UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 28, 2016
WRIGHT MEDICAL GROUP N.V.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
The Netherlands | 1-35065 | 98-0509600 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
||
Prins Bernhardplein 200 1097 JB Amsterdam The Netherlands |
None | |||
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
(+ 31) 20 521-4777
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Item 5.02. | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. |
At an Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the Annual General Meeting) of Wright Medical Group N.V. (Wright) held on June 28, 2016, Wrights shareholders, upon recommendation of the Board of Directors of Wright, approved the Wright Medical Group N.V. Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the Amended and Restated ESPP). The Amended and Restated ESPP incorporates several amendments to the prior Tornier N.V. 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, including, among others:
| an increase in the number of Wright ordinary shares available for issuance and sale under the plan from 333,333 to 550,000 shares; |
| a new look-back provision to determine the per share purchase price based on 85% of the closing sale price of Wright ordinary shares on the first or last trading day of the offering period, whichever is lower; |
| a new limit of 100,000 shares on the aggregate number of Wright ordinary shares that may be sold to all participants during any one offering period; |
| an increase in the per participant share limit from 833 to 1,000 Wright ordinary shares per offering period; |
| an increase in the contribution limit from 10% to 20% of a participants eligible compensation (subject to the statutory U.S. dollar limit and per participant share limit); |
| the inclusion of additional types of compensation eligible to be directed toward share purchases; |
| the elimination of a participants ability to increase or decrease his or her contribution rate during an offering period; |
| the elimination of mandatory holding periods; and |
| a new mandatory jurisdiction provision which requires that all plan issues be resolved under the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the federal or state courts of the State of Delaware in the United States of America. |
A copy of the Amended and Restated ESPP is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. The above description of the Amended and Restated ESPP is not intended to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the specific language in the Amended and Restated ESPP. A detailed summary of the Amended and Restated ESPP can be found in the definitive proxy statement for the Annual General Meeting filed by Wright with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on May 16, 2016.
Item 5.07. | Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders. |
On June 28, 2016, Wright held an Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. At the Annual General Meeting, Wrights shareholders considered ten voting proposals, each of which is described in more detail in Wrights definitive proxy statement for the Annual General Meeting filed by Wright with the SEC on May 16, 2016.
The final results of the shareholder voting on each voting proposal brought before the Annual General Meeting were as follows:
For | Against | Abstain |
Broker
Non-Votes |
|||||||||||||
Voting proposal no. 1Appointment of one executive director and eight non-executive directors, each to serve for a term of one year |
||||||||||||||||
Appointment of Robert J. Palmisano as executive director |
83,318,715 | 324,004 | 81,469 | 7,416,053 | ||||||||||||
Appointment of David D. Stevens as non-executive director |
83,374,093 | 271,705 | 78,390 | 7,416,053 | ||||||||||||
Appointment of Gary D. Blackford as non-executive director |
83,379,220 | 266,532 | 78,436 | 7,416,053 | ||||||||||||
Appointment of Sean D. Carney as non-executive director |
67,837,076 | 15,783,450 | 103,662 | 7,416,053 | ||||||||||||
Appointment of John L. Miclot as non-executive director |
68,150,197 | 15,470,224 | 103,767 | 7,416,053 | ||||||||||||
Appointment of Kevin C. OBoyle as non-executive director |
83,088,104 | 557,698 | 78,386 | 7,416,053 | ||||||||||||
Appointment of Amy S. Paul as non-executive director |
83,377,568 | 268,234 | 78,386 | 7,416,053 | ||||||||||||
Appointment of Richard F. Wallman as non-executive director |
78,096,129 | 5,549,519 | 78,540 | 7,416,053 | ||||||||||||
Appointment of Elizabeth H. Weatherman as non-executive director |
68,153,698 | 15,467,864 | 102,626 | 7,416,053 | ||||||||||||
Voting proposal no. 2Ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as Wrights independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 25, 2016 |
90,812,898 | 255,289 | 72,054 | 0 | ||||||||||||
Voting proposal no. 3Appointment of KPMG N.V. as the auditor for Wrights Dutch statutory annual accounts for the fiscal year ending December 25, 2016 |
90,797,532 | 270,654 | 72,055 | 0 | ||||||||||||
Voting proposal no. 4Adoption of Wrights statutory annual accounts for the fiscal year ended December 27, 2015 |
90,701,217 | 261,604 | 177,420 | 0 | ||||||||||||
Voting proposal no. 5Release of the members of Wrights board of directors from liability with respect to the exercise of their duties during the fiscal year ended December 27, 2015 |
90,241,800 | 603,145 | 295,296 | 0 |
For | Against | Abstain |
Broker
Non-Votes |
|||||||||||||
Voting proposal no. 6Extension of the authority of Wrights board of directors to repurchase up to 10% of Wrights issued share capital (including depositary receipts issued for shares) until December 28, 2017 on the open market, through privately negotiated transactions or in one or more self-tender offers for a price per share (or depositary receipt) not less than the nominal value of a share and not higher than 110% of the market price of a share (or depositary receipt) at the time of the transaction |
83,491,058 | 209,058 | 24,072 | 7,416,053 | ||||||||||||
Voting proposal no. 7Renewal of the authorization of Wrights board of directors to issue ordinary shares or grant rights to subscribe for ordinary shares up to Wrights maximum authorized share capital at the time of the issue until June 28, 2021 |
39,381,440 | 44,319,056 | 23,692 | 7,416,053 | ||||||||||||
Voting proposal no. 8Renewal of the authorization of Wrights board of directors to resolve to exclude or restrict Wrights shareholders pre-emptive rights under Dutch law with respect to the ordinary shares and rights to subscribe therefor that the board of directors may issue or grant pursuant to the authority in voting proposal no. 7 above until June 28, 2021 |
39,039,229 | 44,665,827 | 19,132 | 7,416,053 | ||||||||||||
Voting proposal no. 9Approval of the Wright Medical Group N.V. Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan |
83,143,723 | 565,296 | 15,169 | 7,416,053 | ||||||||||||
Voting proposal no. 10Amendment of Wrights articles of association to provide that Wrights fiscal year runs from the first Monday after the last Sunday of December of a year and ends on the last Sunday of December of the following year |
90,815,923 | 239,225 | 85,093 | 0 |
With respect to voting proposal no. 1, Robert J. Palmisano was appointed an executive director and each of David D. Stevens, Gary D. Blackford, Sean D. Carney, John L. Miclot, Kevin C. OBoyle, Amy S. Paul, Richard F. Wallman and Elizabeth H. Weatherman was appointed a non-executive director by Wrights shareholders by the required vote, in each case to serve for a term ending at Wrights 2017 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders.
Each of voting proposal nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10 was approved by Wrights shareholders by the required vote, and each of voting proposal nos. 7 and 8 was not approved by Wrights shareholders by the required vote.
Item 8.01 | Other Events. |
As described under Item 5.07 above, at the Annual General Meeting, Wrights shareholders approved an amendment to Wrights articles of association to clarify that Wrights fiscal year runs from the first Monday after the last Sunday of December of a year and ends on the last Sunday of December of the following year. A copy of the deed of amendment to Wrights articles of association incorporating this amendment is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference. A copy of the full articles of association incorporating this amendment is filed as Exhibit 3.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) | Exhibits. |
Exhibit No. |
Description |
|
3.1 | Deed of Amendment to Articles of Association of Wright Medical Group N.V. (filed herewith) | |
3.2 | Articles of Association of Wright Medical Group N.V. (filed herewith) | |
10.1 | Wright Medical Group N.V. Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan (filed herewith) |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Dated: July 1, 2016 | WRIGHT MEDICAL GROUP N.V. | |||||
By: |
/s/ James A. Lightman |
|||||
Name: | James A. Lightman | |||||
Title: | Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary |
WRIGHT MEDICAL GROUP N.V.
CURRENT REPORT ON FORM 8-K
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No. |
Description |
Method of Filing |
||
3.1 | Deed of Amendment to Articles of Association of Wright Medical Group N.V. | Filed herewith | ||
3.2 | Articles of Association of Wright Medical Group N.V. | Filed herewith | ||
10.1 | Wright Medical Group N.V. Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan | Filed herewith |
Exhibit 3.1
DEED OF AMENDMENT OF | JT/6010900/11100405 | |||
THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION | 29-06-2016 | |||
WRIGHT MEDICAL GROUP N.V. | 3 | |||
(unofficial translation) |
Today, the twenty-ninth of June two thousand and sixteen,Charlotte Sophie van Weert, prospective civil-law notary (kandidaat-notaris), acting as legal substitute (waarnemer) for Paul Hubertus Nicolaas Quist, civil-law notary in Amsterdam, in such capacity hereinafter referred to as civil-law notary :
Jacobus Jesse Trommel, care of Stibbe, 1077 WM Amsterdam, Beethovenplein 10, born in Oud-Beijerland on the thirtieth of August nineteen hundred and eighty-seven.
The appearing person declared as follows:
| the articles of association of the public limited company ( naamloze vennootschap ) Wright Medical Group N.V. , having its seat in Amsterdam, its address at 1097 JB Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Prins Bernhardplein 200, registered in the trade register under number 34250781 (the company ), were lastly amended by deed executed on the first of October two thousand and fifteen and ten before P.H.N. Quist, civil-law notary in Amsterdam; |
| on the twenty-sixth of April two thousand and sixteen, the board of directors of the company proposed to amend the articles of association of the company; |
| on the twenty-eighth of June two thousand and sixteen, the general meeting of the company resolved to amend the articles of association of the company partially; |
| furthermore, it was decided to authorise the appearing person to effect such amendment of the articles of association; |
| that these resolutions are evidenced by a copy of an excerpt of the minutes of the board meeting and a copy of the general meeting to be attached to this deed. |
Subsequently, the appearing person declared to amend the articles of association of the company partially, in pursuance of the referred resolutions, so:
Article 18.1 will read as follows :
1. | The companys fiscal year runs from the first Monday after the last Sunday of December of a year and ends on the last Sunday of December of the following year. |
Final clause
This deed was executed today in Amsterdam.
The substance of this deed was stated and explained to the appearing person.
The appearing person declared not to require a full reading of the deed, to have taken note of the contents of this deed and to consent to it.
(1)
Subsequently, this deed was read out in a limited form, and immediately thereafter signed by the appearing person and myself, civil-law notary, at six hours thirty minutes post meridiem.
(Signed): J.J. Trommel, C.S. van Weert.
(2)
Exhibit 3.2
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF
WRIGHT MEDICAL GROUP N.V.
(unofficial translation)
having its seat in Amsterdam, as these read after the execution of the deed of amendment of the articles of association, executed on 29 June 2016 before a as legal substitute for P.H.N. Quist, civil-law notary in Amsterdam.
The company is registered in the trade register under number 34250781.
Definitions
Article 1.
The following definitions shall apply in these articles of association:
a. | general meeting: the body consisting of the shareholders entitled to vote and other persons entitled to vote as well as the meeting of shareholders and other persons entitled to attend meetings; |
b. | subsidiary: has the meaning as referred to in article 2:24a Dutch Civil Code; |
c. | group: has the meaning as referred to in article 2:24b Dutch Civil Code; |
d. | group company: a legal entity or company with which the company is affiliated in a group; |
e. | dependent company: has the meaning as referred to in article 2:152 Dutch Civil Code; |
f. | persons with voting rights: holders of shares with voting rights as well as holders of a right of usufruct on shares with the right to vote and holders of a right of pledge with a right to vote; |
g. | persons with meeting rights: persons with voting rights as well as shareholders who do not have the right to vote; |
h. | written/in writing: with respect to the provision of these articles of association the requirement of being in writing shall also be complied with if the notification, announcement, statement, acknowledgement, decision-making, power of attorney, vote or request, have been laid down electronically. |
Name and seat
Article 2.
1. | The name of the company is: Wright Medical Group N.V. |
2. | The company has its seat in Amsterdam. |
3. | The company may have branch offices and branch establishments in other jurisdictions. |
Objects
Article 3.
The objects of the company are:
(1)
| to sell, purchase, trade and distribute medical products in general and implants and prostheses in particular, to introduce these products and to provide all kind of services as regarded; |
| to participate in, to finance, to collaborate with, to conduct the management of companies and other enterprises and provide advice and other services; |
| to acquire, use and/or assign industrial and intellectual property rights and real property; |
| to invest funds; |
| the borrowing, lending and raising funds, including the issuance of bonds, promissory notes or other securities or evidence of indebtedness as well as entering into agreements in connection with these activities; |
| to provide security for the obligations of legal persons or of other companies with which the company is affiliated in a group or for the obligations of third parties, including by means of issuing guarantees and pledging collateral; |
| to undertake all that which is connected to the foregoing or in furtherance thereof, |
all in the broadest sense of the words.
Capital and shares
Article 4.
1. | The companys authorized capital amounts to nine million six hundred thousand euros (EUR 9,600,000) and is divided into three hundred and twenty million (320,000,000) ordinary shares, each share with a par value of three euro cents (EUR 0.03). |
2. | All shares shall be registered shares. |
The shares shall be numbered in such a manner that they can be distinguished from each other at any time.
3. | The company cannot cooperate with the issue of depositary receipts issued for shares in its own capital. |
The issue of shares
Article 5.
1. | Shares shall be issued pursuant to a resolution of the general meeting, or pursuant to such resolution of the board of directors if designated thereto by the general meeting for a period not exceeding five years. |
At the designation, the number and class of shares that may be issued by the board of directors should be determined.
The designation may be prolonged each time for a period not exceeding five years. Unless it has been determined differently at the designation, it cannot be revoked.
The resolution to issue shares contains the price and further terms of issue.
(2)
2. | Within eight days after a resolution of the general meeting to issue shares or to designate the board of directors to issue shares, as referred to above, the board of directors shall deposit a complete text thereof at the Trade Register. |
Within eight days after the end of each quarter of the year, the board of directors shall submit a statement of each issue of shares in that quarter of the year to the Trade Register, stating the number of the shares.
3. | Issue of shares shall never be below par, without prejudice to the provisions of article 2:80 paragraph 2 Dutch Civil Code. |
4. | Ordinary shares shall be issued against payment of at least the nominal value. |
Upon subscription for shares the nominal amount must be paid up, and in case the subscription is higher than par, the difference of these amounts as well.
5. | Payment on shares must be made in cash to the extent that no other contribution has been agreed, subject to the provisions of article 2:80b Dutch Civil Code. |
Payment in foreign currency may only be made with the permission of the company and also subject to the provisions of article 2:80a paragraph 3 Dutch Civil Code.
6. | The board of directors is authorized, without any prior approval of the general meeting, to perform legal acts within the meaning of article 2:94 paragraph 1 Dutch Civil Code. |
Pre-emptive rights
Article 6.
1. | Without prejudice to the applicable legal provisions, upon the issue of shares, each holder of ordinary shares has a pre-emptive right in proportion to the aggregate amount of ordinary shares held by him. |
2. | A shareholder shall have no pre-emptive right in respect of shares: |
| issued for a non-cash contribution; |
| issued to employees of the company or of a group company; and |
| that are issued to a party exercising a previously obtained right to acquire shares. |
3. | The board of directors shall announce an issue with pre-emptive rights and the time frame within which the pre-emptive rights may be exercised in the Government Gazette ( Staatscourant ) and in a national daily distributed newspaper and in such other manner as may be required to comply with applicable stock exchange regulations, if any, unless the announcement to all holders of shares is made in writing and sent to the address stated by them. |
4. | The pre-emptive right may be exercised at least two weeks after the day of the announcement in the Government Gazette or, if the announcement is made in writing, at least two weeks after the day of the mailing of the announcement. |
5. | The pre-emptive right may be restricted or excluded by resolution of the general meeting or by the board of directors if designated thereto by the general meeting, for a period not exceeding five years, and also authorized to issue shares during that period. |
(3)
Unless it has been determined otherwise at the designation, the right of the board of directors to restrict or to exclude the pre-emptive right cannot be revoked.
The designation may be renewed at any general meeting for a period not exceeding five years.
Unless the board of directors is designated to restrict or to exclude the pre-emptive right, a resolution to restrict or exclude the pre-emptive right will be passed on proposal of the board of directors.
In the proposal in respect thereof, the reasons for the proposal shall be explained in writing.
6. | A resolution of the general meeting to restrict or exclude the pre-emptive right or to designate the board of directors as referred to in paragraph 5 requires a majority of at least two-thirds of the votes cast, if less than half of the issued capital is represented at the meeting. |
Within eight days after said resolution, the board of directors shall deposit a complete text thereof at the Trade Register.
7. | The provisions of the above paragraphs of the present article shall apply accordingly to the granting of a right to subscribe for shares, but shall not apply to the issue of shares to one who exercises a previously acquired subscription right. |
Own shares, right of pledge on own shares
Article 7.
1. | The company cannot subscribe for shares in its own capital. |
2. | Any acquisition by the company of shares in its own capital that are not fully paid-up shall be null and void. |
3. | In accordance with the provisions of article 2:98 Dutch Civil Code, the company may acquire fully paid-up shares in its own capital if: |
a. | the shareholders equity less the acquisition price is not less than the sum of the paid in and called up part of its capital and the reserves that it is required to maintain by law; |
b. | the nominal value of the shares to be acquired in its capital, which the company itself holds or holds in pledge, or which are held by a subsidiary is not more than half of the issued capital; and |
c. | the acquisition is authorized by the general meeting. |
The authorization shall be valid for a maximum of eighteen months.
The general meeting shall determine in the authorization the number and class of shares that may be acquired, how they may be acquired and the price range.
The authorization is not required for the acquisition of shares on a stock market in order to transfer them to employees of the company or of a group company pursuant to a scheme applicable to such employees.
(4)
4. | For the purposes of subparagraph a of paragraph 3, the amount of the shareholders equity according to the last adopted balance sheet shall be reduced by the acquisition price of shares in the capital of the company, the amount of loans as described in article 2:98c paragraph 2 Dutch Civil Code and distributions to others from profits or reserves which may have become due by the company and its subsidiaries after the balance sheet date. |
If more than six months have elapsed since the commencement of the fiscal year, and no annual accounts have been adopted, then an acquisition in accordance with paragraph 3 above shall not be permitted.
5. | The company may only take its own shares in pledge in accordance with the applicable statutory provisions. |
6. | The company is not entitled to any distributions from shares in its own capital. |
In the calculation of the distribution of profits, the shares referred to in the previous sentence are not counted unless there is a right of usufruct or right of pledge on such shares, and if the pledgee is entitled to the distributions on the shares for the benefit of a party other than the company.
7. | At the general meeting no vote may be cast for shares held by the company or a subsidiary. |
Usufructuaries of shares that belong to the company or a subsidiary are, however, not excluded from exercising their right to vote if the right of usufruct was created before the share belonged to the company or a subsidiary.
The company or a subsidiary cannot cast a vote for a share on which it has a right of usufruct.
In determining the extent to which the shareholders vote, are present or represented, or the extent to which the share capital is provided or represented, the shares on which, by law, no vote may be cast shall not be taken into account.
8. | A subsidiary may not subscribe shares in the capital of the company for its own account or have such shares issued to it. |
9. | The preceding paragraphs shall not apply to shares which the company acquires |
| for no consideration; or |
| by universal succession of title ( verkrijging onder algemene titel ). |
10. | The term shares as used in this article shall include depositary receipts issued for shares. |
Article 8.
1. | The company may not provide collateral, guarantee the price, otherwise guarantee or bind itself jointly or severally with or for third parties, for the purpose of the subscription or acquisition by third parties of shares in its capital. |
This prohibition shall also extend to any subsidiaries.
(5)
2. | The company and its subsidiaries may not provide loans for the purpose of the subscription or acquisition by third parties of shares in the capital of the company, unless the board of directors resolves to do so and the requirements described in article 2:98c Dutch Civil Code are met. |
3. | Paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply if shares or depositary receipts of shares are subscribed or acquired by or for employees of the company or a group company. |
Reduction of capital
Article 9.
1. | The general meeting may decide to reduce the issued capital upon proposal by the board of directors subject to the provisions of article 2:99 Dutch Civil Code, by cancellation of shares or by reducing the amount of the shares by amendment of these articles of association. |
This resolution must designate the shares to which the resolution pertains and must provide for the implementation of the resolution.
A resolution to cancel shares may relate only to:
| shares held by the company itself or with respect to shares of which it holds the depositary receipts; |
| all shares of a class with the consent of all shareholders of such class; or |
| all shares of a class with repayment. |
Any reduction of the par value of shares without redemption and without a release from the obligation to pay up must be made in proportion to all shares.
This proportional requirement may be waived by agreement of all shareholders affected.
2. | A partial repayment or discharge must be effected in proportion to all shares involved. From this requirement may be deviated from with the consent of all shareholders concerned. |
3. | For a resolution to reduce the capital, a majority of the votes cast at a meeting if at least half the issued capital is represented at the meeting, or at least two-thirds of the votes cast at the meeting if less than half of the issued capital is represented at the meeting, is required. |
A resolution to reduce capital requires prior or simultaneous approval of the meeting of each group of holders of shares of the same class whose rights are prejudiced.
The convocation for a meeting at which a resolution referred to in this article will be passed shall state the purpose of the capital reduction and how it is to be implemented.
Register of shareholders
Article 10.
1. | The board of directors shall keep a register in which the names and addresses of all holders of shares are recorded, indicating the date on which they acquired the shares, the date of the acknowledgement or service as well as the amount paid-up on each share. |
(6)
If also an electronic address is disclosed by a shareholder for the purpose of entry into the register, such disclosure is deemed to entail the consent to receive all notifications and announcements for a meeting via electronic means.
2. | The register shall also record the names and addresses of the usufructuaries and the pledgees of shares, showing the date on which they acquired the right on the shares, the date of the acknowledgement of the acquisition of the right of usufruct or the right of pledge or the date on which such acquisition has been served upon the company as well as whether they are entitled to exercise the voting rights attached to the shares and the rights conferred by law upon holders of depositary receipts issued with the cooperation of a company. |
3. | All shareholders, usufructuaries and pledgees shall ensure that the company is informed of their addresses. |
4. | If a shareholder, a usufructuary, or a pledgee also disclosed an electronic address to the company for the purpose of entering this electronic address, together with the other in paragraphs 1 to 3 inclusive of this article mentioned data, into the register, such disclosure is deemed to entail the consent to receive all notifications and announcements as well as convocations for a general meeting of shareholders via electronic means. |
The provision of the previous sentence regarding the convocation for a general meeting of shareholders shall only apply to the extent the usufructuary or the pledgee are entitled to attend the meeting.
5. | The board of directors shall be authorized to keep the register outside the Netherlands. |
The board of directors may authorize an agent to keep the register for the purposes as meant in this article.
The register shall be updated regularly.
The board of directors shall determine the form and contents of the register with due observance of the provisions of paragraphs 1 to 4 hereof.
6. | Upon request the board of directors shall provide shareholders and those who have a right of usufruct or pledge in respect of such shares free of charge with an extract from the register in respect of their rights to a share. |
7. | The board of directors shall be authorized to provide the authorities with information and data contained in the register of shareholders or have the same inspected to the extent that this is requested to comply with applicable foreign legislation or rules of the stock exchange where the companys shares are listed. |
Transfer of shares, usufruct, pledge
Article 11.
1. | A transfer of a share or a right in rem ( beperkt recht ) thereto requires a deed of transfer and, except in the event the company itself is party to that legal act, acknowledgement in writing by the company of the transfer. |
The acknowledgement shall be given in the deed, or by a dated statement embodying such acknowledgement on the deed or on a copy or extract thereof duly authenticated by a civil-law notary or by the transferor.
(7)
Service of the deed of transfer, copy or extract on the company shall be deemed to be equal to acknowledgement.
2. | The provisions of paragraph 1 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the creation or release of a right of usufruct and a right of pledge. |
A pledge may also be established on a share without acknowledgement by or service on the company.
In such cases, article 3:239 Dutch Civil Code shall be equally applicable, whereby the notification by a shareholder as referred to in paragraph 3 of that article, shall be replaced by acknowledgement by or service on the company.
3. | The shareholder shall have the voting rights with respect to shares subject to a usufruct or pledged shares. |
A usufructuary and pledgee shall not have shall have the same rights as those conferred by law upon the holders of depositary receipts for shares issued with the cooperation of a company.
Board of directors
Article 12.
1. | The company shall have a board of directors consisting of three or more members, comprising of one or more members having responsibility for the day-to-day management of the company (the executive directors ) and two or more members not having such responsibility (the non-executive directors ). |
2. | The board of directors shall determine the number of the directors, provided that at all times the board of directors shall be composed of at least one executive director and two non-executive directors. |
3. | The general meeting shall appoint members of the board of directors from a binding nomination to be drawn up by the board of directors in accordance with article 2:133 Dutch Civil Code. |
The general meeting may cancel the binding nature of a nomination at a meeting by a majority of two-thirds of the votes cast, representing more than half of the issued share capital.
Should a nomination be deprived of its binding character in the manner provided for in this paragraph, a new meeting is called at which the resolution for appointment of a member of the board of directors shall require majority of two-thirds of the votes cast, representing more than half of the issued share capital.
4. | At a general meeting, votes in respect of the appointment of a member of the board of directors can only be cast for candidates named in the agenda of the meeting or the explanatory notes thereto. |
5. | Members of the board of directors may be suspended or dismissed by the general meeting at any time. |
(8)
A resolution of the general meeting to suspend or dismiss a member of the board of directors pursuant to a proposal by the board of directors shall be passed with an absolute majority of the votes cast.
A resolution of the general meeting to suspend or dismiss a member of the board of directors other than pursuant to a proposal by the board of directors shall require a two-third majority of the votes cast representing more than half of the companys issued capital.
6. | With respect to the resolution of the general meeting referred to in the paragraph 3 and 5, the provision included in article 2:120 paragraph 3 Dutch Civil Code is not applicable. |
7. | Members of the board of directors shall be appointed for a maximum period of four years. |
Unless a member of the board of directors has resigned at an earlier date, his or her term of office shall lapse on the day the first annual meeting of shareholders to be held in the fourth year after the year of his or her appointment.
A member of the board of directors may be reappointed with due observance of the previous sentence.
8. | The company shall have a policy in respect of the compensation of the members of the board of directors (the compensation policy ). |
The compensation policy shall be adopted by the general meeting.
The compensation policy shall at least describe the items referred to in article 2:383c to e inclusive Dutch Civil Code, to the extent they concern the board of directors.
9. | With due observation of the compensation policy the board of directors may establish a compensation for the members of the board of directors in respect of the performance of their duties, provided that nothing herein contained shall preclude any member of the board of directors from serving the company or any subsidiary or related company thereof in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. |
10. | The board of directors shall submit to the general meeting for its approval plans to award shares or the right to subscribe for shares to the executive directors. |
The plans shall at least set out the number of shares and rights to subscribe for shares that may be awarded to the members of the board of directors and the criteria that shall apply to the award or any change thereto.
Failure to obtain the approval of the general meeting shall not affect the board of directors authority to represent the company.
Article 13.
1. | The board of directors shall, from its members, appoint a chairman, and shall have power to appoint from its members a chief executive officer. |
The board of directors shall furthermore appoint a company secretary.
The company secretary shall assist the board of directors.
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2. | The board of directors shall draw up board rules to deal with matters that concern the board internally. |
The board rules may include an allocation of tasks among the members of the board of directors.
The board rules shall contain provisions concerning the manner in which meetings of the board of directors are called and held.
3. | The board of directors may vest authority to represent the company, jointly or severally, in any one or more members of the board of directors and/or officers of the company who would thereby be granted powers of representation with respect to such acts or categories of acts as the board may determine and shall notify to the Trade Register. |
4. | The board of directors can only adopt valid resolutions when the majority of the members of the board of directors in office shall be present at the board meeting or be represented at such meeting. |
5. | A member of the board of directors may only be represented by a co-member of the board authorised in writing. |
The expression in writing shall include any message transmitted by current means of communication and received in writing.
6. | All resolutions shall be adopted by the favourable vote of the majority of the directors present or represented at the meeting. |
Each director shall have one vote.
7. | A director may not participate in the deliberation and the decision-making process of the board of directors if it concerns a subject in which this director has a direct or indirect personal interest which conflicts with the interest of the company and its business enterprise. In such event, the other directors shall be authorised to adopt the resolution. |
If all directors have a conflict of interest as mentioned above, the resolution shall be adopted by the non-executive directors.
8. | The board of directors shall be authorised to adopt resolutions without convening a meeting if all members of the board of directors shall have expressed their opinions in writing, unless one or more members of the board of directors shall object to a resolution being adopted in this way. |
A resolution shall in this case be adopted if the majority of all members of the board of directors shall have expressed themselves in favour of the resolution concerned.
The provision of the second sentence of paragraph 6 shall apply mutatis mutandis.
9. | Without prejudice to the provisions above, decisions of the board of directors involving a major change in the companys identity or character are subject to the approval of the general meeting, including: |
a. | the transfer of the enterprise or practically the whole enterprise to third parties; |
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b. | to enter or to terminate longstanding joint ventures of the company or a subsidiary with another legal entity or company or as fully liable partner in a limited partnership or a general partnership if this joint venture or termination of such a joint venture is of a major significance to the company; |
c. | to acquire or dispose of a participation in the capital of a company worth at least one-third of the amount of the companys assets according to the balance sheet with explanatory notes thereto, or if the company prepares a consolidated balance sheet according to such consolidated balance sheet with explanatory notes according to the last adopted annual account of the company, by the company or a subsidiary. |
10. | Failure to obtain the approval defined in paragraph 9 of this article shall not affect the authority of the board of directors or the members of the board of directors to represent the company. |
Committees
Article 14.
1. | The board of directors shall appoint from its non-executive directors an audit committee, a nominating and corporate governance committee and a compensation committee. |
2. | The board of directors shall have power to appoint any further committees, composed of members of the board of directors and officers of the company and of group companies. |
3. | The board of directors shall determine the duties and powers of the committees referred to in the preceding paragraphs. |
Article 15.
In the event that one or more members of the board of directors are absent or prevented from acting, the remaining members of the board of directors or the sole remaining member of the board of directors shall be entrusted with the management of the company.
In the event that all the members of the board of directors or the sole remaining member of the board of directors is absent or prevented from acting, a person to be appointed for that purpose by the general meeting, shall be temporarily entrusted with the management of the company.
Representation
Article 16.
The company shall be represented by the board of directors.
In addition, the authority to represent the company is vested in each executive director acting individually.
Indemnification of members of the board of directors and officers
Article 17.
1. |
The company shall indemnify any person who is a member of the board of directors or an officer (each of them an indemnified person ) and who was or is in his capacity as member of the board of directors or officer a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal or administrative or |
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any action, suit or proceeding in order to obtain information (other than an action, suit or proceeding instituted by or on behalf of the company), against any and all liabilities including all expenses (including attorneys fees), judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlement and other financial losses, actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the company.
The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by a judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or the failure to put up a defense or its equivalent, shall not, in and of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and not in a manner which he reasonably could believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the company. The indemnified person is obliged to inform the company as soon as practically possible about any claim or any circumstance that could lead to a claim.
2. | No indemnification pursuant to paragraph 1 of this article shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter: |
| as to which such person shall have been adjudged in a final and non-appealable judgment by a Dutch judge to be liable for gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of his duty to the company, unless and only to the extent that the judge before whom such action or proceeding was brought or any other Dutch judge having appropriate jurisdiction shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all of the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to a compensation which the judge before whom such action or proceeding was brought or such other judge having appropriate jurisdiction shall deem proper; or |
| insofar as costs and losses have been insured under any insurance and the insurance company has reimbursed to him the costs and losses. |
3. | Expenses (including attorneys fees) incurred by an indemnified person in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the company in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of an indemnified person to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the company as authorized in this article. |
4. | The indemnification provided for by this article shall not be deemed exclusive of any other right to which a person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under the laws of the Netherlands as from time to time amended or under any by-laws, agreement, resolution of the general meeting or of the members of the board of directors or officers who are not an interested party in this matter or otherwise, both as to actions in his official capacity and as to actions in another capacity while holding such position, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a member of the board of directors or an officer, but was a member of the board of directors or an officer at any time after the execution of this deed of amendment and shall also inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of the estate of such person. |
5. | The company may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any indemnified person, whether or not the company would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of this article. |
6. | No amendment or repeal of this article shall adversely affect any right to protection of any person entitled to indemnification or advancement of expenses under this article prior to such amendment or repeal. |
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By the amendment or repeal of this article an amendment can be made in the protection of any persons that have been (re-)appointed as member of the board of directors or officer after the amendment or repeal of this article.
Fiscal year, annual accounts, annual report
Article 18.
1. | The companys fiscal year runs from the first Monday after the last Sunday of December of a year and ends on the last Sunday of December of the following year. |
2. | The board of directors shall be responsible for the annual accounts which need to be prepared within the period prescribed by law. |
The annual accounts shall be signed by all members of the board of directors.
If the signature of one or more of them is lacking, this fact and the reason therefore shall be indicated.
The board of directors shall also, within the period mentioned above, prepare an annual report.
3. | The general meeting shall instruct a registered accountant or a firm of registered accountants, as defined in article 2:393 paragraph 1 Dutch Civil Code, to audit the annual accounts and the annual report by the board of directors, to report thereon, and to issue an auditors certificate with respect thereto. |
4. | If the general meeting fails to issue such instructions, the board of directors shall be authorized to do so. |
5. | The company shall ensure that, as of the day on which a general meeting at which they are to be considered, is called, the annual accounts, the annual report and the additional information to be provided pursuant to article 2:392 paragraph 1 Dutch Civil Code are available for examination by those entitled to attend meetings. |
The company shall make copies of the documents referred to in the previous sentence available free of charge to those entitled to attend meetings.
If these documents are amended, this obligation shall also extend to the amended documents.
6. | The annual accounts shall be adopted by the general meeting. |
7. | The annual accounts shall not be adopted if the general meeting is unable to take cognizance of the certificate as referred to in paragraph 3 of this article, unless, together with the remaining information as referred to in article 2:392 Dutch Civil Code, a legitimate ground is given why the certificate is lacking. |
After the proposal to adopt the annual accounts has been dealt with, the proposal will be made to the general meeting to discharge the members of the board of directors in respect of their conduct of management during the relevant fiscal year insofar this appears from the annual accounts.
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8. | The company shall be obliged to make its annual accounts publicly available at the Trade Register. |
Allocations of profit
Article 19.
1. | The company may make distributions to the shareholders and other persons entitled to the distributable profits only to the extent that the companys shareholders equity exceeds the sum of the paid-in capital and the reserves which it is required by law to maintain. |
2. | The profit appearing from the annual accounts adopted by the general meeting shall be at the disposal of the general meeting. |
3. | The board of directors may resolve to make interim distributions only to the extent that the requirements set forth in paragraph 1 above are satisfied, as appears from an interim statement of assets and liabilities, taking into account the legal regulations. |
4. | There shall be no distribution of profits in favour of the company with respect to shares, or to shares of which it holds depositary receipts issued therefore, which the company has acquired in its own capital. |
5. | For the computation of the profit distribution the shares held by the company in its own capital shall be disregarded. |
6. | The board of directors may decide to make payments to the holders of shares and other persons from the distributable part of the shareholders equity, subject to the approval of the general meeting. |
7. | Any claim a shareholder may have to a distribution shall lapse after five years, to be computed from the day on which such a distribution becomes payable. |
General meetings
Article 20.
1. | The annual general meeting shall be held every year within six months of the end of the fiscal year, in which shall, in any event, be considered: |
| the consideration of the annual report; |
| the adoption of the annual accounts; |
| any other matters put forward by board of directors and announced pursuant to this article. |
In the event the period preparing the annual accounts as set forth in article 18 paragraph 2 of these articles of association is extended in conformity with applicable law, the matters indicated in the previous sentence will be dealt with in a general meeting to be held no later than one month after the extension.
2. | General meetings will be held in Amsterdam, Haarlemmermeer (Schiphol) or in Schiedam. |
3. | General meetings shall be convened by the board of directors in the manner and with reference to the applicable provisions of the legislation and applicable stock exchange regulations and with consideration of the applicable terms. |
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4. | The convocation states: |
a. | the subjects to be discussed; |
b. | the place and time of the general meeting; |
c. | the procedure for participation in the general meeting and the exercise of voting rights in person or by proxy. |
5. | Extraordinary general meetings shall be held as often as the board of directors deems this necessary. |
6. | An item proposed by one or more shareholders having the right thereto according to applicable law, will be included in the convocation or announced in the same manner, provided the company receives such substantiated request or a proposal for a resolution in writing no later than the sixtieth day prior to the day of the meeting. |
Article 21.
1. | The general meetings will be chaired by the chairman of the board of directors, or, in his absence, by a member of the board of directors appointed by the board of directors; if the chairman of the board of directors is absent and no other member of the board of directors has been appointed in his place, the general meeting shall appoint the chairman. |
2. | Minutes shall be kept of the items dealt with at the general meeting. |
The minutes shall be adopted by the chairman and the company secretary and shall be signed by them in witness thereof.
3. | The chairman of the meeting as well as any member of the board of directors may at all times commission the drawing up of a notarial record of the meeting at the companys expense. |
4. | The chairman shall decide on all disputes with regard to voting, admitting people and, in general the procedure at the meeting, insofar as this is not provided for by law or the articles of association. |
Article 22.
1. | Each shareholder, as well as each other person with voting rights and/or meeting rights, is entitled, in person or through an attorney authorized in writing for the specific meeting, or by proxy, to attend the general meeting, to address the meeting and, in the event the shareholder is entitled to the voting rights, to exercise the voting rights. |
2. | The board of directors may resolve that for the application of the provision in paragraph 1, persons with voting rights and/or meeting rights are considered to be those persons who (i) on a date determined by the board of directors (the record date ) are persons with voting rights and/or meeting rights with respect to a share, and (ii) are registered in (a) register(s) determined by the board of directors (the register ), provided that (iii) that person with voting rights and/or meeting rights gave notice to the company of his intention to attend the general meeting, irrespective of who at the time of the general meeting is a person with voting rights and/or meeting rights. |
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The notice must state the name and the number of shares for which the person is entitled to vote and/or to attend the general meeting.
The provisions regarding the notice apply mutatis mutandis to a holder of a proxy of a person with voting rights and/or meeting rights.
3. | In case the board of directors does not use the authority referred to in paragraph 2, persons with voting rights and/or meeting rights with respect to shares, must give written notice to the board of directors of their intention to exercise the rights referred to in paragraph 1 at the general meeting, at such places and at such date as the board of directors will give notice of in the notice for the general meeting. |
4. | Insofar applicable, the convocation notice shall state the record date as well as where and how the registration as referred to in paragraph 2 is to take place, and, in so far as votes can be cast electronically, the way in which the rights of the person entitled to vote and to attend a meeting can be exercised. |
5. | A person entitled to vote and/or attend meetings, who wants to be represented in the general meeting by an attorney authorized in writing or proxy, must hand in their power of attorney or duly executed proxy at the office of the company or at another place to be designated by the company within the period laid down on the convocation notice; or inform the company about the power of attorney by electronic means. |
The board of Management may decide that the proxies from those entitled to vote are attached to the attendance list.
6. | The attendance list must be signed by each person with voting rights and/or meeting rights or his representative. |
7. | The members of the board of directors shall have the right to attend the general meeting. |
8. | The board of directors may decide that every shareholder is entitled to participate in, to address and to vote in the general meeting by way of an electronic means of communication, in person or by proxy, provided the shareholder may by the electronic means of communication be identified, directly take notice of the discussion in the meeting and participate in the deliberations. |
The board of directors may adopt a resolution containing conditions for the use of electronic means of communication in writing.
If the board of directors has made such regulation, such conditions will be disclosed with the notice convening the meeting.
9. | In the event a record date issued as referred to in paragraph 2, the board of directors may stipulate that votes cast prior to the general meeting by electronic means are equated with votes cast during the meeting. |
These votes, in order to be valid, must be cast by a holder of voting rights on the record date and may not be cast earlier than on the record date.
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Article 23.
1. | Each share shall confer the right to cast one vote. |
2. | Insofar as the law or these articles of association do not prescribe a larger majority, resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority of votes cast in a meeting where at least one third of the outstanding shares are represented. |
3. | The chairman of the meeting determines the method of voting, which includes oral, written or electronic voting. |
In the event of the election of persons, anyone entitled to vote may demand that voting shall take place by written ballot.
Voting by written ballot shall take place by means of sealed, unsigned ballot papers.
4. | In the event votes tie, the proposal shall be rejected. |
5. | Blank votes and invalid votes shall be considered as not having been cast. |
Amendments to the articles of association, legal merger, demerger, dissolution and liquidation
Article 24.
1. | On proposal of the board of directors, the general meeting may resolve to amend the companys articles, to conclude a legal merger ( juridische fusie ) or a demerger ( splitsing ), or to dissolve the company. A resolution of the general meeting to conclude a legal merger ( juridische fusie ) or a demerger ( splitsing ) requires a majority of at least two-thirds of the votes cast, if less than half of the issued capital is represented at the meeting. |
2. | The full proposal of the amendment of the articles of association shall be available at the offices of the company from the day of the convocation to the general meeting until the close of same for inspection by those who are entitled to attend meetings; the copies of this proposal shall be made available free of charge to those who are entitled to attend meetings. |
This shall be stated in the convocation advertisement.
3. | Upon dissolution, the liquidation of the company shall be effected by the board of directors, unless the general meeting has designated other liquidators. |
4. | During the liquidation, the provisions of the articles of association shall remain in force in as much as possible. |
5. | Any liquidation surplus shall be distributed to the shareholders and other parties entitled thereto in proportion to their respective rights. |
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Exhibit 10.1
WRIGHT MEDICAL GROUP N.V.
AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
(As amended and restated on June 28, 2016)
1. Purpose . This Wright Medical Group N.V. Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the Plan ) is intended to advance the interests Wright Medical Group N.V., a public limited liability company ( naamloze vennootschap ) organized under the laws of The Netherlands, or any successor thereto (the Company ), and its shareholders by providing Eligible Employees of the Company and each Designated Subsidiary with opportunities to acquire Shares on favorable terms through payroll deductions. The Plan amends and restates the Tornier N.V. 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended. The Plan is intended to qualify as an employee stock purchase plan under Section 423 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code ), and will be construed so as to extend and limit participation in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may establish one or more sub-plans of the Plan which do not qualify as an employee stock purchase plan under Section 423 of the Code for Eligible Employees of Designated Subsidiaries in countries outside of the United States in order to achieve tax, employment, securities law or other purposes and objectives, and to conform the terms of the Plan with the laws and requirements of such countries in order to allow such Eligible Employees to purchase Shares in a manner similar to the Plan.
2. Definitions . For purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below:
(a) Board shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
(b) Committee shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board or a subcommittee thereof consisting solely of not less than two members of the Board who are non-employee directors within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act.
(c) Company Group shall mean the Company, together with each Designated Subsidiary.
(d) Compensation shall mean regular straight-time earnings and commissions that are included in regular compensation, including amounts that would have constituted compensation but for a Participants election to defer or reduce compensation pursuant to any deferred compensation, cafeteria, capital accumulation or any other similar plan of the Company and including overtime and shift premium, but excluding all other amounts such as amounts attributable to stock-based, cash-based and other incentive compensation and bonuses (except to the extent that the inclusion of any such item is specifically directed by the Committee), determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code.
(e) Designated Subsidiary shall mean a Subsidiary that has been designated by the Board from time to time, in its sole discretion, as eligible to participate in the Plan.
(f) Eligible Employee shall mean an Employee of the Company or a Designated Subsidiary (i) who would not, immediately after an option is granted to such Employee hereunder, own Shares possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of shares of the Company or any Subsidiary (as determined under Section 423(b)(3) of the Code); (ii) whose customary employment is for more than twenty (20) hours per week; and (iii) whose customary employment is for more than five (5) months in any calendar year. For purposes of clause (i) of this subsection (f), the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code with regard to the attribution of share ownership shall apply in determining the share ownership of an individual, and Shares which an Employee may purchase under outstanding options shall be treated as shares owned by the Employee. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Employees who are citizens or residents of a jurisdiction outside the United States (without regard to whether they are citizens of the United States or resident aliens (within the meaning of Section 7701(b)(1)(A) of the Code)) shall not be considered Eligible Employees for purposes of the Plan if (x) the grant of an option hereunder or any Offering to a citizen or non-U.S. resident of such non-U.S. jurisdiction is prohibited by the laws of such jurisdiction, or (y) compliance with the laws of such non-U.S. jurisdiction would cause the Plan or any Offering to violate the requirements of Section 423 of the Code.
(g) Employee shall mean any person, including an officer, who renders services to the Company or a Designated Subsidiary in the status of an employee within the meaning of Section 3401(c) of the Code. Employee shall not include any director of the Company or a Designated Subsidiary who does not render services to the Company or a Designated Subsidiary in the status of an employee within the meaning of Section 3401(c) of the Code. For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship shall be treated as continuing intact while the individual is on sick leave or other leave of absence approved by the Company or Designated Subsidiary and meeting the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-7(h)(2). Where the period of leave exceeds ninety (90) days and the individuals right to reemployment is not guaranteed either by statute or by contract, the employment relationship shall be deemed to have terminated on the ninety first (91 st ) day of such leave.
(h) Employer shall mean, with respect to a Participant, the member of the Company Group by which the Participant is principally employed.
(i) Enrollment Date shall mean the first Trading Day of each Offering Period.
(j) Exchange Act shall mean the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(k) Exercise Date shall mean the last Trading Day of each Offering Period.
(l) Fair Market Value shall mean, with respect to the Shares, as of any date: (i) the closing sale price of the Shares as of such date at the end of the regular trading session, as reported by the Nasdaq Stock Market, the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE/MKT LLC or any national securities exchange on which the Shares are then listed or quoted (or, if no shares were traded on such date, as of the next preceding date on which there was such a trade); (ii) if
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the Shares are not so listed, admitted to unlisted trading privileges, or reported on any national securities exchange, the closing sale price as of such date at the end of the regular trading session, as reported by the OTC Bulletin Board or the OTC Markets Group, Inc., or other comparable service (or, if no shares were traded or quoted on such date, as of the next preceding date on which there was such a trade or quote); or (iii) if the Shares are not so listed or reported, such price as the Committee determines in its sole discretion in a manner acceptable under Section 423 of the Code.
(m) New Exercise Date is defined in Section 19(b) below.
(n) Offering means any of the offerings to Participants of options to purchase Shares under the Plan, as described in Section 4 below.
(o) Offering Period is defined in Section 4 below.
(p) Participant shall mean an Eligible Employee who participates in the Plan pursuant to Section 5 of the Plan.
(q) Purchase Price shall mean eighty five percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value of one Share on the Enrollment Date or on the Exercise Date, whichever is lower; provided , however , that the Purchase Price may be adjusted by the Committee pursuant to Section 19 of the Plan; provided , further , that the Purchase Price shall not be less than the par value of one Share.
(r) Securities Act shall mean the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(s) Shares shall mean the ordinary shares, par value 0.03 per share, of the Company, or the number and kind of shares of stock or other securities into which such ordinary shares may be changed in accordance with Section 13 of the Plan.
(t) Subsidiary shall mean any subsidiary corporation of the Company within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code.
(u) Trading Day shall mean a day on which the principal exchange on which the Shares are traded is open for trading.
3. Eligibility .
(a) Any Employee who is an Eligible Employee on the Enrollment Date for an Offering Period (as defined in Section 4 below) shall be eligible to participate in the Plan during such Offering Period, subject to the requirements of Section 3(b) of the Plan and the limitations imposed by Section 423(b) of the Code.
(b) No Eligible Employee shall be granted an option under the Plan if the amount of payroll deductions that the Eligible Employee has elected to have withheld under such option (pursuant to Section 5 below) would permit the Eligible Employee to purchase Shares
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under all employee stock purchase plans (within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code) of the Company or any Subsidiary to accrue ( i.e. , become exercisable) at a rate that exceeds twenty five thousand dollars (USD $25,000) of the Fair Market Value of such Shares (determined as of the Enrollment Date) for each calendar year in which such option is outstanding at any time.
4. Offering Periods . Options to purchase Shares shall be offered to Participants under the Plan through a continuous series of Offerings, each continuing for six months and each of which shall commence on January 1 and July 1 of each year, as the case may be, and shall terminate on June 30 and December 31 of such year, as the case may be (each such period being, an Offering Period ); provided , however , that (a) the Committee may suspend Offerings under the Plan or any Offering Period at any time and for any reason and (b) the first Offering Period under the Plan and any subsequent Offering Period commenced immediately after a suspension of the Plan shall have an Enrollment Date and Exercise Date as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Offerings under the Plan shall continue until either (i) the Committee decides, in its sole discretion, (x) to suspend Offerings under the Plan or (y) that no further Offerings shall be made because the number of Shares remaining available under the Plan is insufficient to make an Offering to all Eligible Employees, or (ii) the Plan is terminated under Section 20 below. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and without limiting the authority of the Committee under Sections 14, 19 and 20 of the Plan, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may (a) accelerate the Exercise Date of the then current Offering Period and provide for the exercise of options thereunder by Participants in accordance with Section 8 of the Plan, or (b) accelerate the Exercise Date of the then current Offering Period and provide that all payroll deductions credited to the accounts of Participants will be paid to Participants as soon as practicable after such Exercise Date and that all options for such Offering Period will automatically be canceled and will no longer be exercisable, if such change is announced at least five (5) days prior to the newly scheduled Exercise Date.
5. Participation .
(a) Each Eligible Employee may become a Participant with respect to any Offering Period by completing a subscription agreement authorizing payroll deductions in a form acceptable to the Committee and filing it with the Company (or its designated third-party stock plan administrator) at least fifteen (15) calendar days (or a different number of days as may be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion) prior to the first day of such Offering Period. A Participants completion of a subscription agreement with respect to any Offering Period will enroll such Participant in the Plan for each subsequent Offering Period on the terms contained therein until the Participant either submits a new subscription agreement, withdraws from participation under the Plan as provided in Section 10 of the Plan, or otherwise becomes ineligible to participate in the Plan.
(b) Payroll deductions for a Participant shall commence on the first payday following the Enrollment Date and shall end on the last payday in the Offering Period with respect to which such authorization is applicable, unless sooner terminated by the Participant as provided in Section 10 of the Plan.
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(c) During a Participants leave of absence approved by the Participants Employer and meeting the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-7(h)(2), such Participant may continue to participate in the Plan by making cash payments to the Company on each payday equal to the amount of the Participants payroll deductions under the Plan for the payday immediately preceding the first day of such Participants leave of absence. If a leave of absence is unapproved or fails to meet the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-7(h)(2), the Participant will automatically cease to participate in the Plan and may not make any further contributions to the Plan hereunder. In such event, the Company will automatically cease to deduct the Participants payroll under the Plan. The Company will pay to the Participant his or her total payroll deductions for the Offering Period, in cash in one lump sum (without interest), as soon as practicable after the Participant ceases to participate in the Plan.
(d) The subscription agreement(s) used in connection with the Plan shall be in a form prescribed by the Committee, and the Committee may, in its sole discretion, determine whether such agreement shall be submitted in written or electronic form.
6. Payroll Deductions .
(a) At the time a Participant files a subscription agreement, such Participant shall elect to have payroll deductions made on each payday (such amount to be deducted after any applicable deduction for tax and other withholding) during the Offering Period in an amount from one percent (1%) to twenty percent (20%) of the Compensation which the Participant receives on each pay day during the Offering Period.
(b) All payroll deductions made for a Participant shall be credited to his or her account under the Plan and shall be withheld in whole percentages only. Except as described in Section 5(c) of the Plan, a Participant may not make any additional payments into such account.
(c) A Participant may discontinue his or her participation in the Plan as provided in Section 10 of the Plan. A Participant may not increase or decrease the rate of his or her payroll deductions during the Offering Period.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Section 3(b) of the Plan, a Participants payroll deductions may be decreased to zero percent (0%) at any time during an Offering Period.
(e) At the time an option is exercised, in whole or in part, or at the time some or all of the Shares issued under the Plan are disposed of, the Participant must make adequate provision for any foreign, U.S. federal, state, or other tax obligations, if any, which arise upon the exercise of the option or the disposition of the Shares. At any time, the Company may, but shall not be obligated to, withhold from all of the Participants compensation the amount necessary for the Company to meet applicable withholding obligations, including any withholding required to make available to the Company any tax deductions or benefits attributable to the sale or early disposition of Shares by the Participant.
7. Grant of Option . On the Enrollment Date of each Offering Period, each Participant in such Offering Period shall be granted an option to purchase on the Exercise Date
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with respect to such Offering Period (at the applicable Purchase Price) up to a number of the Shares determined by dividing such Participants payroll deductions accumulated prior to such Exercise Date and retained in the Participants account as of the Exercise Date by the applicable Purchase Price; provided, however , that (i) such purchase shall be subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 3 and 13 of the Plan, and (ii) in no event may more than one thousand (1,000) Shares be purchased by any Participant during any Offering Period. Exercise of the option shall occur as provided in Section 8 of the Plan, unless the Participant has withdrawn from participation pursuant to Section 10 of the Plan or otherwise becomes ineligible to participate in the Plan. The option shall expire on the last day of the Offering Period.
8. Exercise of Option .
(a) Unless a Participant withdraws from the Plan as provided in Section 10 of the Plan or otherwise becomes ineligible to participate in the Plan, such Participants option for the purchase of Shares shall be exercised automatically on the Exercise Date, and the maximum number of full Shares subject to the option shall be purchased for such Participant at the applicable Purchase Price with the accumulated payroll deductions in his account. No fractional Shares shall be purchased, and any payroll deductions accumulated in a Participants account which are not sufficient to purchase a full Share shall be retained in such Participants account for the subsequent Offering Period. During a Participants lifetime, a Participants option to purchase Shares hereunder is exercisable only by such Participant.
(b) If the Committee determines that, on a given Exercise Date, the number of Shares with respect to which options are to be exercised may exceed (i) the number of Shares that were available for sale under the Plan on the Enrollment Date of the applicable Offering Period (notwithstanding any authorization of additional Shares for issuance under the Plan by the Companys shareholders subsequent to such Enrollment Date); (ii) the number of Shares available for sale under the Plan on such Exercise Date; or (iii) the number of Shares available for sale on such Exercise Date, the Committee shall provide that the Company (or its designated third-party stock plan administrator) shall make a pro rata allocation of the Shares available for purchase on such Enrollment Date or Exercise Date, as applicable, in as uniform a manner as shall be practicable and as it shall determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all Participants exercising options to purchase Shares on such Exercise Date, and shall decide, in its sole discretion, to either (x) continue all Offering Periods then in effect or (y) terminate any or all Offering Periods then in effect pursuant to Section 20 of the Plan. In the event of such a pro rata allocation of Shares pursuant to this Section 8(b), the balance of the amount credited to the account of each Participant that has not been applied to the purchase of Shares shall be paid to each such Participant in one lump sum in cash as soon as reasonably practicable after the Exercise Date, without any interest thereon.
9. Deposit of Shares. As promptly as practicable after each Exercise Date on which a purchase of Shares occurs, the Company may arrange for the deposit, into each Participants account with any broker designated by the Company to administer this Plan, of the number of Shares purchased upon exercise of each such Participants option.
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10. Withdrawal .
(a) At any time prior to the Exercise Date, a Participant, by giving written notice to the Company (or its designated third-party stock plan administrator) in a form acceptable to the Committee, may withdraw all but not less than all of the payroll deductions credited to such Participants account and not yet used to exercise an option under the Plan. All of the Participants payroll deductions credited to his or her account during the Offering Period, plus any balance retained in his or her account from a prior Offering Period, if any, shall be paid to such Participant as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of notice of withdrawal, and such Participants option for the Offering Period shall be automatically terminated, and no further payroll deductions for the purchase of Shares shall be made for such Offering Period. If a Participant withdraws from an Offering Period, payroll deductions shall not resume at the beginning of any subsequent Offering Period unless the Participant delivers to the Company (or its designated third-party stock plan administrator) a new subscription agreement in accordance with the terms of Section 5(a) of the Plan.
(b) A Participants withdrawal from an Offering Period shall not have any effect upon such Participants eligibility to participate in any similar plan which may hereafter be adopted by the Company or in Offering Periods which commence after the termination of the Offering Period from which the Participant withdraws.
11. Termination of Employment . Upon a Participants ceasing to be an Eligible Employee, for any reason, such Participant shall be deemed to have elected to withdraw from the Plan, and the payroll deductions credited to such Participants account during the Offering Period, plus any balance retained in his or her account from a prior Offering Period, if any, shall be paid to the Participant, or in the case of his or her death, to the person or persons entitled thereto under Section 15 of the Plan, as soon as reasonably practicable, and such Participants option for the Offering Period shall be automatically terminated.
12. Interest . No interest shall accrue on the payroll deductions or lump sum contributions of a Participant in the Plan.
13. Shares Subject to Plan .
(a) Subject to adjustment upon changes in capitalization of the Company as provided in Section 19 of the Plan, a maximum of five hundred and fifty thousand (550,000) Shares shall be made available for sale under the Plan and no more than maximum of one hundred thousand (100,000) Shares may be issued on each Exercise Date. If any option granted under the Plan shall for any reason terminate without having been exercised, the Shares not purchased under such option shall again become available for issuance under the Plan. The Shares subject to the Plan may be unissued shares or reacquired shares bought on the market or otherwise.
(b) Except as otherwise provided herein, with respect to Shares subject to an option granted under the Plan, a Participant shall not be deemed to be a shareholder of the Company, and the Participant shall not have any of the rights or privileges of a shareholder, until
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such Shares have been issued to the Participant or his or her nominee following exercise of the Participants option. No adjustments shall be made for dividends (ordinary or extraordinary, whether in cash securities, or other property) or distributions or other rights for which the record date occurs prior to the date of such issuance, except as otherwise expressly provided herein.
14. Administration .
(a) The Plan will be administered by the Committee. To the extent consistent with applicable corporate or other law, the Committee may delegate to any officers of the Company the duties, power and authority of the Committee under the Plan pursuant to such conditions or limitations as the Committee may establish; provided, however, that only the Committee may exercise such duties, power and authority with respect to Participants who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act. The Committee may exercise its duties, power and authority under the Plan in its sole discretion without the consent of any Participant or other party, unless the Plan specifically provides otherwise. Each determination, interpretation or other action made or taken by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan will be final, conclusive and binding for all purposes and on all persons, including, without limitation, the Company, the shareholders of the Company, the Participants and their respective successors-in-interest. No member of the Committee shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any option granted under the Plan.
(b) Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may establish one or more sub-plans of the Plan which do not satisfy the requirements of Section 423 of the Code for purposes of effectuating the participation of Eligible Employees of Designated Subsidiaries incorporated in countries outside of the United States. For purposes of the foregoing, the Committee may establish one or more sub-plans to: (a) amend or vary the terms of the Plan in order to conform such terms with the laws, rules and regulations of each country outside of the United States where a Designated Subsidiary is located; (b) amend or vary the terms of the Plan in each country where a Designated Subsidiary is located as it considers necessary or desirable to take into account or to mitigate or reduce the burden of taxation and social insurance contributions for Participants and/or the Designated Subsidiary; or (c) amend or vary the terms of the Plan in each country outside of the United States where a Designated Subsidiary is located as it considers necessary or desirable to meet the goals and objectives of the Plan. All sub-plans of the Plan shall be reflected in a written Appendix to the Plan, and shall be treated as being separate and independent from the Plan; provided, the total number of Shares authorized to be issued under the Plan shall include any Shares issued under any sub-plan established hereunder. To the extent permitted under applicable law, the Committee may delegate its authority and responsibilities hereunder to an appropriate sub-committee consisting of one or more designated officers of the Company.
15. Designation of Beneficiary .
(a) A Participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any Shares and cash, if any, from such Participants account under the Plan in the event of such Participants death subsequent to an Exercise Date on which the option is exercised but prior to delivery to such Participant of such Shares and cash. In addition, a Participant may file a
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written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any cash from the Participants account under the Plan in the event of such Participants death prior to exercise of the option. To the extent required under applicable law, spousal consent shall be required for such designation to be effective if the Participant is married and the designated beneficiary is not the Participants spouse.
(b) Such beneficiary designation may be changed by the Participant at any time by written notice to the Company. In the event of the death of a Participant and in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living at the time of such Participants death, the Company shall deliver such Shares and/or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant, or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company), the Company may, in its discretion, deliver such Shares and/or cash to the spouse or to any one or more dependents or relatives of the Participant, or if no spouse, dependent, or relative is known to the Company, then to such other person as the Company may designate.
16. Transferability . Neither payroll deductions credited to a Participants account nor any rights with regard to the exercise of an option or to receive Shares under the Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged, or otherwise disposed of in any way by the Participant (other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution, or as provided in Section 15 of the Plan). Any such attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge, or other disposition shall be without effect, except that the Company may treat such act as an election to withdraw funds from an Offering Period in accordance with Section 10 of the Plan.
17. Use of Funds . All payroll deductions received or held by the Company under the Plan may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate such payroll deductions.
18. Reports . Individual accounts shall be maintained for each Participant in the Plan. Statements of account shall be given to Participants following each Offering Period, which statements shall set forth the amounts of payroll deductions, the Purchase Price, the number of Shares purchased, and the remaining cash balance, if any.
19. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization, Merger, Amalgamation, Asset Sale, Dissolution or Liquidation .
(a) Changes in Capitalization . The number of Shares which have been authorized for issuance under the Plan but not yet placed under option, the maximum number of Shares that may be issued on any Exercise Date (pursuant to Section 13 of the Plan), the maximum number of Shares each Participant may purchase in each Offering Period (pursuant to Section 7 of the Plan), as well as the price per Share and the number of Shares covered by each option under the Plan which has not yet been exercised shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued Shares resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination, or reclassification of the Shares, or any other increase or decrease in the number of Shares effected without receipt of consideration by the Company; provided, however, that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been
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effected without receipt of consideration. Such adjustment shall be made by the Committee, whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding, and conclusive on all Participants and the Company. Except as expressly provided herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of any class, or securities convertible into shares of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of Shares subject to an option.
(b) Merger, Amalgamation, Asset Sale, Dissolution or Liquidation . In the event of a proposed merger or amalgamation of the Company with or into another corporation or a proposed sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, each outstanding option shall be assumed or an equivalent option substituted by the successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of the successor corporation. In the event that the successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of the successor corporation refuses to assume or substitute for the option, or in the event of the proposed dissolution, or liquidation of the Company, the Offering Period then in progress shall be shortened by the Committee by setting a new Exercise Date (the New Exercise Date ), which shall occur no later than immediately prior to the effective date of such proposed merger, amalgamation, sale, dissolution or liquidation, as applicable. The Company shall notify each Participant in writing, at least ten (10) business days prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the Participants option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that the Participants option shall be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such New Exercise Date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 10 of the Plan.
20. Amendment or Termination .
(a) The Board may at any time and for any reason terminate or amend the Plan. Except as provided in Section 19 of the Plan, no such termination shall affect options previously granted; provided, however, that an Offering Period may be terminated by the Board if the Board determines that the termination of the Offering Period or the Plan is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. Except as provided in Section 19 of the Plan and this Section 20, no amendment may make any change in any option theretofore granted which adversely affects the rights of any Participant without the consent of such Participant. To the extent necessary to comply with Section 423 of the Code (or any successor rule or provision or any other applicable law, regulation, or stock exchange rule), the Company shall obtain shareholder approval of any amendment in such a manner and to such a degree as required.
(b) Without shareholder approval and without regard to whether any Participants rights may be considered to have been adversely affected, the Committee shall be entitled to change the Offering Periods (but in no event may an Offering Period have a duration in excess of twenty seven (27) months), limit the frequency and/or number of changes in the amount withheld during an Offering Period, establish the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars, permit payroll withholding in excess of the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the Companys processing of properly completed withholding elections, establish reasonable waiting and adjustment periods and/or accounting and crediting procedures to ensure that amounts applied toward the purchase of Shares for each Participant properly correspond with amounts withheld from the Participants Compensation, and establish such other limitations or procedures as the Committee determines in its sole discretion advisable which are consistent with the Plan.
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(c) In the event the Board determines that the ongoing operation of the Plan may result in unfavorable financial accounting consequences, the Board may, in its discretion and, to the extent necessary or desirable, modify, or amend the Plan to reduce or eliminate such financial accounting consequences, including, but not limited to:
(i) altering the Purchase Price for any Offering Period including an Offering Period underway at the time of the change in Purchase Price;
(ii) shortening any Offering Period so that the Offering Period ends on a new Exercise Date, including an Offering Period underway at the time of the Committee action; and
(iii) allocating Shares.
Such modifications or amendments shall not require shareholder approval or the consent of any Participants.
21. Notices . All notices or other communications by a Participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.
22. Conditions to Issuance of Shares .
(a) The Company shall not be required to issue Shares purchased upon the exercise of options prior to fulfillment of all the following conditions:
(i) The admission of such Shares to listing on all stock exchanges, if any, on which the Shares are then listed;
(ii) The obtaining of any approval or other clearance from any governmental agency which the Committee shall, in its absolute discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable;
(iii) Such Participants payment to the Company of all amounts which it is required to withhold under foreign, U.S. federal, state or local law upon exercise of the option; and
(iv) The lapse of such reasonable period of time following the exercise of the option as the Committee may from time to time establish for reasons of administrative convenience.
(b) The obligation of the Company to issue Shares or otherwise shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules and regulations, and to such approvals by governmental
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agencies as may be required. Notwithstanding any terms or conditions of any option to the contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to offer to sell or to sell and shall be prohibited from offering to sell or selling any Shares pursuant to an option unless such Shares has been properly registered for sale with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act or unless the Company has received an opinion of counsel, satisfactory to the Company, that such Shares may be offered or sold without such registration pursuant to an available exemption therefrom and the terms and conditions of such exemption have been fully complied with. The Company shall be under no obligation to register for sale or resale under the Securities Act any of the Shares to be offered or sold under the Plan or any Shares issued upon exercise or settlement of options. If the Shares offered for sale or sold under the Plan is offered or sold pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act, the Company may restrict the transfer of such Shares and may make a book-entry notation representing such Shares in such manner as it deems advisable to ensure the availability of any such exemption.
23. Term of Plan . The Plan shall become effective as of the date the Plan is approved by the Companys shareholders (the Effective Date ). Subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company in accordance with this Section 23, the Plan shall be in effect until the day before the tenth (10 th) anniversary of the Effective Date, unless sooner terminated under Section 20 of the Plan. In the event the Companys shareholders do not approve this Plan pursuant to this Section 23, neither this Plan nor any elections made hereunder shall be of any force or effect, any outstanding option shall be cancelled for no consideration, and all amounts deducted from each Participants paycheck shall be repaid to such Participant as soon as practicable without interest.
24. Equal Rights and Privileges . All Eligible Employees shall have equal rights and privileges under this Plan so that this Plan qualifies as an employee stock purchase plan within the meaning of Section 423 of the Code. Any provision of this Plan that is inconsistent with this requirement to provide equal rights and privileges shall, without further act or amendment by the Company, the Board or the Committee, be reformed to comply with the equal rights and privileges requirement of Section 423 of the Code.
25. Code Section 409A . The options to purchase Shares under the Plan are not intended to constitute nonqualified deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. However, if at any time the Committee determines that the options may be subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Committee shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to amend the Plan and any outstanding options as it may determine is necessary or desirable either to exempt the options from the application of Section 409A of the Code or to cause the options to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.
26. No Employment Rights . Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to give any person (including any Eligible Employee or Participant) the right to remain in the employ of the Company or a Subsidiary, or to affect the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate the employment of any person (including any Eligible Employee or Participant) at any time, with or without cause.
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27. Notice of Disposition of Shares . If required by the Company, each Participant shall give prompt notice to the Company (at its local Human Resources office), or cause a designated third-party stock administrator to give prompt notice to the Company, of any disposition or other transfer of any Shares purchased upon exercise of an option hereunder if such disposition or transfer is made either (a) within two (2) years from the Enrollment Date of the Offering Period in which the Shares were purchased or (b) within one (1) year after the Exercise Date on which such Shares were purchased. Such notice shall specify the date of such disposition or other transfer and the amount realized, in cash, other property, assumption of indebtedness, or other consideration, by the Participant in such disposition or other transfer.
28. Tax Withholding Obligations . Regardless of any action the Company or any Designated Subsidiary takes with respect to any or all income tax (including U.S. federal, state and local taxes and/or non-U.S. taxes), social insurance, payroll tax, payment on account or other tax-related withholding ( Tax-Related Items ), the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items legally due by a Participant will be the Participants responsibility. If a Participant becomes subject to taxation in more than one country between the Enrollment Date and the date of any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, Company or any Designated Subsidiary may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one country.
29. Governing Law; Mandatory Jurisdiction . Subject to any applicable provisions of United States federal law (including, without limitation, Section 423(b) of the Code), and except to the extent expressly provided herein or in connection with other matters of corporate governance and authority (all of which shall be governed by the laws of the Companys jurisdiction of incorporation), the validity, construction, interpretation, administration and effect of the Plan and any rules, regulations, and actions relating to the Plan shall be governed by and construed exclusively in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware in the United States of America, notwithstanding the conflicts of laws principles of any jurisdictions. Participants under the Plan are deemed to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the federal or state courts of the State of Delaware in the United States of America to resolve any and all issues that may arise out of or relate to the Plan or any related subscription agreement.
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