As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 20, 2017

Registration No. 333-_______

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM S-8

 

 

  

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

  

 

 

Royal Gold, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   84-0835164

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

     

1660 Wynkoop Street, Suite 1000

Denver, CO

 

 

80202

(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

 

 

ROYAL GOLD DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS

(Full title of the plan)

 

 

Bruce C. Kirchhoff

Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Royal Gold, Inc.

1660 Wynkoop Street, Suite 1000

Denver, CO 80202

(303) 573-1660

 

Copy to:

Paul Hilton, Esq.

Hogan Lovells US LLP

1601 Wewatta Street, Suite 900

1200 Seventeenth Street

(303) 899-7300

(Name, address and 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 or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

Large accelerated filer x Accelerated filer ¨
Non-accelerated filer ¨   (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) Smaller reporting company ¨

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).

Emerging growth company ¨

 

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

 

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 
Title of each class of securities to be registered Amount to be registered (2) Proposed maximum offering price per share Proposed maximum aggregate offering price (3) Amount of registration fee (4)
Deferred Compensation Obligations (1) $1,422,200 100% $1,422,200 $164.83 
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”) issuable  under the 2015 Omnibus Long Term Incentive Plan (1) 15,196 shares $75.00 (4) $1,139,700 N/A

 

(1) The Deferred Compensation Obligations are unsecured obligations of Royal Gold, Inc. (the “Registrant”) to pay deferred compensation in accordance with the terms of the Royal Gold Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors (the “Plan”).  
   

(2)

 

In addition to the securities set forth in the table, the amount being registered also includes an indeterminate number of shares of Common Stock which may be issuable under the Plan as a result of stock splits, stock dividends and antidilution provisions and other terms, in accordance with Rule 416 under the Securities Act.
   
(3) Estimated solely for purposes of determining the registration fee.
   

(4) 

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The amount of deferred compensation obligations registered is based on an estimate of the amount of compensation that may be deferred under the Plan.

 

 

 

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

 

The filing of this Registration Statement on Form S-8 (this “Registration Statement”) is not an admission that the deferred compensation obligations registered hereby are securities or are subject to the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

 

This Registration Statement is filed by Royal Gold, Inc. (referred to herein as “our,” “we,” “us” or the “Registrant”) relating to $1,422.200 of deferred compensation obligations which are unsecured obligations of the Registrant to pay deferred compensation in the future in accordance with the terms of the Royal Gold Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors (the “Plan”).

 

PART I  

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

 

The information specified in Item 1 and Item 2 of Part I of Form S-8 is omitted from this registration statement on Form S-8 in accordance with the provisions of Rule 428 under the Securities Act, and the introductory note to Part I of Form S-8. The documents containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8 will be delivered to the participants in the Plan covered by this registration statement as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act. Such documents and the documents incorporated by reference in this registration statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II hereof, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

 

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

 

The following documents filed by the Registrant with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act are incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement:

 

(a) The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended June 30, 2016, filed with the Commission on August 11, 2016;

 

(b) The Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, filed November 3, 2016;

 

(c) The Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2016, filed February 2, 2017;

 

(d) The Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2017, filed May 10, 2017;

 

(e) The Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed July 5, 2016, July 8, 2016, October 21, 2016, November 17, 2016, November 30, 2016, December 16, 2016, June 6, 2017 and June 16, 2017 (except for such reports or portions thereof which were deemed to be furnished and not filed); and

 

(f) The description of the Registrant’s Common Stock contained in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-3/ASR filed April 30, 2015, and any amendment or report filed with the Commission for the purpose of updating such description.

 

All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, after the date of this Registration Statement, but prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all securities offered by this Registration Statement have been sold or which deregisters all such securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Registrant is not incorporating by reference any information furnished (but not filed) under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K. Each document incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a part of this Registration Statement from the date of filing of such document with the SEC until the information contained therein is superseded or updated by any subsequently filed document which is incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement or by any document which constitutes part of the prospectus relating to the Plan meeting the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

 

  2  

 

 

Item 4. Description of Securities.

 

This Registration Statement registers deferred compensation obligations pursuant to the Plan, which represent obligations of the Registrant to pay deferred compensation in the future in accordance with the terms of the Plan (collectively, the “Obligations”). The Plan, a copy of which has been filed as an exhibit to this Registration Statement, describes the Obligations and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety in response to this Item 4, pursuant to Rule 411(b)(3) under the Securities Act.

 

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

Article TENTH of the Registrant’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Certificate”), and Article VI of the Registrant’s amended and restated bylaws (the “Bylaws”) confer indemnification or similar rights on the Registrant’s officers and directors.

 

Section 102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) allows a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of a director of a corporation to the corporation or to any of its stockholders for monetary damage for a breach of his fiduciary duty as a director, except in the case where the director breached his duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of the DGCL or obtained an improper personal benefit. Article TENTH of the Certificate eliminates directors’ personal liability in accordance with such Section 102 of the DGCL.

 

Section 145 of the DGCL authorizes corporations to indemnify directors and officers against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement reasonably incurred in connection with civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative actions, suits or proceedings to which such persons are parties or threatened to be made parties by reason of their corporate position (other than actions by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor — so called “derivative suits”) if such persons acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful. With respect to derivative suits, Section 145 prescribes a similar standard of care but limits the available indemnification to expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit and further provides that if the derivative suit results in a judgment that the person seeking indemnification is liable to the corporation, no such indemnification is to be made without court approval. Section 145(f) of the DGCL also specifically permits corporations to provide their officers, directors, employees and agents with indemnification and advancement of expenses in addition to those specifically required and/or permitted to be provided pursuant to other provisions of Section 145.

 

Under the provisions of the Bylaws, each person who is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or other proceeding (whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Registrant, or is or was serving at the request of the Registrant for another entity, shall be indemnified to the full extent permitted by the DGCL against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such proceeding, including to the maximum extent permitted under the DGCL any proceeding by or in the right of the Registrant. The rights to indemnification conferred pursuant to the Bylaws are contract rights and include the right to receive payment for reasonable expenses of defending a proceeding prior to its final disposition, provided that such advance payment shall be made only upon receipt by the Registrant of an undertaking to the effect that all amounts so advanced will be repaid if it is ultimately found that the party who received such amounts is not entitled to be indemnified. The effect of providing that the indemnification rights are contract rights is to permit indemnified individuals to enforce such provisions directly against the Registrant. In addition, the Bylaws authorize the Registrant to provide other permissible indemnification, and the Registrant has indemnification agreements in place with all of its officers and directors. Finally, the Bylaws provide that the Registrant may maintain insurance to protect itself and any of its officers, directors, employees or agents, in such amounts as the board of the Registrant may deem appropriate, against any expense, liability or loss, even if the Registrant would not have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL. The Registrant currently maintains Director & Officer insurance to cover against liabilities incurred by directors and officers of the Registrant acting in their capacity as such.

 

  3  

 

 

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 8. Exhibits.

  

The following exhibits are filed herewith or incorporated by reference as part of this Registration Statement:

  

Exhibit No.   Description of Exhibit
4.1   Royal Gold Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors.
     
4.2   Royal Gold, Inc. 2015 Omnibus Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended.
     
4.3   First Amended and Restated Rights Agreement dated September 10, 2007 between Royal Gold, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A on September 10, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference).
     
5.1   Opinion of Hogan Lovells US LLP.
     
23.1   Consent of Ernst & Young, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, with respect to the Registrant.
     
23.2   Consent of Hogan Lovells US LLP (contained in its opinion filed herewith as Exhibit 5.1).
     
24.1   Power of Attorney (included on the signature page to this registration statement).

   

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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and (iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 

Provided , however , that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section 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 section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement.

 

  4  

 

 

(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, (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement 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.

 

(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 Securities 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 Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

  5  

 

   

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Denver, State of Colorado, on this 20th day of July, 2017.

 

    ROYAL GOLD, INC.
 
  By: /s/ Stefan Wenger
  Name: Stefan Wenger
  Title: Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
    (Principal Financial Officer)

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Tony Jensen and Stefan Wenger, and each of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, to sign, execute and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (or any other governmental or regulatory authority), for us and in our names in the capacities indicated below, a registration statement on Form S-8 (including all amendments thereto) with all exhibits and any and all documents required to be filed with respect thereto, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents and each of them, full power and authority to do and to perform each and every act and thing necessary or desirable to be done in and about the premises in order to effectuate the same as fully to all intents and purposes as he himself might or could do if personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

Signature   Title   Date
         
/s/ Stefan Wenger   Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer   July 20, 2017
Stefan Wenger   (Principal Financial Officer)    
         
/s/ Tony Jensen   Director, President and Chief Executive Officer   July 20, 2017
Tony Jensen   (Principal Executive Officer)    
         
/s/ William M. Hayes   Chairman   July 20, 2017
William M. Hayes        
         
/s/ M. Craig Haase   Director   July 20, 2017
M. Craig Haase        
         
/s/ C. Kevin McArthur   Director   July 20, 2017
C. Kevin McArthur        
         
/s/ Jamie C. Sokalsky   Director   July 20, 2017
Jamie C. Sokalsky        
         
/s/ Christopher M.T. Thompson   Director   July 20, 2017
Christopher M.T. Thompson        
         
/s/ Ronald  J. Vance   Director   July 20, 2017
Ronald  J. Vance        
         
/s/ Sybil Veenman   Director   July 20, 2017
Sybil Veenman        

  

  6  

 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.   Description of Exhibit
4.1   Royal Gold Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors.
     
4.2   Royal Gold, Inc. 2015 Omnibus Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended.
     
4.3   First Amended and Restated Rights Agreement dated September 10, 2007 between Royal Gold, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A on September 10, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference).
     
5.1   Opinion of Hogan Lovells US LLP.
     
23.1   Consent of Ernst & Young, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, with respect to the Registrant.
     
23.2   Consent of Hogan Lovells US LLP (contained in its opinion filed herewith as Exhibit 5.1).
     
24.1   Power of Attorney (included on the signature page to this registration statement).

 

  7  

 

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 4.1

 

 

ADOPTION AGREEMENT

 

DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

 

The undersigned Company acting on behalf of itself and each Participating Employer, having been duly advised by its own counsel as to the legal and tax consequences of adopting this Deferred Compensation Plan, and having determined that adoption of this Plan as an unfunded, nonqualified deferred compensation plan (intending that the same comply with the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended) would better enable the Company to attract and retain key personnel, HEREBY ADOPTS the attached Deferred Compensation Plan, subject to the following terms, conditions and elections, all of which are integral parts of the Plan adopted hereby:

 

Company Name: Royal Gold, Inc.
   
Company Address: 1660 Wynkoop Street, Suite 1000, Denver, CO 80202
   
Plan Name: Royal Gold Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors

 

Effective Date of the Plan: August 1, 2017

 

Additional Participating Employers:  N/A

 

Capitalized terms used in this Adoption Agreement that are defined in the Plan document attached hereto and not separately defined herein shall have the respective defined meanings set forth in the attached Plan document.

 

 

 

 

The Company acting on behalf of itself and each Participating Employer hereby elects, for purposes of this Plan, as follows (insert check mark or "X" for each desired election and fill in appropriate blanks) :

 

I. Pay Types from which Annual Deferral Amounts may be deferred by Participants are as follows:

 

Pay Type – U,S. Directors   Maximum
Percentage
 
x   Meeting Fees (cash)     100 %  
x   Annual Retainer Fee (cash)     100 %  
x   Annual Chairman Retainer Fee (cash)     100 %  
x   Equity Dividends (deferred in cash)     0% or 100%  
x   Annual Equity Grant (deferred in stock)     0% or 100%  

 

Pay Type – Non U.S Directors   Maximum
Percentage
 
x Annual Equity Grant (deferred in stock)     0% or 100%  

 

 

II. Annual Company Matching Amounts: The Company may credit Annual Company Matching Amounts for selected Participants:

 

¨ Yes                      x No

 

a. Matching Contribution Formula: (select (i) or (ii) below)

 

(i) ¨ Percent of Participant deferrals formula , subject to a specified limit, as follows:

 

(a) ¨ Matching Contribution Rate : _____% of (specify paytype names):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(b) ¨ Matching Contribution Limit : ______% of each applicable Pay Type

 

(ii) ¨ Other matching formula : ___________________________________

 

III. Discretionary Contributions. The Company may credit Annual Company Discretionary Amounts for selected Participants. The amounts to be calculated in one of the following manners (select one) :
a. x   No Discretionary Contributions
b. ¨    Permissible but amount discretionary
c. ¨     Annual contribution amount or formula: _____________________________________________

 

IV. Vesting.
a. The following Vesting Schedule shall apply to all ANNUAL EQUITY GRANTS, as follows (select one) :
¨ Immediate vesting (100%) as amounts are credited
¨ Cliff vesting: 100% at the end of ____ years (commencing as specified below)
x Incremental annual vesting, as follows (complete chart below) :

 

  - 2 -  

 

 

Years Completed   % of Contribution
Vested
 
Year 0     50 %
Year 1     100 %
Year 2     %
Year 3     %
Year 4     %

 

   EXAMPLE: 

 

Vesting
date
  Date of Grant  
    8/1/2017     8/1/2018     8/1/2019     8/1/2020     8/1/2021  
8/1/2017     50 %                        
8/1/2018     100 %     50 %                        
8/1/2019             100 %     50 %                
8/1/2020                     100 %     50 %        
8/1/2021                             100 %     50 %
8/1/2022                                     100 %

  

b. The Vesting Commencement Date shall be determined as follows (select one) :
¨ Years of participation – based on plan participation date
¨ Years of service – based on date of hire
¨ Age – based on date of birth
x Contribution Date

 

c. The Vesting Increase timing shall be determined as follows (select one):

¨  On the last day of the vesting year

x On the first day of the vesting year (the anniversary of the Commencement Date)

 

d. The Vesting Acceleration events that will automatically vest 100% shall be determined as follows (select all that apply):

x Retirement eligibility

x Disability

x Death

x Change in Control

¨ Other _____________________________________________________

 

e. Rehires: A former Participant who is rehired following a Termination of Employment, and who is selected for participation in accordance with the terms of the Plan, shall be treated as a new employee and new participant for purposes of determining such individual’s Vesting Commencement Date, without regard to earlier dates of hire or enrollment prior to such Termination of Employment.

 

V. Retirement Eligibility Date (select all that apply) :

¨  Age _____

x Age 0 plus 15 years of cumulative service

¨  Age _____ plus ____ years of plan participation

¨  Age _____ plus ____ years of cumulative service and _____ years of plan participation

 

  - 3 -  

 

 

VI. Distributions.
a. Specified Date (aka In-Service) Distributions x Yes    ¨ No
(i) May include employer contributions:

Company Match: ¨ Yes    ¨ No    x N/A

Annual Equity Grant x Yes    ¨ No    ¨ N/A

 

(ii) Type of election is (select one):

x Class year - each year’s balance may have a different distribution election

¨ User-created accounts (max number of accounts: _______ ) - each year’s balance is directed to one or more date-specific accounts.

 

(iii) Alternative forms of distribution (select all that apply ):

x Lump Sum

x Annual installments for any whole number of years up to 5

¨ Other: ___________________________

 

(iv) The Minimum Deferral Period for vested balances, is 2 years* measured from the beginning of the Plan Year For example: when enrolling for the 2017 plan year, the earliest allowable Distribution date is 1/1/2019

 

(*Recommend no earlier than the time at which company contributions are 100% vested. Unvested portions at the time of the scheduled payments would be paid out upon separation from service.)

 

b. Retirement Distribution – N/A
(i) Type of election applies as (select one):

¨ A single election

¨ Class year – each year’s balance may have a different distribution election (not recommended if user-created accounts is selected for In-service distributions)

 

(ii) Alternative forms of distribution (select all that apply ):

¨ Lump Sum

¨ Annual installments for any whole number of years up to 5

¨ Other: ___________________________

 

c. Separation (Termination) Distribution
(i) Type of election applies as (select one):

¨ Default only (recommended)

¨ A single election

x Class year – each year’s balance may have a different distribution election (not recommended if user-created accounts is selected for In-service distributions)

 

(ii) Alternative forms of distribution (select all that apply ):

x Lump Sum (recommended)

x Annual installments for any whole number of years up to 5

¨ Other: __________________________

 

  - 4 -  

 

 

d. Disability Distribution
(i) x In accordance with the participant Separation election (recommended),

 

Or if different from participant’s Retirement election:

 

(ii) Type of distribution election applies as (select one):

¨ Default only

¨ A single election

¨ Class year – each year’s balance may have a different distribution election (not recommended if user-created accounts is selected for In-service distributions)

 

Alternative forms of distribution (select all that apply):

¨ Lump Sum

¨ Annual installments for any whole number of years up to _____

¨ Other: ___________________________

 

e. Death Benefit Distribution (pre-commencement vs. post-commencement)

 

(i) Alternative forms of distribution pre-commencement of separation distribution

¨ In accordance with Participant’s separation elections, or

 

Or if different from Participant’s separation elections (select all that apply):

 

x Lump Sum (recommended)

¨ Annual installments for any whole number of years up to _____

¨ Other: ___________________________

 

(ii) Alternative forms of distribution post-commencement of separation distribution

¨ Continue in accordance with Participant’s elections (recommended)

 

Or if different from Participant’s separation elections ( select all that apply):

 

x Lump Sum

¨ Annual installments for any whole number of years up to _____

¨ An amount to be determined by the Committee

¨ Other: ___________________________

 

f. Additional Supplemental Death Benefit (may require consent for life insurance)

x None

¨ Discretionary amount to be determined by the Committee

¨ Specified amount: _______________________________

 

g. Change in Control Distribution ¨ Yes    x No
(i) Distribution is (select one):

¨ Mandatory

¨ Optional (declinable)

 

(ii) Alternative forms of distribution (select all that apply ):

¨ Lump Sum

¨ Annual installments for any whole number of years up to _____

¨ Other: ___________________________

 

  - 5 -  

 

 

h. Separation within 12 months following a Change in Control x Yes    ¨ No
(iii) Distribution is (select one):

x Mandatory

¨ Optional (declinable)

 

(iv) Alternative forms of distribution (select all that apply ):

x Lump Sum

¨ Annual installments for any whole number of years up to _____

¨ Other: ___________________________

 

i. Default Distribution (if none selected then the Default Distribution election for all events will be Lump Sum at separation from service)

 

(i) Alternative forms of distribution (select one ):

x Lump Sum (recommended)

¨ Annual installments for _______ years

¨ Other: ___________________________

 

(ii) Time of Distribution:

x Separation from service (recommended)

¨ Other: ___________________________

 

j. Small Accounts payment

(NOTE: this is in addition to the default deminimis provision in Section 6.10 that allows the Company to pay the Participant’s vested Account Balance at any time if it does not exceed the then applicable limit of § 402(g)(1)(B) of the Code and results in the termination of the Participant’s entire interest in the Plan.)

¨   None (recommended)

x  Notwithstanding any payment election made by the Participant, if at the time any distribution becomes due and the vested balance of all installments associated with that distribution does not exceed $50,000 then the balance will be paid in a single lump sum, subject to compliance with Section 409A.

 

k. The Plan’s Identification Date for purposes of determining Specified Employee status is December 31 unless a different date is specified: _____________________ (for public companies only)

 

VII. Cause: If the definition for "Cause" is different than that specified in the Plan, specify the alternative definition that shall apply for purpose of this Plan: (if blank, Plan definition will apply) :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIII. Rabbi Trust: The Sponsor elects to establish a grantor trust (rabbi trust) under the Plan:

 

¨ Yes x No

 

IX. Governing Law: The Plan will generally be governed by federal law but the governing state law, to the extent not preempted by federal law, and in any case subject to the choice of law rules of any court before which any suit or proceeding affecting this Plan may be heard, shall be the laws of the following state (specify state) :

 

DELAWARE

(if none specified, the state under which laws the Company was formed).

 

  - 6 -  

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company, on behalf of itself and each Participating Employer, has caused its duly authorized representative to execute this Adoption Agreement, under seal, as of the Effective Date set forth above, intending that the Company shall be bound hereby, and that each Participant, Committee Member and Record Keeper may rely hereon.

 

  COMPANY: Royal Gold, Inc.
     
  By:  

 

  Print Name:  

 

  Title:  
    Duly authorized

 

  Date:  

 

  - 7 -  

 

 

SPECIMEN FORM: There are many possible forms that could be used to implement a nonqualified deferred compensation plan that is subject to Section 409A. The advisability of using this form and the tax implications resulting from its adoption in its existing form should be determined by each company's attorney and other tax advisers in light of circumstances, laws and regulations then applicable to the adopting company. This specimen is NOT a qualified plan for ERISA nor income tax purposes.

 

DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

 

Preamble

 

This Plan is adopted as of the date and by the Company, on behalf of itself and any Participating Employers, as set forth in the attached Adoption Agreement, which is an integral part of this Plan. The Company, having been duly advised by its own counsel as to the legal and tax consequences of adopting this Plan, intends that the Plan shall at all times be administered and interpreted in such a manner as to constitute an unfunded plan maintained primarily for a select group of management or highly compensated employees who contribute materially to the management of the Company or Participating Employer, so as to qualify for all available exemptions from the provisions of Title I of ERISA and to fulfill the applicable requirements of Section 409A.

 

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 DEFINED TERMS. Certain words and phrases are defined when first used in later paragraphs of this Plan or in the Adoption Agreement pursuant to which this Plan was adopted. In addition, the following words and phrases when used herein, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, shall have the following respective meanings:

 

" Account " means, with respect to any Participant, a bookkeeping entry used as a measurement and determination of the amounts to be paid to a Participant, or his or her designated Beneficiary, pursuant to this Plan and subject to such limits, rules and procedures as the Committee from time to time may adopt under this Plan. The Committee and the Record Keeper may establish and use sub-accounts and other record keeping entries with respect to any Participant's Account, including without limitation any Deferral Account, Company Contribution Account and Company Discretionary Account applicable to such Participant.

 

Account Balance ” means, with respect to any Participant at any particular time, the sum at such time of such Participant's (i) Deferral Account balance, (ii) Company Matching Account balance and (iii) Company Discretionary Account balance. The Account Balance shall be a bookkeeping entry only and shall be utilized solely as a measurement and determination of the amounts to be paid to a Participant, or his or her designated Beneficiary, pursuant to this Plan.

 

Adoption Agreement ” means the agreement pursuant to which the Company has adopted this Plan, which Adoption Agreement is incorporated herein by reference, including without limitation any terms defined therein. Adoption Agreements may be completed and/or signed using such online systems and other electronic means as the Committee or Record Keeper from time to time may designate for such purpose.

 

Affiliate ” means a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity that is required to be considered, together with the Company, as a single employer under §414(b) of the Code (employees of controlled group of Companies) or §414(c) of the Code (employees of partnerships or limited liability companies under common control). For purposes of determining a controlled group of Companies under §414(b) of the Code, the language “at least 50 percent” shall be used instead of “at least 80 percent” each place it appears in §1563(a)(1), (2), and (3) of the Code. For purposes of determining trades or businesses that are under common control for purposes of §414(c) of the Code, “at least 50 percent” shall be used instead of “at least 80 percent” each place it appears in Treasury Regulation §1.414(c)-2. An entity shall not be considered an “Affiliate” for any period of time prior to satisfying the controlled group or common control tests described above.

 

Annual Company Discretionary Amount ” means the benefit amount, if any, for any one Plan Year that is determined for a Participant in accordance with Section 3.5 .

 

 

 

 

Annual Company Matching Amount ” means the benefit amount, if any, for any one Plan Year that is determined for a Participant in accordance with Section 3.4 .

 

Annual Deferral Amount ” means that portion of a Participant's Pay Type(s) that a Participant elects to have deferred, and is deferred, in accordance with Article 3 , for any one Plan Year. In the event of a Participant's Retirement, Disability, death or a Termination of Employment prior to the end of a Plan Year, such year's Annual Deferral Amount shall be the actual amount deferred in such Plan Year prior to such event.

 

Base Salary ” means base salary earned with respect to services performed and payable in cash, exclusive of any of the following: Bonuses, Commissions, overtime, incentive payments and other performance-based forms of compensation, director and other special fees, expense allowances and reimbursements, severance, and any other forms of compensation, earnings or payments that are not regular in frequency and form (before reductions for, contributions to or deferrals under this Plan or any other profit sharing, 401(k), pension, deferred compensation or benefit plan sponsored by the Company or any Affiliate).

 

Beneficiary ” means one or more persons, trusts, estates, or other entities, designated in accordance with Article 8 that are entitled to receive benefits under this Plan upon the death of a Participant.

 

Beneficiary Designation Form ” means the form established from time to time by the Committee that a Participant completes, signs and returns to the Company to designate one or more Beneficiaries. Beneficiary Designation Forms may be completed and/or signed using such online systems and other electronic means as the Committee or Record Keeper from time to time may designate for such purpose .

 

“Board of Directors” shall mean the Board of Directors, Managers, Trustees or other group having the legal authority to act as the governing body of the Company.

 

Bonus ” means any compensation relating to services performed that is granted or awarded apart from Base Salary and Commissions and that is identified by the applicable Company or Affiliate as a “bonus” (before reductions for, contributions to or deferrals under this Plan or any other profit sharing, 401(k), pension, deferred compensation or benefit plan sponsored by the Company or any Affiliate).

 

Calendar Year ” means the annual period measured from January 1 to December 31.

 

" Cause ", unless otherwise defined in the Adoption Agreement, means: (a) with respect to each Participant who has an employment agreement containing a definition of "cause" or "for cause", said definition as set forth in his or her employment agreement; and (b) with respect to all other Participants, and as determined in good faith by the Committee, willfully engaging in misconduct which is demonstrably and materially injurious to the Company or any Affiliate, unless the act or omission giving rise to such misconduct is done, or omitted to be done, by a Participant in good faith and with a sound reason to believe that such action or omission was in the best interest of the Company and its Affiliates.

 

Change in Control ” means, with respect to the applicable Participating Employer, a change in the ownership or effective control of the Participating Employer, or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Participating Employer. Unless otherwise specified in the Adoption Agreement, a Change in Control shall be defined as follows:

 

(a) For purposes of this section, a change in the ownership of the Participating Employer occurs on the date on which any one person, or more than one person acting as a group, acquires ownership of stock of the Participating Employer that, together with stock held by such person or group constitutes more than 50% of the total fair market value or total voting power of the stock of the Participating Employer.

 

(b) A change in the effective control of the Participating Employer occurs on the date on which either: (i) a person, or more than one person acting as a group, acquires ownership of stock of the Participating Employer possessing 30% or more of the total voting power of the stock of the Participating Employer, taking into account all such stock acquired during the 12-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition, or (ii) a majority of the members of the Participating Employer’s Board of Directors is replaced during any 12-month period by directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority of the members of such Board of Directors prior to the date of the appointment or election, but only if no other corporation is a majority shareholder of the Participating Employer.

 

  - 2 -  

 

 

(c) A change in the ownership of a substantial portion of assets occurs on the date on which any one person, or more than one person acting as a group, other than a person or group of persons that is related to the Participating Employer, acquires assets from the Participating Employer that have a total gross fair market value equal to or more than 40% of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Participating Employer immediately prior to such acquisition or acquisitions, taking into account all such assets acquired during the 12-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition.

 

An event constitutes a Change in Control with respect to a Participant only if the Participant’s relationship to the affected Participating Employer satisfies the requirements of Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5)(ii).

 

To qualify as a Change in Control event, the occurrence of the event must be objectively determinable and any requirement that any other person or group, such as a plan administrator or compensation committee, certify the occurrence of a Change in Control must be strictly ministerial and not involve any discretionary authority. If the Adoption Agreement provides for a payment on a Change in Control, such payment shall only be made if the event specified in the Adoption Agreement also qualifies as a change in control event within the meaning of Code Section 409A (Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5)).

 

To the extent permitted by the Internal Revenue Service, a Change of Control may also occur in the event of changes in ownership of a partnership and change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of a partnership and the provisions set forth above respecting such changes relative to a corporation shall be applied by analogy. It is the Company's responsibility to determine whether a Change in Control has occurred and to advise the Committee and the Record Keeper accordingly.

 

" Change in Control Distribution " shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.4

 

Claimant ” shall have the same meaning set forth in Section 10.1 .

 

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as the same may be amended from time to time.

 

Commissions

 

(a) Sales Commission Compensation. A Participant earning sales commission compensation (as defined in Treasury Regulation §1.409A-2(a)(12)) is treated as providing the services to which such compensation relates only in the Company’s taxable Year in which the customer remits payment to the Company or, if applied consistently to all similarly situated Participants, the Company’s taxable Year in which the sale occurs.

 

(b) Investment Commission Compensation. A Participant earning investment commission compensation (as defined Treasury Regulation §1.409A-2(a)(12)) is treated as providing the services to which such compensation relates over the 12 months preceding the date as of which the overall value of the assets or asset accounts is determined for purposes of the calculation of the investment commission compensation.

 

It is the Company's responsibility to determine whether a Pay Type qualifies as Commissions in accordance with the foregoing requirements with respect to any Participant and to advise the Record Keeper accordingly.

 

" Committee " means the person(s) designated as Committee members or such other persons as the Company's Board of Directors from time to time may designate to serve as members of the Committee hereunder. In the absence of any Committee, or should the Committee be unable or unwilling to serve, the Company shall perform the duties of the Committee under this Plan.

 

Company ” means the entity identified as the “Company” in the Adoption Agreement pursuant to which this Plan has been adopted and may include the applicable Participating Employer as the context requires.

 

Company Discretionary Account ” means, with respect to any Participant (but subject in the case of each Participant to Section 3.7 ), an Account consisting of the sum of (i) all of the Participant's Annual Company Discretionary Amounts, plus (ii) Notional Investment Adjustments in value credited or debited thereon in accordance with Article 4 of this Plan, less (iii) all distributions from such account.

 

  - 3 -  

 

 

Company Matching Account ” means, with respect to any Participant (but subject in the case of each Participant to Section 3.7 ), an Account consisting of the sum of (i) all of the Participant's Annual Company Matching Amounts, plus (ii) Notional Investment Adjustments in value credited or debited thereon in accordance with Article 4 of this Plan, less (iii) all distributions from such account.

 

Day ” means a calendar day or any part thereof.

 

Deferral Account ” means an Account consisting of the sum of (i) all of a Participant's Annual Deferral Amounts, plus (ii) Notional Investment Adjustments in value credited or debited thereon in accordance with Article 4 of this Plan, less (iii) all distributions from such account.

 

Deferral Election Form ” means notice filed by a Participant with the Record Keeper specifying the amount of the Participant's Pay Type(s) to be deferred, and the time and form of distribution payments as defined in the Adoption Agreement. Deferral Election Forms may be completed and/or signed using such online systems and other electronic means as the Committee or Record Keeper from time to time may designate for such purpose.

 

“Disability” or “Disabled” shall mean the Participant is: (i) unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, or (ii) is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than 3 months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Participant’s employer. The Adoption Agreement may also provide that a Participant will be deemed to be Disabled if determined to be totally disabled by the Social Security Administration or Railroad Retirement Board. The determination of Disability shall be made by the Committee in accordance with Section 409A Requirements. The Committee may require that the Participant submit to an examination by the Company or its agent to determine the existence of a Disability.

 

Disability Benefit ” means the benefit set forth in Section 6.3 .

 

Eligible Employee ” means any employee of the Company or other Participating Employer who is selected to participate herein in accordance with the provisions of Article 2 hereof, and is one of a select group of management or highly compensated employees. Eligible Employee may also include selected Independent Contractors as determined in the complete and sole discretion of the Committee.

 

“Employee” means any individual who is employed by or providing services to the Employer. Employee means “service provider” as used in Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(f).

 

“Employer” or “Participating Employer” means the Company or Affiliate who is the legal employer of the Employee or service recipient in the case of an Independent Contractor.

 

ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as the same may be amended from time to time.

 

First Plan Year ” means the period beginning on the Effective Date set forth in the Adoption Agreement and ending on December 31 immediately following the Effective Date.

 

" Hardship Distribution " means any distribution or waiver of deferral granted by the Committee pursuant to Article 7 .

 

“Identification Date” for the purpose of identifying Specified Employees means each December 31 or such other date as defined in the Adoption Agreement.

 

“Independent Contractor” means a non-employee director or an independent contractor for whom deferred amounts will be subject to Section 409A as provided in Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(f)(2).

 

" In-Service Distribution " means a distribution made pursuant to Section 6.5 .

 

" Matching Contribution Limit " means, with respect to each Pay Type, the Maximum Contribution Limit set forth for such Pay Type in the Adoption Agreement, to be used and calculated as a limit on Annual Company Matching Amounts pursuant to Section 3.4 .

 

  - 4 -  

 

 

" Matching Contribution Rate " means, with respect to each Pay Type, the respective percentage rate, if any, set forth in the Adoption Agreement for such Pay Type, which rate shall be used to calculate Annual Company Matching Amounts pursuant to Section 3.4 , subject to the Matching Contribution Limit, if any, applicable to such Pay Type.

 

" Notional Investment " means any security, fund, account, sub-account, index, formula or other instrument, asset, measure or method from time to time designated by the Committee as a means to calculate the amount of any Notional Investment Adjustment.

 

" Notional Investment Adjustment " means earnings, gains, losses and any other adjustments made with respect to any Annual Deferral Amount, Annual Company Matching Amount or Annual Company Discretionary Amount, which adjustments are made based on the performance of a Notional Investment pursuant to Article 4 .

 

Notional Investment Election Form ” means notice filed with the Record Keeper by or on behalf of a Participant (or his or her Beneficiaries, as provided below) specifying the allocation of the Participant's Annual Deferral Amount and how the Participant's Annual Deferral Amount, Annual Company Matching Amount and Annual Company Discretionary Amount, if any, are to be allocated under the Plan among the Notional Investments provided under the Plan. Notional Investment Election Forms may be completed and/or signed using such online systems and other electronic means as the Committee or Record Keeper from time to time may designate for such purpose. Upon the death of a Participant, for so long as such Participant's Beneficiaries retain an interest in such Participant's Account hereunder, such Beneficiaries may file Notional Investment Election Forms with respect to such Account in accordance with such policies and procedures as the Committee from time to time may specify for such purpose.

 

“Participant ” means any Eligible Employee (i) who is selected to participate in the Plan, (ii) who elects to participate in the Plan, (iii) who signs a Participation Agreement, a Deferral Election Form, a Notional Investment Election Form, (iv) whose signed Participation Agreement, Deferral Election Form, and Notional Investment Election Form are accepted by the Committee, and (v) who commences participation in the Plan. A spouse or former spouse (or beneficiary) of a Participant shall not be treated as a Participant in the Plan, even if he or she has an interest in the Participant's benefits under the Plan as a result of applicable law or property settlements resulting from legal separation or divorce.

 

" Participation Agreement " means the form established from time to time by the Committee that a Participant completes, signs and returns to the Company to become a Participant in this Plan. Participation Agreements may be completed and/or signed using such online systems and other electronic means as the Committee or Record Keeper from time to time may designate for such purpose.

 

Pay Type ” means the forms of compensation selected in the Adoption Agreement as eligible for deferral and for inclusion in the calculation of Annual Deferral Amounts under the Plan. References to one or more “Pay Types” with respect to any particular Calendar Year means said forms of compensation relating to services performed during such Calendar Year, whether or not paid in such Calendar Year or included on a Federal Income Tax Form W-2 for such Calendar Year (except and to the extent otherwise required under any applicable Section 409A Requirements). The Committee from time to time may adopt and amend such rules and procedures as it deems appropriate to more particularly define or classify any particular Pay Type for further clarification in the administration of this Plan.

 

Permissible Change Election ” means an election to change the time or form of payment of any benefit under the Plan that:

 

a) does not take effect until at least 12 months after the date on which such election to delay or change is made;

 

b) is made at least 12 months prior to the date previously scheduled for the payment affected thereby;

 

c) postpones the payment affected thereby for a period of not less than 5 years from the date when such payment otherwise would have been made; provided, however, that this restriction shall not apply in the case of a payment on account of a Disability, death or an Unforeseeable Emergency; and

 

d) does not accelerate the scheduled time for payment of any distribution, except as permitted under Section 409A Requirements.

 

  - 5 -  

 

 

For purposes of the foregoing, unless otherwise provided in the Adoption Agreement or otherwise required under applicable Section 409A Requirements, any distribution that a Participant elects to receive in a series of installments shall be treated as being a single payment on the date of the first installment of such series. Additionally, any Participant in the Plan that is not a U.S. taxpayer shall have no right to change the time or form of payment of any benefit under the Plan.

 

Plan ” means this Plan, as evidenced by the Adoption Agreement and this document, each as amended and in effect from time to time.

 

Plan Year ” means each Calendar Year except that the first Plan Year shall commence on the Effective Date of the Plan specified in the Adoption Agreement and end on December 31 of the same Calendar Year.

 

" Pre-Commencement Death Benefit " means the death benefit payable under Section 6.6.1 .

 

" Post-Commencement Death Benefit " means the death benefit payable under Section 6.6.2 .

 

Record Keeper ” means the party designated as the Record Keeper, as such designation may be amended from time to time in the discretion of the Committee. In the absence of any such designation, or should the Record Keeper be unable or unwilling to serve, the Company shall perform the duties of the Record Keeper under this Plan.

 

Retirement ” means the Termination of Employment of a Participant on or after such Participant’s Retirement Eligibility Date.

 

Retirement Benefit ” means the benefit set forth in Section 6.1 .

 

Retirement Eligibility Date ” means the date when the Participant satisfies the requirements of Retirement Eligibility Date as designated in the Adoption Agreement.

 

Section 409A ” means Section 409A of the Code, as the same may be amended from time to time, and any successor statute thereto. References to Section 409A or any requirement under Section 409A, as the same may be interpreted, construed or applied to this Plan at any particular time, shall be deemed to mean and include, to the extent then applicable and then in force and effect (but not to the extent overruled, limited or superseded), published guidance, regulations, notices, rulings and similar announcements issued by the Internal Revenue Service or by the Secretary of the Treasury under or interpreting Section 409A, decisions by any court of competent jurisdiction involving a Participant or a beneficiary and any closing agreement made under §7121 of the Code that is approved by the Internal Revenue Service and involves a Participant, all as determined by the Committee in good faith, which determination may (but shall not be required to) be made in reliance on the advice of such tax counsel or other tax professional(s) with whom the Committee from time to time may elect to consult with respect to any such matter.

 

“Section 409A Discretionary Payment Period” means with respect to any designated payment date, the period during which payments will be treated as having been made upon such designated payment date under Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(d), providing for payments to be treated as timely if made no earlier than thirty (30) days prior to such designated payment date and no later than the end of the Calendar Year in which such designated payment date occurs, or if later, by the 15 th day of the third calendar month following such designated payment date.

 

Section 409A Requirement ” means any requirement under Section 409A, the failure of which would result in the imposition or accrual of interest or additional taxes under Section 409A on or with respect to any income intended to be deferred under the Plan.

 

  - 6 -  

 

 

Specified Employee ” means, at any time when stock of the Company (or other Participating Employer as applicable) is publicly traded on an established securities market or otherwise (as determined in accordance with Section 409A Requirements), those service providers who are “specified employees” within the meaning of Section 409A. The determination shall be made consistent with all Section 409A Requirements as follows: (a) a key employee of the Company (within the meaning of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)) any stock of which is publicly traded on an established securities market or otherwise will be considered a key employee if the service provider meets the requirements of Code §416(i)(1)(A)(i),(ii) or (iii) (applied in accordance with the regulations thereunder and disregarding Code §416(i)(5)) at any time during the 12-month period ending on an Identification Date specified in the Adoption Agreement; (b) if a person is a key employee as of an Identification Date, the person is treated as a Specified Employee for the 12-month period beginning on the first day of the fourth month following the Identification Date; (c) if no alternative Identification Date is designated in the Adoption Agreement, the Identification Date shall be December 31. Whether any stock of the Company is publicly traded on an established securities market or otherwise must be determined as of the date of the Participant’s Separation from Service. The application of rules regarding “Specified Employees” to spinoffs and mergers and nonresident alien employees shall be determined pursuant to applicable guidance. It is the Company’s responsibly to elect which rules under Section 409A shall apply when determining who is a Specified Employee, to annually determine who are the Specified Employees, and to timely provide a list of Specified Employees to the Record Keeper.

 

Termination Benefit ” means the benefit set forth in Section 6.2 .

 

“Termination”, “Termination of Employment or "Separation from Service" shall be interpreted consistently with all Section 409A Requirements according to the following specifications:

 

(a) Employee. Any absence from service that ends the employment of an individual with the employer shall be deemed to be a Termination of Employment. However, the employment relationship is treated as continuing intact while the individual is on military leave, sick leave, or other bona fide leave of absence (such as temporary employment by the government) if the period of such leave does not exceed six months, or if longer, so long as the individual’s right to reemployment with the Company is provided whether by statute or by contract. If the period of leave exceeds six months and the individual’s right to reemployment is not provided either by statue or by contract, the employment relationship is deemed to terminate on the first date immediately following such six month period. The determination of whether an Employee has a Termination of Employment shall be determined pursuant to the Adoption Agreement and Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(h). If the Adoption Agreement does not specify the percentage of average level of bona fide services to constitute a Termination of Employment, a Termination of Employment will occur once an Employee’s services decrease to 20% or less of the average level of bona fide services compared to services performed over the preceding 36 month period.

 

(b) Independent Contractor. An Independent Contractor is considered to have a Termination or Separation from Service upon (i) retirement as a director, or (ii) the expiration of the contract (or in the case of more than one contract, all contracts) under which services are performed if the expiration constitutes a good-faith and complete termination of the contractual relationship.

 

It is the Company's responsibility to determine whether there is a Termination of Employment/Separation from Service in accordance with Section 409A with respect to any Participant and to advise the Record Keeper accordingly.

 

Unforeseeable Emergency ” means, with respect to any particular Participant, (i) a severe financial hardship of such Participant resulting from an illness or accident suffered by such Participant, by such Participant’s spouse or by a dependent (within the meaning of §152 of the Code without regard to §152(b)(1), (b)(2) and (d)(1)(B) of the Code) of such Participant; (ii) a Participant's loss of property due to casualty; or (iii) other similar extraordinary and unforeseeable circumstances arising as a result of events beyond the control of the Participant. It is the Company's responsibility to determine whether there is an Unforeseeable Emergency in accordance with Section 409A with respect to any Participant and to advise the Record Keeper accordingly.

 

* * * * * *

 

It is intended that the Plan shall conform with all applicable Section 409A Requirements. Accordingly, in interpreting, construing or applying any of the foregoing definitions or any of the terms, conditions or provisions of the Plan, the same shall be construed in such manner as shall meet and comply with Section 409A Requirements then applicable thereto, and in the event of any inconsistency with any Section 409A Requirements, the same shall be reformed so as to meet such Section 409A Requirements to the fullest extent then permitted without penalty (and without imposition or accrual of interest or additional taxes) under Section 409A.

 

  - 7 -  

 

 

ARTICLE 2

ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

 

2.1 SELECTION. Participation in the Plan shall be limited to Eligible Employees, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Any action so taken with respect to any particular Participant or group of Participants shall not imply a right on the part of any other Participant or group of Participants to enroll for or receive additional benefits or amounts of benefits. The Committee may terminate the right of any existing Participant to file additional Deferral Election Forms under this Plan, and shall terminate any such right for a Participant who ceases to be one of a select group of management or highly compensated employees, or otherwise ceases to meet any of the requirements applicable to participation in this Plan.

 

2.2 ENROLLMENT. As a condition to participate, each Eligible Employee shall complete, execute and return to the Record Keeper a Participation Agreement, a Deferral Election Form and a Notional Investment Election Form within 30 days after he or she is selected to participate in the Plan. The Committee may establish from time to time such other enrollment requirements as it determines in its sole discretion are necessary, convenient or appropriate to carry out any of the purposes or intent of the Plan or to better assure the Plan’s compliance with Section 409A Requirements. Eligible Employees also shall submit to the Record Keeper a Beneficiary Designation Form, but receipt of the Beneficiary Designation Form within 30 days of eligibility shall not be a condition to enrollment in this Plan.

 

2.3 ELIGIBILITY. An Eligible Employee shall commence participation in the Plan as soon as practicable following the completion of the applicable enrollment period, assuming all enrollment requirements have been completed, including timely submission of all required enrollment documents to the Record Keeper; provided, however, that if an Eligible Employee is a former employee that has been rehired following a Termination of Employment or is a participant in another nonqualified deferred compensation plan aggregated with this Plan for purposes of Code Section 409A, such employee may not commence participation in the Plan until the first day of the following Plan Year. If an Eligible Employee fails to meet all such requirements within the period required in accordance with Section 2.2 , that Eligible Employee shall not be eligible to participate in the Plan until the first day of the Plan Year following the delivery to and acceptance by the Committee (or its designee) of the required documents.

 

2.4 REHIRED EMPLOYEES. Except as otherwise required under Section 409A Requirements (or as otherwise approved by the Committee if permitted under Section 409A Requirements), a Participant who is rehired following a Termination of Employment will be treated as a new employee, without affecting or suspending any benefit payment resulting from any previous participation in this Plan or previous Termination of Employment, and without implying any right to participate further in this Plan as a result of his or her reemployment. Except as otherwise noted in the Adoption Agreement, if such former Participant is selected to become an Eligible Employee under the Plan following his or her rehiring, such Participant may not commence participation in the Plan until the first day of the Plan Year following his or her submission of all required enrollment documents to the Record Keeper, and for purposes of any applicable vesting, he or she shall be treated as a new employee and new enrollee based on his or her most recent date of hire and participation as a new Participant in this Plan.

 

ARTICLE 3

CONTRIBUTIONS AND CREDITS

 

3.1 DEFERRAL AMOUNT. For each Plan Year, a Participant may elect to defer amounts of those Pay Type(s) designated in the Adoption Agreement, using a Deferral Election Form. Any deferral election shall be subject to such limits, rules and procedures from time to time established by the Committee prior to the applicable Plan Year. In no event will the Annual Deferral Amount or the Matching Contribution Amount (if any) for any Pay Type, or for all Pay Types combined, for any particular Participant exceed the maximum amounts permitted under any applicable law.

 

  - 8 -  

 

 

3.2 ELECTION TO DEFER.

 

3.2.1 FIRST PLAN YEAR. When a Participant first enrolls to participate in the Plan, except as otherwise provided in Section 2.4 above, the Participant shall make an irrevocable deferral election by completing a Deferral Election Form for the remainder of the Plan Year in which the Participant first enrolls, along with such other elections as the Committee deems necessary or desirable under the Plan. For these elections to be valid, the Election Form must be completed and signed by the Participant, timely delivered to the Record Keeper in accordance with Section 2.2 above and accepted by the Committee or its designee. Any election under this paragraph shall apply only on a prospective basis, and only with respect to compensation for services to be performed after the date when the election is made and final. To the extent that Bonus is included within the Pay Types available for deferrals under this Plan, such elections may include a pro-rata portion of the then-current Plan Year's Bonus, based on the number of days remaining in the applicable Bonus performance period after such election irrevocably takes effect, divided by the total number of days in said performance period. Despite the foregoing, if a Participant already is a participant under any other nonqualified account balance plan aggregated with this Plan under Code Section 409A, or if such Participant is subject to the terms of Section 2.4 above, then such Participant's first Deferral Election Form under this Plan shall contain elections only with respect to Plan Years after the date when such Deferral Election Form is filed, in the same manner as contemplated for subsequent Plan Years in Section 3.2.2 below.

 

3.2.2 SUBSEQUENT PLAN YEARS. For each succeeding Plan Year, an irrevocable deferral election shall be made by completing a new Deferral Election Form for that Plan Year, and such other elections as the Committee deems necessary or desirable under the Plan, which elections shall be made by timely filing with the Committee or its designee, in accordance with its and the Committee's rules and procedures, before the end of the Plan Year preceding the Plan Year for which the election is made.

 

3.2.3 PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION. Despite the foregoing, in the case of any Performance-Based Compensation (defined below) based on services performed over a period of at least 12 consecutive months, such election may be made no later than 6 months before the end of such performance period. Amounts to be treated as “Performance-Based Compensation” under Section 3.2.3 of this Plan must meet the following criteria at the time the election is made:

 

(i) The performance period is at least 12 months in length

 

(ii) Such compensation has not become readily ascertainable. Compensation is readily ascertainable when the amount is first both calculable and substantially certain to be paid. The performance-based compensation is bifurcated between the portion that is readily ascertainable and the amount that is not readily ascertainable. Accordingly, in general any minimum amount that is both calculable and substantially certain to be paid will be treated as readily ascertainable;

 

(iii) The compensation must be contingent on the satisfaction of pre-established organizational or individual performance criteria (established no later than 90 days after the beginning of the service period);

 

The term Performance-Based Compensation includes payments based upon subjective performance criteria, provided that the subjective performance criteria are bona fide and relate to the performance of the Eligible Employee, a group of employees that includes the Eligible Employee, or a business unit for which the Eligible Employee provides services (which may include the entire organization), and the determination that any subjective performance criteria have been met is not made by the Eligible Employee or a family member of the Eligible Employee (as defined in §267(c)(4) of the Code applied as if the family of an individual includes the spouse or any member of the family), or a person under the effective control of the Eligible Employee or such a family member, and no amount of the compensation of the person making such determination is effectively controlled in whole or in part by the Eligible Employee or such a family member.

 

It is the Company's responsibility to determine whether a Pay Type qualifies as Performance-Based Compensation in accordance with the foregoing requirements with respect to any Participant and to advise the Record Keeper accordingly.

 

3.2.4 CHANGES. Deferral Election Forms filed prior to their applicable filing deadline hereunder may be changed, until such filing deadline occurs, by filing an updated or amended Deferral Election Form in accordance with the foregoing requirements.

 

  - 9 -  

 

 

3.3 WITHHOLDING OF ANNUAL DEFERRAL AMOUNTS. For each Plan Year, the Base Salary portion of the Annual Deferral Amount shall be withheld from each regularly scheduled Base Salary payroll in approximately equal amounts, as adjusted from time to time for increases and decreases in Base Salary, unless otherwise determined in the complete and sole discretion of the Committee. Deferrals of all other Pay Types that are included in the Annual Deferral Amount shall be withheld at the time each such Pay Type is or otherwise would be paid to the Participant, as determined in the complete and sole discretion of the Committee, whether or not this occurs during the Plan Year itself, subject to compliance with all applicable Section 409A Requirements.

 

3.3.1 FINAL PAYROLL PERIOD. Compensation payable after the last day of the Plan Year solely for services performed during the payroll period containing the last day of the Plan Year (the final payroll period) is treated as compensation for services performed in the subsequent Plan Year in which the payment is made. This subsection does not apply to any Compensation paid during such period for services performed during any period other than such final payroll period, such as a payment of an annual bonus.

 

3.4 ANNUAL COMPANY MATCHING AMOUNT. If the Company shall elect in the Adoption Agreement to make Annual Company Matching Amounts, then in each Plan Year, for so long as a Participant remains actively employed by the Company or other Participating Employer and continues to be a Participant in this Plan, the Company shall credit to such Participant's Account an Annual Company Matching Amount, such amount to be calculated in the manner and on the Match Crediting Dates set forth in the Adoption Agreement, up to (and not exceeding) in each Plan Year the Matching Contribution Limit, if any, applicable thereto. Annual Company Matching Amounts shall be credited in each instance as of the applicable Match Crediting Date designated in the Adoption Agreement, such amounts to be determined by the Company as soon as practicable, but not later than 60 days after each applicable Match Crediting Date.

 

3.5 ANNUAL COMPANY DISCRETIONARY AMOUNTS. The Company, in its discretion, may credit additional amounts to the Company Discretionary Account of any Participant or group of Participants. No such contribution to a Participant or group of Participants shall imply any right on the part of other Participants to receive a similar contribution, nor are such contributions required to be uniform with respect to the Participants for whom they are made.

 

3.6 FICA/FUTA AND OTHER TAXES. For each Plan Year in which a Participant elects an Annual Deferral Amount, the Participant's Employer shall ratably withhold, from that portion of the Participant's wages, salary, bonus or other compensation that is not being deferred, the Participant's share of taxes under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act and the Federal Unemployment Tax Act ("FICA/FUTA Taxes") and any other taxes on deferred amounts which may be required or appropriate. If necessary, the Committee shall reduce the Annual Deferral Amount in order to comply with this paragraph. In addition, as balances with Company Matching Accounts and Company Discretionary Accounts, if any, become vested pursuant to Article 5 , to the extent that such amounts are subject to FICA/FUTA Taxes or any other taxes, the Participant’s Employer shall withhold from the Participant’s wages, salary, bonus or other compensation for the year in which such vesting occurs the Participant’s share of FICA/FUTA taxes and such other taxes on the amounts that have vested in such year, all to the extent necessary and appropriate to satisfy such tax obligations. If necessary, the Committee shall reduce the Annual Deferral Amount for the year in which FICA/FUTA or other taxes are due or the Participant’s Account, if other payments or deferrals are insufficient, in order to comply with this paragraph.

 

3.7 FOR CAUSE TERMINATIONS. Despite anything to the contrary in this Plan, if the Committee in good faith determines that a Participant has caused or incurred a Termination of Employment for Cause, then such Participant's Company Discretionary Account and such Participant's Company Matching Account (including both vested and unvested balances thereof) automatically shall be forfeited in their entirety, subject to compliance with all applicable laws.

 

ARTICLE 4

ALLOCATION OF FUNDS

 

4.1 CREDITING/DEBITING OF ACCOUNT BALANCES. In accordance with, and subject to, the rules and procedures that are established from time to time by the Committee, in its sole discretion, amounts shall be credited or debited to a Participant's Account in accordance with this Article 4 .

 

  - 10 -  

 

 

4.2 NOTIONAL INVESTMENT CALCULATIONS. The Committee shall designate in its sole discretion one or more Notional Investments to be used to calculate Notional Investment Adjustments to be credited or debited to Participants' Accounts, as if each Participant were making an actual investment in Notional Investments with his or her Account Balance. Notional Investments shall be used to calculate bookkeeping entries in each Participant's respective Account, and shall be utilized solely as a means to calculate and adjust Account Balances pursuant to this Plan. The Committee from time to time may delete, modify, substitute or otherwise change any Notional Investment under the Plan for any reason with respect to any future Account Balance calculations, and the Committee may impose such limits, rules and procedures governing the frequency, timing, methods and other matters pertaining to the calculation of Notional Investment Adjustments, and the use, effectiveness and application thereof, as the Committee from time to time may deem to be necessary, convenient or appropriate for purposes of administering the Plan.

 

4.3 ELECTION OF NOTIONAL INVESTMENTS. If the Committee shall approve more than one Notional Investment to be used with respect to any Plan Year, then each Participant shall elect, on a Notional Investment Election Form duly filed with the Record Keeper for such Plan Year, one or more Notional Investment(s) to be used to calculate the Notional Investment Adjustments to be credited or debited, as the case may be, to his or her Account under this Article 4 . Each Participant shall specify, on each Notional Investment Election Form, the portions of his or her Account to be allocated to one or more Notional Investments, as if the Participant was making an actual investment in that Notional Investment with that portion of his or her Account Balance. The Committee may impose such limits, rules and procedures governing the frequency of permitted changes, timing of effectiveness, minimum and maximum amounts (if any) and other matters pertaining to Notional Investments, and the use, effectiveness and application thereof, as the Committee from time to time may deem to be necessary, convenient or appropriate for purposes of administering the Plan, including the designation of a default option in the event a Participant fails to make a valid election. Specifically, any deferral of an Annual Equity Grant, as noted in the Adoption Agreement, shall be allocated to the company stock Notional Investment and the Participant shall have no right to specify allocation to any other Notional Investment.

 

4.4 CREDITING OR DEBITING METHOD. The Participant's Account will be credited or debited, as the case may be, with the increase or decrease in the performance of each Notional Investment selected by the Participant, as though the portion of the Participant's Account Balance then was actually invested in the Notional Investments selected by the Participant, in the percentages (if more than one Notional Investment is available under this Plan) then applicable to each portion of the Participant's Account. The value of each Notional Investment shall be calculated under the Plan as of the close of business on the business day when the published or calculated value of such Notional Investment becomes effective generally, but not more frequently than once per business day. The Committee from time to time may specify such times, frequencies, methods, rules and procedures for calculating the value of any particular Notional Investment (for example, specifying that interest on money market funds shall be calculated and credited on a monthly basis).

 

4.5 NO ACTUAL INVESTMENT. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan that may be interpreted to the contrary, each Notional Investment is to be used for measurement purposes only. A Participant's election of any Notional Investment(s), the allocation of any portion of his or her Account thereto and the use of any Notional Investment(s) to calculate any Notional Investment Adjustment in value to be credited or debited to his or her Account shall not be considered or construed in any manner as an actual investment of his or her Account in any such Notional Investment. In the event that the Company, in its own discretion, decides to invest funds in any or all of the Notional Investments, no Participant shall have any rights or interests in or to any such investment. Without limiting the foregoing, a Participant's Account Balance shall at all times be a bookkeeping entry only, and shall not represent any actual investment made on his or her behalf by the Company. The Participant at all times shall remain an unsecured creditor of the Company.

 

ARTICLE 5

VESTING

 

5.1 VESTING OF BENEFITS. The Participant's Account Balance attributable to his or her Deferral Accounts, and Notional Investment Adjustments thereto, will always be 100% vested. Subject to Section 3.7 , credits to each Participant's Company Matching Accounts, and Notional Investment Adjustments thereto, and credits to each Participant's Company Discretionary Accounts, and Notional Investment Adjustments thereto, will be vested in accordance with the provisions set forth in the Adoption Agreement.

 

  - 11 -  

 

 

ARTICLE 6

DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS

 

6.1 RETIREMENT BENEFIT. If a Participant shall remain (other than for intervening authorized leaves of absence) and active employee of the Company or any Affiliate until such Participant’s Retirement Eligibility Date, then upon such Participant's Retirement, the Company shall pay to such Participant a Retirement Benefit to be calculated and paid in accordance with the Adoption Agreement and the terms and conditions of this Plan.

 

6.2 TERMINATION BENEFIT. In the event of a Participant's Termination of Employment, either voluntarily or involuntarily the Company shall pay to the Participant a Termination Benefit to be calculated and paid in accordance with the Adoption Agreement and the terms and conditions of this Plan.

 

6.3 DISABILITY BENEFIT. In the event of a Participant's Disability, then upon such Participant's Disability, the Company shall, to the extent consistent with the Participant’s Deferral Election Form, pay to such Participant a Disability subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan and the Adoption Agreement. In the event of a Participant's Disability, to the extent permitted under applicable Section 409A Requirements, all deferrals following the date of Disability will cease. The Committee may require, as a condition to any right or action under this paragraph, that the Participant be examined by a duly licensed physician selected by the Company to determine or confirm the existence of such Participant's Disability.

 

6.4 CHANGE IN CONTROL DISTRIBUTION. In the event of a Change in Control, the Company shall, to the extent consistent with the Participant’s Deferral Election Form, pay to the Participant a Change in Control Distribution to be calculated and paid in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Plan as specified in the Adoption Agreement.

 

6.5 IN-SERVICE DISTRIBUTIONS. If the Adoption Agreement allows for In-Service Distributions under this Plan, then a Participant may allocate in the Deferral Election Form a portion of his or her Account Balance to be paid as a scheduled In-Service Distribution, such payment to be made at a date designated on the form in accordance with the limits defined in the Adoption Agreement. The In-Service Distribution shall be calculated and paid in accordance with the Adoption Agreement and the terms and conditions of this Plan. Despite the foregoing, if another distribution event occurs that would result in the payment of any benefit prior to an In-Service Distribution, then such other form of benefit shall be paid in lieu of such In-Service Distribution. A Participant may elect to delay the scheduled time for payment of an In-Service Distribution under this paragraph, but only if such election constitutes a Permissible Change Election. If any amount of the Account Balance that has been designated for an In-Service Distribution shall be unvested at the time an In-Service Distribution is scheduled to occur, such unvested amount instead shall remain in such Participant's Account, to be included, when and if it vests, with other amounts payable by reason of the Participant's Separation from Service.

 

6.6 DEATH BENEFIT

 

6.6.1 PRE-COMMENCEMENT DEATH BENEFIT. If a Participant dies prior to the commencement of his or her Separation from Service payment then the Company shall pay the Participant’s vested Account Balance as a Pre-Commencement Death Benefit to such Participant's Beneficiary subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan and the Adoption Agreement.

 

6.6.2 POST COMMENCEMENT DEATH BENEFIT. If a Participant dies after the commencement of his or her Separation from Service payment then the Company shall pay the Participant’s vested Account Balance as a Post-Commencement Death Benefit to such Participant’s Beneficiary subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan and the Adoption Agreement.

 

6.7 SUPPLEMENTAL DEATH BENEFIT. If specified in the Adoption Agreement, in the event that a Participant dies while actively employed by the Company or an Affiliate, in addition to the Participant’s vested Account Balance, the Company may pay an extra amount (a “Supplemental Death Benefit”) to such Participant’s Beneficiary, provided, however, that (a) the Company subsequently may elect to amend, revoke or eliminate any such Supplemental Death Benefit at any time in its discretion prior to the Participant’s death, by giving notice of such subsequent election to such Participant, (b) the Company shall have no obligation to specify any Supplemental Death Benefit with respect to any Participant, regardless of whether the Company has elected to specify any Supplemental Death Benefit with respect to any other Participant or group of participants, and (c) no Supplemental Death Benefit shall be paid with respect to a Participant if such Participant’s death occurs as a result of suicide during the twenty-four (24) calendar months beginning with the calendar month following commencement of a Participant’s enrollment in this Plan or if such Participant has made a material misrepresentation in any form or document provided by the Participant to or for the benefit of the Company or in connection with the administration of this Plan. The Committee may impose such conditions on its approval of any Supplemental Death Benefit as the Committee from time to time may elect, including without limitation requirements that the Participant consent to the Company’s purchase and ownership of insurance on his or her life (and to the naming of the Company and/or its designees as a beneficiary on any such policy), that the Participant complete an application for life insurance and submit to medical examinations relating to the underwriting of any such insurance policy , and that any such policy be underwritten and issued on terms satisfactory to the Committee. In the event that the service of the Participant is terminated by the applicable Employer for any reason other than his or her death, any right to a Supplemental Death Benefit shall thereupon terminate, and neither the Company nor the Participating Employer shall have any further obligation under this section.

 

  - 12 -  

 

 

6.8 PAYMENTS. A Participant's vested Account Balance shall be distributed in one or more annual installments as set forth in the Participant’s Deferral Election Form, in accordance with definitions and subject to limitations set forth in the Adoption Agreement. The amount shall be calculated by taking the amount of the Participant's vested Account Balance divided by the total number of installments (in the case of a lump sum distribution, divided by one). This amount to be valued as of the end of the day (the "Valuation Date") that is the date of the event giving rise to the distribution or such other date as reasonably determined by the Committee; provided , however , that in the case of a Specified Employee's Separation from Service, to the extent required by Section 409A, the Valuation Date for payments that would have otherwise been paid during the first six months after Separation from Service shall be delayed for a minimum of six months following Separation from Service. Payments shall be made as soon as practicable, but, in any event, within 60 days after the Valuation Date (extended, in the case of Disability or Death, by such reasonable period of time as the Committee may require to confirm the existence of such Disability or Death within the Section 409A Discretionary Payment Period). If there shall be more than one installment to be paid, then each subsequent installment shall be calculated on the anniversary of the Valuation Date (not including the six month delay for Specified Employees), by taking the Participant's Account Balance as of the close of business on such anniversary, and dividing such amount by the number of installments then remaining, with payment to be made as soon as practical, but in any event within 60 days of said anniversary. The final installment payment shall be equal to the remaining Account Balance of the Participant. In no event shall the amount of any lump sum or installment payment to a Participant exceed the remaining vested Account Balance of such Participant. For purposes of the foregoing, unless otherwise provided in the Adoption Agreement or otherwise required under applicable Section 409A Requirements, any distribution that a Participant elects to receive in a series of installments shall be treated as being a single payment on the date of the first installment of such series.

 

6.8.1      To the extent that any amounts allocated to the Company Stock Notional Investment are to be distributed to a Participant from the Plan, settlement of such Company Stock shall be in the form of newly issued shares of Company Stock at that time.

 

6.9 NO ACCELERATION; CHANGES; CERTAIN DELAYS. The time or schedule for payment of any distribution under the Plan may not be accelerated, except as set forth in this Plan and as permitted under applicable Section 409A Requirements. No election may be made to change the time or form of payment of any distribution under this Plan, or any installment thereof, except for a Permissible Change Election. Despite the foregoing, to the extent consistent with applicable Section 409A Requirements, the Committee may elect to delay payment of any benefit hereunder if such benefit would be fully or partially non-deductible under §162(m) of the Code, would violate securities laws, or if there is a bona fide payment dispute (but only if the applicable Participant or Beneficiary is diligently attempting to collect the applicable benefit and does not control the Company or the Committee, or control the Company's or the Committee's decisions with respect thereto); and to the extent permitted under Section 409A Requirements, the time or schedule of payment of a benefit hereunder may be accelerated:

 

6.9.1 to the extent that such benefit (or this Plan as it pertains thereto in the case of any particular Participant) fails to meet Section 409A Requirements, but only in an amount equal to the amount required to be included in income as a result of the failure to comply with Section 409A Requirements;

 

6.9.2 for payment to an individual other than a Participant, to the extent necessary to fulfill a domestic relations order as provided in Section 11.6 ;

 

6.9.3 to pay Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax imposed under §3101, §3121(a) and §3121(v)(2) of the Code, where applicable, on compensation deferred under this Plan (hereinafter, the "FICA Amount"), or to pay the income tax at source on wages imposed under §3401 of the Code or the corresponding withholding provisions of applicable state, local or foreign tax laws as a result of the payment of the FICA Amount, and to pay additional income tax at source on wages attributable to the pyramiding §3401 wages and taxes, but not in excess of the FICA Amount and the income tax withholding related to such FICA Amount; or

 

  - 13 -  

 

 

6.9.4       as more particularly provided in Section 6.10 , Article 7 or Section 11.8 .

 

6.10 DE MINIMIS AMOUNTS. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Plan to the contrary, the Company may distribute a Participant’s vested Account Balance in a lump sum at any time if the balance does not exceed the then current limit (as indexed) under §402(g)(1)(B) of the Code and results in the termination of the Participant’s entire interest in this Plan and all other similar plans in compliance with all Section 409A Requirements.

 

6.11 NO DUPLICATION OF BENEFITS. This Plan is intended to provide benefits based on a Participant's Account Balance, subject to the terms and conditions hereof. Nothing in this Plan shall be construed to express or imply the right of any Participant to receive, or to have his or her Beneficiary(ies) receive, benefits in amounts exceeding in the aggregate his or her vested Account Balance, except as may be provided in Section 6.7 as a Supplemental Death Benefit.

 

6.12 DATE OF PAYMENT. The timing of payment hereunder shall in all events comply with all Code Section 409A Requirements. All designated payment events shall be interpreted so as to be limited to permissible payment events under Code Section 409A. Any discretion exercised by the Committee with respect to the timing of payments hereunder shall come within the Section 409A Discretionary Payment Period.

 

6.13 TAX WITHHOLDING AND REPORTING. The Company shall have the right to deduct any required withholding taxes from any payment made under this Plan.

 

ARTICLE 7

UNFORESEEABLE EMERGENCIES

 

7.1 APPLICATION FOR HARDSHIP DISTRIBUTION OR DEFERRAL ELECTION TERMINATION. In the event that any Participant incurs an Unforeseeable Emergency, if consistent with applicable Section 409A Requirements, such Participant may apply to the Committee for a Hardship Distribution in the form of (i) cancellation of existing Annual Deferral Amount elections for Pay Types not yet earned by such Participant, and (ii) to the extent cancellation of all such elections is insufficient to satisfy the needs resulting from such Unforeseeable Emergency, an accelerated payment (“Hardship Distribution”) of some or all of such Participant’s vested Account Balance. The Committee shall consider the circumstances of each such case, and the best interests of the Participant and his or her family, and shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to allow such application, in full or in part, or to refuse to make a Hardship Distribution. In the event that any Participant receives a distribution from a plan due to an unforeseeable emergency or a hardship pursuant to Treasury Regulation §1.401(k)-1(d)(3) (or successor regulation thereto, to the extent recognized for these purposes under Section 409A Requirements), such Participant’s existing Annual Deferral Amount elections for Pay Types not yet earned by such Participant shall be cancelled for the remainder of the Plan Year.

 

7.2 AMOUNT OF DISTRIBUTION. In no event shall the amount of any Hardship Distribution payment exceed the lesser of: (a) the Participant's vested Account Balance, or (b) the amount determined by the Committee to be necessary to alleviate the hardship, including any taxes payable by the Participant as a result of receiving such Hardship Distribution, and which is not reasonably available from other resources of the Participant, including reimbursement or compensation from insurance or otherwise, by liquidation of the Participant's assets (unless liquidation of such assets would cause severe financial hardship) or by cessation of deferrals under this Plan or other nonqualified plans in which such Participant participates, all in a manner consistent with any applicable Section 409A Requirements.

 

7.3 RULES ADOPTED BY COMMITTEE. The Committee shall have the authority to adopt additional rules and procedures relating to Hardship Distributions. The request to take a Hardship Distribution shall be made by filing a form provided by and filed with the Committee and shall be accompanied by appropriate documentation evidencing the existence and extent of the hardship consistent with Section 409A Requirements.

 

  - 14 -  

 

 

ARTICLE 8

BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION

 

8.1 BENEFICIARY. Each Participant shall have the right, at any time, to designate his or her Beneficiary(ies) (both primary as well as contingent) to receive any benefit under this Plan after the Participant's death. The Beneficiary designated under this Plan may be the same as or different from the beneficiary designation under any other plan of the Company in which the Participant participates.

 

8.2 BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION; CHANGE; SPOUSAL CONSENT. A Participant shall designate his or her Beneficiary by completing and signing the Beneficiary Designation Form and returning it to the Record Keeper. A Participant shall have the right to change a Beneficiary by completing, signing and otherwise complying with the terms of the Beneficiary Designation Form and the Committee's rules and procedures, as in effect from time to time. If the Participant names someone other than his or her spouse as a Beneficiary, then to the extent required by applicable law, a spousal consent, in the form designated by the Committee, must be signed by that Participant's spouse and returned to the Record Keeper. The Committee and the Record Keeper shall be entitled to rely on the last Beneficiary Designation Form filed by the Participant and accepted by the Committee prior to his or her death.

 

8.3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. No designation or change in designation of a Beneficiary shall be effective until received and accepted by the Committee.

 

8.4 NO BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION. If a Participant fails to designate a Beneficiary as provided above, or if all designated Beneficiaries predecease the Participant or die prior to complete distribution of the Participant's benefits, then the Participant's designated Beneficiary shall be deemed to be his or her surviving spouse. If the Participant has no surviving spouse, the benefits remaining under the Plan to be paid to a Beneficiary shall be payable to the Participant's estate.

 

8.5 DOUBT AS TO BENEFICIARY. If the Record Keeper has any doubt as to the proper Beneficiary to receive payments pursuant to this Plan, the Committee shall have the right, exercisable in its discretion, to cause the Company to withhold such payments until this matter is resolved to the Committee's satisfaction.

 

8.6 DISCHARGE OF OBLIGATION. The payment of benefits under the Plan to a Beneficiary shall fully and completely discharge the Company and the Committee from all further obligations under the Plan with respect to the Participant, and that Participant's Participation Agreement shall terminate upon such full payment of benefits.

 

ARTICLE 9

MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF THIS PLAN

 

9.1 THE COMMITTEE. The Committee shall be responsible for the management, operation and administration of the Plan, and for processing claims under Article 10 of this Plan. The Committee shall administer the Plan in accordance with its terms and shall have the discretion, power and authority to determine all questions arising in connection with the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan. Any such determination shall be conclusive and binding upon all persons. The Committee shall have all powers necessary or appropriate to accomplish its duties under the Plan. The Committee from time to time may employ others to render advice with regard to its responsibilities under this Plan and to perform services under this Plan, including the services contemplated to be performed by the Record Keeper. The Committee may also allocate its responsibilities to others and may exercise any other powers necessary for the discharge of its duties.

 

9.2 INFORMATION FROM COMPANY. The Company and each Affiliate shall supply full and timely information to the Committee and the Record Keeper on all matters as may be required properly to administer the Plan. The Committee and the Record Keeper may rely upon the correctness of all such information as is so supplied and shall have no duty or responsibility to verify such information. The Committee and the Record Keeper shall also be entitled to rely conclusively upon all tables, valuations, certifications, opinions and reports furnished by any actuary, accountant, controller, counsel or other person employed or engaged by or on behalf of the Company or the Committee with respect to the Plan.

 

  - 15 -  

 

 

9.3 INDEMNIFICATION. The Company, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, shall indemnify and hold harmless the members of the Committee, the Record Keeper and their respective employees, officers, directors, partners, agents, affiliates and representatives, from and against any and all claims, losses, liabilities, costs, damages and expenses (including without limitation reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from any action or failure to act with respect to this Plan on account of such party's services hereunder, except in the case of gross negligence or willful misconduct.

 

9.4 SECTION 409A COMPLIANCE. The Company intends that this Plan will be established, construed, administered and applied in compliance with all Section 409A Requirements, but in light of uncertainty with respect to such requirements and limits, the Company reserves the right to unilaterally interpret or amend the Plan and/or any Participation Agreement or Deferral Election Form without the consent of the Participants and to take any actions that may be appropriate to comply with the Section 409A Requirements.

 

ARTICLE 10

CLAIMS PROCEDURES

 

10.1 PRESENTATION OF CLAIM. A Participant or a Participant’s Beneficiary after a Participant’s death (such Participant or Beneficiary being referred to below as a “Claimant”) may deliver to the Committee a written claim for a determination under this Article with respect to the amounts distributable to such Claimant. The claim must state with particularity the determination desired by the Claimant.

 

10.2 NOTIFICATION OF DECISION. The Committee shall consider a Claimant’s claim within a reasonable time, but no later than ninety (90) days after receiving the claim. If the Committee determines that special circumstances require an extension of time for processing the claim, written notice of the extension shall be furnished to the Claimant prior to the termination of the initial ninety (90) day period. In no event shall such extension exceed a period of ninety (90) days from the end of the initial period. Notwithstanding the forgoing, if the claim relates to a Disability determination the decision shall be rendered within forty-five (45) days which may be extended an additional thirty (30) days if special circumstance require. The extension notice shall indicate the special circumstances requiring an extension of time and the date by which the Committee expects to render the benefit determination. The Committee shall notify the Claimant in writing either that the Claimant’s request has been allowed in full or denied in part or in full. If the Committee has reached a conclusion contrary, in whole or in part, to the Claimant’s requested determination, and such notice must set forth in a manner calculated to be understood by the Claimant:

 

(i) the specific reason(s) for the denial of the claim, or any part of it;

 

(ii) specific reference(s) to pertinent provisions of this Plan upon which such denial was based;

 

(iii) a description of any additional material or information necessary for the Claimant to perfect the claim, and an explanation of why such material or information is necessary;

 

(iv) an explanation of the claim review procedure set forth in Section 10.3 below; and

 

(v) a statement of the Claimant’s right to bring a civil action under ERISA §502(a) following an adverse benefit determination on review.

 

10.3 REVIEW OF A DENIED CLAIM. On or before sixty (60) days after receiving a notice from the Committee that a claim has been denied, in whole or in part, (180 days in the case of a Disability claim) a Claimant (or the Claimant’s duly authorized representative) may file with the Company a written request for a review of the denial of the claim. The Claimant (or the Claimant’s duly authorized representative):

 

10.3.1 may, upon request and free of charge, have reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant to the claim for benefits;

 

10.3.2 may submit written comments or other documents; and/or

 

10.3.3 may request a hearing, which the Company, in its sole discretion, may grant.

 

10.4 DECISION ON REVIEW. The review committee appointed by the Company shall render a decision on review promptly, and no later than sixty (60) days after the Company receives the Claimant’s written request for a review of the denial of the claim (45 days in the case of a Disability claim). If the Company determines that special circumstances require an extension of time for processing the claim, written notice of the extension shall be furnished to the Claimant prior to the termination of the initial sixty (60) day period. In no event shall such extension exceed a period of sixty (60) days from the end of the initial period (45 days in the case of a Disability claim). The extension notice shall indicate the special circumstances requiring an extension of time and the date by which the Company expects to render the benefit determination. In rendering its decision, the Company shall take into account all comments, documents, records and other information submitted by the Claimant relating to the claim, without regard to whether such information was submitted or considered in the initial benefit determination. The decision must be written in a manner calculated to be understood by the Claimant, and it must contain:

 

  - 16 -  

 

 

10.4.1 specific reasons for the decision;

 

10.4.2 specific reference(s) to the pertinent provisions of this Plan upon which the decision was based;

 

10.4.3 a statement that the Claimant is entitled to receive, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant (as defined in applicable ERISA regulations) to the Claimant’s claim for benefits; and

 

10.4.4 a statement of the Claimant’s right to bring a civil action under ERISA §502(a).

 

ARTICLE 11

MISCELLANEOUS

 

11.1 TRUST. Except as set forth below, nothing contained in this Plan, nor any action taken pursuant to its provisions by any person, shall create, or be construed to create, a trust of any kind, or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and any other person. Despite the foregoing, if the Company, pursuant to the Adoption Agreement or otherwise, elects to establish a grantor trust for the purpose of holding any assets intended to fund the payment of any benefits under this Plan, the Company shall have no obligation to make any contributions or deposits into such trust and all assets of such trust shall remain subject to the claims of the Company's creditors generally in the event of any insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company, and except as permitted under applicable Section 409A Requirements, no such assets shall be located outside of the United States of America. No trust or restriction shall be imposed on any assets intended to fund the payment of any benefits under this Plan as a result of any change in Company's financial health. The creation of any trust shall not relieve the Company of its obligations under this Plan.

 

11.2 NO RIGHT TO COMPANY ASSETS UNSECURED CLAIM. Payments to any Participant or Beneficiary hereunder shall be made from assets which shall continue, for all purposes, to be part of the general, unrestricted assets of the Company. No person shall have any interest in any such asset by virtue of any provision of this Plan. The Company's obligation hereunder shall be an unfunded and unsecured promise to pay money in the future. To the extent that any person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company under the provisions hereof, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company; no such person shall have or acquire any legal or equitable right, interest or claim in or to any property or assets of the Company.

 

In the event that, in its discretion, the Company purchases an insurance policy or policies insuring the life of a Participant or any other property, to allow the Company to recover or meet the cost of providing benefits, in whole or in part, hereunder, no Participant or Beneficiary shall have any rights whatsoever therein or in the proceeds therefrom. The Company shall be the sole owner and beneficiary of any such insurance policy or property and shall possess and may exercise all incidents of ownership therein.

 

11.3 CAPTIONS. The captions of the articles, sections and paragraphs of this Plan are for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of its provisions.

 

11.4 FURNISHING INFORMATION. Each Participant and his or her Beneficiary(ies) shall cooperate with the Committee and the Record Keeper by furnishing any and all information requested by the Committee or the Record Keeper and take such other actions as may be requested in order to facilitate the administration of the Plan and the payments of benefits hereunder, including but not limited to taking such physical examinations as the Committee may deem necessary.

 

11.5 NO CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to be a contract of employment for any term of years, nor as conferring upon any Participant the right to continue to be employed by the Company or any Affiliate in his or her present capacity or in any capacity. It is expressly understood that this Plan relates to the payment of deferred compensation for each Participant's services, and is not intended to be an employment contract.

 

  - 17 -  

 

 

11.6 BENEFITS NOT TRANSFERABLE. No Participant or beneficiary under this Plan shall have any power or right to transfer, assign, anticipate, hypothecate or otherwise encumber any part or all of the amounts payable hereunder. No such amounts shall be subject to seizure by any creditor of any such Participant or Beneficiary, by a proceeding at law or in equity, nor shall such amounts be transferable by operation of law in the event of bankruptcy, insolvency or death of the Participant or Beneficiary. Any such attempted assignment shall be void.

 

The interest in the benefits hereunder of a spouse of a Participant who predeceases the Participant shall automatically pass to the Participant and shall not be transferable by such spouse in any manner, including but not limited to such spouse's will, nor shall such interest pass under the laws of intestate succession.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with the terms of a "domestic relations order" (as defined in §414(p)(1)(B) of the Code) the Committee may cause all or a portion of a Participant's Account balance to be segregated into a sub-Account for the benefit of the Participant's spouse, child or other dependent identified in such order as the alternative payee and give such alternative payee (or their legal representative if such alternative payee is incompetent or a minor), as applicable (i) the same Notional Investment alternatives as are available to the Participant under the Plan with respect to such sub-Account until distributed, and (ii) the same distribution form and timing options as are available to the Participant under the Plan or an immediate lump sum payment, all as directed by the domestic relations order and subject to compliance with Code Section 409A Requirements.

 

11.7 SUCCESSORS. The provisions of this Plan shall bind and inure to the benefit of the Participant's employer and its successors and assigns and the Participant and the Participant's designated Beneficiaries.

 

11.8 AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION. To the extent consistent with Section 409A Requirements, this Plan may be amended or terminated by the Company at any time, without notice to or consent of any person, pursuant to resolutions adopted by the Company. Any such amendment or termination shall take effect as of the date specified therein and, to the extent permitted by law and Section 409A Requirements, may have retroactive effect. However, no such amendment or termination shall reduce the vested balance then credited to the Participant's Account Balance under Article 4 .

 

The Company and each participating Employer reserve the right to terminate its participation in this Plan. Except as otherwise provided below, the termination of the Plan shall not affect the distribution provisions in effect for the Accounts maintained under the Plan, and all amounts deferred prior to the date of any such Plan termination shall continue to become due and payable in accordance with the distribution provisions in effect immediately prior to such Plan termination. Payment of the Account Balances may be accelerated upon Plan termination and liquidation of the Plan only in compliance with all Section 409A Requirements as then in effect. Section 409A regulations currently permits acceleration of distributions under the following circumstances:

 

11.8.1 Dissolution/Bankruptcy. The Plan may be terminated and liquidated within 12 months of a corporate dissolution taxed under Code §331, or with the approval of a bankruptcy court pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §503(b)(1)(A), provided that the amounts deferred under the Plan are included in the Participants’ gross incomes in the latest of:

 

(i) The calendar year in which the plan termination and liquidation occurs

 

(ii) The calendar year in which the amount is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture; or

 

(iii) The first calendar year in which the payment is administratively practicable.

 

11.8.2 Change in Control. The Plan may be terminated and liquidated pursuant to irrevocable action taken by the Company within the 30 days preceding or the 12 months following a change in control event (as defined in Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5)). For purposes of this subsection , an arrangement will be treated as terminated only if all substantially similar agreements, methods, programs, and other arrangements sponsored by the Company immediately after the time of the change in control event with respect to which deferrals of compensation are treated as having been deferred under a single plan under Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(c)(2) are terminated and liquidated with respect to each participant that experienced the change in control event, so that under the terms of the termination and liquidation all such participants are required to receive all amounts of compensation deferred under the terminated agreements, methods, programs, and other arrangements within 12 months of the date the Company irrevocably takes all necessary action to terminate and liquidate the agreements, methods, programs, and other arrangements.

 

  - 18 -  

 

 

11.8.3 Termination of All Plans. The Plan may be terminated and liquidated at any time provided that:

 

(i) The termination and liquidation does not occur proximate to a downturn in the financial health of the Company or applicable Participating Employer.

 

(ii) All agreements, methods, programs, and other arrangements sponsored by the Company that would be aggregated with any terminated and liquidated agreements, methods, programs, and other arrangement under Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(c) if the same Participant had deferrals of compensation under all of the agreements, methods, programs, and other arrangements that are terminated and liquidated;

 

(iii) No payments are made other than payments that would be payable under the terms of the plans if the termination and liquidation had not occurred are made within 12 months of the termination date;

 

(iv) All payments are made within 24 months of the date the Company takes all necessary action to irrevocably terminate and liquidate the plan; and

 

(v) The Company does not adopt a new arrangement that would be aggregated with the plan under Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(c) provision for the deferral of compensation at any time within 3 years following the date of termination of the Plan.

 

11.9 NOTICE. Either the Committee or the Record Keeper may specify that any election, form, designation, agreement or communication by a Participant under the Plan shall be made or submitted online at a site on the World Wide Web designated for such purpose, or by other reasonable electronic means. Subject to the foregoing, any notice, consent or demand required or permitted to be given under the provisions of this Plan shall be in writing, and shall be signed by the party giving or making the same. If such notice, consent or demand is mailed, it shall be sent by United States certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed, if to the Company or the Committee, to the Company Address set forth in the Adoption Agreement, and if to the Record Keeper, to the Record Keeper Address set forth in the Adoption Agreement, and if to any Participant, to such Participant's address most recently submitted by him or her to the Record Keeper (and in the absence of such submission, as most recently appearing on the records of the Company). The date of such mailing shall be deemed the date of notice, consent or demand. Any person may change the address to which notice is to be sent by giving notice of the change of address in the manner aforesaid.

 

11.10 FACILITY OF PAYMENT. If a distribution is to be made to a minor, or to a person who is otherwise incompetent, then the Committee may, in its discretion, make such distribution (i) to the legal guardian, or if none, to a parent of a minor payee with whom the payee maintains his or her residence, or (ii) to the conservator or committee or, if none, to the person having custody of an incompetent payee. Any such distribution shall fully discharge the Committee, the Record Keeper, the Company and the Plan from further liability on account thereof.

 

11.11 GOVERNING LAW. The Plan and the right and obligations of all persons hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state set forth in the Adoption Agreement, other than its laws regarding choice of law, to the extent that such state law is not preempted by federal law.

 

  - 19 -  

 

 

EXHIBIT 4.2

 

 

 

 

ROYAL GOLD, INC.

 

2015 OMNIBUS LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

    Page
     
1. PURPOSE 1
     
2. DEFINITIONS 1
     
3. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN 5
  3.1 Committee 5
    3.1.1 Powers and Authorities 5
    3.1.2 Composition of the Committee 6
    3.1.3 Other Committees 6
    3.1.4 Delegation by Committee. 6
  3.2 Board 6
  3.3 Terms of Awards 6
    3.3.1 Committee Authority 6
    3.3.2 Forfeiture; Recoupment 7
  3.4 No Repricing Without Stockholder Approval 7
  3.5 Deferral Arrangement 7
  3.6 Registration; Share Certificates 7
     
4. STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN 8
  4.1 Number of Shares of Stock Available for Awards 8
  4.2 Adjustments in Authorized Shares of Stock 8
  4.3 Share Usage 8
     
5. TERM; AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION 8
  5.1 Term 8
  5.2 Amendment, Suspension, and Termination 9
     
6. AWARD ELIGIBILITY AND LIMITATIONS 9
  6.1 Eligible Grantees 9
  6.2 Limitation on Shares of Stock Subject to Awards and Cash Awards 9
  6.3 Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem, and Substitute Awards 9
     
7. AWARD AGREEMENT AND VESTING 9
     
8. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTIONS 10
  8.1 Option Price 10
  8.2 Vesting and Exercisability 10
  8.3 Term 10
  8.4 Termination of Service 10
  8.5 Limitations on Exercise of Option 10
  8.6 Method of Exercise 10
  8.7 Rights of Holders of Options 10
  8.8 Delivery of Stock 11
  8.9 Transferability of Options 11
  8.10 Family Transfers 11
  8.11 Limitations on Incentive Stock Options. 11
  8.12 Notice of Disqualifying Disposition. 11
     
9. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS 11
  9.1 Right to Payment and SAR Price 11
  9.2 Other Terms 11
  9.3 Term 12
  9.4 Rights of Holders of SARs. 12
  9.5 Transferability of SARs 12
  9.6 Family Transfers 12

 

  i

 

 

10. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF RESTRICTED STOCK, RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS, AND DEFERRED STOCK UNITS 12
  10.1 Grant of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, and Deferred Stock Units 12
  10.2 Restrictions 12
  10.3 Registration; Restricted Stock Certificates 12
  10.4 Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock 13
  10.5 Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units 13
  10.5.1 Voting and Dividend Rights 13
  10.5.2 Creditor’s Rights 13
  10.6 Termination of Service 13
  10.7 Purchase of Restricted Stock and Shares of Stock Subject to Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units 13
  10.8 Delivery of Shares of Stock 13
     
11. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF UNRESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS AND OTHER EQUITY-BASED AWARDS 14
  11.1 Unrestricted Stock Awards 14
  11.2 Other Equity-Based Awards 14
     
12. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF DIVIDEND EQUIVALENT RIGHTS 14
  12.1 Dividend Equivalent Rights 14
  12.2 Termination of Service 14
     
13. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PERFORMANCE-BASED AWARDS 14
  13.1 Grant of Performance-Based Awards 14
  13.2 Value of Performance-Based Awards 14
  13.3 Earning of Performance-Based Awards 15
  13.4 Form and Timing of Payment of Performance-Based Awards 15
  13.5 Performance Conditions 15
  13.6 Performance-Based Awards Granted to Designated Covered Employees 15
    13.6.1 Performance Goals Generally 15
    13.6.2 Timing For Establishing Performance Goals 15
    13.6.3 Payment of Awards; Other Terms 15
    13.6.4 Performance Measures 15
    13.6.5 Evaluation of Performance 17
    13.6.6 Adjustment of Performance-Based Compensation 17
    13.6.7 Committee Discretion 17
    13.6.8 Status of Awards Under Code Section 162(m) 17
     
14. FORMS OF PAYMENT 18
  14.1 General Rule 18
  14.2 Surrender of Shares of Stock 18
  14.3 Cashless Exercise 18
  14.4 Other Forms of Payment 18
     
15. REQUIREMENTS OF LAW 18
  15.1 General 18
  15.2 Rule 16b-3 19
     
16. EFFECT OF CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION 19
  16.1 Changes in Stock 19
  16.2 Reorganization in Which the Company Is the Surviving Entity Which Does not Constitute a Change in Control 19
  16.3 Change in Control in which Awards are not Assumed 19
  16.4 Change in Control in which Awards are Assumed 20
  16.5 Adjustments. 20
  16.6 No Limitations on Company 20
     
17. PARACHUTE LIMITATIONS 20
     
18. GENERAL PROVISIONS 21
  18.1 Disclaimer of Rights 21

 

  ii

 

 

  18.2 Nonexclusivity of the Plan 21
  18.3 Withholding Taxes 21
  18.4 Captions 22
  18.5 Construction 22
  18.6 Other Provisions 22
  18.7 Number and Gender 22
  18.8 Severability 22
  18.9 Governing Law 22
  18.10 Section 409A of the Code 22
  18.11 Limitation on Liability. 22

 

  iii

 

 

ROYAL GOLD, INC.

2015 OMNIBUS LONG-TERM 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 stockholders and other important stakeholders, 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 Nonqualified Stock Options or Incentive Stock Options, as provided herein.

 

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 Common 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 an applicable agreement between a Grantee and the Company or an Affiliate, and in the absence of any such agreement, shall mean, with respect to any Grantee and as determined by the Committee, (a) gross negligence or willful misconduct in connection with the performance of duties; (b) conviction of, or pleading guilty or nolo contendere to, a criminal offense (other than minor offenses); or (c) material breach of any term of any employment, consulting or other services, confidentiality, intellectual property, or non-competition agreements, if any, between such Grantee and the Company or an Affiliate. 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 Common Stock.

 

2.10          Change in Control ” shall mean, subject to Section 18.10 , the occurrence of any of the following:

 

 

 

 

(a)          A transaction or a series of related transactions whereby any Person or Group (other than the Company or any Affiliate) becomes the Beneficial Owner of more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company, on a Fully Diluted Basis;

 

(b)          Individuals who, as of the Effective Date constitute the Board (the “ Incumbent Board ”) (together with any new directors whose election by such Incumbent Board or whose nomination by such Incumbent Board for election by the stockholders of the Company was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the members of such Incumbent Board then in office who either were members of such Incumbent Board or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved) cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the members of such Board then in office;

 

(c)          The Company consolidates with, or merges with or into, any Person, or any Person consolidates with, or merges with or into, the Company (regardless of whether the Company is the surviving Person), other than any such transaction in which the Prior Stockholders own directly or indirectly at least a majority of the voting power of the Voting Stock of the surviving Person in such reorganization, merger, or consolidation transaction immediately after such transaction;

 

(d)          The consummation of any direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance, or other disposition (other than by way of reorganization, merger, or consolidation), in one transaction or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any Person or Group (other than the Company or any Affiliate); or

 

(e)          The stockholders of the Company adopt a plan or proposal for the liquidation, winding up, or dissolution of the Company.

 

The Board shall have full and final authority, in its sole discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control has occurred pursuant to the above definition, the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control, and any incidental matters relating thereto.

 

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          Common Stock ” shall mean the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company and any other class or series of common stock of the Company that may be issued and outstanding from time to time.

 

2.14          Company ” shall mean Royal Gold, Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

2.15          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).

 

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

 

2.17          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.

 

2.18          Disability ” shall mean the inability of a Grantee to perform each of the essential duties of such Grantee’s position by reason of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment which is potentially permanent in character or which can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months; provided that, with respect to rules regarding the expiration of an Incentive Stock Option following termination of a Grantee’s Service, Disability shall mean the inability of such Grantee to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months.

 

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

 

2.20          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  

 

 

2.21          Effective Date ” shall mean the date the Plan is approved by the Company’s stockholders.

 

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

 

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

 

2.24          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 2.24 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 will 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 can 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 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.

 

2.25          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.

 

2.26          Fully Diluted Basis ” shall mean, as of any date of determination, the sum of (x) the number of shares of Voting Stock outstanding as of such date of determination plus (y) the number of shares of Voting Stock issuable upon the exercise, conversion, or exchange of all then-outstanding warrants, options, convertible Capital Stock or indebtedness, exchangeable Capital Stock or indebtedness, or other rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into, directly or indirectly, shares of Voting Stock, whether at the time of issue or upon the passage of time or upon the occurrence of some future event, and whether or not in-the-money as of such date of determination.

 

2.27          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.

 

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

 

2.29          Group ” shall have the meaning set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act.

 

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

 

2.31          Nonqualified Stock Option ” shall mean an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option.

 

  3  

 

 

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

 

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

 

2.34          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 .

 

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

 

2.36          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.

 

2.37          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 or other Performance-Based Award.

 

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

 

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

 

2.40          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.

 

2.41          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.

 

2.42          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 stockholders pursuant to, and to the extent required by, the Plan in order to qualify such Performance-Based Awards as Performance-Based Compensation.

 

2.43          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.

 

2.44          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 of up to ten (10) years.

 

2.45          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) and Section 2.10(d) , Person shall have the meaning set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act.

 

2.46          Plan ” shall mean this Royal Gold, Inc. 2015 Omnibus Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

 

2.47          Prior Plan ” shall mean the Royal Gold, Inc. 2004 Omnibus Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

 

2.48          Prior Stockholders ” shall mean the holders of equity securities that represented one hundred percent (100%) of the Voting Stock of the Company immediately prior to a reorganization, merger, or consolidation involving the Company (or other equity securities into which such equity securities are converted as part of such reorganization, merger, or consolidation transaction).

 

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

 

2.50          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.

 

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

 

2.52          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.

 

  4  

 

 

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

 

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

 

2.55          Securities Market ” shall mean an established securities market.

 

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

 

2.57          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.

 

2.58          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.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

2.62          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 .

 

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

 

2.64          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.

 

2.65          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.

 

2.66          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.

 

2.67          Ten Percent Stockholder ” 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.

 

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

 

2.69          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 certificate 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 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 certificate 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.

 

  5  

 

 

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 intended 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 Common Stock is listed or publicly traded.

 

3.1.4           Delegation by 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 will be subject to the restrictions and limits that the Committee specifies at the time of such delegation or thereafter. Nothing in the Plan will be construed as obligating the Committee to 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 will 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 will have the same force and effect as if undertaken directly by the Committee, and any reference in the Plan to the “Committee” will, 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 certificate 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;

 

  6  

 

 

(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, impair such Grantee’s rights under such Award; and

 

(g)          make Substitute Awards.

 

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 this Plan or 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.

 

3.4           No Repricing Without Stockholder Approval.

 

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 (i) is subject to and approved by the Company's stockholders or (ii) would not be deemed to be a repricing under the rules of any Stock Exchange or Securities Market on which the Common Stock is listed or publicly traded.

 

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.

 

  7  

 

 

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 Article 16 , the maximum number of shares of Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan shall be two million five hundred thousand (2,500,000) shares of Stock, plus (i) the number of shares of Stock remaining available for future awards under the Prior Plan as of the Effective Date, plus (ii) the number of shares of Stock related to awards outstanding under the Prior Plan as of the Effective Date that thereafter terminate by expiration, forfeiture, or cancellation (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, and any or all of the shares of Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan shall be available for issuance pursuant to the Incentive Stock Options.

 

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. Shares available for issuance under a stockholder-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 Common Stock is listed or publicly traded.

 

4.3           Share Usage.

 

(a)          Shares of Stock covered by 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 , will be counted against the Share Limit set forth in Section 4.1 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 SARs will be counted against the Share Limit set forth in Section 4.1 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. At a minimum, the target number of shares issuable under a Performance Share grant shall be counted against the Share Limit set forth in Section 4.1 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 target number of shares.

 

(c)          If any shares of Stock covered by 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 will not be increased by the number of shares of Stock (i) tendered, withheld, or subject to an Award granted under the Plan or an award under the Prior Plan surrendered in connection with the purchase of shares of Stock upon exercise of an Option, (ii) that were not issued upon the net settlement or net exercise of a Stock-settled SAR granted under the Plan or the Prior Plan, (iii) deducted or delivered from payment of an Award granted under the Plan or the Prior Plan in connection with the Company’s tax withholding obligations as provided in Section 18.3 (or the equivalent provisions of the Prior Plan), or (iv) purchased by the Company with proceeds from Option exercises.

 

5.           TERM; AMENDMENT 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 Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, shares of Stock reserved under the Prior Plan to settle awards, including performance-based awards, which are made under the Prior Plan prior to the Effective Date may be issued and delivered following the Effective Date to settle such awards. The Plan shall terminate on the first to occur of (a) 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).

 

  8  

 

 

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, 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 stockholders to the extent provided by the Board or required by Applicable Laws.

 

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.

 

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 is one hundred thousand (100,000) 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 Stock-denominated and are either Stock- or cash-settled, in a calendar year to any Person eligible for an Award under Section 6.1 is one hundred thousand (100,000) shares; and

 

(c)          The maximum amount that may be paid as a cash-denominated Performance-Based Award (whether or not cash-settled) for a Performance Period of twelve (12) months or less to any Person eligible for an Award under Section 6.1 shall be two million dollars ($2,000,000), and the maximum amount that may be paid as a cash-denominated Performance-Based Award (whether or not cash-settled) for a Performance Period of greater than twelve (12) months to any Person eligible for an Award under Section 6.1 shall be four million dollars ($4,000,000).

 

(d)          The maximum Fair Market Value of shares of Stock that may be granted under the Plan pursuant to Awards in a calendar year to any non-employee director of the Company is five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).

 

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.

 

7.           AWARD AGREEMENT AND VESTING

 

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 Nonqualified Stock Options or Incentive Stock Options, and, in the absence of such specification, such Options shall be deemed to constitute Nonqualified Stock Options. In the event of any inconsistency between the Plan and an Award Agreement, the provisions of the Plan shall control.

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, vesting of Awards shall be over a period of no less than one year and achievement of performance goals in respect of Performance-Based Awards shall be measured over a performance period of up to one year or more than one year, except, in all cases, in the case of Awards to directors or as otherwise determined by the Committee.

 

  9  

 

 

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 Stockholder, 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; provided that no Option 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.

 

8.3           Term.

 

Each Option granted under the Plan shall terminate, and all rights to purchase shares of Stock thereunder shall cease, on 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 Stockholder, an Option granted to such Grantee that is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall not be exercisable after the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Grant Date of such Option; and provided, further, that, to the extent deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee to reflect differences in local law, tax policy, or custom with respect to any Option granted to a Grantee who is a foreign national or is a natural Person who is employed outside the United States, such Option may terminate, and all rights to purchase shares of Stock thereunder may cease, upon the expiration of a period longer than ten (10) years from the Grant Date of such Option as the Committee shall determine.

 

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 stockholder 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 stockholders) 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.

 

  10  

 

 

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.

 

8.10         Family Transfers.

 

If authorized in the applicable Award Agreement and 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 will have the same term, and expire at the same time, as the related Option; provided, further, that a SAR that is granted subsequent to the Grant Date of a related Option must have a SAR Price that is no less than the Fair Market Value of one (1) share of Stock on the Grant Date of such SAR.

 

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.

 

  11  

 

 

9.3           Term.

 

Each SAR granted under the Plan shall terminate, and all rights thereunder shall cease, on 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 stockholder 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 stockholders) 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 and 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.

 

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.

 

  12  

 

 

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 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 stockholders 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 stockholders).

 

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 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 .

 

  13  

 

 

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

 

11.1         Unrestricted Stock Awards.

 

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 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.

 

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). Any such reinvestment shall be at the Fair Market Value thereof on the date of such reinvestment. 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 may (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 or (b) contain terms and conditions which are different from the terms and conditions of such other Award, provided that 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 will be paid out to the Grantee thereof.

 

  14  

 

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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 will be paid or forfeited in the event of a termination of Service.

 

13.6.4           Performance Measures.

 

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

 

  15  

 

 

 

(a)          net earnings or net income;

 

(b)          operating earnings or operating income;

 

(c)          income before income taxes;

 

(d)          pretax operating earnings after interest expense and before bonuses, service fees and extraordinary or special items;

 

(e)          earnings per share;

 

(f)          share price, including growth measures and total stockholder return, including total stockholder return as compared to total return (on a comparable basis) of a publicly available index such as, but not limited to, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index;

 

(g)          earnings before interest and taxes;

 

(h)          earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and/or amortization;

 

(i)          earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and/or amortization as adjusted to exclude any one or more of the following:

 

stock-based compensation expense;

 

income from discontinued operations;

 

gain on cancellation of debt;

 

debt extinguishment and related costs;

 

restructuring, separation, and/or integration charges and costs;

 

reorganization and/or recapitalization charges and costs;

 

impairment charges;

 

acquisition, disposition, or merger-related events and expenses;

 

gain or loss related to investments;

 

sales and use tax settlements; and

 

gain on non-monetary transactions;

 

(j) sales, revenue, or production growth or targets, whether in general or by type of product, service, or customer;

 

(k) gross or operating margins;

 

(l) return measures, including return on assets, capital, investment, equity, sales, or revenue;

 

(m) cash flow, including:

 

operating cash flow;

 

free cash flow, defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and/or amortization (as adjusted to exclude any one or more of the items that may be excluded pursuant to the Performance Measure specified in clause (h) above) less capital expenditures, and free cash flow per share;

 

levered free cash flow, defined as free cash flow less interest expense;

 

cash flow return on equity; and

 

cash flow return on investment;

 

(n) productivity ratios;

 

(o) ratio of debt to stockholders’ equity;

 

(p) ratio of net debt to adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and/or amortization;

 

(q) costs, reductions in cost, and cost control measures;

 

(r) expense targets;

 

(s) market or market segment share or penetration;

 

  16  

 

 

(t) financial ratios as provided in credit agreements of the Company and its subsidiaries;

 

(u) working capital, liquidity, debt, and coverage ratio targets;

 

(v) completion of acquisitions of royalties, streams, businesses, or companies;

 

(w) completion of divestitures and asset sales;

 

(x) regulatory achievements or compliance;

 

(y) customer satisfaction measurements;

 

(z) execution of contractual arrangements or satisfaction of contractual requirements or milestones;

 

(aa) product development achievements;

 

(bb) royalty ounces in reserve;

 

(cc) gross or net gold equivalent ounce measures;

 

(dd) production, reserve, or resource-related measures; and

 

(ee) any combination of the foregoing business criteria.

 

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 and (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. In addition, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may select performance under the Performance Measure specified in clause (f) 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 or the effect of such events that occur during a Performance Period: (a) asset write-downs; (b) disputes, litigation or claims, judgments, or settlements; (c) properties related to uncertain collections; (d) changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or provisions affecting reported results; (e) any reorganization or restructuring events or programs; (f) extraordinary, non-core, non-operating, or non-recurring items; (g) acquisitions or divestitures; (h) foreign exchange gains and losses; (i) impact of shares of Stock purchased through share repurchase programs; (j) tax valuation allowance reversals; (k) impairment expense; and (l) 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.

 

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 stockholder approval of such changes, the Committee shall have sole discretion to make such changes without obtaining stockholder 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.

 

  17  

 

 

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.

 

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 certificate 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 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.

 

  18  

 

 

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 Board 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.

 

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 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 and the individual share limitations set forth in Section 6.2 , 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. 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 stockholders 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 number and kind of shares of Capital Stock subject to outstanding Awards and/or (b) 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 be the surviving entity in 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. 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.

 

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 stockholders.

 

  19  

 

 

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.

 

(b)          Performance-Based Awards where the Performance Period has not yet expired 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.

 

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 a 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.

 

  20  

 

 

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.

 

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 stockholders 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.

 

(a)        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.

 

(b)        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 such Award, as applicable, may not exceed such number of shares of Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum 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; provided, however, for so long as taking such action does not create negative accounting consequences, the Board or the Committee has full discretion to choose, or to allow a Grantee to elect, to withhold a number of shares of Stock having an aggregate Fair Market Value that is greater than the applicable minimum required statutory withholding obligation (but such withholding may in no event be in excess of the maximum required statutory withholding amount(s) in such Grantee’s relevant tax jurisdictions).

 

  21  

 

 

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 Delaware, 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         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 will 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 will 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 will 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 will 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 will 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 will have any liability to any Grantee for such tax or penalty.

 

18.11         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 will 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 18.11 shall not affect any of the rights or obligations set forth in an applicable agreement between the Grantee and the Company or an Affiliate.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

  22  

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

HL_COLOR

Hogan Lovells US LLP

1601 Wewatta Street, Suite 900

Denver, Colorado 80202

T +1 303 899 7300

F +1 303 899 7333

www.hoganlovells.com

 

 

July 20, 2017

 

 

Board of Directors

Royal Gold, Inc.

1660 Wynkoop Street, Suite 1000

Denver, CO 80202

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We are acting as counsel to Royal Gold, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), in connection with its registration statement on Form S-8 (the “ Registration Statement ”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Act ”), relating to the registration of deferred compensation obligations of the Company in the principal amount of $1,422,200 (the “ Deferred Compensation Obligations ”) issuable pursuant to the Royal Gold Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors (the “ DCP ”) and up to 15,196 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “ Common Stock ”), of the Company (the “ Shares ”), issuable in connection with the DCP pursuant to the Royal Gold, Inc. 2015 Omnibus Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “ LTIP ”, and together with the DCP, the “ Plans ”) and 15,196 associated stock purchase rights (the “ Rights ”), all of which stock purchase rights are to be issued pursuant to the First Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of September 10, 2007 (the “ Rights Agreement ”), between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent (the “ Rights Agent ”). This opinion letter is furnished to you at your request to enable you to fulfill the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K, 17 C.F.R. § 229.601(b)(5), in connection with the Registration Statement.

 

For purposes of this opinion letter, we have examined copies of such agreements, instruments and documents as we have deemed an appropriate basis on which to render the opinions hereinafter expressed. In our examination of the aforesaid documents, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the accuracy and completeness of all documents submitted to us, the authenticity of all original documents, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies (including pdfs). We also have assumed that the Rights Agreement has been duly authorized, executed, and delivered by the Rights Agent, and that the members of the Board of Directors of the Company have acted in a manner consistent with their fiduciary duties as required under applicable law in adopting the Rights Agreement, and that the Shares will not be issued in violation of the ownership limit contained in the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation. As to all matters of fact, we have relied on the representations and statements of fact made in the documents so reviewed, and we have not independently established the facts so relied on. This opinion letter is given, and all statements herein are made, in the context of the foregoing.

 

 

 

Hogan Lovells US LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in the District of Columbia. “Hogan Lovells” is an international legal practice that includes Hogan Lovells US LLP and Hogan Lovells International LLP, with offices in: Alicante Amsterdam Baltimore Beijing Berlin Brussels Caracas Colorado Springs Denver Dubai Dusseldorf Frankfurt Hamburg Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Hong Kong Houston London Los Angeles Madrid Miami Milan Moscow Munich New York Northern Virginia Paris Philadelphia Prague Rome San Francisco Shanghai Silicon Valley Singapore Tokyo Ulaanbaatar Warsaw Washington DC Associated offices: Budapest Jakarta Jeddah Riyadh Zagreb. For more information see www.hoganlovells.com

 

Royal Gold, Inc.  - 2 - July 20, 2017

 

 

 

This opinion letter is based as to matters of law solely on the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended. We express no opinion herein as to any other statutes, rules or regulations.

 

Based upon, subject to and limited by the foregoing, we are of the opinion that (i) following effectiveness of the Registration Statement, such Deferred Compensation Obligations, when incurred pursuant to the terms of the Registration Statement and the Plans, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company and (ii) following (A) effectiveness of the Registration Statement, (B) issuance of the Shares pursuant to the terms of the Plans, and (C) receipt by the Company of the consideration for the Shares specified in the applicable resolutions of the Board of Directors and in the Plans, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the associated Rights will be valid and binding obligations of the Company.

 

It should be understood that the opinion above concerning the Rights does not address the determination a court of competent jurisdiction may make regarding whether the Board of Directors of the Company would be required to redeem or terminate, or take other action with respect to, the Rights at some future time based on the facts and circumstances existing at that time and that our opinion above addresses the Rights and the Rights Agreement in their entirety and not any particular provision of the Rights or the Rights Agreement and that it is not settled whether the invalidity of any particular provision of a rights agreement or of rights issued thereunder would result in invalidating in their entirety such rights. 

 

In addition to the assumptions, qualifications, exceptions and limitations elsewhere set forth in this opinion letter, our opinions expressed above are also subject to the effect of: (1) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, moratorium and other laws affecting creditors' rights (including, without limitation, the effect of statutory and other law regarding fraudulent conveyances, fraudulent transfers and preferential transfers); and (2) the exercise of judicial discretion and the application of principles of equity, good faith, fair dealing, reasonableness, conscionability and materiality (regardless of whether the applicable agreements are considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

 

This opinion letter has been prepared for use in connection with the Registration Statement. We assume no obligation to advise of any changes in the foregoing subsequent to the effective date of the Registration Statement.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are an “expert” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Very truly yours,

 

/s/ Hogan Lovells US LLP

 

HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 23.1

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the Royal Gold, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors of our reports dated August 11, 2016, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Royal Gold, Inc. and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Royal Gold, Inc. included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended June 30, 2016, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

 

Denver, Colorado

July 20, 2017