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): April 19, 2017

 

 

WARRIOR MET COAL, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-38061   81-0706839

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

16243 Highway 216, Brookwood, AL     35444
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)     (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (205) 554-6150

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))

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

Emerging growth company  ☒

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☒

 

 

 


Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On April 19, 2017, Warrior Met Coal, Inc. (the “ Company ”) completed its initial public offering (the “ Offering ”) of 16,666,667 shares of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “ Common Stock ”), at a price to the public of $19.00 per share of Common Stock pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-216499) (the “ Registration Statement ”), initially filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), on March 7, 2017. All of the shares of Common Stock were offered and sold by the selling stockholders named in the Registration Statement. In connection with the closing of the Offering, the Company entered into the agreements described below.

Registration Rights Agreement

On April 19, 2017, in connection with the closing of the Offering, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement (the “ Registration Rights Agreement ”) with investment funds managed, advised or sub-advised by Apollo Global Management LLC or its affiliates (such funds, the “Apollo Funds”), investment funds managed, advised or sub-advised by GSO Capital Partners LP or its affiliates (such funds, the “GSO Funds”), investment funds managed, advised or sub-advised by KKR Credit Advisors (US) LLC or its affiliates (such funds, the “KKR Funds”), investment funds managed, advised or sub-advised by Franklin Mutual Advisers, LLC or its affiliates (such funds, the “Franklin Funds”), and investment funds managed, advised or sub-advised by Caspian Capital LP or its affiliates (such funds, the “Caspian Funds” and, together with the Apollo Funds, GSO Funds, KKR Funds and Franklin Funds, the “Holders”). Holders or a group of Holders party to the Registration Rights Agreement having at least 5% in the aggregate of the outstanding shares of Common Stock have unlimited demand rights, provided that the Company will not be required to comply with any demand to file a registration statement unless the aggregate gross cash proceeds reasonably expected to be received from the sale of securities requested to be included in the registration statement is at least $25 million. All Holders have certain “piggyback” registration rights. In addition, in the case of an underwritten offering, each Holder has agreed, if requested by the underwriters in such offering, not to effect any public sale of their shares of Common Stock for 90 days (or such shorter period as the underwriters may request). The rights of a Holder party to the Registration Rights Agreement will terminate thereunder once such Holder ceases to beneficially own 1% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.

Indemnification Agreements

In connection with the closing of the Offering, the Company entered into Indemnification Agreements (“ Indemnification Agreements ”) with each of its executive officers and directors (each, an “ Indemnitee ”). Each Indemnification Agreement provides, among other things, that the Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnitee for certain expenses to the fullest extent permitted or authorized by law, including the Delaware General Corporation Law, in effect on the date of the Indemnification Agreement or as it may be amended to provide more advantageous rights to the Indemnitee. If such indemnification is unavailable as a result of a court decision and if the Company and the Indemnitee are jointly liable in the proceeding, the Company will contribute funds to the Indemnitee for his or her expenses in proportion to relative benefit and fault of the Company and the Indemnitee in the transaction giving rise to the proceeding. The Indemnification Agreements also provide that the Company will indemnify the indemnitee for monetary damages for actions taken as the Company’s director or officer or for serving at the Company’s request as a director or officer or another position at another corporation or enterprise, as the case may be. The Indemnification Agreements also provide that the Company must advance payment of certain expenses to the Indemnitee, including fees of counsel, subject to receipt of an undertaking from the Indemnitee to return such advance if it is it is ultimately determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification.

The foregoing description is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the form of Indemnification Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.


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

(e) On April 19, 2017, upon the closing of the Offering, the Warrior Met Coal, Inc. 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”) became effective. Under the Plan, awards of stock options, including both incentive stock options and nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and restricted stock units, stock bonus awards and performance awards may be granted to current and future directors, officers, employees, consultants and advisors of the Company and its affiliated companies, provided that incentive stock options may be granted only to employees. Subject to adjustments to reflect certain corporate transactions or changes in the Company’s capital structure, 5,938,059 shares is the maximum number of shares of Common Stock authorized and reserved for issuance under the Plan.

The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Plan, which is attached as Exhibit 10.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated in this Item 5.02 by reference.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits .

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

10.1    Form of Indemnification Agreement.
10.2    Warrior Met Coal, Inc. 2017 Equity Incentive Plan.


SIGNATURES

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

 

  Warrior Met Coal, Inc.
Date: April 19, 2017   By:  

/s/ Dale W. Boyles

    Dale W. Boyles
    Chief Financial Officer


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

10.1    Form of Indemnification Agreement.
10.2    Warrior Met Coal, Inc. 2017 Equity Incentive Plan.

Exhibit 10.1

FORM OF

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

This Indemnification Agreement (“ Agreement ”), dated as of                 , 2017, is by and between WARRIOR MET COAL, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and                      (the “ Indemnitee ”).

WHEREAS, the board of directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) has determined that enhancing the ability of the Company to retain and attract as directors and officers the most capable persons is in the best interests of the Company and that the Company therefore should seek to assure such persons that indemnification and insurance coverage is available; and

WHEREAS, in recognition of the need to provide Indemnitee with protection against personal liability, in order to procure and retain Indemnitee’s service as a director or officer of the Company, in order to enhance Indemnitee’s ability to serve the Company in an effective manner and in order to provide such protection pursuant to express contract rights (intended to be enforceable irrespective of, among other things, any amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation (as may be amended from time to time, the “ Certificate of Incorporation ”), any change in the composition of the Board or any change in control, business combination or similar transaction relating to the Company), the Company wishes to provide in this Agreement for the indemnification of, and the advancement of Expenses (as defined in Section 1(g) below) to, Indemnitee as set forth in this Agreement and for the coverage of Indemnitee under the Company’s directors’ and officers’ liability or similar insurance policies (“ D&O Insurance ”).

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and Indemnitee’s agreement to provide services to the Company, the parties agree as follows:

1. Definitions . For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a) “ Change in Control ” means the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition, in one or a series of related transactions (including any merger or consolidation or whether by operation of law or otherwise), of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, to a third party purchaser (or group of affiliated third party purchasers) or (ii) the consummation of any transaction (including any merger or consolidation or whether by operation of law or otherwise), the result of which is that a third party purchaser (or group of affiliated third party purchasers) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than fifty percent (50%) of the then outstanding shares of common stock or of the surviving entity of any such merger or consolidation.

(b) “ Claim ” means:

(i) any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, claim, demand, arbitration, inquiry, hearing, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism, or any actual, threatened or completed proceeding, including any and all appeals, in each


case, whether brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise, whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative, investigative or other, whether formal or informal, and whether made pursuant to federal, state, local, foreign or other law, and whether or not commenced prior to the date of this Agreement, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party or otherwise, by reason of or relating to either (a) any action or alleged action taken by Indemnitee (or failure or alleged failure to act) or of any action or alleged action (or failure or alleged failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part, while acting in his or her Corporate Status or (b) the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company as director, officer, employee, partner, member, manager, trustee, fiduciary or agent of another Enterprise, in each case, whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any Loss or Expense is paid or incurred for which indemnification or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement, except one initiated by Indemnitee to enforce his or her rights under this Agreement. For purposes of this definition, the term “threatened” will be deemed to include Indemnitee’s good faith belief that a claim or other assertion might lead to institution of a Claim; or

(ii) any inquiry, hearing or investigation that Indemnitee determines might lead to the institution of any such action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism.

(c) “ Controlled Affiliate ” means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other Enterprise, whether or not for profit, that is, directly or indirectly, controlled by the Company. For purposes of this definition, the term “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct, or cause the direction of, the management or policies of an Enterprise, whether through the ownership of voting securities, through other voting rights, by contract or otherwise.

(d) “ Corporate Status ” means the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, employee, partner, member, manager, trustee, fiduciary or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company. In addition to any service at the actual request of the Company, Indemnitee will be deemed, for purposes of this Agreement, to be serving or to have served at the request of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company as a director, officer, employee, partner, member, manager, trustee, fiduciary or agent of another Enterprise if Indemnitee is or was serving as a director, officer, employee, partner, member, manager, fiduciary, trustee or agent of such Enterprise and (i) such Enterprise is or at the time of such service was a Controlled Affiliate, (ii) such Enterprise is or at the time of such service was an employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or a Controlled Affiliate or (iii) the Company or a Controlled Affiliate, directly or indirectly, caused Indemnitee to be nominated, elected, appointed, designated, employed, engaged or selected to serve in such capacity.

(e) “ Disinterested Director ” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Claim in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.

 

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(f) “ Enterprise ” means the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or any other corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, employee benefit plan, trust or other entity or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company in a Corporate Status.

(g) “ Expenses ” means any and all expenses, fees, including attorneys’, witnesses’ and experts’ fees, disbursements and retainers, court costs, transcript costs, travel expenses, duplicating, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, fax transmission charges, secretarial services, delivery services fees, and all other fees, costs, disbursements and expenses paid or incurred in connection with investigating, defending, prosecuting, being a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, prosecute, be a witness or participate in, any Claim. Expenses also shall include (i) Expenses paid or incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Claim, including, without limitation, the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section  4 only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.

(h) “ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any successor statute thereto, and the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder.

(i) “ Expense Advance ” means any payment of Expenses advanced to Indemnitee by the Company pursuant to Section  4 or Section  5 hereof.

(j) “ Indemnifiable Event ” means any event or occurrence, whether occurring before, on or after the date of this Agreement, related to the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent of any other Enterprise or by reason of an action or inaction by Indemnitee in any such capacity (whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any Loss is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement).

(k) “ Independent Counsel ” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently performs, nor in the past three (3) years has performed, services for either: (i) the Company or Indemnitee (other than in connection with matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement or of other indemnitees under similar agreements) or (ii) any other party to the Claim giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.

 

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(l) “ Losses ” means any and all Expenses, damages, losses, liabilities, judgments, fines (including excise taxes and penalties assessed with respect to employee benefit plans and ERISA excise taxes), penalties (whether civil, criminal or other), amounts paid or payable in settlement, including any interest, assessments, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement and all other charges paid or payable in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be a witness or participate in, any Claim.

(m) “ Person ” means any individual, corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, estate, trust, business association, organization, governmental entity or other entity and includes the meaning set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act.

(n) References to “ serving at the request of the Company ” include any service as a director, manager, officer, employee, representative or agent of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, manager, officer, employee or agent, including but not limited to any employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in and not opposed to the best interests of the Company in Indemnitee’s capacity as a director, manager, officer, employee, representative or agent of the Company, including but not limited to acting in the best interest of participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan will be deemed to have acted in a manner “ not opposed to the best interests of the Company ” as referred to under applicable law or in this Agreement.

2. Indemnification .

(a) Subject to Section  9 and Section  10 of this Agreement, the Company shall indemnify and hold Indemnitee harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware in effect on the date hereof, or as such laws may from time to time hereafter be amended to increase the scope of such permitted indemnification, against any and all Losses and Expenses if Indemnitee was or is or becomes a party to or participant in, or is threatened to be made a party to or participant in, any Claim by reason of or arising in part out of an Indemnifiable Event, including, without limitation, Claims brought by or in the right of the Company, Claims brought by third parties, and Claims in which Indemnitee is solely a witness.

(b) If (i) Indemnitee is or was affiliated with one or more Persons that is an equity owner of the Company (an “ Appointing Member ”), and (ii) the Appointing Member was or is a party to, or was or is threatened to be made a party to, or was or is otherwise involved or a participant in any Claim relating to or arising by reason of Appointing Member’s position as an equity holder of, or lender to, the Company, or Appointing Member’s appointment of or affiliation with Indemnitee or any other director, including without limitation any alleged misappropriation of a Company asset or corporate opportunity, any claim of misappropriation or infringement of intellectual property relating to the Company, any alleged false or misleading statement or omission

 

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made by the Company (or on its behalf) or its employees or agents, or any allegation of inappropriate control or influence over the Company or its Board members, officers, equity holders or debt holders, then the Appointing Member will be entitled to indemnification hereunder for Losses to the same extent as Indemnitee, and the terms of this Agreement as they relate to procedures for indemnification of Indemnitee and advancement of Expenses shall apply to any such indemnification of the Appointing Member.

(c) If (i) Indemnitee is or was affiliated with one or more Persons that is controlled by Indemnitee (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include the Company or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries) (an “ Affiliated Indemnitee ”), and (ii) the Affiliated Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Claim relating to or arising by reason of the Affiliated Indemnitee’s affiliation with Indemnitee, then the Affiliated Indemnitee will be entitled to indemnification hereunder for Losses to the same extent as Indemnitee, and the terms of this Agreement as they relate to procedures for indemnification of Indemnitee and advancement of Expenses shall apply to any such indemnification of the Affiliated Indemnitee.

(d) For the avoidance of doubt, the indemnification rights and obligations contained herein shall also extend to any Claim in which Indemnitee was or is a party to, was or is threatened to be made a party to or was or is otherwise involved in any capacity in by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status as a fiduciary capacity with respect to an employee benefit plan. In connection therewith, if Indemnitee has acted in good faith and in a manner which appeared to be consistent with the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan and not opposed thereto, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner not opposed to the best interests of the Company.

3. Contribution .

(a) Whether or not the indemnification provided in Section  2 is available, in respect of any Claim in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Claim), the Company shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount of any judgment or settlement of such Claim without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have against Indemnitee. The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any Claim in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Claim) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee.

(b) Without diminishing or impairing the obligations of the Company set forth in the preceding subparagraph, if, for any reason, Indemnitee shall elect or be required to pay all or any portion of any judgment or settlement in any Claim in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Claim), the Company shall contribute to the amount of Losses paid or payable by Indemnitee in proportion to the relative benefits received by the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Claim), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, from the

 

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transaction or events from which such Claim arose; provided , however , that the proportion determined on the basis of relative benefit may, to the extent necessary to conform to law, be further adjusted by reference to the relative fault of the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Claim), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, in connection with the transaction or events that resulted in such Losses, as well as any other equitable considerations which applicable law may require to be considered. The relative fault of the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Claim), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, the degree to which their actions were motivated by intent to gain personal profit or advantage, the degree to which their liability is primary or secondary and the degree to which their conduct is active or passive.

(c) The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify and hold Indemnitee harmless from any claims of contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.

(d) To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Claim in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such Claim; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).

4. Advancement of Expenses . The Company shall, if requested by Indemnitee, advance, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to Indemnitee (an “ Expense Advance ”) any and all Expenses actually and reasonably paid or incurred (even if unpaid) by Indemnitee in connection with any Claim arising out of an Indemnifiable Event (whether prior to or after its final disposition). Indemnitee’s right to such advancement is not subject to the satisfaction of any standard of conduct. Without limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, within five (5) business days after any request by Indemnitee, the Company shall, in accordance with such request, (a) pay such Expenses on behalf of Indemnitee, (b) advance to Indemnitee funds in an amount sufficient to pay such Expenses, or (c) reimburse Indemnitee for such Expenses. In connection with any request for Expense Advances, Indemnitee shall not be required to provide any documentation or information to the extent that the provision thereof would undermine or otherwise jeopardize attorney-client privilege. Execution and delivery to the Company of this Agreement by Indemnitee constitutes an undertaking by Indemnitee to repay any amounts paid, advanced or reimbursed by the Company pursuant to this Section  4 in respect of

 

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Expenses relating to, arising out of or resulting from any Claim in respect of which it shall be determined, pursuant to Section  9 , following the final disposition of such Claim, that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification hereunder. No other form of undertaking shall be required other than the execution of this Agreement. Each Expense Advance will be unsecured and interest free and will be made by the Company without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expense Advance.

5. Indemnification for Expenses in Enforcing Rights . To the fullest extent allowable under applicable law, the Company shall also indemnify against, and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall advance to Indemnitee subject to and in accordance with Section  4 , any Expenses actually and reasonably paid or incurred (even if unpaid) by Indemnitee in connection with any action or proceeding by Indemnitee for (a) indemnification or reimbursement or advance payment of Expenses by the Company under any provision of this Agreement, or under any other agreement or provision of the Certificate of Incorporation now or hereafter in effect relating to Claims relating to Indemnifiable Events, and/or (b) recovery under any D&O Insurance maintained by the Company, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification or insurance recovery, as the case may be. Indemnitee shall be required to reimburse the Company in the event that a final judicial determination is made that such action brought by Indemnitee was frivolous or not made in good faith.

6. Partial Indemnity . If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for a portion of any Losses in respect of a Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event but not for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.

7. Notification and Defense of Claims .

(a) Notification of Claims . Indemnitee shall notify the Company in writing as soon as reasonably practicable of any Claim which could relate to an Indemnifiable Event or for which Indemnitee could seek Expense Advances, including a brief description (based upon information then available to Indemnitee) of the nature of, and the facts underlying, such Claim, to the extent then known. The failure by Indemnitee to timely notify the Company hereunder shall not relieve the Company from any liability hereunder except to the extent the Company’s ability to participate in the defense of such claim was materially and adversely affected by such failure. If at the time of the receipt of such notice, the Company has D&O Insurance or any other insurance in effect under which coverage for Claims related to Indemnifiable Events is potentially available, the Company shall give prompt written notice to the applicable insurers in accordance with the procedures, provisions, and terms set forth in the applicable policies. The Company shall provide to Indemnitee a copy of such notice delivered to the applicable insurers, and copies of all subsequent correspondence between the Company and such insurers regarding the Claim, in each case substantially concurrently with the delivery or receipt thereof by the Company.

 

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(b) Defense of Claims . The Company shall be entitled to participate in the defense of any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event at its own expense and, except as otherwise provided below, to the extent the Company so wishes, it may assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee. After notice from the Company to Indemnitee of its election to assume the defense of any such Claim, the Company shall not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise for any Expenses subsequently directly incurred by Indemnitee in connection with Indemnitee’s defense of such Claim other than reasonable costs of investigation or as otherwise provided below. Indemnitee shall have the right to employ its own legal counsel in such Claim, but all Expenses related to such counsel incurred after notice from the Company of its assumption of the defense shall be at Indemnitee’s own expense; provided , however , that if (i) Indemnitee’s employment of its own legal counsel has been authorized by the Company, (ii) Indemnitee has reasonably determined that there may be a conflict of interest between Indemnitee and the Company in the defense of such Claim, (iii) after a Change in Control, Indemnitee’s employment of its own counsel has been approved by the Independent Counsel or (iv) the Company shall not in fact have employed counsel to assume the defense of such Claim, then Indemnitee shall be entitled to retain its own separate counsel (but not more than one law firm plus, if applicable, local counsel in respect of any such Claim) and all Expenses related to such separate counsel shall be borne by the Company.

8. Procedure upon Application for Indemnification . In order to obtain indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request therefor, including in such request such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification following the final disposition of the Claim, provided that documentation and information need not be so provided to the extent that the provision thereof would undermine or otherwise jeopardize attorney-client privilege. Indemnification shall be made insofar as the Company determines Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification in accordance with Section  9 below.

9. Determination of Right to Indemnification .

(a) Mandatory Indemnification; Indemnification as a Witness .

(i) To the extent that Indemnitee shall have been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event or any portion thereof or in defense of any issue or matter therein, including without limitation dismissal without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Losses relating to such Claim in accordance with Section  2 , and no Standard of Conduct Determination (as defined in Section 9(b) ) shall be required.

(ii) To the extent that Indemnitee’s involvement in a Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event is to prepare to serve and serve as a witness, and not as a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Losses incurred in connection therewith to the fullest extent allowable by law and no Standard of Conduct Determination (as defined in Section 9(b) ) shall be required.

 

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(b) Standard of Conduct . To the extent that the provisions of Section 9(a) are inapplicable to a Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event that shall have been finally disposed of, any determination of whether Indemnitee has satisfied any applicable standard of conduct under Delaware law that is a legally required condition to indemnification of Indemnitee hereunder against Losses relating to such Claim and any determination that Expense Advances must be repaid to the Company (a “ Standard of Conduct Determination ”) shall be made as follows:

(i) if no Change in Control has occurred, (A) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum of the Board, (B) by a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum or (C) if there are no such Disinterested Directors, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion addressed to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee; and

(ii) if a Change in Control shall have occurred, (A) if Indemnitee so requests in writing, by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum of the Board or (B) otherwise, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion addressed to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee.

The Company shall indemnify and hold Indemnitee harmless against and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall reimburse Indemnitee for, or advance to Indemnitee, within five (5) business days of such request, any and all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in cooperating with the person or persons making such Standard of Conduct Determination.

(c) Making the Standard of Conduct Determination . The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause any Standard of Conduct Determination required under Section 9(b) to be made as promptly as practicable. If the person or persons designated to make the Standard of Conduct Determination under Section 9(b) shall not have made a determination within thirty (30) days after the later of (A) receipt by the Company of a written request from Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section  8 (the date of such receipt being the “ Notification Date ”) and (B) the selection of an Independent Counsel, if such determination is to be made by Independent Counsel, then Indemnitee shall be deemed to have satisfied the applicable standard of conduct; provided that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, if the person or persons making such determination in good faith requires such additional time to obtain or evaluate information relating thereto. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement of Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of any Claim.

(d) Payment of Indemnification . If, in regard to any Losses:

(i) Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification pursuant to Section 9(a) ;

 

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(ii) no Standard of Conduct Determination is legally required as a condition to indemnification of Indemnitee hereunder; or

(iii) Indemnitee has been determined or deemed pursuant to Section 9(b) or Section 9(c) to have satisfied the Standard of Conduct Determination,

then the Company shall pay to Indemnitee, within five (5) business days after the later of (A) the Notification Date or (B) the earliest date on which the applicable criterion specified in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) is satisfied, an amount equal to such Losses.

(e) Selection of Independent Counsel for Standard of Conduct Determination . If a Standard of Conduct Determination is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 9(b)(i) , the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising him of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. If a Standard of Conduct Determination is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 9(b)(ii) , the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee, and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. In either case, Indemnitee or the Company, as applicable, may, within five (5) business days after receiving written notice of selection from the other, deliver to the other a written objection to such selection; provided , however , that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not satisfy the criteria set forth in the definition of “Independent Counsel” in Section 1(k) , and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person or firm so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is properly and timely made and substantiated, (i) the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection is without merit; and (ii) the non-objecting party may, at its option, select an alternative Independent Counsel and give written notice to the other party advising such other party of the identity of the alternative Independent Counsel so selected, in which case the provisions of the two immediately preceding sentences, the introductory clause of this sentence and numbered clause (i) of this sentence shall apply to such subsequent selection and notice. If applicable, the provisions of clause (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to successive alternative selections. If no Independent Counsel that is permitted under the foregoing provisions of this Section 9(e) to make the Standard of Conduct Determination shall have been selected within twenty (20) days after the Company gives its initial notice pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 9(e) or Indemnitee gives its initial notice pursuant to the second sentence of this Section 9(e) , as the case may be, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (“ Delaware Court ”) to resolve any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or to appoint as Independent Counsel a person to be selected by the Court or such other person as the Court shall designate, and the person or firm with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person or firm so appointed will act as Independent Counsel. In all events, the Company shall pay all of the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel incurred in connection with the Independent Counsel’s determination pursuant to Section 9(b) .

 

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(f) Presumptions and Defenses .

(i) Indemnitee’s Entitlement to Indemnification . In making any Standard of Conduct Determination, the person or persons making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee has satisfied the applicable standard of conduct and is entitled to indemnification, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption and establish that Indemnitee is not so entitled. Any Standard of Conduct Determination that is adverse to Indemnitee may be challenged by Indemnitee in the Delaware Court. No determination by the Company (including by its Board or any Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not satisfied any applicable standard of conduct may be used as a defense to any legal proceedings brought by Indemnitee to secure indemnification or reimbursement or advance payment of Expenses by the Company hereunder or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met any applicable standard of conduct.

(ii) Reliance as a Safe Harbor . For purposes of this Agreement, and without creating any presumption as to a lack of good faith if the following circumstances do not exist, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company if Indemnitee’s actions or omissions to act are taken in good faith reliance upon the records of the Company, including its financial statements, or upon information, opinions, reports or statements furnished to Indemnitee by the officers or employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries in the course of their duties, or by committees of the Board or by any other Person (including legal counsel, accountants and financial advisors) as to matters Indemnitee reasonably believes are within such other Person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Company. In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failures to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Company shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnity hereunder.

(iii) No Other Presumptions . For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of any Claim by judgment, order, settlement (whether with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, will not create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet any applicable standard of conduct or have any particular belief, or that indemnification hereunder is otherwise not permitted.

(iv) Defense to Indemnification and Burden of Proof . It shall be a defense to any action brought by Indemnitee against the Company to enforce this Agreement (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for Losses incurred in defending against a Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event in advance of its final disposition) that it is not permissible under applicable law for the Company to indemnify Indemnitee for the amount claimed. In connection with any such action or any related Standard of Conduct Determination, the burden of proving such a defense or that Indemnitee did not satisfy the applicable standard of conduct shall be on the Company.

 

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(v) Resolution of Claims . The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful on the merits or otherwise for purposes of Section 9(a)(i) if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such action, claim or proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration), it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise for purposes of Section 9(a)(i) . The Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome this presumption.

10. Exclusions from Indemnification . Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall not be obligated to:

(a) indemnify or advance funds to Indemnitee for Losses with respect to proceedings initiated by Indemnitee, including any proceedings against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees and not by way of defense, except:

(i) proceedings referenced in Section  4 above (unless a court of competent jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee in such proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous); or

(ii) where the Company has joined in or the Board has consented to the initiation of such proceedings.

(b) indemnify Indemnitee if a final decision by a court of competent jurisdiction determines that such indemnification is prohibited by applicable law.

(c) indemnify Indemnitee for the disgorgement of profits arising from the purchase or sale by Indemnitee of securities of the Company in violation of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, or any similar successor statute.

11. Remedies of Indemnitee .

(a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section  9 that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) an Expense Advance is not timely made pursuant to Section  4 , (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification is made pursuant to Section  9 within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, or (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant Section 9(d) , Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in a Delaware Court, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, of Indemnitee’s entitlement to such indemnification. Indemnitee shall commence such proceeding seeking an adjudication within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 11(a) . The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication.

(b) In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section  11 , seeks a judicial adjudication or arbitration of his or her rights under, or to recover damages for breach of,

 

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this Agreement, any other agreement for indemnification, payment of Expenses in advance or contribution hereunder or to recover under any director and officer liability insurance policies or any other insurance policies maintained by the Company, the Company will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee against any and all Expenses which are paid or incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such judicial adjudication or arbitration, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, payment of Expenses in advance or contribution or insurance recovery. In addition, if requested by Indemnitee, the Company will (within five (5) days after receipt by the Company of the written request therefor), pay as an Expense Advance such Expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

(c) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section  9 that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section  11 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of the adverse determination under Section  9 .

(d) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section  9 that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section  11 , absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s misstatement not materially misleading in connection with the application for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.

(e) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding commenced pursuant to this Section  11 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.

12. Settlement of Claims . The Company shall not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any threatened or pending Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event effected without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided , however , that if a Change in Control has occurred, the Company shall be liable for indemnification of Indemnitee for amounts paid in settlement if an Independent Counsel (which, for purposes of this Section  12 , shall be selected by the Company with the prior consent of Indemnitee, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) has approved the settlement. The Company shall not settle any Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event in any manner that would impose any Losses on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s prior written consent.

13. Duration . All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period that Indemnitee is a director or officer of the Company (or is serving at the request of the Company as a director, manager, officer, employee, member, trustee or agent of another Enterprise) and shall continue thereafter (i) so long as Indemnitee may be subject to any possible Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event

 

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(including any rights of appeal thereto) and (ii) throughout the pendency of any proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto) commenced by Indemnitee to enforce or interpret his or her rights under this Agreement, even if, in either case, he or she may have ceased to serve in such capacity at the time of any such Claim or proceeding.

14. Other Indemnitors . If Indemnitee is a director appointed by an Appointing Member, the Company hereby acknowledges that Indemnitee may have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of Expenses and/or insurance provided by certain private equity funds, hedge funds or other investment vehicles or management companies and/or certain of their affiliates and by personal policies (collectively, the “ Other Indemnitors ”). The Company hereby agrees (i) that it is the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., its obligations to Indemnitee are primary and any obligation of the Other Indemnitors to advance Expenses or to provide indemnification for the same Expenses or liabilities incurred by Indemnitee are secondary), (ii) that it shall be required to advance the full amount of Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall be liable for the full amount of all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement to the extent legally permitted and as required by the terms of this Agreement and the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company (or any other agreement between the Company and Indemnitee), without regard to any rights Indemnitee may have against the Other Indemnitors, and, (iii) that it irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases the Other Indemnitors from any and all claims against the Other Indemnitors for contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect thereof. The Company further agrees that no advancement or payment by the Other Indemnitors on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which Indemnitee has sought indemnification from the Company shall affect the foregoing and the Other Indemnitors shall have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee against the Company. The Company and Indemnitee agree that the Other Indemnitors are express third party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section  14 .

15. Non-Exclusivity . The rights of Indemnitee hereunder will be in addition to any other rights Indemnitee may have under the Certificate of Incorporation, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (as may be amended from time to time, the “ DGCL ”), any other contract, in law or in equity, and under the laws of any state, territory, or jurisdiction, or otherwise (collectively, “ Other Indemnity Provisions ”); provided , however , that (a) to the extent that Indemnitee otherwise would have any greater right to indemnification under any Other Indemnity Provision, Indemnitee will be deemed to have such greater right hereunder and (b) to the extent that any change is made to any Other Indemnity Provision which permits any greater right to indemnification than that provided under this Agreement as of the date hereof, Indemnitee will be deemed to have such greater right hereunder. The Company will not adopt any amendment to its Certificate of Incorporation the effect of which would be to deny, diminish, encumber or limit Indemnitee’s right to indemnification under this Agreement or any Other Indemnity Provision.

16. Liability Insurance . For the duration of Indemnitee’s service as a director or officer of the Company, and thereafter for so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any

 

14


pending Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event, the Company shall use best efforts to continue to maintain in effect policies of D&O Insurance providing coverage that is at least substantially comparable in scope and amount to that provided by the Company’s current policies of D&O Insurance. In all policies of D&O Insurance maintained by the Company, Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are provided to the most favorably insured of the Company’s director and officers. Upon request, the Company will provide to Indemnitee copies of all D&O Insurance applications, binders, policies, declarations, endorsements and other related materials.

17. No Duplication of Payments . The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment to Indemnitee in respect of any Losses to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise received payment under any insurance policy, any Other Indemnity Provisions or otherwise of the amounts otherwise indemnifiable by the Company hereunder.

18. Subrogation . In the event of payment to Indemnitee under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall execute all papers required and shall do everything that may be necessary to secure such rights, including the execution of such documents necessary to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.

19. More Favorable Terms . In the event the Company enters into an indemnification agreement with another director, officer or similar person, as the case may be, containing terms more favorable to the indemnitee thereof than the terms contained herein, Indemnitee will be afforded the benefit of such more favorable terms and such more favorable terms will be deemed incorporated by reference herein as if set forth in full herein. As promptly as practicable following the execution thereof, the Company will (a) send a copy of the agreement containing more favorable terms to Indemnitee, and (b) prepare, execute and deliver to Indemnitee an amendment to this Agreement containing such more favorable terms.

20. Indemnitee Consent . The Company will not, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee, consent to the entry of any judgment against Indemnitee or enter into any settlement or compromise which (a) includes an admission of fault of Indemnitee, any non-monetary remedy imposed on Indemnitee or a Loss for which Indemnitee is not wholly indemnified hereunder or (b) with respect to any Claim with respect to which Indemnitee may be or is made a party or a participant or may be or is otherwise entitled to seek indemnification hereunder, does not include, as an unconditional term thereof, the full release of Indemnitee from all liability in respect of such Claim, which release will be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee. Neither the Company nor Indemnitee will unreasonably withhold its consent to any proposed settlement; provided , however , Indemnitee may withhold consent to any settlement that does not provide a full and unconditional release of Indemnitee from all liability in respect of such Claim.

 

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21. Amendments . No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be binding unless in the form of a writing signed by the party against whom enforcement of the waiver is sought, and no such waiver shall operate as a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar), nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver. Except as specifically provided herein, no failure to exercise or any delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall constitute a waiver thereof.

22. Binding Effect . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs and personal and legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.

23. Severability . Each provision of this Agreement shall be considered severable and if for any reason any provision which is not essential to the effectuation of the basic purposes of this Agreement is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, unenforceable or contrary to the DGCL or existing or future applicable law, such invalidity, unenforceability or illegality shall not impair the operation of or affect those provisions of this Agreement which are valid, enforceable and legal. In that case, this Agreement shall be construed so as to limit any term or provision so as to make it valid, enforceable and legal within the requirements of any applicable law, and in the event such term or provision cannot be so limited, this Agreement shall be construed to omit such invalid, unenforceable or illegal provisions.

24. Notices . All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if delivered by hand, against receipt, or mailed, by postage prepaid, certified or registered mail:

(a) if to Indemnitee, to the address set forth on the signature page hereto.

 

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(b) if to the Company, to:

 

Warrior Met Coal, Inc.
Attention:    Dale W. Boyles
Address:   

16243 Highway 216

Brookwood, AL 35444

Telephone No.:    (205) 554-6150
Facsimile No.:    (205) 554-6011

Notice of change of address shall be effective only when given in accordance with this Section  24 . All notices complying with this Section  24 shall be deemed to have been received on the date of hand delivery or on the third business day after mailing.

25. Governing Law . THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE (OTHER THAN ITS RULES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW TO THE EXTENT THAT THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED THEREBY).

26. Jurisdiction . The parties hereby agree that any suit, action or proceeding seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of or in connection with, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, whether in contract, tort or otherwise, shall be brought in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware or in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if such court lacks subject matter jurisdiction, in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware), so long as one of such courts shall have subject-matter jurisdiction over such suit, action or proceeding, and that any case of action arising out of this Agreement shall be deemed to have arisen from a transaction of business in the State of Delaware. Each of the parties hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such suit, action or proceeding and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding in any such court or that any such suit, action or proceeding which is brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

27. Enforcement .

(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumes the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director or officer of the Company.

(b) Without limiting Section  15 , this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.

(c) The Company shall not seek from a court, or agree to, a “bar order” which would have the effect of prohibiting or limiting Indemnitee’s rights to receive advancement of Expenses under this Agreement.

 

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28. Headings and Captions . All headings and captions contained in this Agreement and the table of contents hereto are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

29. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute one and the same agreement. Facsimile counterpart signatures to this Agreement shall be binding and enforceable.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

WARRIOR MET COAL, INC.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE – INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT]


INDEMNITEE:

 

Name:  
Address:  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE – INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT]

Exhibit 10.2

WARRIOR MET COAL, INC.

2017 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

1. Purpose . The purpose of the Warrior Met Coal, Inc. 2017 Equity Incentive Plan is to provide a means through which the Company and its Affiliates may attract and retain key personnel and to provide a means whereby directors, officers, employees, consultants and advisors (and prospective directors, officers, employees, consultants and advisors) of the Company and its Affiliates can acquire and maintain an equity interest in the Company, or be paid incentive compensation, which may (but need not) be measured by reference to the value of Common Stock, thereby strengthening their commitment to the welfare of the Company and its Affiliates and aligning their interests with those of the Company’s stockholders.

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

(a) “ Affiliate ” means (i) any person or entity that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company and/or (ii) to the extent provided by the Committee, any person or entity in which the Company has a significant interest. The term “control” (including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as applied to any person or entity, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such person or entity, whether through the ownership of voting or other securities, by contract or otherwise.

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

(c) “ Award Agreement ” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing the grant of an Award to the Participant.

(d) “ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(e) “ Business Combination ” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control.”

(f) “ Cause ” means, in the case of a particular Award, unless the applicable Award Agreement states otherwise, (i) the Company or an Affiliate having “cause” to terminate a Participant’s employment or service, as defined in any employment or consulting agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate in effect at the time of such termination or (ii) in the absence of any such employment or consulting agreement (or the absence of any definition of “Cause” contained therein), the Participant’s (A) commission of, conviction for, plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude, or other material act or omission involving dishonesty or fraud, (B) engaging in conduct that constitutes fraud or embezzlement, (C) engaging in conduct that constitutes gross negligence or willful gross misconduct that results or could reasonably be expected to result in harm to the Company’s or any Affiliate’s business or reputation, (D) breach of any material terms of written agreement between the Company and the Participant, (E) continued willful failure to substantially perform the Participant’s duties on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates or (F) breach of any material policy of the Company or any Affiliate. Any determination of whether Cause exists shall be made by the Committee in its sole discretion.

 

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

(i) Any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”)) (a “ Person ”) becomes the beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 50% or more of either (A) the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company (the “ Outstanding Company Common Stock ”) or (B) the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “ Outstanding Company Voting Securities ”); provided , however , that, for purposes of this Section 2(f), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (I) any acquisition directly from the Company, (II) any acquisition by the Company, (III) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Affiliate, or (IV) any acquisition by any corporation pursuant to a transaction that complies with Sections 2(g)(iii)(A), 2(g)(iii)(B) and 2(g)(iii)(C);

(ii) During any period of twelve (12) consecutive months, individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (the “ Incumbent Board ”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided , however , that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the date hereof whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board;

(iii) Consummation of a reorganization (excluding a reorganization under either Chapter 7 or Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Code), merger, statutory share exchange or consolidation or similar transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each, a “ Business Combination ”), in each case unless, following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities that were the beneficial owners of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the then-outstanding shares of common stock (or, for a non-corporate entity, equivalent securities) and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (or, for a non-corporate entity, equivalent governing body), as the case may be, of the entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, an entity that, as a result of such transaction, owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more Subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such

 

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Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (B) no Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or such corporation resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such corporation, except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination, and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors (or, for a non-corporate entity, equivalent governing body) of the entity resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the action of the Board providing for such Business Combination; or

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

To the extent an Award provides for “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and a Change in Control is intended to constitute a payment event under such Award, then Change in Control shall mean a transaction, event or circumstance that is both (x) described in the preceding provisions of this definition, and (y) a “change in control event” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).

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

(i) “ Committee ” means a committee of at least two people as the Board may appoint to administer the Plan or, if no such committee has been appointed by the Board, the Board.

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

(k) “ Company ” means Warrior Met Coal, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any successor thereto.

(l) “ Date of Grant ” means the date on which the granting of an Award is authorized, or such other date as may be specified in such authorization.

(m) “ Effective Date ” means April 19, 2017.

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

(o) “ Eligible Person ” means any (i) individual employed by the Company or an Affiliate; provided , however , that no such employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement shall be an Eligible Person unless and to the extent that such eligibility is set forth in such collective bargaining agreement or in an agreement or instrument relating thereto; (ii) director of the Company or an Affiliate; (iii) consultant or advisor to the Company or an Affiliate who may be offered securities registrable on Form S-8 under the Securities Act or pursuant to Rule 701 of the Securities Act, or any other available exemption, as applicable; or

 

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(iv) prospective employees, directors, officers, consultants or advisors who have accepted offers of employment or consultancy from the Company or its Affiliates (and would satisfy the provisions of clauses (i) through (iii) above once he or she begins employment with or providing services to the Company or its Affiliates).

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

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

(r) “ Fair Market Value ” means, on a given date, (i) if the Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange or another national securities exchange, the closing sales price of the Common Stock reported on such national securities exchange, or, if there is no such sale on that date, then on the last preceding date on which such a sale was reported; (ii) if the Common Stock is not listed on the New York Stock Exchange or another national securities exchange, but is quoted in the NASDAQ National Market Reporting System or another inter-dealer quotation system on a last sale basis, the closing bid price or, if there is no such sale on that date, then on the last preceding date on which a sale was reported; or (iii) if the Common Stock is not listed on a national securities exchange or quoted in an inter-dealer quotation system on a last sale basis, the amount determined by the Committee in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder to be the fair market value of the Common Stock.

(s) “ Immediate Family Members ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 15(b).

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

(u) “ Incumbent Board ” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control.”

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

(w) Mature Shares ” means shares of Common Stock owned by a Participant that are not subject to any pledge or security interest and that have been either previously acquired by the Participant on the open market or meet such other requirements, if any, as the Committee may determine are necessary in order to avoid an accounting earnings charge on account of the use of such shares to pay the Exercise Price or satisfy a withholding obligation of the Participant.

 

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

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

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

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

(bb) “ Outstanding Company Common Stock ” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control.”

(cc) “ Outstanding Company Voting Securities ” has the meaning given such term in the definition of “Change in Control.”

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

(ee) “ Performance Compensation Award ” shall mean any Award designated by the Committee as a Performance Compensation Award pursuant to Section 11 of the Plan.

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

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

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

(ii) “ Performance Period ” shall mean the one or more periods of time, as the Committee may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to, and the payment of, a Performance Compensation Award.

(jj) “ Permitted Transferee ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 15(b) of the Plan.

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

 

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(ll) “ Plan ” means this Warrior Met Coal, Inc. 2017 Equity Incentive Plan.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(tt) “ Strike Price ” means, except as otherwise provided by the Committee in the case of Substitute Awards, (i) in the case of a SAR granted in tandem with an Option, the Exercise Price of the related Option, or (ii) in the case of a SAR granted independent of an Option, the Fair Market Value on the Date of Grant.

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

(1) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Outstanding Company Voting Securities (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency and after giving effect to any voting agreement or stockholders’ agreement that effectively transfers voting power) is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof); and

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

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

 

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3. Effective Date; Duration . The Plan shall be effective as of the Effective Date. The expiration date of the Plan, on and after which date no Awards may be granted hereunder, shall be the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date; provided , however , that such expiration shall not affect Awards then outstanding, and the terms and conditions of the Plan shall continue to apply to such Awards.

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

(b) Subject to the provisions of the Plan and applicable law, the Committee shall have the sole and plenary authority, in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by the Plan, to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant; (iii) determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights, or other matters are to be calculated in connection with, Awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award; (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled or exercised in cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities, other Awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited, or suspended and the method or methods by which Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited, or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances the delivery of cash, Common Stock, other securities, other Awards or other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the Participant or of the Committee; (vii) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any defect in and/or supply any omission in the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award granted under, the Plan; (viii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Committee shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; (ix) accelerate the vesting or exercisability of, payment for or lapse of restrictions on, Awards; and (x) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.

(c) The Committee may delegate to one or more officers of the Company or any Affiliate the authority to act on behalf of the Committee with respect to any matter, right, obligation, or election that is the responsibility of or that is allocated to the Committee herein,

 

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and that may be so delegated as a matter of law, except for grants of Awards to persons (i) subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or (ii) who are, or who are reasonably expected to be, “covered employees” for purposes of Code Section 162(m).

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

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

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

5. Grant of Awards; Shares Subject to the Plan; Limitations . (a) The Committee may, from time to time, grant Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Bonus Awards and/or Performance Compensation Awards to one or more Eligible Persons.

 

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(b) Awards granted under the Plan shall be subject to the following limitations: (i) subject to Section 12 of the Plan, the Committee is authorized to deliver under the Plan an aggregate of 5,938,059 shares of Common Stock; (ii) subject to Section 12 of the Plan, grants of Options or SARs under the Plan in respect of no more than 1,484,515 shares of Common Stock may be made to any single Participant during any calendar year and, subject to Section 12 of the Plan, grants of Incentive Stock Options under the Plan in respect of no more than 1,484,515 shares of Common Stock may be made to any single Participant during any single calendar year; (iii) subject to Section 12 of the Plan, no more than 1,484,515 shares of Common Stock may be earned in respect of Performance Compensation Awards granted pursuant to Section 11 of the Plan to any single Participant for a single calendar year during a Performance Period, or in the event such Performance Compensation Award is paid in cash, other securities, other Awards or other property, no more than the Fair Market Value of 1,484,515 shares of Common Stock on the last day of the Performance Period to which such Award relates; (iv) the maximum amount that can be paid to any single Participant in any one calendar year pursuant to a cash bonus Award described in Section 11(a) of the Plan shall be $10,000,000; and (v) subject to Section 12 of the Plan, no more than 296,903 shares of Common Stock may be issued in respect of Awards granted to any single Participant who is a non-employee director for a single calendar year.

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

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

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

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

7. Options . (a) Generally . Each Option granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement (whether in paper or electronic medium (including email or the posting on a web site maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company)). Each Option so granted shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 7, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement. All Options granted under the Plan shall be Nonqualified Stock Options unless the

 

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

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

(c) Vesting and Expiration . Options shall vest and become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates determined by the Committee and set forth in an Award Agreement and shall expire after such period, not to exceed ten years, as may be determined by the Committee (the “ Option Period ”); provided , however , that the Option Period shall not exceed five years from the Date of Grant in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant who on the Date of Grant owns stock representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Affiliate; provided , further , that notwithstanding any vesting dates set by the Committee, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the exercisability of any Option, which acceleration shall not affect the terms and conditions of such Option other than with respect to exercisability. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award Agreement: (i) the unvested portion of an Option shall expire upon termination of employment or service of the Participant granted the Option, and the vested portion of such Option shall remain exercisable for (A) one year following termination of employment or service by reason of such Participant’s death or disability (as determined by the Committee), but not later than the expiration of the Option Period or (B) 90 days following termination of employment or service for any reason other than such Participant’s death or disability, and other than such Participant’s termination of employment or service for Cause, but not later than the expiration of the Option Period; and (ii) both the unvested and the vested portion of an Option shall expire upon the termination of the Participant’s employment or service by the Company for Cause.

 

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

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

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

8. Stock Appreciation Rights . (a) Generally . Each SAR granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement (whether in paper or electronic medium (including email or the posting on a web site maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company)). Each SAR so granted shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 8, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement. Any Option granted under the Plan may include tandem SARs. The Committee also may award SARs to Eligible Persons independent of any Option.

 

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(b) Vesting and Expiration . A SAR granted in connection with an Option shall become exercisable and shall expire according to the same vesting schedule and expiration provisions as the corresponding Option. A SAR granted independent of an Option shall vest and become exercisable and shall expire in such manner and on such date or dates determined by the Committee and set forth in an Award Agreement and shall expire after such period, not to exceed ten years, as may be determined by the Committee (the “ SAR Period ”); provided, however, that notwithstanding any vesting dates set by the Committee, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the exercisability of any SAR, which acceleration shall not affect the terms and conditions of such SAR other than with respect to exercisability. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award Agreement: (i) the unvested portion of a SAR shall expire upon termination of employment or service of the Participant granted the SAR, and the vested portion of such SAR shall remain exercisable for (A) one year following termination of employment or service by reason of such Participant’s death or disability (as determined by the Committee), but not later than the expiration of the SAR Period or (B) 90 days following termination of employment or service for any reason other than such Participant’s death or disability, and other than such Participant’s termination of employment or service for Cause, but not later than the expiration of the SAR Period; and (ii) both the unvested and the vested portion of a SAR shall expire upon the termination of the Participant’s employment or service by the Company for Cause.

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

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

9. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units . (a) Generally . Each grant of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement (whether in paper or electronic medium (including email or the posting on a web site maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company)). Each such grant shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 9, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

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(b) Stock Certificates; Escrow or Similar Arrangement . Upon the grant of Restricted Stock, the Committee shall cause a stock certificate registered in the name of the Participant to be issued and, if the Committee determines that the Restricted Stock shall be held by the Company or in escrow rather than delivered to the Participant pending the release of the applicable restrictions, the Committee may require the Participant to additionally execute and deliver to the Company (i) an escrow agreement satisfactory to the Committee, if applicable, and (ii) the appropriate stock power (endorsed in blank) with respect to the Restricted Stock covered by such agreement. If a Participant shall fail to execute an agreement evidencing an Award of Restricted Stock and, if applicable, an escrow agreement and blank stock power within the amount of time specified by the Committee, the Award shall be null and void. Subject to the restrictions set forth in this Section 9 and the applicable Award Agreement, the Participant generally shall have the rights and privileges of a stockholder as to such Restricted Stock, including without limitation the right to vote such Restricted Stock. To the extent shares of Restricted Stock are forfeited, any stock certificates issued to the Participant evidencing such shares shall be returned to the Company, and all rights of the Participant to such shares and as a stockholder with respect thereto shall terminate without further obligation on the part of the Company.

(c) Vesting; Acceleration of Lapse of Restrictions . Except as provided below: (i) the Restricted Period shall lapse as determined by the Committee and set forth in an Award Agreement; and (ii) the unvested portion of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall terminate and be forfeited upon termination of employment or service of the Participant granted the applicable Award.

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

(ii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award Agreement, upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any outstanding Restricted Stock Units, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, or his beneficiary, without charge, one share of Common Stock for each such outstanding Restricted Stock Unit; provided , however , that the Committee may, in its sole discretion, elect to (i) pay cash or part cash and part Common Stock in lieu of delivering only shares of Common Stock in respect of such Restricted Stock Units or (ii) defer the delivery of Common Stock (or cash or part Common Stock and part cash, as the case may be) beyond the expiration of the Restricted Period. If a cash payment is made in lieu of delivering shares of Common Stock, the amount of such payment shall be equal

 

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to the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock as of the date on which the Restricted Period lapsed with respect to such Restricted Stock Units, less an amount equal to any federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and employment taxes required to be withheld.

(e) Legends on Restricted Stock . Each certificate representing Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan shall bear a legend substantially in the form of the following in addition to any other information the Company deems appropriate until the lapse of all restrictions with respect to such Common Stock:

TRANSFER OF THIS CERTIFICATE AND THE SHARES REPRESENTED HEREBY IS RESTRICTED PURSUANT TO THE TERMS OF THE WARRIOR MET COAL, INC. 2017 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN AND A RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT, BETWEEN WARRIOR MET COAL, INC. AND PARTICIPANT. A COPY OF SUCH PLAN AND AWARD AGREEMENT IS ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF WARRIOR MET COAL, INC.

10. Stock Bonus Awards . The Committee may issue unrestricted Common Stock, or other Awards denominated in Common Stock, under the Plan to Eligible Persons, either alone or in tandem with other awards, in such amounts as the Committee shall from time to time in its sole discretion determine. Each Stock Bonus Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement (whether in paper or electronic medium (including email or the posting on a web site maintained by the Company or a third party under contract with the Company)). Each Stock Bonus Award so granted shall be subject to such conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement.

11. Performance Compensation Awards . (a)  Generally . The Committee shall have the authority, at the time of grant of any Award described in Sections 7 through 10 of the Plan, to designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code. The Committee shall have the authority to make an award of a cash bonus to any Participant and designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.

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

(c) Performance Criteria . The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goal(s) shall be based on the attainment of specific levels of performance of the Company (and/or one or more Affiliates, divisions or operational units, or

 

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any combination of the foregoing) and shall include the following: (i) net earnings or net income (before or after taxes); (ii) basic or diluted earnings per share (before or after taxes); (iii) net revenue or revenue growth; (iv) gross profit or gross profit growth; (v) operating profit (before or after taxes); (vi) return measures (including, but not limited to, return on assets, capital, invested capital, equity, or sales); (vii) cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow, and cash flow return on capital); (viii) earnings before or after taxes, interest, depreciation and/or amortization; (ix) gross or operating margins; (x) productivity ratios; (xi) share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total stockholder return); (xii) expense targets; (xiii) margins; (xiv) operating efficiency; (xv) objective measures of customer satisfaction; (xvi) working capital targets; (xvii) measures of economic value added; (xviii) inventory control; (xix) enterprise value; (xx) sales; (xxi) debt levels and net debt; (xxii) timely launch of new facilities; (xxiii) client retention; (xxiv) employee retention; (xxv) timely completion of new product rollouts; and (xxvi) objective measures of personal targets, goals or completion of projects. Any one or more of the Performance Criteria may be used on an absolute or relative basis to measure the performance of the Company and/or one or more Affiliates as a whole or any business unit(s) of the Company and/or one or more Affiliates or any combination thereof, as the Committee may deem appropriate, or any of the above Performance Criteria may be compared to the performance of a selected group of comparison companies, or a published or special index that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, or as compared to various stock market indices. The Committee also has the authority to provide for accelerated vesting of any Award based on the achievement of Performance Goals pursuant to the Performance Criteria specified in this paragraph. To the extent required under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee shall, within the first 90 days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code), define in an objective fashion the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for such Performance Period and thereafter promptly communicate such Performance Criteria to the Participant.

(d) Modification of Performance Goal(s) . In the event that applicable tax and/or securities laws change to permit Committee discretion to alter the governing Performance Criteria without obtaining stockholder approval of such alterations, the Committee shall have sole discretion to make such alterations without obtaining stockholder approval. The Committee is authorized at any time during the first 90 days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code), or at any time thereafter to the extent the exercise of such authority at such time would not cause the Performance Compensation Awards granted to any Participant for such Performance Period to fail to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, in its sole discretion, to adjust or modify the calculation of a Performance Goal for such Performance Period, based on and in order to appropriately reflect the following events: (i) asset write-downs; (ii) litigation or claim judgments or settlements; (iii) the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or regulatory rules affecting reported results; (iv) any reorganization and restructuring programs; (v) extraordinary nonrecurring items as described in Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 30 (or any successor pronouncement thereto) and/or in management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations appearing in the Company’s annual report to stockholders for the applicable year; (vi) acquisitions or divestitures; (vii) any other specific unusual or nonrecurring events, or objectively determinable category thereof; (viii) foreign exchange gains and losses; and (ix) a change in the Company’s fiscal year.

 

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(e) Payment of Performance Compensation Awards . (i)  Condition to Receipt of Payment . Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant must be employed by the Company on the last day of a Performance Period to be eligible for payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award for such Performance Period.

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

(iii) Certification . Following the completion of a Performance Period, the Committee shall review and certify in writing whether, and to what extent, the Performance Goals for the Performance Period have been achieved and, if so, calculate and certify in writing that amount of the Performance Compensation Awards earned for the period based upon the Performance Formula. The Committee shall then determine the amount of each Participant’s Performance Compensation Award actually payable for the Performance Period and, in so doing, may apply Negative Discretion.

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

(f) Timing of Award Payments . Performance Compensation Awards granted for a Performance Period shall be paid to Participants as soon as administratively practicable following completion of the certifications required by this Section 11, but in no event later than two-and-one-half months following the end of the fiscal year during which the Performance Period is completed.

12. Changes in Capital Structure and Similar Events . In the event of (a) any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, split-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to acquire shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) that affects the shares of Common Stock, or (b) unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) affecting the Company, any Affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any Affiliate, or changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations or other requirements of any governmental body or securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system, accounting principles

 

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or law, such that in either case an adjustment is determined by the Committee in its sole discretion to be necessary or appropriate, then the Committee shall make any such adjustments in such manner as it may deem equitable, including without limitation any or all of the following:

(i) adjusting any or all of (A) the number of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) that may be delivered in respect of Awards or with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan (including, without limitation, adjusting any or all of the limitations under Section 5 of the Plan) and (B) the terms of any outstanding Award, including, without limitation, (1) the number of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) subject to outstanding Awards or to which outstanding Awards relate, (2) the Exercise Price or Strike Price with respect to any Award or (3) any applicable performance measures (including, without limitation, Performance Criteria and Performance Goals);

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

(iii) cancelling any one or more outstanding Awards and causing to be paid to the holders thereof, in cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property, or any combination thereof, the value of such Awards, if any, as determined by the Committee (which if applicable may be based upon the price per share of Common Stock received or to be received by other stockholders of the Company in such event), including without limitation, in the case of an outstanding Option or SAR, a cash payment in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value (as of a date specified by the Committee) of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Option or SAR over the aggregate Exercise Price or Strike Price of such Option or SAR, respectively (it being understood that, in such event, any Option or SAR having a per share Exercise Price or Strike Price equal to, or in excess of, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock subject thereto may be canceled and terminated without any payment or consideration therefor);

provided , however , that in the case of any “equity restructuring” (within the meaning of the Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (revised 2004)), the Committee shall make an equitable or proportionate adjustment to outstanding Awards to reflect such equity restructuring. Any adjustment in Incentive Stock Options under this Section 12 (other than any cancellation of Incentive Stock Options) shall be made only to the extent not constituting a “modification” within the meaning of Section 424(h)(3) of the Code, and any adjustments under this Section 12 shall be made in a manner that does not adversely affect the exemption provided pursuant to Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, to the extent applicable. The Company shall give each Participant notice of an adjustment hereunder and, upon notice, such adjustment shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes.

13. Effect of Change in Control . Except to the extent otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, in the event of a Change in Control, notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, the Committee may provide that, with respect to all or any portion of a particular outstanding Award or Awards:

(a) the then outstanding Options and SARs shall become immediately exercisable as of a time prior to the Change in Control;

 

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(b) the Restricted Period shall expire as of a time prior to the Change in Control (including without limitation a waiver of any applicable Performance Goals);

(c) Performance Periods in effect on the date the Change in Control occurs shall end on such date, and (i) determine the extent to which Performance Goals with respect to each such Performance Period have been met based upon such audited or unaudited financial information or other information then available as it deems relevant and (ii) cause the Participant to receive partial or full payment of Awards for each such Performance Period based upon the Committee’s determination of the degree of attainment of the Performance Goals, or assuming that the applicable “target” levels of performance have been attained or on such other basis determined by the Committee; and

(d) cause Awards previously deferred to be settled in full as soon as practicable.

To the extent practicable, any actions taken by the Committee under the immediately preceding clauses (a) through (d) shall occur in a manner and at a time which allows affected Participants the ability to participate in the Change in Control transactions with respect to the Common Stock subject to their Awards.

14. Amendments and Termination . (a)  Amendment and Termination of the Plan . The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided , that (i) no amendment to Section 11(c) or Section 14(b) (to the extent required by the proviso in such Section 14(b)) shall be made without stockholder approval and (ii) no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation or termination shall be made without stockholder approval if such approval is necessary to comply with any tax or regulatory requirement applicable to the Plan (including, without limitation, as necessary to comply with any rules or requirements of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the shares of Common Stock may be listed or quoted or to prevent the Company from being denied a tax deduction under Section 162(m) of the Code); provided , further , that any such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant or any holder or beneficiary of any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant, holder or beneficiary.

(b) Amendment of Award Agreements . The Committee may, to the extent consistent with the terms of any applicable Award Agreement, waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate, any Award theretofore granted or the associated Award Agreement, prospectively or retroactively; provided that any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant with respect

 

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to any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant; provided , further , that without stockholder approval to the extent required by the rules of any applicable national securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, except as otherwise permitted under Section 12 of the Plan, (i) no amendment or modification may reduce the Exercise Price of any Option or the Strike Price of any SAR, (ii) the Committee may not cancel any outstanding Option or SAR and replace it with a new Option or SAR, another Award or cash and (iii) the Committee may not take any other action that is considered a “repricing” for purposes of the stockholder approval rules of the applicable securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system.

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

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

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

(iii) The terms of any Award transferred in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to the Permitted Transferee and any reference in the Plan, or in any applicable Award Agreement, to a Participant shall be deemed to refer to the Permitted Transferee, except that (A) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to transfer any

 

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Award, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; (B) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to exercise any transferred Option unless there shall be in effect a registration statement on an appropriate form covering the shares of Common Stock to be acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Option if the Committee determines, consistent with any applicable Award Agreement, that such a registration statement is necessary or appropriate; (C) the Committee or the Company shall not be required to provide any notice to a Permitted Transferee, whether or not such notice is or would otherwise have been required to be given to the Participant under the Plan or otherwise; and (D) the consequences of the termination of the Participant’s employment by, or services to, the Company or an Affiliate under the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement shall continue to be applied with respect to the Participant, including, without limitation, that an Option shall be exercisable by the Permitted Transferee only to the extent, and for the periods, specified in the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.

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

(ii) Without limiting the generality of clause (i) above, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, permit a Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the foregoing withholding liability by (A) the delivery of shares of Common Stock (which are not subject to any pledge or other security interest and are Mature Shares) owned by the Participant having a Fair Market Value equal to such withholding liability or (B) having the Company withhold from the number of shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable or deliverable pursuant to the exercise or settlement of the Award a number of shares with a Fair Market Value equal to such withholding liability (but no more than the minimum required statutory withholding liability).

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

 

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

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

(g) Termination of Employment/Service . Unless determined otherwise by the Committee at any point following such event: (i) neither a temporary absence from employment or service due to illness, vacation or leave of absence nor a transfer from employment or service with the Company to employment or service with an Affiliate (or vice-versa) shall be considered a termination of employment or service with the Company or an Affiliate; and (ii) if a Participant’s employment with the Company and its Affiliates terminates, but such Participant continues to provide services to the Company and its Affiliates in a non-employee capacity (or vice-versa), such change in status shall not be considered a termination of employment with the Company or an Affiliate.

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

(i) Government and Other Regulations . (i) The obligation of the Company to settle Awards in Common Stock or other consideration shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by governmental agencies as may be required. Notwithstanding any terms or conditions of any Award to the contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to offer to sell or to sell, and shall be prohibited from offering to sell or selling, any shares of Common Stock pursuant to an Award unless such shares have been properly registered for sale pursuant to the Securities Act with the Securities and Exchange Commission or unless the Company has received an opinion of counsel, satisfactory to the Company, that such shares may be offered or sold without such registration pursuant to an available exemption therefrom and the terms and conditions of such exemption have been fully complied with. The Company shall be under no obligation to register for sale under the Securities Act any of the shares of Common Stock to be offered or sold under the Plan. The Committee shall have the authority to provide that all certificates for shares of Common Stock or

 

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other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan, the applicable Award Agreement, the federal securities laws, or the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system upon which such shares or other securities are then listed or quoted and any other applicable federal, state, local or non-U.S. laws, and, without limiting the generality of Section 9 of the Plan, the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, the Committee reserves the right to add any additional terms or provisions to any Award granted under the Plan that it in its sole discretion deems necessary or advisable in order that such Award complies with the legal requirements of any governmental entity to whose jurisdiction the Award is subject.

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

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

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

(l) No Trust or Fund Created . Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the

 

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Company or any Affiliate, on the one hand, and a Participant or other person or entity, on the other hand. No provision of the Plan or any Award shall require the Company, for the purpose of satisfying any obligations under the Plan, to purchase assets or place any assets in a trust or other entity to which contributions are made or otherwise to segregate any assets, nor shall the Company maintain separate bank accounts, books, records or other evidence of the existence of a segregated or separately maintained or administered fund for such purposes. Participants shall have no rights under the Plan other than as unsecured general creditors of the Company, except that insofar as they may have become entitled to payment of additional compensation by performance of services, they shall have the same rights as other employees under general law.

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

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

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

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

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

(r) Code Section  162(m) Approval . If so determined by the Committee, (i) the Plan shall be approved by the stockholders of the Company no later than the first meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected that occurs after the close of the third calendar year following the calendar year in which the Company’s initial public offering, if any, occurs, and (ii) the provisions of the Plan regarding Performance Compensation Awards shall be

 

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disclosed and reapproved by stockholders no later than the first stockholder meeting that occurs in the fifth year following the year in which stockholders previously approved such provisions following the Company’s initial public offering, if any, in each case in order for certain Awards granted after such time to be exempt from the deduction limitations of Section 162(m) of the Code. Nothing in this clause, however, shall affect the validity of Awards granted after such time if such stockholder approval has not been obtained.

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

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

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

*        *        *

As adopted by the Board of Directors of Warrior Met Coal, Inc. on April 1, 2017 and approved by the shareholders of Warrior Met Coal, Inc. on April 6, 2017.

 

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