following such Business Reorganization or Asset Sale, (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Reorganization or Asset Sale beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%) of the value of the then outstanding equity securities and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of members of the board of directors (or comparable governing body of an entity that does not have such a board), as the case may be, of the entity resulting from such Business Reorganization or Asset Sale (including, without limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) (the “ Continuing Entity ”) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business Reorganization or Asset Sale, of the Outstanding Company Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be (excluding any outstanding equity or voting securities of the Continuing Entity that such Beneficial Owners hold immediately following the consummation of the Business Reorganization or Asset Sale as a result of their ownership, prior to such consummation, of equity or voting securities of any company or other entity involved in or forming part of such Business Reorganization or Asset Sale other than the Company), (2) no Person (excluding any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or any Continuing Entity or any entity controlled by the Continuing Corporation or any Person that as of the Effective Date owns Beneficial Ownership of a Controlling Interest) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the value of the then outstanding equity securities of the Continuing Entity or the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Continuing Entity except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Reorganization or Asset Sale and (3) at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors or other governing body of the Continuing Entity were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Reorganization or Asset Sale; or

 

(d)                                  Approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

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2.7                                Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

2.8                                Committee ” means the Compensation Committee of the Board.  The Committee may delegate its responsibilities as provided in Section 22.

 

2.9                                Common Stock ” means the common stock of the Company.

 

2.10                         Company ” means BioTelemetry Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

2.11                         Compensation ” means, unless the Committee establishes otherwise for a future offering, all base pay, inclusive of any employer-paid leave, overtime, cash bonuses, and commissions.

 

2.12                         Enrollment Agreement ” means an agreement between the Company and an employee, in such form as may be established by the Company from time to time, pursuant to which the employee elects to participate in this Plan, or elects changes with respect to such participation as permitted under the Plan.

 

2.13                         ESPP Broker ” means a stock brokerage or other entity designated by the Company to establish accounts for Common Stock purchased under the Plan by participants.

 

2.14                         Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

 

2.15                         Fair Market Value ” means the closing price on the date of determination on the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading, and if there were no trades on such date, on the day on which a trade occurred preceding such date.

 

2.16                         Offering Date ” as used in this Plan shall be the commencement date of an offering.  A different date may be set by the Committee.

 

2.17                         Participating Company ” means the Company and any Subsidiary or Affiliate that has been designated by the Administrator to participate in the Plan.  For purposes of participation in the Statutory Plan, only the Company and its Subsidiaries may be considered Participating Companies, and the Administrator shall designate from time to time which Subsidiaries will be Participating Companies in the Statutory Plan.  The Administrator shall designate from time to time which Subsidiaries and Affiliates will be Participating Companies in particular Non-Statutory Plans.  The foregoing designations and changes in designation by the Administrator shall not require stockholder approval.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Participating Company” shall not include any Subsidiary or Affiliate that offers its employees the opportunity to participate in an employee stock purchase plan covering the Subsidiary’s or Affiliate’s common stock.

 

2.18                         Plan ” means this BioTelemetry, Inc. 2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as may be amended from time to time.

 

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

 

2.20                         Purchase Date ” means one or more dates during an offering established by the Committee on which the right to subscribe for shares of Common Stock shall be exercised and as of which purchases of shares of Common Stock shall be carried out in accordance with such offering.

 

2.21                         Purchase Price ” is the price per share of Common Stock of the Company as established pursuant to Section 5 of the Plan.

 

2.22                         Subsidiary ” means any corporation (other than the Company), domestic or foreign, that is in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if, on an Offering Date, each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in the chain, as described in Code Section 424(f).

 

3.                                       Employees Eligible to Participate .  Any employee of a Participating Company who has been in the employ of any Participating Company so long as the employee continues to be employed with a Participating Company through and on such applicable Offering Date. An employee shall not be eligible to participate in the Plan unless, on the Offering Date, such employee has been in the employ of a Participating Company for such continuous period preceding such Offering Date as the Committee may require, but in no event shall the required period of continuous employment be greater than two (2) years. In addition, the Committee may provide that no employee shall be eligible to participate in the Plan unless, on the Offering Date, such employee’s customary employment with a Participating Company is more than twenty (20) hours per week and more than five (5) months per calendar year or other such criteria as the Committee may determine consistent with Section 423 of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, employees of a Participating Company who are citizens or residents of a foreign jurisdiction (without regard to whether they are also citizens of the United States or resident aliens (within the meaning of Section 7701(b)(1)(A) of the Code)) shall not be eligible to participate in the Statutory Plan if: (i) the grant of an option under the Plan to such employee is prohibited under the laws of such jurisdiction; or (ii) compliance with the laws of such foreign jurisdiction would cause the Statutory Plan to violate the requirements of Section 423 of the Code.  During paid leaves of absence approved by the Committee and meeting the requirements of the applicable treasury regulations promulgated under the Code, a participant may elect to continue participation in the Plan for three months or for such longer period as permitted under applicable treasury regulations.

 

4.                                       Offerings .  The Committee may from time to time grant or provide for the right to subscribe for shares of Common Stock under the Plan to employees (consisting of one or more Purchase Dates) on an Offering Date or Offering Dates selected by the Committee.  In order to become eligible to purchase shares, an employee must complete and submit an Enrollment Agreement and any other necessary documents before the Offering Date of the particular offering in which he or she wishes to participate.  Participation in one offering under the Plan shall neither limit, nor require, participation in any other offering.  The Committee may establish

 

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(i) different terms for one or more offerings and (ii) different commencing and ending dates for such offerings; provided, however, that in no event shall any offering exceed 27 months.  In the event the first or the last day of an offering is not a regular business day, then the first day of the offering shall be deemed to be the next regular business day and the last day of the offering shall be deemed to be the last preceding regular business day.

 

5.                                       Price .  The Purchase Price per share shall be eighty-five percent (85%) of the lesser of (i) the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the Offering Date of such offering and (ii) the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the applicable Purchase Date of such offering.

 

6.                                       Number of Shares to be Offered .  The maximum number of shares that will be offered under the Plan is 500,000 shares, subject to adjustment as permitted under Section 20.    The shares to be sold to participants under the Plan will be Common Stock of the Company.  If the total number of shares for which options are to be granted on any date in accordance with Section 12 exceeds the number of shares then available under the Plan or a given sub-plan (after deduction of all shares for which options have been exercised under the Plan or are then outstanding), the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the shares remaining available in as nearly a uniform manner as it determines is practicable and equitable.  In such event, the payroll deductions to be made pursuant to the authorizations therefor shall be reduced accordingly and the Company shall give written notice of the reduction to each employee affected.  Any Shares delivered under the Plan may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Shares or treasury shares.

 

7.                                       Participation.

 

7.1                                An eligible employee may become a participant by completing an Enrollment Agreement provided by the Company and submitting it to the Company, or with such other entity designated by the Company for this purpose, prior to the commencement of the offering to which it relates.  The Enrollment Agreement may be completed at any time after the employee becomes eligible to participate in the Plan, and will be effective as of the Offering Date next following the receipt of a properly completed Enrollment Agreement by the Company (or the Company’s designee for this purpose).

 

7.2                                Payroll deductions for a participant shall commence on the Offering Date as described above and shall continue through subsequent offerings pursuant to Section 10 until the participant’s termination of employment, subject to modification by the employee as provided in Section 8.1, and unless participation is earlier withdrawn or suspended by the employee as provided in Section 9.

 

7.3                                Payroll deduction shall be the sole means of accumulating funds in a participant’s Account, except in foreign countries where payroll deductions are not allowed, in which case the Company may authorize alternative payment methods.

 

7.4                                The Company may require current participants to complete a new Enrollment Agreement at any time it deems necessary or desirable to facilitate Plan administration or for any other reason.

 

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8.                                       Payroll Deductions.

 

8.1                                At the time an employee files a payroll deduction authorization, the employee shall elect to have deductions made from the employee’s Compensation on each payday during each calendar year, which shall be a flat amount, a percentage or a combination of both but shall not exceed $ 21,250 for such calendar year (or such other amounts as the Committee may establish from time to time for a future offering), subject to the restrictions set forth in the Plan. The amount of payroll withholding for each participant for each pay period shall be generally determined by dividing the annual payroll withholding amount chosen by each participant by the total number of pay periods such participant has in such calendar year, subject to the discretion of the Committee.  A participant shall not be permitted, at any time during an offering, to increase or decrease the amount to be withheld from his or her Compensation.  Any increase or decrease in the amount to be withheld from the participant’s Compensation shall only be effective for the next offering, provided that the participant completes and files with the Company an amended Enrollment Agreement authorizing the increase, decrease or cessation of payroll deductions for such subsequent offering period. An amended Enrollment Agreement shall remain in effect until the participant changes such Enrollment Agreement in accordance with the terms of the Plan.  The Committee may, from time to time, establish (x) limitations on the frequency and/or number of any permitted changes in the amount withheld during an offering, (y) payroll withholding in excess of the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the Company’s processing of properly completed withholding elections, and (z) such other limitations or procedures as deemed advisable by the Committee in the Committee’s sole discretion that are consistent with the Plan and in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 423.

 

8.2                                All payroll deductions made for a participant shall be credited to his or her Account under the Plan.  A participant may not make any separate cash payment into his or her Account nor may payment for shares be made other than by payroll deduction, except as provided under Section 7.3.

 

8.3                                A participant may withdraw from or suspend his or her participation in the Plan as provided in Section 9.  A participant may also make a prospective election, by changing his or her payroll deduction amount to zero as set forth in Section 8.1, to cease participation in the Plan effective as of the next Offering Date.

 

8.4                                Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, Section 21 hereof, or any other applicable law, a participant’s payroll deductions may be decreased, including to zero, at such time during any offering which is scheduled to end during the current calendar year so that the aggregate of all payroll deductions accumulated with respect to such offering and any other offering ending within the same calendar year are equal to $21,250. Payroll deductions shall recommence at the rate provided in the participant’s Enrollment Agreement at the beginning of the following offering which is scheduled to end in the following calendar year, unless the participant withdraws from an offering or the Plan, pursuant to Section 9.

 

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9.                                       Withdrawal and Suspension.

 

9.1                                An employee may withdraw from an offering, in whole but not in part, at any time during the offering for which such withdrawal is to be effective, or by any other date specified by the Administrator for a future offering, by submitting a withdrawal notice to the Company, in which event the Company will refund the entire balance of his or her Account as soon as practicable thereafter.

 

9.2                                If an employee withdraws or suspends his or her participation pursuant to Section 9.1, he or she shall not participate in a subsequent offering unless and until he or she re-enters the Plan.  To re-enter the Plan, an employee who has previously withdrawn or suspended participation by reducing payroll deductions to zero must file a new Enrollment Agreement in accordance with Section 7.1.  The employee’s re-entry into the Plan will not become effective before the beginning of the next offering following his or her withdrawal or suspension.

 

10.                                Automatic Re-Enrollment .  At the termination of each offering each participating employee who continues to be eligible to participate pursuant to Section 3 shall be automatically re-enrolled in the next offering, unless the employee has advised the Company otherwise.  Upon termination of the Plan, any balance in each employee’s Account shall be refunded to him or her.

 

11.                                Interest .  No interest will be paid or allowed on any money in the Accounts of participating employees, except to the extent payment of interest is required by the laws of any applicable jurisdiction.

 

12.                                Granting of Option.  On each Offering Date, this Plan shall be deemed to have granted to the participant an option for as many shares (which may include a fractional share) as he or she will be able to purchase with the amounts credited to his or her Account during his or her participation in that offering.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no participant may purchase more than 12,500 shares of Common Stock during any single offering.

 

13.                                Exercise of Option .

 

13.1                         On each Purchase Date during an offering, the balance of each participant’s Account shall be applied to the purchase of shares of Common Stock up to the maximum number of shares of Common Stock permitted pursuant to the terms of the Plan and the applicable offering, at the Purchase Price.

 

13.2                         In the event that the Administrator determines for a future offering that fractional shares may not be issued, any cash balance remaining in a participant’s Account at the termination of an offering that is not sufficient to purchase a whole share of Common Stock, shall be carried over in the participant’s Account and applied to the purchase of Common Stock in the next offering, provided the participant participates in the next offering and the purchase complies with Section 21. If the Participant does not participate in the next offering, such remaining cash balance shall be refunded to the participant as soon as practical after the Purchase Date.

 

13.3                         Any amount remaining to the credit of a participant’s Account after the purchase of shares by the Participant on a Purchase Date which is sufficient to purchase one or more full shares of Common Stock shall be refunded to the participant as soon as practical after the Purchase Date.

 

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14.                                Tax Obligations .  To the extent any (i) grant of an option to purchase shares, (ii) purchase of shares, or (iii) disposition of shares purchased under the Plan gives rise to any tax withholding obligation (including, without limitation, income and payroll withholding taxes imposed by any jurisdiction) the Administrator may implement appropriate procedures to ensure that such tax withholding obligations are met.  Those procedures may include, without limitation, increased withholding from an employee’s current compensation, cash payments to the Company or another Participating Company by an employee, or a sale of a portion of the Common Stock purchased under the Plan, which sale may be required and initiated by the Company.

 

15.                                Employee’s Rights as a Stockholder .  No participating employee shall have any right as a stockholder with respect to any shares until the shares have been purchased in accordance with Section 13 above and the Common Stock has been issued by the Company.

 

16.                                Evidence of Stock Ownership.

 

16.1                         Following the end of each offering, the number of shares of Common Stock purchased by each participant shall be deposited into an account established in the participant’s name at the ESPP Broker.

 

16.2                         A participant shall be free to undertake a disposition (as that term is defined in Section 424(c) of the Code) of the shares in his or her ESPP Broker account at any time, whether by sale, exchange, gift, or other transfer of legal title, but in the absence of such a disposition of the shares, the shares must remain in the participant’s ESPP Broker account until the holding period set forth in Section 423(a) of the Code has been satisfied.  With respect to shares for which the Section 423(a) holding period has been satisfied, the participant may move those shares to another brokerage account of participant’s choosing.

 

16.3                         Notwithstanding the above, a participant who is not subject to income taxation under the Code may move his or her shares to another brokerage account of his or her choosing at any time, without regard to the satisfaction of the Section 423(a) holding period.

 

17.                                Rights Not Transferable .  No employee shall be permitted to sell, assign, transfer, pledge, or otherwise dispose of or encumber either the payroll deductions credited to his or her Account or an option or any rights with regard to the exercise of an option or rights to receive shares under the Plan other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and such right and interest shall not be liable for, or subject to, the debts, contracts, or liabilities of the employee.  If any such action is taken by the employee, or any claim is asserted by any other party in respect of such right and interest whether by garnishment, levy, attachment or otherwise, the action or claim will be treated as an election to withdraw funds in accordance with Section 9.  During the employee’s lifetime, only the employee can make decisions regarding the participation in or withdrawal from an offering under the Plan.

 

18.                                Termination or Transfer of Employment .

 

18.1                         Upon termination of employment for any reason whatsoever, including but not limited to death or retirement, the balance in the Account of a participating employee shall be paid to the employee or his or her estate.  Whether and when employment is deemed terminated for purposes of this Plan shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion and may be determined without regard to statutory notice periods or other periods following termination of active employment.

 

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18.2                         In the event that a participant who is an employee of a Participating Company in a Non-Statutory Plan is transferred and becomes an employee of a different Participating Company in a Non-Statutory Plan, during an offering, such individual may, subject to the terms and eligibility of the Non-Statutory Plan of the new employer, become a participant under the Non-Statutory Plan of the new employer for the duration of the offering in effect at that time.  Unless otherwise required under local law, any payroll deductions or other approved contributions may continue to be held by the Participating Company former employer of the participant for the remainder of the offering.  At the next Purchase Date, all payroll deductions and other approved contributions made by or to such Participating Company former employer and/or the employer Participating Company shall be aggregated for the purchase of shares of Common Stock under, and subject to the terms and limitations of, the Non-Statutory Plan of the new employer.

 

18.3                         In the event that an employee of a Participating Company in the Statutory Plan and who is a participant in the Statutory Plan is transferred and becomes an employee of a Participating Company in a Non-Statutory Plan during an offering, such individual may, subject to the terms and eligibility of the Non-Statutory Plan of the new employer, become a participant under the Non-Statutory Plan of the new employer for the duration of the offering in effect at that time.  Unless otherwise required under local law, any payroll deductions may continue to be held by the Participating Company former employer for the remainder of the offering. At the next Purchase Date, all payroll deductions and other approved contributions made by or to the Participating Company former employer and/or the employer Participating Company may be aggregated for the purchase of shares of Common Stock under, and subject to the terms and limitations of, the Non-Statutory Plan of the new employer.

 

19.                                Amendment or Discontinuance of the Plan .

 

19.1                         The Board may amend the Plan in such respects as it shall deem advisable; provided, however, that, to the extent required for compliance with Code Section 423 or any applicable law or regulation, stockholder approval will be required for any amendment that will (i) increase the total number of shares as to which options may be granted under the Plan, except as provided in Section 20, (ii) modify the class of employees eligible to receive options, or (iii) otherwise require stockholder approval under any applicable law or regulation; and provided further, that except as provided in this Section 19, no amendment to the Plan shall make any change in any option previously granted which adversely affects the rights of any Participant.

 

19.2                         The Plan shall continue in effect for ten years after the date of its adoption by the Board.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may at any time and for any reason suspend or terminate the Plan. During any period of suspension or upon termination of the Plan, no options shall be granted.

 

19.3                         Except as provided in Section 20, no such termination of the Plan may affect options previously granted, provided that the Plan or an offering may be terminated by the Board on a Purchase Date or by the Board’s setting a new Purchase Date with respect to an offering then in progress if the Board determines that termination of the Plan and/or the offering is in the best interests of the Company and the stockholders or if continuation of the Plan and/or the offering would cause the Company to incur adverse accounting charges as a result of a change after the Effective Date in the generally accepted accounting rules applicable to the Plan.

 

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20.                                Changes in Capitalization .  In the event of reorganization, recapitalization, stock split, stock dividend, combination of shares, merger, consolidation, offerings of rights, or any other change in the structure of the common shares of the Company, the Committee shall make such adjustment, if any, as it may deem appropriate in the number, kind, and the price of shares available for purchase under the Plan, and in the number of shares which an employee is entitled to purchase including, without limitation, closing an offering early and permitting purchase on the last business day of the reduced offering period, or terminating an offering and refunding participants’ Account balances.

 

21.                                Share Ownership .  Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, no employee shall be permitted to subscribe for any shares under the Plan if the employee, immediately after such subscription, owns shares (including all shares that may be purchased under outstanding subscriptions under the Plan) possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of shares of the Company or of its parent or subsidiary corporations.  For the foregoing purposes the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code shall apply in determining share ownership, and shares the employee may purchase under outstanding options shall be treated as owned by the employee.  In addition, no employee shall be allowed to subscribe for any shares under the Plan that permit his or her rights to purchase shares under all “employee stock purchase plans” of the Company and its parent or subsidiary corporations to accrue at a rate that exceeds $25,000 of Fair Market Value of such shares (determined at the time such right to subscribe is granted) for each calendar year in which the right to subscribe is outstanding at any time.  Notwithstanding the above, lower limitations may be imposed with respect to participants in a Non-Statutory Plan or participants in the Statutory Plan who are subject to laws of another jurisdiction where lower limitations are required.

 

22.                                Administration and Board Authority.

 

22.1                         The Plan shall be administered by the Board.  The Board has delegated its full authority under the Plan to the Committee, and the Committee may further delegate any or all of its authority under this Plan to such senior officer(s) of the Company as it may designate, to the extent not prohibited by law or rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market.  Notwithstanding any such delegation of authority, the Board may itself take any action under the Plan in its discretion at any time, and any reference in this Plan document to the rights and obligations of the Committee shall be construed to apply equally to the Board.  Any references to the Board mean only the Board.  The authority that may be delegated by the Committee includes, without limitation, the authority to (i) establish Non-Statutory Plans and determine the terms of such sub-plans (including, without limitation, rules and procedures regarding handling of payroll deductions or other approved contributions, payment of interest, conversion of local currency, payroll tax, withholding procedures and handling of stock certificates that vary with local requirements and determining the eligible employees that may enroll in a Non-Statutory Plan), (ii) designate from time to time which Subsidiaries will participate in the Statutory Plan, which Subsidiaries and Affiliates will be Participating Companies, and which Participating Companies will participate in a particular Non-Statutory Plan, (iii) determine procedures for eligible employees to enroll in or

 

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withdraw from a sub-plan, setting or changing payroll deduction amounts, and obtaining necessary tax withholdings, (iv) allocate the available shares under the Plan to the sub-plans for particular offerings, and (v) adopt amendments to the Plan or any sub-plan including, without limitation, amendments to increase the shares available for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 20 (but not including increases in the available shares above the maximum permitted by Sections 6 and 20 which shall require Board and stockholder approval).

 

22.2                         The Administrator shall be vested with full authority and discretion to construe the terms of the Plan and make factual determinations under the Plan, and to make, administer, and interpret such rules and regulations as it deems necessary to administer the Plan, and any determination, decision, or action of the Administrator in connection with the construction, interpretation, administration, or application of the Plan shall be final, conclusive, and binding upon all participants and any and all persons claiming under or through any participant.  The Administrator may retain outside entities and professionals to assist in the administration of the Plan including, without limitation, a vendor or vendors to perform enrollment and brokerage services.  The authority of the Administrator will specifically include, without limitation, the power to make any changes to the Plan with respect to the participation of employees of any Subsidiary or Affiliate that is organized under the laws of a country other than the United States of America when the Administrator deems such changes to be necessary or appropriate to achieve a desired tax treatment in such foreign jurisdiction or to comply with the laws applicable to such non-U.S. Subsidiaries or Affiliates.  Those changes may include, without limitation, the exclusion of particular Subsidiaries or Affiliates from participation in the Plan; modifications to eligibility criteria, maximum number or value of shares that may be purchased in a given period, or other requirements set forth herein; and procedural or administrative modifications.  Any modification relating to offerings to a particular Participating Company will apply only to that Participating Company, and will apply equally to all similarly situated employees of that Participating Company.  The rights and privileges of all employees granted options under the Statutory Plan shall be the same.  To the extent any changes approved by the Administrator would jeopardize the tax-qualified status of the Statutory Plan, the change shall cause the Participating Companies affected thereby to be considered Participating Companies under a Non-Statutory Plan or Non- Statutory Plans instead of the Statutory Plan.

 

22.3                         Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 22.1 and 22.2 above, in the event that Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any successor provision thereto (“ Rule 16b-3 ”) provides specific requirements for the administrators of plans of this type, the Plan shall only be administered by such body and in such a manner as shall comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3.  Unless permitted by Rule 16b-3, no discretion concerning decisions regarding the Plan shall be afforded to any person that is not “disinterested” as that term is used in Rule 16b-3.

 

23.                                Notices .  All notices or other communications by a participant to the Company or other entity designated for a particular purpose under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received by the Company or other designated entity, or when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.

 

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24.                                Change of Control . In the event of a Change of Control, each outstanding option shall be assumed or an equivalent option substituted by the successor company or parent thereof (the “ Successor Company ”).  In the event that the Successor Company refuses to assume or substitute for the option, any offering then in progress shall be shortened by setting a new Purchase Date. The new Purchase Date shall be a specified date before the date of the Change of Control. The Administrator shall notify each participant in writing, prior to the new Purchase Date, that the Purchase Date for the participant’s option has been changed to the new Purchase Date and that the participant’s option shall be exercised automatically on the new Purchase Date, unless prior to such date the participant has withdrawn from an offering then in progress or the Plan as provided in Section 9.

 

25.                                Dissolution or Liquidation of the Company . In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the offering then in progress shall be shortened by setting a new Purchase Date and shall terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed dissolution or liquidation, unless provided otherwise by the Board. The new Purchase Date shall be a specified date before the date of the Company’s proposed dissolution or liquidation. The Administrator shall notify each participant in writing, prior to the new Purchase Date, that the Purchase Date for the participant’s option has been changed to the new Purchase Date and that the participant’s option shall be exercised automatically on the new Purchase Date, unless prior to such date the participant has withdrawn from an offering then in progress or the Plan as provided in Section 9.

 

26.                                Limitations on Sale of Stock Purchased Under the Plan .  The Plan is intended to provide Common Stock for investment and not for resale.  The Company does not, however, intend to restrict or influence any employee in the conduct of the employee’s own affairs.  An employee, therefore, may sell Common Stock purchased under the Plan at any time the employee chooses, subject to compliance with any applicable Federal, state or foreign securities laws.  THE EMPLOYEE ASSUMES THE RISK OF ANY MARKET FLUCTUATIONS IN THE PRICE OF THE COMPANY’S STOCK.

 

27.                                Governmental Regulation/Compliance with Applicable Law/Separate Offering .  The Company’s obligation to sell and deliver shares of the Company’s Common Stock under this Plan is subject to the approval of any governmental authority required in connection with the authorization, issuance, or sale of such shares.  All participants in the Plan shall be subject to applicable provisions of the Company’s insider trading policies. In addition, the terms of an offering under this Plan, or the rights of an employee under an offering, may be modified to the extent required by applicable law.  For purposes of this Plan, the Administrator also may designate separate offerings under the Plan (the terms of which need not be identical) in which eligible employees of one or more Participating Companies will participate, even if the dates of the offerings are identical.

 

28.                                No Employment/Service Rights .  Nothing in the Plan shall confer upon any employee the right to continue in employment for any period of specific duration, nor interfere with or otherwise restrict in any way the rights of the Company (or any Subsidiary or Affiliate employing such person), or of any employee, which rights are hereby expressly reserved by each, to terminate such person’s employment at any time for any reason, with or without cause.

 

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29.                                Dates and Times .  All references in the Plan to a date or time are intended to refer to dates and times determined pursuant to U.S. Eastern Standard Time.  Business days for purposes of the Plan are U.S. business days.

 

30.                                Masculine and Feminine, Singular and Plural .  Whenever used in the Plan, a pronoun shall include the opposite gender and the singular shall include the plural, and the plural shall include the singular, whenever the context shall plainly so require.

 

31.                                Governing Law .  The Plan shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to principles of conflict of laws, and applicable federal law.

 

32.                                No Liability of Committee Members . No member of the Committee shall be personally liable by reason of any contract or other instrument executed by such Committee member or on his or her behalf in his or her capacity as a member of the Committee nor for any mistake of judgment made in good faith, and the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each member of the Committee and each other employee, officer or director of the Company to whom any duty or power relating to the administration or interpretation of the Plan may be allocated or delegated, against any cost or expense (including counsel fees) or liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim) arising out of any act or omission to act in connection with the Plan unless arising out of such person’s own fraud or willful bad faith; provided , however , that approval of the Board shall be required for the payment of any amount in settlement of a claim against any such person. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.

 

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Exhibit 23.2

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan and 2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan of BioTelemetry, Inc. of our reports dated February 22, 2017, with respect to the consolidated financial statements and schedule of BioTelemetry, Inc. and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of BioTelemetry, Inc. included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young, LLP

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

May 25, 2017