As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 20, 2016
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Under
The Securities Act of 1933
Echelon Corporation
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 77-0203595 | |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(IRS employer identification no.) |
2901 Patrick Henry Drive
Santa Clara, California 95054
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
2016 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan
(Full title of the plan)
Alicia Jayne Moore
Chief Legal and Administration Officer
Echelon Corporation
2901 Patrick Henry Drive
Santa Clara, California 95054
(408) 938-5200
(Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copy to:
Jason P. Sebring
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Professional Corporation
650 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, California 94304-1050
(650) 493-9300
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.
Large accelerated filer | ¨ | Accelerated filer | ¨ | |||
Non-accelerated filer | x (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) | Smaller reporting company | ¨ |
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
|
||||||||
Title of Securities to be Registered |
Amount
to be
|
Proposed
Maximum Offering Price Per Share |
Proposed
Offering Price |
Amount of Registration Fee |
||||
Common stock, $0.01 par value per share |
250,000 | $5.42(2) | $1,355,000.00 | $136.45 | ||||
|
||||||||
|
(1) | Pursuant to Rule 416(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), this Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of the Registrants common stock that become issuable under the 2016 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan from time to time by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without receipt of consideration that increases the number of the Registrants outstanding shares of common stock. |
(2) | Estimated in accordance with Rules 457(c) and (h) of the Securities Act solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee on the basis of $5.42 per share, which represents the average of the high and low sale prices of the Registrants common stock as reported on The NASDAQ Global Select Market on April 14, 2016. |
ECHELON CORPORATION
REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8
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 (the Registration Statement) in accordance with the provisions of Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (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 equity benefit plan covered by this Registration Statement as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. | Incorporation of Documents by Reference |
Echelon Corporation (the Registrant) hereby incorporates by reference in this registration statement the following documents:
(a) | The Registrants Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) on March 30, 2016. |
(b) | The description of the Registrants Common Stock is contained in the Registrants registration statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission on June 2, 1998 pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act, including any amendments or report filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
In addition, all documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this registration statement which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this registration statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.
Item 4. | Description of Securities |
Not applicable.
Item 5. | Interests of Named Experts and Counsel |
Not applicable.
Item 6. | Indemnification of Directors and Officers |
Section 145(a) of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she 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 cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.
Section 145(b) of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person acted in any of the capacities set forth above, against expenses (including attorneys fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he or she acted under similar standards, except that no indemnification may be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to be indemnified for such expenses which the court shall deem proper.
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law further provides that: (i) to the extent that a former or present director or officer of a corporation has been successful in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith; (ii) indemnification provided for by Section 145 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the indemnified party may be entitled; and (iii) a corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any present or former director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or any person who at the request of the corporation was serving in such capacity for another entity against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by him or her in any such capacity or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liabilities under Section 145.
The Registrants certificate of incorporation provides for the indemnification of directors to the fullest extent permissible under Delaware General Corporation Law. Article VI of the Registrants bylaws provides indemnification of the Companys directors and officers to the maximum extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law. In addition, the Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with its directors and officers, and the Registrant maintains insurance policies insuring its directors and officers against certain liabilities that they may incur in their capacity as officers and directors of the Registrant.
Item 7. | Exemption From Registration Claimed |
Not applicable.
Item 8. | Exhibits |
See the Exhibit Index following the signatures page(s) to this Registration Statement, which Exhibit Index is incorporated herein by reference.
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;
(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) 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.
(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 Registrants annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plans annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement 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.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Santa Clara, State of California, on April 20, 2016.
ECHELON CORPORATION | ||
By: |
/s/ Ronald A. Sege |
|
Ronald A. Sege Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENT, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Ronald A. Sege and C. Michael Marszewski, and each of them, as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of substitution, for him or her in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this Registration Statement on Form S-8 (including post effective amendments), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact, proxy and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully for all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact, proxy and agent, or his substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement on Form S-8 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature |
Title |
Date |
||
/s/ Ronald A. Sege Ronald A. Sege |
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief
|
April 20, 2016 | ||
/s/ C. Michael Marszewski C. Michael Marszewski |
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Principal Accounting Officer) |
April 20, 2016 | ||
Armas Clifford Markkula, Jr. |
Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors |
|||
/s/ Robert J. Finocchio, Jr. Robert J. Finocchio, Jr. |
Director | April 20, 2016 | ||
/s/ Robert R. Maxfield Robert R. Maxfield |
Director | April 20, 2016 | ||
/s/ Betsy Rafael Betsy Rafael |
Director | April 20, 2016 |
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit
|
Description of Document |
|
4.1 | 2016 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan. | |
4.2 | 2016 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. | |
4.3 | 2016 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan Form of Stock Option Agreement. | |
4.4 | 2016 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan Form of Performance Share Award Agreement. | |
5.1 | Opinion of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation. | |
23.1 | Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. | |
23.2 | Consent of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation (contained in Exhibit 5.1 hereto). | |
24.1 | Power of Attorney (included in signature page to this registration statement). |
Exhibit 4.1
ECHELON CORPORATION
2016 INDUCEMENT EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
1. Purposes of the Plan . The purposes of this Plan are to attract and retain the best available personnel for positions of substantial responsibility by providing an inducement material to individuals entering into employment with the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company.
The Plan permits the grant of Nonstatutory Stock Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Appreciation Rights, Performance Units, and Performance Shares. Each Award under the Plan is intended to qualify as an employment inducement award under NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) (the Inducement Listing Rule).
2. Definitions . As used herein, the following definitions will apply:
(a) Administrator means the Board or any of its Committees as will be administering the Plan, in accordance with Section 4 of the Plan.
(b) Affiliate means any entity that, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company.
(c) Applicable Laws means the requirements relating to the administration of equity-based awards under U.S. state corporate laws, U.S. federal and state securities laws, the Code, any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and the applicable laws of any foreign country or jurisdiction where Awards are, or will be, granted under the Plan.
(d) Award means, individually or collectively, a grant under the Plan of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units or Performance Shares.
(e) Award Agreement means the written or electronic agreement setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to each Award granted under the Plan. The Award Agreement is subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(f) Base Salary means the fixed amount of money paid to an Employee in return for work performed, excluding any commissions, bonuses, benefits or any other potential compensation.
(g) Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(h) Cause means (i) any act of personal dishonesty taken by the Participant in connection with his or her responsibilities as an Employee and intended to result in substantial personal enrichment of the Participant, (ii) Participants conviction of a felony, (iii) a willful act by
-1-
the Participant which constitutes gross misconduct and which is injurious to the Company or its successor corporation, and (iv) following delivery to the Participant of a written demand for performance from the Company or its successor corporation which describes the basis for the belief of the Company or its successor corporation that the Participant has not substantially performed his duties, continued violations by the Participant of the Participants obligations, which are demonstrably willful and deliberate on the Participants part.
(i) Change in Control means the occurrence of any of the following events:
(i) A change in the ownership of the Company which occurs on the date that any one person, or more than one person acting as a group ( Person ), acquires ownership of the stock of the Company that, together with the stock held by such Person, constitutes more than 50% of the total voting power of the stock of the Company; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection, the acquisition of additional stock by any one Person, who is considered to own more than 50% of the total voting power of the stock of the Company will not be considered a Change in Control. Further, if the stockholders of the Company immediately before such change in ownership continue to retain immediately after the change in ownership, in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Companys voting stock immediately prior to the change in ownership, direct or indirect beneficial ownership of 50% or more of the total voting power of the stock of the Company or of the ultimate parent entity of the Company, such event will not be considered a Change in Control under this subsection (i). For this purpose, indirect beneficial ownership will include, without limitation, an interest resulting from ownership of the voting securities of one or more corporations or other business entities which own the Company, as the case may be, either directly or through one or more subsidiary corporations or other business entities; or
(ii) A change in the effective control of the Company which occurs on the date that a majority of members of the Board is replaced during any 12 month period by Directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority of the members of the Board prior to the date of the appointment or election. For purposes of this subsection (ii), if any Person is considered to be in effective control of the Company, the acquisition of additional control of the Company by the same Person will not be considered a Change in Control; or
(iii) A change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Companys assets which occurs on the date that any Person acquires (or has acquired during the 12 month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such person or persons) assets from the Company that have a total gross fair market value equal to or more than 50% of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Company immediately prior to such acquisition or acquisitions; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (iii), the following will not constitute a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Companys assets: (A) a transfer to an entity that is controlled by the Companys stockholders immediately after the transfer, or (B) a transfer of assets by the Company to: (1) a stockholder of the Company (immediately before the asset transfer) in exchange for or with respect to the Companys stock, (2) an entity, 50% or more of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company, (3) a Person, that owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the total value or voting power of all the outstanding stock of the Company, or (4) an entity, at least 50% of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by a Person described in this subsection (iii)(B)(3). For purposes of this subsection (iii), gross fair market value means the value of the assets of the Company, or the value of the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any liabilities associated with such assets.
-2-
For purposes of this definition, persons will be considered to be acting as a group if they are owners of a corporation that enters into a merger, consolidation, purchase or acquisition of stock, or similar business transaction with the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed a Change in Control unless the transaction qualifies as a change in control event within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, as it has been and may be amended from time to time, and any proposed or final Treasury Regulations and Internal Revenue Service guidance that has been promulgated or may be promulgated thereunder from time to time.
Further and for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction will not constitute a Change in Control if: (i) its sole purpose is to change the state of the Companys incorporation, or (ii) its sole purpose is to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held the Companys securities immediately before such transaction.
(j) Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Reference to a specific section of the Code or regulation thereunder will include such section or regulation, any valid regulation promulgated under such section, and any comparable provision of any future legislation or regulation amending, supplementing or superseding such section or regulation.
(k) Committee means a committee of Directors or of other individuals satisfying Applicable Laws appointed by the Board, or a duly authorized committee of the Board, in accordance with Section 4 hereof.
(l) Common Stock means the common stock of the Company.
(m) Company means Echelon Corporation, a Delaware corporation, or any successor thereto.
(n) Director means a member of the Board.
(o) Disability means total and permanent disability as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, provided that the Administrator in its discretion may determine whether a permanent and total disability exists in accordance with uniform and non-discriminatory standards adopted by the Administrator from time to time.
(p) Dividend Equivalent means a credit, made at the discretion of the Administrator or as otherwise provided by the Plan, to the account of a Participant in an amount equal to the cash dividends paid on one Share for each Share represented by an Award held by such Participant.
(q) Employee means any person, including Officers, employed by the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary, or Affiliate of the Company. Neither service as a Director nor payment of a directors fee by the Company will be sufficient to constitute employment by the Company. However, for the avoidance of doubt, although a person who is an Employee also may be a Director,
-3-
a person who already is serving as a Director prior to becoming an Employee will not be eligible to be granted an Award under the Plan unless permitted under the Inducement Listing Rule. The Company shall determine in good faith and in the exercise of its discretion whether an individual has become or has ceased to be an Employee and the effective date of such individuals employment or termination of employment, as the case may be. For purposes of an individuals rights, if any, under the Plan as of the time of the Companys determination, all such determinations by the Company shall be final, binding and conclusive, notwithstanding that the Company or any court of law or governmental agency subsequently makes a contrary determination.
(r) Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(s) Exchange Program means a program under which (i) outstanding Awards are surrendered or cancelled in exchange for awards of the same type (which may have higher or lower exercise prices and different terms), awards of a different type, and/or cash, (ii) Participants would have the opportunity to transfer any outstanding Awards to a financial institution or other person or entity selected by the Administrator, and/or (iii) the exercise price of an outstanding Award is increased or reduced. The Administrator will determine the terms and conditions of any Exchange Program in its sole discretion.
(t) Fair Market Value means, as of any date, the value of Common Stock determined as follows:
(i) If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or a national market system, including without limitation the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the NASDAQ Global Market or the NASDAQ Capital Market of The NASDAQ Stock Market, its Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on such exchange or system on the day of determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;
(ii) If the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, the Fair Market Value of a Share will be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices for the Common Stock on the day of determination (or, if no bids and asks were reported on that date, as applicable, on the last trading date such bids and asks were reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or
(iii) In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value will be determined in good faith by the Administrator.
(u) Fiscal Year means the fiscal year of the Company.
(v) Grant Date means the date an Award is granted to a Participant pursuant to the Plan.
(w) Incentive Stock Option means an Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
-4-
(x) Involuntary Termination means (i) without the Participants express written consent, a significant reduction of the Participants duties, authority or responsibilities, relative to the Participants duties, authority or responsibilities as in effect immediately prior to the Change of Control Merger; (ii) without the Participants express written consent, a substantial reduction, without good business reasons, of the facilities and perquisites (including office space and location) available to the Participant immediately prior to the Change of Control Merger; (iii) a material reduction in the Base Salary of the Participant as in effect immediately prior to the Change of Control Merger, other than a uniform reduction applicable to all executives generally; (iv) a material reduction in the kind or level of employee benefits, including bonuses, to which the Participant was entitled immediately prior to the Change of Control Merger with the result that the Participants overall benefits package is significantly reduced; (v) the relocation of the Participant to a facility or a location more than 30 miles from the Participants then present location, without the Participants express written consent; or (vi) any purported termination of the Participant which is not effected for Disability or for Cause, or any purported termination for which the grounds relied upon are not valid.
(y) Nonstatutory Stock Option means an Option that by its terms does not qualify or is not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
(z) Officer means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(aa) Option means a stock option granted pursuant to the Plan. All Options granted under the Plan will be Nonstatutory Stock Options.
(bb) Parent means a parent corporation, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.
(cc) Participant means the holder of an outstanding Award.
(dd) Performance Period means any Fiscal Year of the Company or such other period as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion.
(ee) Performance Share means an Award denominated in Shares which may be earned in whole or in part upon attainment of performance goals or other vesting criteria as the Administrator may determine pursuant to Section 10.
(ff) Performance Unit means an Award which may be earned in whole or in part upon attainment of performance goals or other vesting criteria as the Administrator may determine and which may be settled for cash, Shares or other securities or a combination of the foregoing pursuant to Section 10.
(gg) Period of Restriction means the period during which the transfer of Shares of Restricted Stock are subject to restrictions and therefore, the Shares are subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture. Such restrictions may be based on the passage of time, the achievement of target levels of performance, or the occurrence of other events as determined by the Administrator.
(hh) Plan means this Echelon Corporation 2016 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan.
-5-
(ii) Restricted Stock means Shares issued pursuant to a Restricted Stock award under Section 7 of the Plan, or issued pursuant to the early exercise of an Option.
(jj) Restricted Stock Unit means a bookkeeping entry representing an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of one Share, granted pursuant to Section 8. Each Restricted Stock Unit represents an unfunded and unsecured obligation of the Company.
(kk) Rule 16b-3 means Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect when discretion is being exercised with respect to the Plan.
(ll) Section 16(b) means Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.
(mm) Share means a share of the Common Stock, as adjusted in accordance with Section 13 of the Plan.
(nn) Stock Appreciation Right means an Award, granted alone or in connection with an Option, that pursuant to Section 9 is designated as a Stock Appreciation Right.
(oo) Subsidiary means a subsidiary corporation, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.
3. Stock Subject to the Plan .
(a) Stock Subject to the Plan . Subject to the provisions of Section 13 of the Plan, the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued under the Plan is 250,000 Shares. In addition, Shares may become available for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 3(b). The Shares may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired Common Stock.
(b) Lapsed Awards . If an Award expires or becomes unexercisable without having been exercised in full, is surrendered pursuant to an Exchange Program, or, with respect to Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units or Performance Shares is forfeited to or repurchased by the Company due to failure to vest, then the unpurchased Shares (or for Awards other than Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, the forfeited or repurchased Shares), which were subject thereto will become available for future grant or sale under the Plan (unless the Plan has terminated). With respect to Stock Appreciation Rights, only Shares actually issued (i.e., the net Shares issued) pursuant to a Stock Appreciation Right will cease to be available under the Plan; all remaining Shares under Stock Appreciation Rights will remain available for future grant or sale under the Plan (unless the Plan has terminated). Shares that have actually been issued under the Plan under any Award will not be returned to the Plan and will not become available for future distribution under the Plan; provided, however, that if Shares issued pursuant to Awards of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares or Performance Units are repurchased by the Company or are forfeited to the Company, such Shares will become available for future grant under the Plan. Shares used to pay the exercise price of an Award or to satisfy the tax withholding obligations related to an Award will become available for future grant or sale under the Plan. To the extent an Award under the Plan is paid out in cash rather than Shares, such cash payment will not result in reducing the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan.
-6-
(c) Share Reserve . The Company, during the term of this Plan, will at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.
(d) Exception to Minimum One (1) Year Vesting, Period of Restriction, and Performance Period . Notwithstanding anything contained in the Plan to the contrary, Awards up to a maximum of five percent (5%) of the Shares available for Awards pursuant to Section 3(a) may be granted without regard to the minimum one (1) year vesting, Period of Restriction, and Performance Period requirements of Sections 6(d)(i), 7(b), 8(b), 9(d) and 10(c).
4. Administration of the Plan .
(a) Procedure .
(i) Multiple Administrative Bodies . Different Committees with respect to different groups of Employees may administer the Plan.
(ii) Rule 16b-3 . To the extent desirable to qualify transactions hereunder as exempt under Rule 16b-3, the transactions contemplated hereunder will be structured to satisfy the requirements for exemption under Rule 16b-3.
(iii) Other Administration . Other than as provided above, the Plan will be administered by (A) the Board or (B) a Committee, which committee will be constituted to satisfy Applicable Laws. Until and unless determined otherwise by the Board, the Compensation Committee of the Board will have full authority to act as Administrator.
(b) Approval . Awards granted under the Plan must be approved by a majority of the Companys Independent Directors (as defined under the NASDAQ Listing Rules) or the Compensation Committee of the Board, in each case acting as Administrator.
(c) Powers of the Administrator . Subject to the provisions of the Plan, and in the case of a Committee, subject to the specific duties delegated by the Board to such Committee, the Administrator will have the authority, in its discretion:
(i) to determine the Fair Market Value;
(ii) to select the individuals to whom Awards may be granted hereunder, subject to Section 5 (which Awards will be intended as a material inducement to the individual becoming an Employee);
(iii) to determine the number of Shares to be covered by each Award granted hereunder;
(iv) to approve forms of Award Agreements for use under the Plan;
(v) to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, of any Award granted hereunder. Such terms and conditions include, but are not limited to, the exercise price, the time or times when Awards may be exercised (which may be based on
-7-
performance criteria), any vesting acceleration or waiver of forfeiture restrictions, and any restriction or limitation regarding any Award or the Shares relating thereto, based in each case on such factors as the Administrator will determine;
(vi) to determine whether Awards will be adjusted for Dividend Equivalents; provided, however, that in no event will a Dividend Equivalent be attached to an Option, Stock Appreciation Rights or full-value Award, in each case, with performance-based vesting conditions granted hereunder;
(vii) to institute and determine the terms and conditions of an Exchange Program; provided however, that no Exchange Program may be implemented without prior approval from the Companys stockholders;
(viii) to construe and interpret the terms of the Plan and Awards granted pursuant to the Plan;
(ix) to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, including rules and regulations relating to sub-plans established for the purpose of satisfying applicable foreign laws or for qualifying for favorable tax treatment under applicable foreign laws;
(x) to modify or amend each Award (subject to Section 18 of the Plan), including but not limited to the discretionary authority to extend the post-termination exercisability period of Awards and to extend the maximum term of an Option;
(xi) to allow Participants to satisfy tax withholding obligations in such manner as prescribed in Section 14 of the Plan;
(xii) to authorize any person to execute on behalf of the Company any instrument required to effect the grant of an Award previously granted by the Administrator; and
(xiii) to make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for administering the Plan.
(d) Effect of Administrators Decision . The Administrators decisions, determinations and interpretations will be final and binding on all Participants and any other holders of Awards.
5. Eligibility . Nonstatutory Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares and Performance Units may be granted to Employees so long as the following requirements are met:
(a) The Employee was not previously an Employee or Director, or the Employee is returning to employment of the Company following a bona-fide period of non-employment; and
(b) The grant of an Award is an inducement material to the Employees entering into employment with the Company in accordance with the Inducement Listing Rule.
-8-
Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Employee may be granted an Award in connection with a merger or acquisition, to the extent permitted by Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(3) and the official guidance thereunder.
6. Stock Options .
(a) Grant of Option . The Administrator, in its sole discretion and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, may grant Options to any individual as a material inducement to the individual becoming an Employee, which grant shall become effective only if the individual actually becomes an Employee. Subject the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Administrator will have complete discretion to determine the number of Shares granted to any Employee. Each Option shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the exercise price, the expiration date of the Option, the number of Shares covered by the Option, any conditions to exercise the Option, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its discretion, shall determine.
(b) Term of Option . The term of each Option will be stated in the Award Agreement; provided, however, that the term will be no more than ten years from the date of grant.
(c) Option Exercise Price and Consideration .
(i) Exercise Price . The per share exercise price for the Shares to be issued pursuant to exercise of an Option will be determined by the Administrator, subject to the following:
(1) The per Share exercise price will be no less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.
(2) Notwithstanding the foregoing, Options may be granted with a per Share exercise price of less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant pursuant to a transaction described in, and in a manner consistent with, Section 424(a) of the Code.
(ii) Waiting Period and Exercise Dates . At the time an Option is granted, the Administrator will fix the period within which the Option may be exercised and will determine any conditions that must be satisfied before the Option may be exercised.
(iii) Form of Consideration . The Administrator will determine the acceptable form of consideration for exercising an Option, including the method of payment. Such consideration may consist entirely of: (1) cash; (2) check; (3) promissory note, to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws, (4) other Shares, provided that such Shares have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which such Option will be exercised and provided that accepting such Shares will not result in any adverse accounting consequences to the Company, as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion; (5) consideration received by the Company under a broker-assisted (or other) cashless exercise program (whether through a broker or otherwise) implemented by the Company in connection with the Plan; (6) by net exercise; (7) such other consideration and method of payment for the issuance of Shares to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws; or (8) any combination of the foregoing methods of payment.
-9-
(d) Exercise of Option .
(i) Procedure for Exercise; Rights as a Stockholder . Any Option granted hereunder will be exercisable according to the terms of the Plan and at such times and under such conditions as determined by the Administrator and set forth in the Award Agreement; provided, however, that Options granted to Participants shall become vested and exercisable no earlier than one (1) year after the Grant Date. An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.
An Option will be deemed exercised when the Company receives: (i) a notice of exercise (in such form as the Administrator may specify from time to time) from the person entitled to exercise the Option, and (ii) full payment for the Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised (together with applicable withholding taxes). Full payment may consist of any consideration and method of payment authorized by the Administrator and permitted by the Award Agreement and the Plan. Shares issued upon exercise of an Option will be issued in the name of the Participant or, if requested by the Participant, in the name of the Participant and his or her spouse. Until the Shares are issued (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company), no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder will exist with respect to the Shares subject to an Option, notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. The Company will issue (or cause to be issued) such Shares promptly after the Option is exercised. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the Shares are issued, except as provided in Section 13 of the Plan.
Exercising an Option in any manner will decrease the number of Shares thereafter available, both for purposes of the Plan and for sale under the Option, by the number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised.
(ii) Termination of Relationship as an Employee . If a Participant ceases to be an Employee, other than upon the Participants termination as the result of the Participants death or Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option within such period of time as is specified in the Award Agreement to the extent that the Option is vested on the date of termination (but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement). In the absence of a specified time in the Award Agreement, the Option will remain exercisable for three months following the Participants termination, but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement. If Participant dies during such post-employment period, the Option may be exercised following the Participants death for 1 year after Participants death, but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement. Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, if on the date of termination the Participant is not vested as to his or her entire Option, the Shares covered by the unvested portion of the Option will revert to the Plan. If after termination the Participant does not exercise his or her Option within the time specified by the Administrator, the Option will terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option will revert to the Plan.
(iii) Disability of Participant . If a Participant ceases to be an Employee as a result of the Participants Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option within such period of time as is specified in the Award Agreement to the extent the Option is vested on the date of termination (but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement). In the absence of a specified time in the Award Agreement, the Option will
-10-
remain exercisable for 12 months following the Participants termination, but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement. Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, if on the date of termination the Participant is not vested as to his or her entire Option, the Shares covered by the unvested portion of the Option will revert to the Plan. If after termination the Participant does not exercise his or her Option within the time specified herein, the Option will terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option will revert to the Plan.
(iv) Death of Participant . If a Participant dies while an Employee, the Option may be exercised following the Participants death within such period of time as is specified in the Award Agreement to the extent that the Option is vested on the date of death (but in no event may the option be exercised later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement), by the Participants designated beneficiary, provided such beneficiary has been designated prior to Participants death in a form acceptable to the Administrator. If no such beneficiary has been designated by the Participant, then such Option may be exercised by the personal representative of the Participants estate or by the person(s) to whom the Option is transferred pursuant to the Participants will or in accordance with the laws of descent and distribution. In the absence of a specified time in the Award Agreement, the Option will remain exercisable for 12 months following Participants death, , but in no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement. Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, if at the time of death Participant is not vested as to his or her entire Option, the Shares covered by the unvested portion of the Option will immediately revert to the Plan. If the Option is not so exercised within the time specified herein, the Option will terminate, and the Shares covered by such Option will revert to the Plan.
7. Restricted Stock .
(a) Grant of Restricted Stock . The Administrator, in its sole discretion and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, may grant Shares of Restricted Stock to any individual as a material inducement to the individual becoming an Employee, which grant shall become effective only if the individual actually becomes an Employee. Subject the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Administrator will have complete discretion to determine the number of Shares of Restricted Stock.
(b) Restricted Stock Agreement . Each Award of Restricted Stock will be evidenced by an Award Agreement that will specify the Period of Restriction, the number of Shares granted, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine; provided, however, that Awards of Restricted Stock to Participants shall have a vesting period and Period of Restriction of at least one (1) year. Unless the Administrator determines otherwise, the Company as escrow agent will hold Shares of Restricted Stock until the restrictions on such Shares have lapsed.
(c) Transferability . Except as provided in this Section 7 or the Award Agreement, Shares of Restricted Stock may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated until the end of the applicable Period of Restriction.
(d) Other Restrictions . The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may impose such other restrictions on Shares of Restricted Stock as it may deem advisable or appropriate.
-11-
(e) Removal of Restrictions . Except as otherwise provided in this Section 7, Shares of Restricted Stock covered by each Restricted Stock grant made under the Plan will be released from escrow as soon as practicable after the last day of the Period of Restriction or at such other time as the Administrator may determine. The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the time at which any restrictions will lapse or be removed.
(f) Voting Rights . During the Period of Restriction, Employees holding Shares of Restricted Stock granted hereunder may exercise full voting rights with respect to those Shares, unless the Administrator determines otherwise.
(g) Dividends and Other Distributions . During the Period of Restriction, Employees holding Shares of Restricted Stock will be entitled to receive all dividends and other distributions paid with respect to such Shares, unless the Administrator provides otherwise. If any such dividends or distributions are paid in Shares, the Shares will be subject to the same restrictions on transferability and forfeitability as the Shares of Restricted Stock with respect to which they were paid.
(h) Return of Restricted Stock to Company . On the date set forth in the Award Agreement, the Restricted Stock for which restrictions have not lapsed will revert to the Company and again will become available for grant under the Plan.
8. Restricted Stock Units .
(a) Grant of Restricted Stock Units . The Administrator, in its sole discretion and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, may grant Restricted Stock Units to any individual as a material inducement to the individual becoming an Employee, which grant shall become effective only if the individual actually becomes an Employee. Subject the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Administrator will have complete discretion to determine the number of Restricted Stock Units.
(b) Vesting Criteria and Other Terms . The Administrator will set vesting criteria in its discretion, which, depending on the extent to which the criteria are met, will determine the number of Restricted Stock Units that will be paid out to the Participant. The Administrator may set vesting criteria based upon the achievement of Company-wide, divisional, business unit, or individual goals (including, but not limited to, continued employment or service), applicable federal or state securities laws or any other basis determined by the Administrator in its discretion; provided, however, that Awards of Restricted Stock Units to Participants shall have a vesting period and Period of Restriction of at least one (1) year.
(c) Earning Restricted Stock Units . Upon meeting the applicable vesting criteria, the Participant will be entitled to receive a payout as determined by the Administrator. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time after the grant of Restricted Stock Units, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may reduce or waive any vesting criteria that must be met to receive a payout.
(d) Form and Timing of Payment . Payment of earned Restricted Stock Units will be made as soon as practicable after the date(s) determined by the Administrator and set forth in the Award Agreement. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may only settle earned Restricted Stock Units in cash, Shares, or a combination of both.
(e) Cancellation . On the date set forth in the Award Agreement, all unearned Restricted Stock Units will be forfeited to the Company.
-12-
9. Stock Appreciation Rights .
(a) Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights . The Administrator, in its sole discretion and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, may grant Stock Appreciation Rights to any individual as a material inducement to the individual becoming an Employee, which grant shall become effective only if the individual actually becomes an Employee.
(b) Number of Shares . The Administrator will have complete discretion to determine the number of Stock Appreciation Rights granted to any Employee.
(c) Exercise Price and Other Terms . The per share exercise price for the Shares to be issued pursuant to exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right will be determined by the Administrator and will be no less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant. Otherwise, the Administrator, subject to the provisions of the Plan, will have complete discretion to determine the terms and conditions of Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan.
(d) Stock Appreciation Right Agreement . Each Stock Appreciation Right grant will be evidenced by an Award Agreement that will specify the exercise price, the term of the Stock Appreciation Right, the conditions of exercise, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine; provided, however, that Stock Appreciation Rights granted to Participants shall become vested and exercisable no earlier than one (1) year after the Grant Date.
(e) Expiration of Stock Appreciation Rights . A Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan will expire upon the date determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, and set forth in the Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the rules of Section 6(b) relating to the maximum term and Section 6(d) relating to exercise also will apply to Stock Appreciation Rights.
(f) Payment of Stock Appreciation Right Amount . Upon exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, a Participant will be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount determined by multiplying:
(i) The difference between the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over the exercise price; times
(ii) The number of Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised.
(g) At the discretion of the Administrator, the payment upon Stock Appreciation Right exercise may be in cash, in Shares of equivalent value, or in some combination thereof.
-13-
10. Performance Units and Performance Shares .
(a) Grant of Performance Units/Shares . The Administrator, in its sole discretion and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, may grant Performance Units and Performance Shares to any individual as a material inducement to the individual becoming an Employee, which grant shall become effective only if the individual actually becomes an Employee.
(b) Value of Performance Units/Shares . Each Performance Unit will have an initial value that is established by the Administrator on or before the date of grant. Each Performance Share will have an initial value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant.
(c) Performance Objectives and Other Terms . The Administrator will set performance objectives or other vesting provisions (including, without limitation, continued status as an Employee) in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the number or value of Performance Units/Shares that will be paid out to the Employee; provided, however, that Awards of Performance Units and Performance Shares to Participants shall have a vesting period and Performance Period of at least one (1) year. Each Award of Performance Units/Shares will be evidenced by an Award Agreement that will specify the Performance Period, and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, will determine. The Administrator may set performance objectives based upon the achievement of Company-wide, divisional, business unit or individual goals (including, but not limited to, continued employment or service), applicable federal or state securities laws, or any other basis determined by the Administrator in its discretion.
(d) Earning of Performance Units/Shares . After the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of Performance Units/Shares will be entitled to receive a payout of the number of Performance Units/Shares earned by the Participant over the Performance Period, to be determined as a function of the extent to which the corresponding performance objectives or other vesting provisions have been achieved. After the grant of a Performance Unit/Share, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may reduce or waive any performance objectives or other vesting provisions for such Performance Unit/Share.
(e) Form and Timing of Payment of Performance Units/Shares . Payment of earned Performance Units/Shares will be made as soon as practicable after the expiration of the applicable Performance Period. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may pay earned Performance Units/Shares in the form of cash, in Shares (which have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the value of the earned Performance Units/Shares at the close of the applicable Performance Period) or in a combination thereof.
(f) Cancellation of Performance Units/Shares . On the date set forth in the Award Agreement, all unearned or unvested Performance Units/Shares will be forfeited to the Company, and again will be available for grant under the Plan.
11. Leaves of Absence/Transfer Between Locations . Unless the Administrator provides otherwise, vesting of Awards granted hereunder will be suspended during any unpaid leave of absence. A Participant will not cease to be an Employee in the case of (i) any leave of absence approved by the Company or (ii) transfers between locations of the Company or between the Company, its Parent, or any Subsidiary.
-14-
12. Transferability of Awards . Unless determined otherwise by the Administrator, an Award may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Participant, only by the Participant. If the Administrator makes an Award transferable, such Award will contain such additional terms and conditions as the Administrator deems appropriate.
13. Adjustments; Dissolution or Liquidation; Merger or Change in Control .
(a) Adjustments . In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, or other change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the Shares occurs, the Administrator, in order to prevent diminution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, will adjust the number and class of Shares that may be delivered under the Plan and/or the number, class, and price of Shares covered by each outstanding Award, and the numerical Share limits in Section 3 of the Plan.
(b) Dissolution or Liquidation . In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Administrator will notify each Participant as soon as practicable prior to the effective date of such proposed transaction. To the extent it has not been previously exercised, an Award will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed action.
(c) Change in Control . In the event of a merger of the Company with or into another corporation or other entity or a Change in Control, each outstanding Award will be treated as the Administrator determines, including, without limitation, that each Award be assumed or an equivalent option or right substituted by the successor corporation or a Parent or Subsidiary of the successor corporation. The Administrator will not be required to treat all Awards similarly in the transaction.
In the event that the successor corporation does not assume or substitute for the Award (or portion thereof), the Participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise such outstanding Option and Stock Appreciation Right, including Shares as to which such Award would not otherwise be vested or exercisable, all restrictions on such Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units will lapse, and, with respect to such Awards with performance-based vesting, all performance goals or other vesting criteria will be deemed achieved at 100% of target levels and all other terms and conditions met. In addition, if an Option or Stock Appreciation Right is not assumed or substituted in the event of a merger or Change in Control, the Administrator will notify the Participant in writing or electronically that such Option or Stock Appreciation Right will be exercisable for a period of time determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion, and the Option or Stock Appreciation Right will terminate upon the expiration of such period.
For the purposes of this subsection (c), an Award will be considered assumed if, following the Change in Control, the Award confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Award immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash, or other securities or property) received in the Change in Control by holders of Common Stock for each Share held on the effective date of the transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of
-15-
consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the Change in Control is not solely common stock of the successor corporation or its Parent, the Administrator may, with the consent of the successor corporation, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right or upon the payout of a Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Unit, or Performance Share, for each Share subject to such Award, to be solely common stock of the successor corporation or its Parent equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Common Stock in the Change in Control.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 13(c) to the contrary, an Award that vests, is earned or paid-out upon the satisfaction of one or more performance goals will not be considered assumed if the Company or its successor modifies any of such performance goals without the Participants consent; provided, however, a modification to such performance goals only to reflect the successor corporations post-Change in Control corporate structure will not be deemed to invalidate an otherwise valid Award assumption.
(d) Employee Options Following Assumption or Substitution . Following an assumption or substitution in connection with a merger of the Company with or into another corporation or the sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company where upon such transaction the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to the transaction hold less than 50% of the outstanding voting equity securities of the successor corporation following the transaction (a Change in Control Merger ), if a Participants status as an Employee of the successor corporation is terminated by the successor corporation as a result of an Involuntary Termination within 12 months following the Change in Control Merger, the Participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise Participants then-outstanding Options, including Shares as to which otherwise would not have been vested and exercisable. Thereafter the Option will remain exercisable in accordance with its terms.
14. Tax .
(a) Withholding Requirements . Prior to the delivery of any Shares or cash pursuant to an Award (or exercise thereof) or such earlier time as any tax withholding obligations are due, the Company will have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local, foreign or other taxes (including the Participants FICA obligation) required to be withheld with respect to such Award (or exercise thereof).
(b) Withholding Arrangements . The Administrator, in its sole discretion and pursuant to such procedures as it may specify from time to time, may permit a Participant to satisfy such tax withholding obligation, in whole or in part by (without limitation) (i) paying cash, (ii) electing to have the Company withhold otherwise deliverable Shares having a fair market value equal to the minimum statutory amount required to be withheld, (iii) delivering to the Company already-owned Shares having a fair market value equal to the statutory amount required to be withheld, provided the delivery of such Shares will not result in any adverse accounting consequences, as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion, or (iv) selling a sufficient number of Shares otherwise deliverable to the Participant through such means as the Administrator may determine in its sole discretion (whether through a broker or otherwise) equal to the amount
-16-
required to be withheld. The amount of the withholding requirement will be deemed to include any amount which the Administrator agrees may be withheld at the time the election is made, not to exceed the amount determined by using the maximum federal, state or local marginal income tax rates applicable to the Participant with respect to the Award on the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is to be determined.
(c) Compliance With Section 409A of the Code . Awards will be designed and operated in such a manner that they are either exempt from the application of, or comply with, the requirements of Section 409A of the Code such that the grant, payment, settlement or deferral will not be subject to the additional tax or interest applicable under Section 409A of the Code, except as otherwise determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator. The Plan and each Award Agreement under the Plan is intended to meet the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and will be construed and interpreted in accordance with such intent, except as otherwise determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator. To the extent that an Award or payment, or the settlement or deferral thereof, is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Award will be granted, paid, settled or deferred in a manner that will meet the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, such that the grant, payment, settlement or deferral will not be subject to the additional tax or interest applicable under Section 409A of the Code.
15. No Effect on Employment or Service . Neither the Plan nor any Award will confer upon a Participant any right with respect to continuing the Participants relationship as an Employee with the Company, nor will they interfere in any way with the Participants right or the Companys right to terminate such relationship at any time, with or without cause, to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws.
16. Date of Grant . The date of grant of an Award will be, for all purposes, the date on which the Administrator makes the determination granting such Award, or such other later date as is determined by the Administrator. Notice of the determination will be provided to each Participant within a reasonable time after the date of such grant.
17. Term of Plan . The Plan will become effective upon its adoption by the Board. It will continue in effect for a term of ten years from the date adopted by the Board, unless terminated earlier under Section 18 of the Plan.
18. Amendment and Termination of the Plan .
(a) Amendment and Termination . The Administrator may at any time amend, alter, suspend or terminate the Plan.
(b) Stockholder Approval . The Company will obtain stockholder approval of any Plan amendment to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with Applicable Laws.
(c) Effect of Amendment or Termination . No amendment, alteration, suspension or termination of the Plan will materially impair the rights of any Participant, unless mutually agreed otherwise between the Participant and the Administrator, which agreement must be in writing and signed by the Participant and the Company. Termination of the Plan will not affect the Administrators ability to exercise the powers granted to it hereunder with respect to Awards granted under the Plan prior to the date of such termination.
-17-
19. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares .
(a) Legal Compliance . Shares will not be issued pursuant to the exercise of an Award unless the exercise of such Award and the issuance and delivery of such Shares will comply with Applicable Laws and will be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.
(b) Investment Representations . As a condition to the exercise of an Award, the Company may require the person exercising such Award to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required.
20. Inability to Obtain Authority . The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction or to complete or comply with the requirements of any registration or other qualification of the Shares under any state, federal or foreign law or under the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the stock exchange on which Shares of the same class are then listed, or any other governmental or regulatory body, which authority, registration, qualification or rule compliance is deemed by the Companys counsel to be necessary or advisable for the issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, will relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority, registration, qualification or rule compliance will not have been obtained.
21. Forfeiture Events . The Administrator may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participants rights, payments, and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture, or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Award. Such events may include, but shall not be limited to, fraud, breach of a fiduciary duty, restatement of financial statements as a result of fraud or willful errors or omissions, termination of employment for cause, violation of material Company and/or Subsidiary policies, breach of non-competition, confidentiality, or other restrictive covenants that may apply to the Participant, or other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company and/or its Subsidiaries. The Administrator may also require the application of this Section 21 with respect to any Award previously granted to the extent required under Applicable Laws.
-18-
Exhibit 4.2
ECHELON CORPORATION
2016 INDUCEMENT EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT
By executing the Grant Acceptance process and using the services on this Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Benefit Access ® website, you, the Participant (Participant) and Echelon Corporation (the Company) agree that this Award is granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of Companys 2016 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan (the Plan) and the Terms and Conditions of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (the Award Agreement), which may be amended or modified from time to time. Participant has reviewed the Plan and this Award Agreement in its entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to accepting this Award and fully understands provisions of the Plan and this Award Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions relating to the Plan and this Award Agreement. Participant further agrees to promptly notify the Company upon any change in Participants residence address. PLEASE BE SURE TO READ ALL OF THE PROVISIONS FOR YOUR COUNTRY (IF ANY) IN APPENDIX A THAT CONTAINS SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS AWARD APPLICABLE TO YOU.
The Company hereby grants you, the Participant, an award (the Award) of Restricted Stock Units under the Plan. The Award is subject to the provisions of the Plan and the Award Agreement.
Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the Plan will have the same defined meanings in this Award Agreement.
-1-
EXHIBIT A
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT
1. Grant . The Company hereby grants to Participant named in the Grant Summary an Award of Restricted Stock Units, subject to all of the terms and conditions in this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. Subject to Section 18(c) of the Plan, in the event of a conflict between the terms and conditions of the Plan and the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Plan will prevail.
2. Companys Obligation to Pay . Each Restricted Stock Unit represents the right to receive a Share on the date it vests. Unless and until the Restricted Stock Units will have vested in the manner set forth in Sections 3 or 4, Participant will have no right to payment of any such Restricted Stock Units. Prior to actual payment of any vested Restricted Stock Units, such Restricted Stock Units will represent an unsecured obligation of the Company, payable (if at all) only from the general assets of the Company. Any Restricted Stock Units that vest in accordance with Sections 3 or 4 will be paid to Participant (or in the event of Participants death, to his or her estate) in whole Shares, subject to Participant satisfying any applicable tax withholding obligations as set forth in Section 7. Subject to the provisions of Section 4, such vested Restricted Stock Units shall be paid in whole Shares as soon as practicable after vesting, but in each such case within the period sixty (60) days following the vesting date. In no event will Participant be permitted, directly or indirectly, to specify the taxable year of the payment of any Restricted Stock Units payable under this Award Agreement.
3. Vesting Schedule . Except as provided in Section 4 [or as set forth on Schedule 1] 1 , and subject to Section 5, the Restricted Stock Units awarded by this Award Agreement will vest in accordance with the following schedule: twenty-five (25%) of the Restricted Stock Units will vest on each annual anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date, subject to Participant continuing to be a Service Provider through each such date.
Restricted Stock Units scheduled to vest on a certain date or upon the occurrence of a certain condition will not vest in Participant in accordance with any of the provisions of this Award Agreement, unless Participant will have been continuously a Service Provider from the Date of Grant until the date such vesting occurs.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3 to the contrary, and except as otherwise provided by the Administrator or as required by Applicable Law, vesting of the Award will be suspended during any unpaid leave of absence other than military leave and will resume on the date Participant returns to work on a regular schedule as determined by the Company; provided, however, that no vesting credit will be awarded for the time vesting has been suspended during such leave of absence. The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the Award at any time, subject to the terms of the Plan. If so accelerated, such Award (or the portion thereof) will be considered as having vested as of the date specified by the Administrator.
1 | Officers only. |
-2-
4. Administrator Discretion . The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the unvested Restricted Stock Units at any time, subject to the terms of the Plan. If so accelerated, such Restricted Stock Units will be considered as having vested as of the date specified by the Administrator. The payment of Shares vesting pursuant to this Section 4 shall in all cases be paid at a time or in a manner that is exempt from, or complies with, Section 409A.
Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or this Award Agreement to the contrary, if the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the Restricted Stock Units is accelerated in connection with Participants termination as a Service Provider (provided that such termination is a separation from service within the meaning of Section 409A, as determined by the Company), other than due to death , and if (x) Participant is a specified employee within the meaning of Section 409A at the time of such termination as a Service Provider and (y) the payment of such accelerated Restricted Stock Units will result in the imposition of additional tax under Section 409A if paid to Participant on or within the six (6) month period following Participants termination as a Service Provider, then the payment of such accelerated Restricted Stock Units will not be made until the date six (6) months and one (1) day following the date of Participants termination as a Service Provider, unless Participant dies following his or her termination as a Service Provider, in which case, the Restricted Stock Units will be paid in Shares to Participants estate as soon as practicable following his or her death. It is the intent of this Award Agreement that it and all payments and benefits hereunder be exempt from, or comply with, the requirements of Section 409A so that none of the Restricted Stock Units provided under this Award Agreement or Shares issuable thereunder will be subject to the additional tax imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities herein will be interpreted to be so exempt or so comply. Each payment payable under this Award Agreement is intended to constitute a separate payment for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2). For purposes of this Award Agreement, Section 409A means Section 409A of the Code, and any final Treasury Regulations and Internal Revenue Service guidance thereunder, as each may be amended from time to time.
5. Forfeiture upon Termination of Status as a Service Provider . Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Award Agreement, the balance of the Restricted Stock Units that have not vested as of the time of Participants termination as a Service Provider for any or no reason and Participants right to acquire any Shares hereunder will immediately terminate.
6. Death of Participant . Any distribution or delivery to be made to Participant under this Award Agreement will, if Participant is then deceased, be made to Participants designated beneficiary, or if no beneficiary survives Participant, the administrator or executor of Participants estate. Any such transferee must furnish the Company with (a) written notice of his or her status as transferee, and (b) evidence satisfactory to the Company to establish the validity of the transfer and compliance with any laws or regulations pertaining to said transfer.
7. Tax Obligations .
(a) Responsibility for Taxes . Participant acknowledges that, regardless of any action taken by the Company or, if different, Participants employer (the Employer) or Parent
-3-
or Subsidiary to which Participant is providing services (together, the Company, Employer and/or Parent or Subsidiary to which Participant is providing services, the Service Recipient), the ultimate liability for any tax and/or social insurance liability obligations and requirements in connection with the Restricted Stock Units, including, without limitation, (a) all federal, state, and local taxes (including Participants Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) obligation) that are required to be withheld by the Company or the Employer or other payment of tax-related items related to Participants participation in the Plan and legally applicable to Participant, (b) the Participants and, to the extent required by the Company (or Service Recipient), the Companys (or Service Recipients) fringe benefit tax liability, if any, associated with the grant, vesting, or exercise of the Restricted Stock Units or sale of Shares, and (c) any other Company (or Service Recipient) taxes the responsibility for which Participant has, or has agreed to bear, with respect to the Restricted Stock Units (or exercise thereof or issuance of Shares thereunder) (collectively, the Tax Obligations), is and remains Participants responsibility and may exceed the amount actually withheld by the Company or the Service Recipient. Participant further acknowledges that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (i) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax Obligations in connection with any aspect of the Restricted Stock Units, including, but not limited to, the grant, vesting or settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, the subsequent sale of Shares acquired pursuant to such settlement and the receipt of any dividends or other distributions, and (ii) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Restricted Stock Units to reduce or eliminate Participants liability for Tax Obligations or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if Participant is subject to Tax Obligations in more than one jurisdiction between the date of grant and the date of any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, Participant acknowledges that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (or former employer, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for Tax Obligations in more than one jurisdiction. If Participant fails to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of any required Tax Obligations hereunder at the time of the applicable taxable event, Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company may refuse to issue or deliver the Shares.
(b) Tax Withholding . When Shares are issued as payment for vested Restricted Stock Units, Participant generally will recognize immediate U.S. taxable income if Participant is a U.S. taxpayer. If Participant is a non-U.S. taxpayer, Participant will be subject to applicable taxes in his or her jurisdiction. Pursuant to such procedures as the Administrator may specify from time to time, the Company and/or Service Recipient shall withhold the minimum amount required to be withheld for the payment of Tax Obligations or such greater amount if that amount would not trigger adverse financial accounting consequences. The Administrator, in its sole discretion and pursuant to such procedures as it may specify from time to time, may permit Participant to satisfy such Tax Obligations, in whole or in part (without limitation), if permissible by applicable local law, by (i) paying cash, (ii) electing to have the Company withhold otherwise deliverable Shares having a fair market value equal to the amount of such Tax Obligations, (iii) withholding the amount of such Tax Obligations from Participants wages or other cash compensation paid to Participant by the Company and/or the Employer, (iv) delivering to the Company already vested and owned Shares having a fair market value equal to such Tax Obligations, or (v) selling a sufficient number of such Shares otherwise deliverable to Participant through such means as the Company may determine in its sole discretion (whether through a broker or otherwise) equal to the amount of the Tax Obligations. To the extent determined
-4-
appropriate by the Company in its discretion, it will have the right (but not the obligation) to satisfy any Tax Obligations by reducing the number of Shares otherwise deliverable to Participant and, until determined otherwise by the Company, this will be the method by which such Tax Obligations are satisfied. Further, if Participant is subject to tax in more than one jurisdiction between the Date of Grant and a date of any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (and/or former employer, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for tax in more than one jurisdiction. If Participant fails to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of such Tax Obligations hereunder at the time any applicable Restricted Stock Units otherwise are scheduled to vest pursuant to Sections 3 or 4, Participant will permanently forfeit such Restricted Stock Units and any right to receive Shares thereunder and the Restricted Stock Units will be returned to the Company at no cost to the Company. Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company may refuse to deliver the Shares if such Tax Obligations are not delivered at the time they are due.
8. Rights as Stockholder . Neither Participant nor any person claiming under or through Participant will have any of the rights or privileges of a stockholder of the Company in respect of any Shares deliverable hereunder unless and until certificates representing such Shares will have been issued, recorded on the records of the Company or its transfer agents or registrars, and delivered to Participant. After such issuance, recordation and delivery, Participant will have all the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to voting such Shares and receipt of dividends and distributions on such Shares.
9. No Guarantee of Continued Service . PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE VESTING OF THE RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS PURSUANT TO THE VESTING SCHEDULE HEREOF IS EARNED ONLY BY CONTINUING AS A SERVICE PROVIDER AT THE WILL OF THE COMPANY (OR THE PARENT OR SUBSIDIARY EMPLOYING OR RETAINING PARTICIPANT) AND NOT THROUGH THE ACT OF BEING HIRED, BEING GRANTED THIS AWARD OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS OR ACQUIRING SHARES HEREUNDER. PARTICIPANT FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THIS AWARD AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREUNDER AND THE VESTING SCHEDULE SET FORTH HEREIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESS OR IMPLIED PROMISE OF CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AS A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE VESTING PERIOD, FOR ANY PERIOD, OR AT ALL, AND WILL NOT INTERFERE IN ANY WAY WITH PARTICIPANTS RIGHT OR THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY (OR THE PARENT OR SUBSIDIARY EMPLOYING OR RETAINING PARTICIPANT) TO TERMINATE PARTICIPANTS RELATIONSHIP AS A SERVICE PROVIDER AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE.
10. Address for Notices . Any notice to be given to the Company under the terms of this Award Agreement will be addressed to the Company at Echelon Corporation, 2901 Patrick Henry Drive, Santa Clara, CA 95054, or at such other address as the Company may hereafter designate in writing.
-5-
11. Grant is Not Transferable . Except to the limited extent provided in Section 6, this grant and the rights and privileges conferred hereby will not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated in any way (whether by operation of law or otherwise) and will not be subject to sale under execution, attachment or similar process. Upon any attempt to transfer, assign, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of this grant, or any right or privilege conferred hereby, or upon any attempted sale under any execution, attachment or similar process, this grant and the rights and privileges conferred hereby immediately will become null and void.
12. Nature of Grant . In accepting the Award, Participant acknowledges, understands and agrees that:
(a) the grant of the Restricted Stock Units is voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of Restricted Stock Units, or benefits in lieu of Restricted Stock Units, even if Restricted Stock Units have been granted in the past;
(b) all decisions with respect to future Restricted Stock Units or other grants, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;
(c) Participant is voluntarily participating in the Plan;
(d) the Restricted Stock Units and the Shares subject to the Restricted Stock Units are not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation;
(e) the Restricted Stock Units and the Shares subject to the Restricted Stock Units, and the income and value of same, are not part of normal or expected compensation for purposes of calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, end-of-service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or similar payments;
(f) the future value of the underlying Shares is unknown, indeterminable and cannot be predicted;
(g) for purposes of the Restricted Stock Units, Participants status as a Service Provider will be considered terminated as of the date Participant is no longer actively providing services to the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary (regardless of the reason for such termination and whether or not later to be found invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is a Service Provider or the terms of Participants employment or service agreement, if any), and unless otherwise expressly provided in this Award Agreement (including by reference in the Grant Summary to other arrangements or contracts) or determined by the Administrator, Participants right to vest in the Restricted Stock Units under the Plan, if any, will terminate as of such date and will not be extended by any notice period (e.g., Participants period of service would not include any contractual notice period or any period of garden leave or similar period mandated under employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is a Service Provider or the terms of Participants employment or service agreement, if any, unless Participant is providing bona fide services during such time); the Administrator shall have the exclusive discretion to determine when Participant is no longer actively providing services for purposes of the Restricted Stock Units grant (including whether Participant may still be considered to be providing services while on a leave of absence);
-6-
(h) unless otherwise provided in the Plan or by the Company in its discretion, the Restricted Stock Units and the benefits evidenced by this Award Agreement do not create any entitlement to have the Restricted Stock Units or any such benefits transferred to, or assumed by, another company nor be exchanged, cashed out or substituted for, in connection with any corporate transaction affecting the Shares; and
(i) the following provisions apply only if Participant is providing services outside the United States:
(i) | the Restricted Stock Units and the Shares subject to the Restricted Stock Units are not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purpose; |
(ii) | Participant acknowledges and agrees that none of the Company, the Employer or any Parent or Subsidiary shall be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between Participants local currency and the United States Dollar that may affect the value of the Restricted Stock Units or of any amounts due to Participant pursuant to the settlement of the Restricted Stock Units or the subsequent sale of any Shares acquired upon settlement; and |
(iii) | no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of the Restricted Stock Units resulting from the termination of Participants status as a Service Provider (for any reason whatsoever whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is a Service Provider or the terms of Participants employment or service agreement, if any), and in consideration of the grant of the Restricted Stock Units to which Participant is otherwise not entitled, Participant irrevocably agrees never to institute any claim against the Company, any Parent or Subsidiary or the Service Recipient, waives his or her ability, if any, to bring any such claim, and releases the Company, any Parent or Subsidiary and the Service Recipient from any such claim; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is allowed by a court of competent jurisdiction, then, by participating in the Plan, Participant shall be deemed irrevocably to have agreed not to pursue such claim and agrees to execute any and all documents necessary to request dismissal or withdrawal of such claim. |
13. Data Privacy . Participant hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of Participants personal data as described in this Award Agreement and any other Restricted Stock Unit grant materials by and among, as applicable, the Employer, or other Service Recipient the Company and any Parent or Subsidiary for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing Participants participation in the Plan.
-7-
Participant understands that the Company and the Service Recipient may hold certain personal information about Participant, including, but not limited to, Participants name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any Shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all Restricted Stock Units or any other entitlement to Shares awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in Participants favor (Data), for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan.
Participant understands that Data will be transferred to a stock plan service provider as may be selected by the Company in the future, which is assisting the Company with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan. Participant understands that the recipients of the Data may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and that the recipients country of operation (e.g., the United States) may have different data privacy laws and protections than Participants country. Participant understands that if he or she resides outside the United States, he or she may request a list with the names and addresses of any potential recipients of the Data by contacting his or her local human resources representative. Participant authorizes the Company, any stock plan service provider selected by the Company and any other possible recipients which may assist the Company (presently or in the future) with implementing, administering and managing the Plan to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the sole purpose of implementing, administering and managing his or her participation in the Plan. Participant understands that Data will be held only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage Participants participation in the Plan. Participant understands if he or she resides outside the United States, he or she may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting in writing his or her local human resources representative. Further, Participant understands that he or she is providing the consents herein on a purely voluntary basis. If Participant does not consent, or if Participant later seeks to revoke his or her consent, his or her status as a Service Provider and career with the Service Recipient will not be adversely affected; the only adverse consequence of refusing or withdrawing Participants consent is that the Company would not be able to grant Participant Restricted Stock Units or other equity awards or administer or maintain such awards. Therefore, Participant understands that refusing or withdrawing his or her consent may affect Participants ability to participate in the Plan. For more information on the consequences of Participants refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, Participant understands that he or she may contact his or her local human resources representative.
14. Language . If Participant has received this Award Agreement or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the meaning of the translated version is different than the English version, the English version will control.
15. Binding Agreement . Subject to the limitation on the transferability of this grant contained herein, this Award Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.
-8-
16. Additional Conditions to Issuance of Stock . If at any time the Company will determine, in its discretion, that the listing, registration, qualification or rule compliance of the Shares upon any securities exchange or under any state, federal or foreign law, the tax code and related regulations or the consent or approval of any governmental regulatory authority is necessary or desirable as a condition to the issuance of Shares to Participant (or his or her estate) hereunder, such issuance will not occur unless and until such listing, registration, qualification, rule compliance, consent or approval will have been completed, effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company. Where the Company determines that the delivery of the payment of any Shares will violate federal securities laws or other applicable laws, the Company will defer delivery until the earliest date at which the Company reasonably anticipates that the delivery of Shares will no longer cause such violation. The Company will make all reasonable efforts to meet the requirements of any such state, federal or foreign law or securities exchange and to obtain any such consent or approval of any such governmental authority or securities exchange.
17. Plan Governs . This Award Agreement is subject to all terms and provisions of the Plan. In the event of a conflict between one or more provisions of this Award Agreement and one or more provisions of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan will govern. Capitalized terms used and not defined in this Award Agreement will have the meaning set forth in the Plan.
18. Administrator Authority . The Administrator will have the power to interpret the Plan and this Award Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any Restricted Stock Units have vested). All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Administrator in good faith will be final and binding upon Participant, the Company and all other interested persons. No member of the Administrator will be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Award Agreement.
19. Electronic Delivery . The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to Restricted Stock Units awarded under the Plan or future Restricted Stock Units that may be awarded under the Plan by electronic means or request Participants consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the Plan through any on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.
20. Captions . Captions provided herein are for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.
21. Agreement Severable . In the event that any provision in this Award Agreement will be held invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be severable from, and such invalidity or unenforceability will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of this Award Agreement.
-9-
22. Modifications to the Award Agreement . This Award Agreement constitutes the entire understanding of the parties on the subjects covered. Participant expressly warrants that he or she is not accepting this Award Agreement in reliance on any promises, representations, or inducements other than those contained herein. Modifications to this Award Agreement or the Plan can be made only in an express written contract executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or this Award Agreement, the Company reserves the right to revise this Award Agreement as it deems necessary or advisable, in its sole discretion and without the consent of Participant, to comply with Section 409A or to otherwise avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition under Section 409A in connection to this Award of Restricted Stock Units.
23. Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan . By accepting this Award, Participant expressly warrants that he or she has received an Award of Restricted Stock Units under the Plan, and has received, read and understood a description of the Plan. Participant understands that the Plan is discretionary in nature and may be amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time.
24. Governing Law . This Award Agreement will be governed by the laws of California without giving effect to the conflict of law principles thereof. For purposes of litigating any dispute that arises under this Award of Restricted Stock Units or this Award Agreement, the parties hereby submit to and consent to the jurisdiction of the State of California, and agree that such litigation will be conducted in the courts of Santa Clara County, California, or the federal courts for the United States for the Northern District of California, and no other courts, where this Award of Restricted Stock Units is made and/or to be performed.
25. Country Addendum . Notwithstanding any provisions in this Award Agreement, the Restricted Stock Unit grant shall be subject to any special terms and conditions set forth in the appendix (if any) to this Award Agreement for Participants country. Moreover, if Participant relocates to one of the countries included in the Country Addendum (if any), the special terms and conditions for such country will apply to Participant, to the extent the Company determines that the application of such terms and conditions is necessary or advisable for legal or administrative reasons. The Country Addendum constitutes part of this Award Agreement.
26. Restrictions on Sale of Securities . The Shares issued as payment for vested Restricted Stock Units awarded under this Award Agreement will be registered under the U.S. federal securities laws and will be freely tradable upon receipt. However, Participants subsequent sale of the Shares will be subject to any market blackout-period that may be imposed by the Company and must comply with the Companys insider trading policies, and any other applicable securities laws.
-10-
Schedule 1
Accelerated Vesting :
Notwithstanding the previous sentence, in the event that Participant experiences an Involuntary Termination (as defined in the Plan) within the twelve (12) month period following a Change of Control Merger (as defined in the Plan), Participant will fully vest in the Restricted Stock Units, including Restricted Stock Units as to which otherwise would not have been vested.
-11-
APPENDIX A
ECHELON CORPORATION
2016 INDUCEMENT EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT
COUNTRY ADDENDUM
[APPROPRIATE ADDENDA, IF ANY, TO BE INCLUDED AS NEEDED]
-12-
Exhibit 4.3
ECHELON CORPORATION
2016 INDUCEMENT EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
By executing the Grant Acceptance process and using the services on this Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Benefit Access ® website, you, the Participant (Participant) and Echelon Corporation (the Company) agree that this Award is granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of Companys 2016 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan (the Plan) and the Terms and Conditions of the Stock Option Agreement (the Option Agreement), which may be amended or modified from time to time. Participant has reviewed the Plan and this Option Agreement in its entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to accepting this Award and fully understands provisions of the Plan and this Option Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions relating to the Plan and this Option Agreement. Participant further agrees to promptly notify the Company upon any change in Participants residence address. PLEASE BE SURE TO READ ALL OF THE PROVISIONS FOR YOUR COUNTRY (IF ANY) IN APPENDIX A THAT CONTAINS SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS AWARD APPLICABLE TO YOU.
The Company hereby grants you, the Participant, a stock option (the Option) under the Plan, to exercise in exchange for a payment from the Company pursuant to this Option Agreement. However, as provided in the Option Agreement, this Option may expire earlier than the Expiration Date.
Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the Plan shall have the same defined meanings in this Option Agreement.
- 1 -
EXHIBIT A
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
1. Grant of Option . The Company hereby grants to the Participant named in the Grant Summary the Option to purchase the number of Shares, as set forth in the Grant Summary, at the exercise price per Share set forth in the Grant Summary (the Exercise Price), subject to the terms and conditions in this Option Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. Subject to Section 18(c) of the Plan, in the event of a conflict between the terms and conditions of the Plan and the terms and conditions of this Option Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Plan will prevail.
2. Vesting Schedule . Except as provided in Section 4 [or as set forth on Schedule 1] 1 , the Option awarded by this Option Agreement will vest in accordance with the following schedule: twenty-five (25%) of the Shares subject to the Option shall vest on each annual anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date, subject to Participant continuing to be a Service Provider through each such date.
Shares scheduled to vest on a certain date or upon the occurrence of a certain condition will not vest in Participant in accordance with any of the provisions of this Option Agreement, unless Participant will have been continuously a Service Provider from the date of grant until the date such vesting occurs.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 2 to the contrary, and except as otherwise provided by the Administrator, vesting of the Option will be suspended during any unpaid leave of absence other than military leave and will resume on the date Participant returns to work on a regular schedule as determined by the Company; provided, however, that no vesting credit will be awarded for the time vesting has been suspended during such leave of absence. The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the Option at any time, subject to the terms of the Plan. If so accelerated, such Option (or the portion thereof) will be considered as having vested as of the date specified by the Administrator.
3. Termination Period . This Option will be exercisable for thirty (30) days after Participant ceases to be a Service Provider, unless such termination is due to Participants death or Disability, in which case this Option will be exercisable for twelve (12) months after Participant ceases to be a Service Provider. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, in no event may this Option be exercised after the Term/Expiration Date as provided above and may be subject to earlier termination as provided in Section 13 of the Plan.
4. Administrator Discretion . The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the unvested Option at any time, subject to the terms of the Plan. If so accelerated, such Option will be considered as having vested as of the date specified by the Administrator.
1 | Officers only. |
- 2 -
5. Exercise of Option .
(a) Right to Exercise . This Option may be exercised only within the term set out in Section 2, and may be exercised during such term only in accordance with the Plan and the terms of this Option Agreement.
(b) Method of Exercise . This Option is exercisable by delivery of an exercise notice, in the form attached as Exhibit B (the Exercise Notice) or in a manner and pursuant to such procedures as the Administrator may determine, which will state the election to exercise the Option, the number of Shares in respect of which the Option is being exercised (the Exercised Shares), and such other representations and agreements as may be required by the Company pursuant to the provisions of the Plan. The Exercise Notice will be completed by Participant and delivered to the Company. The Exercise Notice will be accompanied by payment of the aggregate Exercise Price as to all Exercised Shares together with any applicable tax withholding. This Option will be deemed to be exercised upon receipt by the Company of such fully executed Exercise Notice accompanied by the aggregate Exercise Price.
6. Method of Payment . Payment of the aggregate Exercise Price will be by any of the following, or a combination thereof, at the election of Participant:
(a) cash;
(b) check;
(c) consideration received by the Company under a formal cashless exercise program adopted by the Company in connection with the Plan; or
(d) surrender of other Shares which have a fair market value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate Exercise Price of the Exercised Shares, provided that accepting such Shares, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, will not result in any adverse accounting consequences to the Company.
7. Tax Obligations .
(a) Tax-Related Items . Participant acknowledges that, regardless of any action taken by the Company or, if different, Participants employer (the Employer), the ultimate liability for all income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, fringe benefits tax, payment on account or other tax-related items related to Participants participation in the Plan and legally applicable to Participant (Tax-Related Items), is and remains Participants responsibility and may exceed the amount actually withheld by the Company or the Employer. Participant further acknowledges that the Company and/or the Employer (i) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of the Option, including, but not limited to, the grant, vesting or exercise of the Option, the subsequent sale of Exercised Shares acquired pursuant to such exercise and the receipt of any dividends; and (ii) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Option to reduce or eliminate Participants liability for Tax-Related Items or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if Participant is subject to Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction between the date of grant and the date of any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, Participant acknowledges that the Company and/or the Employer (or former employer, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction.
- 3 -
Prior to any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, Participant agrees to make adequate arrangements satisfactory to the Company and/or the Employer to satisfy all Tax-Related Items.
Finally, Participant agrees to pay to the Company or the Employer any amount of Tax-Related Items that the Company or the Employer may be required to withhold or account for as a result of Participants participation in the Plan that cannot be satisfied by the means previously described. The Company may refuse to issue or deliver the Shares or the proceeds of the sale of Shares, if Participant fails to comply with his or her obligations in connection with the Tax-Related Items.
(b) Tax Withholding . When the Option is exercised, Participant generally will recognize immediate U.S. taxable income if Participant is a U.S. taxpayer. If Participant is a non-U.S. taxpayer, Participant will be subject to applicable taxes in his or her jurisdiction. Pursuant to such procedures as the Administrator may specify from time to time, the Company and/or Service Recipient shall withhold the minimum amount required to be withheld for the payment of Tax Obligations or a greater amount if that amount would not trigger adverse financial accounting consequences. The Administrator, in its sole discretion and pursuant to such procedures as it may specify from time to time, may permit Participant to satisfy such Tax Obligations, in whole or in part (without limitation), if permissible by applicable local law, by (i) paying cash, (ii) electing to have the Company withhold otherwise deliverable Shares having a fair market value equal to the amount of such Tax Obligations, (iii) withholding the amount of such Tax Obligations from Participants wages or other cash compensation paid to Participant by the company and/or the Service Recipient, (iv) delivering to the Company already vested and owned Shares having a fair market value equal to such Tax Obligations, or (v) selling a sufficient number of such Shares otherwise deliverable to Participant through such means as the Company may determine in its sole discretion (whether through a broker or otherwise) equal to the amount of the Tax Obligations. To the extent determined appropriate by the Company in its discretion, it will have the right (but not the obligation) to satisfy any Tax Obligations by reducing the number of Shares otherwise deliverable to Participant. Further, if Participant is subject to tax in more than one jurisdiction between the Date of Grant and a date of any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (and/or former employer, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for tax in more than one jurisdiction. If Participant fails to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of any required Tax Obligations hereunder at the time of the Option exercise, Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company may refuse to honor the exercise and refuse to deliver the Shares if such amounts are not delivered at the time of exercise.
(c) Code Section 409A . To the extent Participant is or becomes a U.S. taxpayer, this subsection will apply. Under Code Section 409A, a stock right (such as the Option) that vests after December 31, 2004 (or that vested on or prior to such date but which was materially modified after October 3, 2004) that was granted with a per share exercise price that is determined by the Internal Revenue Service (the IRS) to be less than the fair market value of an underlying share on the date of grant (a discount stock right) may be considered deferred compensation. A stock right that is a discount stock right may result in (i) income
- 4 -
recognition by the recipient of the stock right prior to the exercise of the stock right, (ii) an additional twenty percent (20%) federal income tax, and (iii) potential penalty and interest charges. The discount stock right may also result in additional state income, penalty and interest tax to the recipient of the stock right. Participant acknowledges that the Company cannot and has not guaranteed that the IRS will agree that the per Share exercise price of this Option equals or exceeds the fair market value of a Share on the date of grant in a later examination. Participant agrees that if the IRS determines that the Option was granted with a per Share exercise price that was less than the fair market value of a Share on the date of grant, Participant shall be solely responsible for Participants costs related to such a determination.
8. Rights as Stockholder . Neither Participant nor any person claiming under or through Participant will have any of the rights or privileges of a stockholder of the Company in respect of any Shares deliverable hereunder unless and until certificates representing such Shares will have been issued, recorded on the records of the Company or its transfer agents or registrars, and delivered to Participant. After such issuance, recordation and delivery, Participant will have all the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to voting such Shares and receipt of dividends and distributions on such Shares.
9. No Guarantee of Continued Service . PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE VESTING OF SHARES PURSUANT TO THE VESTING SCHEDULE HEREOF IS EARNED ONLY BY CONTINUING AS A SERVICE PROVIDER AT THE WILL OF THE COMPANY (OR THE AFFILIATE EMPLOYING OR RETAINING PARTICIPANT) AND NOT THROUGH THE ACT OF BEING HIRED, BEING GRANTED THIS OPTION OR ACQUIRING SHARES HEREUNDER. PARTICIPANT FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THIS OPTION AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREUNDER AND THE VESTING SCHEDULE SET FORTH HEREIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESS OR IMPLIED PROMISE OF CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AS A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE VESTING PERIOD, FOR ANY PERIOD, OR AT ALL, AND WILL NOT INTERFERE IN ANY WAY WITH PARTICIPANTS RIGHT OR THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY (OR THE AFFILIATE EMPLOYING OR RETAINING PARTICIPANT) TO TERMINATE PARTICIPANTS RELATIONSHIP AS A SERVICE PROVIDER AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE.
10. Address for Notices . Any notice to be given to the Company under the terms of this Option Agreement will be addressed to the Company, in care of its Stock Administrator at Echelon Corporation, 2901 Patrick Henry Drive, Santa Clara, CA 95054, or at such other address as the Company may hereafter designate in writing.
11. Non-Transferability of Option . This Option may not be transferred in any manner otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised during the lifetime of Participant only by Participant.
12. Binding Agreement . Subject to the limitation on the transferability of this grant contained herein, this Option Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.
- 5 -
13. Additional Conditions to Issuance of Stock . If at any time the Company will determine, in its discretion, that the listing, registration, qualification or rule compliance of the Shares upon any securities exchange or under any state, federal or foreign law, the tax code and related regulations or the consent or approval of any governmental regulatory authority is necessary or desirable as a condition to the purchase by, or issuance of Shares to, Participant (or his or her estate) hereunder, such purchase or issuance will not occur unless and until such listing, registration, qualification, rule compliance, consent or approval will have been completed, effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company. The Company will make all reasonable efforts to meet the requirements of any such state, federal or foreign law or securities exchange and to obtain any such consent or approval of any such governmental authority or securities exchange. Assuming such compliance, for income tax purposes the Exercised Shares will be considered transferred to Participant on the date the Option is exercised with respect to such Exercised Shares.
14. Plan Governs . This Option Agreement is subject to all terms and provisions of the Plan. In the event of a conflict between one or more provisions of this Option Agreement and one or more provisions of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan will govern. Capitalized terms used and not defined in this Option Agreement will have the meanings set forth in the Plan.
15. Administrator Authority . The Administrator will have the power to interpret the Plan and this Option Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any Shares subject to the Option have vested). All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Administrator in good faith will be final and binding upon Participant, the Company and all other interested persons. No member of the Administrator will be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Option Agreement.
16. Nature of Grant . In accepting the Option, Participant acknowledges, understands and agrees that:
(a) the grant of the Option is voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of options, or benefits in lieu of options, even if options have been granted in the past;
(b) all decisions with respect to future option or other grants, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;
(c) Participant is voluntarily participating in the Plan;
(d) the Option and any Shares acquired under the Plan are not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation;
(e) the Option and Shares acquired under the Plan and the income and value of same, are not part of normal or expected compensation for purposes of calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, end-of-service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or similar payments;
- 6 -
(f) the future value of the Shares underlying the Option is unknown, indeterminable, and cannot be predicted with certainty;
(g) if the underlying Shares do not increase in value, the Option will have no value;
(h) if Participant exercises the Option and acquires Shares, the value of such Shares may increase or decrease in value, even below the Exercise Price;
(i) for purposes of the Option, Participants engagement as a Service Provider will be considered terminated as of the date Participant is no longer actively providing services to the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary (regardless of the reason for such termination and whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is a Service Provider or the terms of Participants employment or service agreement, if any), and unless otherwise expressly provided in this Option Agreement (including by reference in the Grant Summary to other arrangements or contracts) or determined by the Administrator, (i) Participants right to vest in the Option under the Plan, if any, will terminate as of such date and will not be extended by any notice period ( e.g. , Participants period of service would not include any contractual notice period or any period of garden leave or similar period mandated under employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is a Service Provider or Participants employment or service agreement, if any, unless Participant is providing bona fide services during such time); and (ii) the period (if any) during which Participant may exercise the Option after such termination of Participants engagement as a Service Provider will commence on the date Participant ceases to actively provide services and will not be extended by any notice period mandated under employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is employed or terms of Participants engagement agreement, if any; the Administrator shall have the exclusive discretion to determine when Participant is no longer actively providing services for purposes of his or her Option grant (including whether Participant may still be considered to be providing services while on a leave of absence);
(j) unless otherwise provided in the Plan or by the Company in its discretion, the Option and the benefits evidenced by this Option Agreement do not create any entitlement to have the Option or any such benefits transferred to, or assumed by, another company nor to be exchanged, cashed out or substituted for, in connection with any corporate transaction affecting the Shares; and
(k) the following provisions apply only if Participant is providing services outside the United States:
(i) | the Option and the Shares subject to the Option are not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purpose; |
(ii) | Participant acknowledges and agrees that none of the Company, the Service Recipient, or any Parent or Subsidiary shall be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between Participants local currency and the United States Dollar that may affect the value of the Option or of any amounts due to Participant pursuant to the exercise of the Option or the subsequent sale of any Shares acquired upon exercise; and |
(iii) | no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of the Option resulting from the termination of Participants engagement as a Service Provider (for any reason whatsoever, whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is a Service Provider or the terms of Participants employment or service agreement, if any), and in consideration of the grant of the Option to which Participant is otherwise not entitled, Participant irrevocably agrees never to institute any claim against the Company, any Parent, any Subsidiary or the Service Recipient, waives his or her ability, if any, to bring any such claim, and releases the Company, any Parent or Subsidiary and the Service Recipient from any such claim; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is allowed by a court of competent jurisdiction, then, by participating in the Plan, Participant shall be deemed irrevocably to have agreed not to pursue such claim and agrees to execute any and all documents necessary to request dismissal or withdrawal of such claim. |
- 7 -
17. Data Privacy . Participant hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of Participants personal data as described in this Option Agreement and any other Option grant materials by and among, as applicable, the Employer, the Company and any Parent or Subsidiary for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing Participants participation in the Plan.
Participant understands that the Company and the Employer may hold certain personal information about Participant, including, but not limited to, Participants name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any Shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all Options or any other entitlement to Shares awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in Participants favor (Data), for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan.
Participant understands that Data will be transferred to a stock plan service provider as may be selected by the Company in the future, which is assisting the Company with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan. Participant understands that the recipients of the Data may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and that the recipients country of operation (e.g., the United States) may have different data privacy laws and protections than Participants country. Participant understands that if he or she resides outside the United States, he or she may request a list with the names and addresses of any potential recipients of the Data by contacting his or her local human resources representative. Participant authorizes the Company and any other possible recipients which may assist the Company (presently or in the future) with implementing, administering and managing the Plan to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the sole purposes of implementing, administering and managing
- 8 -
Participants participation in the Plan. Participant understands that Data will be held only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage Participants participation in the Plan. Participant understands that if he or she resides outside the United States, he or she may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting in writing his or her local human resources representative. Further, Participant understands that he or she is providing the consents herein on a purely voluntary basis. If Participant does not consent, or if Participant later seeks to revoke his or her consent, his or her engagement as a Service Provider and career with the Employer will not be adversely affected; the only adverse consequence of refusing or withdrawing Participants consent is that the Company would not be able to grant Participant Options or other equity awards or administer or maintain such awards. Therefore, Participant understands that refusing or withdrawing his or her consent may affect Participants ability to participate in the Plan. For more information on the consequences of Participants refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, Participant understands that he or she may contact his or her local human resources representative.
18. Language . If Participant has received this Option Agreement or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the meaning of the translated version is different than the English version, the English version will control.
19. Electronic Delivery . The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to Options awarded under the Plan or future options that may be awarded under the Plan by electronic means or request Participants consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the Plan through any on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or a third party designated by the Company.
20. Captions . Captions provided herein are for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Option Agreement.
21. Agreement Severable . In the event that any provision in this Option Agreement will be held invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be severable from, and such invalidity or unenforceability will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of this Option Agreement.
22. Modifications to the Option Agreement . This Option Agreement constitutes the entire understanding of the parties on the subjects covered. Participant expressly warrants that he or she is not accepting this Option Agreement in reliance on any promises, representations, or inducements other than those contained herein. Modifications to this Option Agreement or the Plan can be made only in an express written contract executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or this Option Agreement, the Company reserves the right to revise this Option Agreement as it deems necessary or advisable, in its sole discretion and without the consent of Participant, to comply with Section 409A of the Code or to otherwise avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition under Section 409A of the Code in connection with the Option.
- 9 -
23. Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan . By accepting this Award, Participant expressly warrants that he or she has received an Option under the Plan, and has received, read and understood a description of the Plan. Participant understands that the Plan is discretionary in nature and may be amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time.
24. Governing Law . This Option Agreement will be governed by the laws of California, without giving effect to the conflict of law principles thereof. For purposes of litigating any dispute that arises under this Option or this Option Agreement, the parties hereby submit to and consent to the jurisdiction of the State of California, and agree that such litigation will be conducted in the courts of Santa Clara County, California, or the federal courts for the United States for the Northern District of California, and no other courts, where this Option is made and/or to be performed.
25. Country Addendum . Notwithstanding any provisions in this Option Agreement, this Option shall be subject to any special terms and conditions set forth in the appendix (if any) to this Option Agreement for Participants country (the Country Addendum). Moreover, if Participant relocates to one of the countries included in the Country Addendum (if any), the special terms and conditions for such country will apply to Participant, to the extent the Company determines that the application of such terms and conditions is necessary or advisable for legal or administrative reasons. The Country Addendum constitutes part of this Option Agreement.
26. Restrictions on Sale of Securities . The Shares issued upon exercise of the Option under this Option Agreement will be registered under the U.S. federal securities laws and will be freely tradable upon receipt. However, Participants subsequent sale of the Shares will be subject to any market blackout-period that may be imposed by the Company and must comply with the Companys insider trading policies, and any other applicable securities laws.
- 10 -
Schedule 1
Accelerated Vesting :
Notwithstanding the previous sentence, in the event that Participant experiences an Involuntary Termination (as defined in the Plan) within the twelve (12) month period following a Change of Control Merger (as defined in the Plan), Participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise Participants then-outstanding Options, including Shares as to which otherwise would not have been vested and exercisable. Thereafter the Option will remain exercisable in accordance with its terms.
- 11 -
APPENDIX A
ECHELON CORPORATION
2016 INDUCEMENT EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
COUNTRY ADDENDUM
[APPROPRIATE ADDENDA, IF ANY, TO BE INCLUDED AS NEEDED]
12
EXHIBIT B
ECHELON CORPORATION
2016 INDUCEMENT EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
EXERCISE NOTICE
Echelon Corporation
2901 Patrick Henry Drive
Santa Clara, CA 95054
Attention: Stock Administrator
1. Exercise of Option . Effective as of today, , , the undersigned (Purchaser) hereby elects to purchase shares (the Shares) of the common stock of Echelon Corporation (the Company) under and pursuant to the 2016 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan (the Plan) and the Stock Option Agreement dated (the Option Agreement). The purchase price for the Shares will be $ , as required by the Option Agreement.
2. Delivery of Payment . Purchaser herewith delivers to the Company the full purchase price of the Shares and any required tax withholding to be paid in connection with the exercise of the Option.
3. Representations of Purchaser . Purchaser acknowledges that Purchaser has received, read and understood the Plan and the Option Agreement and agrees to abide by and be bound by their terms and conditions.
4. Rights as Stockholder . Until the issuance (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company) of the Shares, no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder will exist with respect to the Shares subject to the Option, notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. The Shares so acquired will be issued to Purchaser as soon as practicable after exercise of the Option. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date of issuance, except as provided in Section 13 of the Plan.
5. Tax Consultation . Purchaser understands that Purchaser may suffer adverse tax consequences as a result of Purchasers purchase or disposition of the Shares. Purchaser represents that Purchaser has consulted with any tax consultants Purchaser deems advisable in connection with the purchase or disposition of the Shares and that Purchaser is not relying on the Company for any tax advice.
6. Entire Agreement; Governing Law . The Plan and Option Agreement are incorporated herein by reference. This Exercise Notice, the Plan and the Option Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and
13
supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Purchaser with respect to the subject matter hereof, and may not be modified adversely to the Purchasers interest except by means of a writing signed by the Company and Purchaser. This agreement is governed by the internal substantive laws, but not the choice of law rules, of California.
Submitted by: | Accepted by: | |||
PURCHASER | ECHELON CORPORATION | |||
|
|
|||
Signature | By | |||
|
|
|||
Print Name | Its | |||
Address : | Address : | |||
|
2901 Patrick Henry Drive | |||
|
Santa Clara, CA 95054 | |||
|
||||
Date Received |
14
Exhibit 4.4
ECHELON CORPORATION
2016 INDUCEMENT EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
PERFORMANCE SHARE AGREEMENT
By executing the Grant Acceptance process and using the services on this Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Benefit Access ® website, you, the Participant (Participant) and Echelon Corporation (the Company) agree that this Award is granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of Companys 2016 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan (the Plan) and the Terms and Conditions of Performance Shares (the Award Agreement), which may be amended or modified from time to time. Participant has reviewed the Plan and this Award Agreement in its entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to accepting this Award and fully understands provisions of the Plan and this Award Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions relating to the Plan and this Award Agreement. Participant further agrees to promptly notify the Company upon any change in Participants residence address. PLEASE BE SURE TO READ ALL OF THE PROVISIONS FOR YOUR COUNTRY (IF ANY) IN APPENDIX A THAT CONTAINS SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS AWARD APPLICABLE TO YOU.
The Company hereby grants you, the Participant, an Award (the Award) of Performance Shares under the Plan and the Award Agreement.
Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the Plan shall have the same defined meanings in this Award Agreement.
-1-
EXHIBIT A
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PERFORMANCE SHARE
1. Grant . The Company hereby grants to the Participant named in the Grant Summary an Award of Performance Shares, subject to all of the terms and conditions in this Award Agreement and the Plan, which is incorporated herein by reference. Subject to Section 18(c) of the Plan, in the event of a conflict between the terms and conditions of the Plan and the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Plan will prevail.
2. Company s Obligation to Pay . Each Performance Share represents the right to receive a Share on the date it vests. Unless and until the Performance Shares will have vested in the manner set forth in Section 3, Participant will have no right to payment of any such Performance Shares. Prior to actual payment of any vested Performance Shares, such Performance Share will represent an unsecured obligation of the Company, payable (if at all) only from the general assets of the Company. Any Performance Shares that vest in accordance with Sections 3 or 4 will be paid to Participant (or in the event of Participants death, to his or her estate) in whole Shares, subject to Participant satisfying any applicable tax withholding obligations as set forth in Section 7. Subject to the provisions of Section 4, such vested Performance Share will be paid in Shares as soon as practicable after vesting, but in each such case within the period ending no later than the date that is two and one-half (2 1 ⁄ 2 ) months from the end of the Companys tax year that includes the vesting date.
3. Vesting Schedule . Except as provided in Section 4 [or as set forth on Schedule 1] 1 , and subject to Section 5, the Performance Shares awarded by this Award Agreement will vest in accordance with the vesting schedule set forth in the Grant Summary, subject to the Participants continuing to be a Service Provider on each relevant vesting date. Performance Shares scheduled to vest on a certain date or upon the occurrence of a certain condition will not vest in Participant in accordance with any of the provisions of this Award Agreement, unless Participant will have been continuously a Service Provider from the date of grant until the date such vesting occurs.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3 to the contrary, and except as otherwise provided by the Administrator or as required by Applicable Law, vesting of the Award will be suspended during any unpaid leave of absence other than military leave and will resume on the date Participant returns to work on a regular schedule as determined by the Company; provided, however, that no vesting credit will be awarded for the time vesting has been suspended during such leave of absence. The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the Award at any time, subject to the terms of the Plan. If so accelerated, such Award (or the portion thereof) will be considered as having vested as of the date specified by the Administrator.
4. Administrator Discretion . The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the unvested Performance Shares at any time, subject to the terms of the Plan. If so accelerated, such Performance Shares will be considered as having vested as of the date specified by the Administrator.
1 | Officers only. |
-2-
Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or this Award Agreement to the contrary, if the vesting of the balance, or some lesser portion of the balance, of the Performance Shares is accelerated in connection with Participants termination as a Service Provider (provided that such termination is a separation from service within the meaning of Section 409A, as determined by the Company), other than due to death , and if (x) Participant is a specified employee within the meaning of Section 409A at the time of such termination as a Service Provider and (y) the payment of such accelerated Performance Shares will result in the imposition of additional tax under Section 409A if paid to Participant on or within the six (6) month period following Participants termination as a Service Provider, then the payment of such accelerated Performance Shares will not be made until the date six (6) months and one (1) day following the date of Participants termination as a Service Provider, unless Participant dies following his or her termination as a Service Provider, in which case, the Performance Shares will be paid in Shares to Participants estate as soon as practicable following his or her death. It is the intent of this Award Agreement to comply with the requirements of Section 409A so that none of the Performance Shares provided under this Award Agreement or Shares issuable thereunder will be subject to the additional tax imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities herein will be interpreted to so comply. For purposes of this Award Agreement, Section 409A means Section 409A of the Code, and any proposed, temporary or final Treasury Regulations and Internal Revenue Service guidance thereunder, as each may be amended from time to time.
5. Forfeiture upon Termination of Status as a Service Provider . Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Award Agreement, the balance of the Performance Shares that have not vested as of the time of Participants termination as a Service Provider for any or no reason and Participants right to acquire any Shares hereunder will immediately terminate. The Administrator shall have the exclusive discretion to determine when Participant is no longer a Service Provider (including whether Participant may still be considered to be providing services while on an approved leave of absence).
6. Death of Participant . Any distribution or delivery to be made to Participant under this Award Agreement will, if Participant is then deceased, be made to the administrator or executor of Participants estate or, if the Administrator permits, Participants designated beneficiary. Any such transferee must furnish the Company with (a) written notice of his or her status as transferee, and (b) evidence satisfactory to the Company to establish the validity of the transfer and compliance with any laws or regulations pertaining to said transfer.
7. Tax Obligations .
(a) Responsibility for Taxes . Participant acknowledges that, regardless of any action taken by the Company or, if different, Participants employer (the Employer) or Parent or Subsidiary to which Participant is providing services (together, the Company, Employer and/or Parent or Subsidiary to which Participant is providing services, the Service Recipient), the ultimate liability for any tax and/or social insurance liability obligations and requirements in connection with the Performance Shares, including, without limitation, (a) all federal, state, and local taxes (including Participants Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) obligation) that
-3-
are required to be withheld by the Company or the Employer or other payment of tax-related items related to Participants participation in the Plan and legally applicable to Participant, (b) Participants and, to the extent required by the Company (or Service Recipient), the Companys (or Service Recipients) fringe benefit tax liability, if any, associated with the grant, vesting, or exercise of the Performance Shares or sale of Shares, and (c) any other Company (or Service Recipient) taxes the responsibility for which Participant has, or has agreed to bear, with respect to the Performance Shares (or exercise thereof or issuance of Shares thereunder) (collectively, the Tax Obligations), is and remains Participants responsibility and may exceed the amount actually withheld by the Company or the Service Recipient. Participant further acknowledges that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (i) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax Obligations in connection with any aspect of the Performance Shares, including, but not limited to, the grant, vesting or settlement of the Performance Shares, the subsequent sale of Shares acquired pursuant to such settlement and the receipt of any dividends or other distributions, and (ii) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Performance Shares to reduce or eliminate Participants liability for Tax Obligations or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if Participant is subject to Tax Obligations in more than one jurisdiction between the date of grant and the date of any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, Participant acknowledges that the Company and/or the Service Recipient (or former employer, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for Tax Obligations in more than one jurisdiction. If Participant fails to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of any required Tax Obligations hereunder at the time of the applicable taxable event, Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company may refuse to issue or deliver the Shares.
(b) Tax Withholding . When Shares are issued as payment for vested Performance Shares, Participant generally will recognize immediate U.S. taxable income if Participant is a U.S. taxpayer. If Participant is a non-U.S. taxpayer, Participant will be subject to applicable taxes in his or her jurisdiction. Pursuant to such procedures as the Administrator may specify from time to time, the Company and/or Service Recipient shall withhold the minimum amount required to be withheld for the payment of Tax Obligations or such greater amount if that amount would not trigger adverse financial accounting consequences. The Administrator, in its sole discretion and pursuant to such procedures as it may specify from time to time, may permit Participant to satisfy such Tax Obligations, in whole or in part (without limitation), if permissible by applicable local law, by (i) paying cash, (ii) electing to have the Company withhold otherwise deliverable Shares having a fair market value equal to the amount of such Tax Obligations, (iii) withholding the amount of such Tax Obligations from Participants wages or other cash compensation paid to Participant by the Company and/or the Employer, (iv) delivering to the Company already vested and owned Shares having a fair market value equal to such Tax Obligations, or (v) selling a sufficient number of such Shares otherwise deliverable to Participant through such means as the Company may determine in its sole discretion (whether through a broker or otherwise) equal to the amount of the Tax Obligations. To the extent determined appropriate by the Company in its discretion, it will have the right (but not the obligation) to satisfy any Tax Obligations by reducing the number of Shares otherwise deliverable to Participant and, until determined otherwise by the Company, this will be the method by which such Tax Obligations are satisfied. Further, if Participant is subject to tax in more than one jurisdiction between the date of grant and a date of any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company and/or the Service
-4-
Recipient (and/or former employer, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for tax in more than one jurisdiction. If Participant fails to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of such Tax Obligations hereunder at the time any applicable Performance Shares otherwise are scheduled to vest pursuant to Sections 3 or 4, Participant will permanently forfeit such Performance Shares and any right to receive Shares thereunder and the Performance Shares will be returned to the Company at no cost to the Company. Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company may refuse to deliver the Shares if such Tax Obligations are not delivered at the time they are due.
8. Rights as Stockholder . Neither Participant nor any person claiming under or through Participant will have any of the rights or privileges of a stockholder of the Company in respect of any Shares deliverable hereunder unless and until certificates representing such Shares will have been issued, recorded on the records of the Company or its transfer agents or registrars, and delivered to Participant. After such issuance, recordation and delivery, Participant will have all the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to voting such Shares and receipt of dividends and distributions on such Shares.
9. No Guarantee of Continued Service . PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE VESTING OF THE PERFORMANCE SHARES PURSUANT TO THE VESTING SCHEDULE HEREOF IS EARNED ONLY BY CONTINUING AS A SERVICE PROVIDER AT THE WILL OF THE COMPANY (OR EMPLOYER) AND NOT THROUGH THE ACT OF BEING HIRED, BEING GRANTED THIS AWARD OF PERFORMANCE SHARES OR ACQUIRING SHARES HEREUNDER. PARTICIPANT FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THIS AWARD AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREUNDER AND THE VESTING SCHEDULE SET FORTH HEREIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESS OR IMPLIED PROMISE OF CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AS A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE VESTING PERIOD, FOR ANY PERIOD, OR AT ALL, AND WILL NOT INTERFERE IN ANY WAY WITH PARTICIPANTS RIGHT OR THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY OR EMPLOYER TO TERMINATE PARTICIPANTS RELATIONSHIP AS A SERVICE PROVIDER AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE.
10. Address for Notices . Any notice to be given to the Company under the terms of this Award Agreement will be addressed to the Company, Echelon Corporation, 2901 Patrick Henry Drive, Santa Clara, CA 95054, or at such other address as the Company may hereafter designate in writing.
11. Grant is Not Transferable . Except to the limited extent provided in Section 6, this grant and the rights and privileges conferred hereby will not be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated in any way (whether by operation of law or otherwise) and will not be subject to sale under execution, attachment or similar process. Upon any attempt to transfer, assign, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise dispose of this grant, or any right or privilege conferred hereby, or upon any attempted sale under any execution, attachment or similar process, this grant and the rights and privileges conferred hereby immediately will become null and void.
12. Nature of Grant . In accepting the Award, Participant acknowledges, understands and agrees that:
(a) the grant of the Performance Shares is voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of Performance Shares, or benefits in lieu of Performance Shares, even if Performance Shares have been granted in the past;
-5-
(b) all decisions with respect to future Performance Shares or other grants, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;
(c) Participant is voluntarily participating in the Plan;
(d) the Performance Shares and the Shares subject to the Performance Shares are not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation;
(e) the Performance Shares and the Shares subject to the Performance Shares, and the income and value of same, are not part of normal or expected compensation for purposes of calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, end-of-service payments, bonuses, long-service awards, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or similar payments;
(f) the future value of the underlying Shares is unknown, indeterminable and cannot be predicted;
(g) for purposes of the Performance Shares, Participants status as a Service Provider will be considered terminated as of the date Participant is no longer actively providing services to the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary (regardless of the reason for such termination and whether or not later to be found invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is a Service Provider or the terms of Participants employment or service agreement, if any), and unless otherwise expressly provided in this Award Agreement (including by reference in the Grant Summary to other arrangements or contracts) or determined by the Administrator, Participants right to vest in the Performance Shares under the Plan, if any, will terminate as of such date and will not be extended by any notice period (e.g., Participants period of service would not include any contractual notice period or any period of garden leave or similar period mandated under employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is a Service Provider or the terms of Participants employment or service agreement, if any, unless Participant is providing bona fide services during such time); the Administrator shall have the exclusive discretion to determine when Participant is no longer actively providing services for purposes of the Performance Shares grant (including whether Participant may still be considered to be providing services while on a leave of absence);
(h) unless otherwise provided in the Plan or by the Company in its discretion, the Performance Shares and the benefits evidenced by this Award Agreement do not create any entitlement to have the Performance Shares or any such benefits transferred to, or assumed by, another company nor be exchanged, cashed out or substituted for, in connection with any corporate transaction affecting the Shares; and
(i) the following provisions apply only if Participant is providing services outside the United States:
(i) | the Performance Shares and the Shares subject to the Performance Shares are not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purpose; |
-6-
(ii) | Participant acknowledges and agrees that none of the Company, the Employer or any Parent or Subsidiary shall be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between Participants local currency and the United States Dollar that may affect the value of the Performance Shares or of any amounts due to Participant pursuant to the settlement of the Performance Shares or the subsequent sale of any Shares acquired upon settlement; and |
(iii) | no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of the Performance Shares resulting from the termination of Participants status as a Service Provider (for any reason whatsoever whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where Participant is a Service Provider or the terms of Participants employment or service agreement, if any), and in consideration of the grant of the Performance Shares to which Participant is otherwise not entitled, Participant irrevocably agrees never to institute any claim against the Company, any Parent or Subsidiary or the Service Recipient, waives his or her ability, if any, to bring any such claim, and releases the Company, any Parent or Subsidiary and the Service Recipient from any such claim; if, notwithstanding the foregoing, any such claim is allowed by a court of competent jurisdiction, then, by participating in the Plan, Participant shall be deemed irrevocably to have agreed not to pursue such claim and agrees to execute any and all documents necessary to request dismissal or withdrawal of such claim. |
13 . Data Privacy . Participant hereby explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of Participants personal data as described in this Award Agreement and any other Performance Share grant materials by and among, as applicable, the Employer, or other Service Recipient the Company and any Parent or Subsidiary for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing Participants participation in the Plan.
Participant understands that the Company and the Service Recipient may hold certain personal information about Participant, including, but not limited to, Participants name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any Shares or directorships held in the Company, details of all Performance Shares or any other entitlement to Shares awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in Participants favor (Data), for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan.
Participant understands that Data will be transferred to a stock plan service provider as may be selected by the Company in the future, which is assisting the Company
-7-
with the implementation, administration and management of the Plan. Participant understands that the recipients of the Data may be located in the United States or elsewhere, and that the recipients country of operation (e.g., the United States) may have different data privacy laws and protections than Participants country. Participant understands that if he or she resides outside the United States, he or she may request a list with the names and addresses of any potential recipients of the Data by contacting his or her local human resources representative. Participant authorizes the Company, any stock plan service provider selected by the Company and any other possible recipients which may assist the Company (presently or in the future) with implementing, administering and managing the Plan to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the sole purpose of implementing, administering and managing his or her participation in the Plan. Participant understands that Data will be held only as long as is necessary to implement, administer and manage Participants participation in the Plan. Participant understands if he or she resides outside the United States, he or she may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting in writing his or her local human resources representative. Further, Participant understands that he or she is providing the consents herein on a purely voluntary basis. If Participant does not consent, or if Participant later seeks to revoke his or her consent, his or her status as a Service Provider and career with the Service Recipient will not be adversely affected; the only adverse consequence of refusing or withdrawing Participants consent is that the Company would not be able to grant Participant Performance Shares or other equity awards or administer or maintain such awards. Therefore, Participant understands that refusing or withdrawing his or her consent may affect Participants ability to participate in the Plan. For more information on the consequences of Participants refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, Participant understands that he or she may contact his or her local human resources representative.
14 Language . If Participant has received this Award Agreement or any other document related to the Plan translated into a language other than English and if the meaning of the translated version is different than the English version, the English version will control.
15. Binding Agreement . Subject to the limitation on the transferability of this grant contained herein, this Award Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.
16. Additional Conditions to Issuance of Stock . If at any time the Company will determine, in its discretion, that the listing, registration, qualification or rule compliance of the Shares upon any securities exchange or under any state, federal or foreign law, the tax code and related regulations or the consent or approval of any governmental regulatory authority is necessary or desirable as a condition to the issuance of Shares to Participant (or his or her estate) hereunder, such issuance will not occur unless and until such listing, registration, qualification, rule compliance, consent or approval will have been completed, effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company. Where the Company determines that the delivery of the payment of any Shares will violate federal securities laws or other applicable laws, the Company will defer delivery until the earliest date at which the Company reasonably anticipates that the delivery of Shares will no longer cause such violation. The Company will make all
-8-
reasonable efforts to meet the requirements of any such state, federal or foreign law or securities exchange and to obtain any such consent or approval of any such governmental authority or securities exchange.
17. Plan Governs . This Award Agreement is subject to all terms and provisions of the Plan. In the event of a conflict between one or more provisions of this Award Agreement and one or more provisions of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan will govern. Capitalized terms used and not defined in this Award Agreement will have the meaning set forth in the Plan.
18. Administrator Authority . The Administrator will have the power to interpret the Plan and this Award Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any Performance Shares have vested). All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Administrator in good faith will be final and binding upon Participant, the Company and all other interested persons. No member of the Administrator will be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or this Award Agreement.
19. Electronic Delivery . The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to Performance Shares awarded under the Plan or future Performance Shares that may be awarded under the Plan by electronic means or request Participants consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the Plan through any on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.
20. Captions . Captions provided herein are for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Award Agreement.
21. Agreement Severable . In the event that any provision in this Award Agreement will be held invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be severable from, and such invalidity or unenforceability will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of this Award Agreement.
22. Modifications to the Award Agreement . This Award Agreement constitutes the entire understanding of the parties on the subjects covered. Participant expressly warrants that he or she is not accepting this Award Agreement in reliance on any promises, representations, or inducements other than those contained herein. Modifications to this Award Agreement or the Plan can be made only in an express written contract executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or this Award Agreement, the Company reserves the right to revise this Award Agreement as it deems necessary or advisable, in its sole discretion and without the consent of Participant, to comply with Section 409A or to otherwise avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition under Section 409A in connection to this Award of Performance Shares.
23. Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan . By accepting this Award, Participant expressly warrants that he or she has received an Award of Performance Shares under
-9-
the Plan, and has received, read and understood a description of the Plan. Participant understands that the Plan is discretionary in nature and may be amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time.
24. Governing Law . This Award Agreement will be governed by the laws of California without giving effect to the conflict of law principles thereof. For purposes of litigating any dispute that arises under this Award of Performance Shares or this Award Agreement, the parties hereby submit to and consent to the jurisdiction of the State of California, and agree that such litigation will be conducted in the courts of Santa Clara County, California, or the federal courts for the United States for the Northern District of California, and no other courts, where this Award of Performance Shares is made and/or to be performed.
25. Country Addendum . Notwithstanding any provisions in this Award Agreement, this Award shall be subject to any special terms and conditions set forth in the appendix (if any) to this Award Agreement for Participants country (the Country Addendum). Moreover, if Participant relocates to one of the countries included in the Country Addendum (if any), the special terms and conditions for such country will apply to Participant, to the extent the Company determines that the application of such terms and conditions is necessary or advisable for legal or administrative reasons. The Country Addendum constitutes part of this Award Agreement.
26. Restrictions on Sale of Securities . The Shares issued as payment for vested Performance Shares awarded under this Award Agreement will be registered under the U.S. federal securities laws and will be freely tradable upon receipt. However, Participants subsequent sale of the Shares will be subject to any market blackout-period that may be imposed by the Company and must comply with the Companys insider trading policies, and any other applicable securities laws.
-10-
Schedule 1
Accelerated Vesting :
Notwithstanding the previous sentence, in the event that Participant experiences an Involuntary Termination (as defined in the Plan) within the twelve (12) month period following a Change of Control Merger (as defined in the Plan), Participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise Participants then-outstanding Options, including Shares as to which otherwise would not have been vested and exercisable. Thereafter the Option will remain exercisable in accordance with its terms.
-11-
APPENDIX A
ECHELON CORPORATION
2016 INDUCEMENT EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
PERFORMANCE SHARE AGREEMENT
COUNTRY ADDENDUM
[APPROPRIATE ADDENDA, IF ANY, TO BE INCLUDED AS NEEDED]
-12-
Exhibit 5.1
April 20, 2016
Echelon Corporation
2901 Patrick Henry Drive
Santa Clara, California 95054
Re: | Registration Statement on Form S-8 |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the Registration Statement) to be filed by Echelon Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the Company), with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about the date hereof, in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of an aggregate of 250,000 shares of the Companys common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the Shares), reserved for issuance under the 2016 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan (the Plan). As your legal counsel, we have reviewed the actions proposed to be taken by you in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares to be issued under the Plan.
It is our opinion that the Shares, when issued and sold in the manner referred to in the Plan and pursuant to the agreements that accompany the Plan, will be legally and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, and further consent to the use of our name wherever appearing in the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto.
Very truly yours, | ||
WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI | ||
Professional Corporation | ||
/s/ Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati |
Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Board of Directors
Echelon Corporation:
We consent to the use of our report dated March 30, 2016, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets of Echelon Corporation as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders equity, cash flows, and comprehensive loss for each of the years in the three year period ended December 31, 2015, incorporated herein by reference.
/s/ KPMG LLP
Santa Clara, California
April 20, 2016