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) May 18, 2017
XOMA CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
000-14710 | Delaware | 52-2154066 | ||
(Commission File Number) |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(IRS Employer Identification No.) |
2910 Seventh Street, Berkeley, California | 94710 | |
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrants telephone number, including area code (510) 204-7200
(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 ( see General Instruction A.2. below):
☐ | 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 5.02 | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangement of Certain Officers. |
2010 Long Term Incentive and Stock Award Plan
In February 2017, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the Board) (the Compensation Committee) of XOMA Corporation (the Company) recommended to the Board, and the Board subsequently adopted, subject to stockholder approval, an amendment to the Companys Amended and Restated 2010 Long Term Incentive and Stock Award Plan (the Long Term Incentive Plan). At the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company, held on May 18, 2017 (the Annual Meeting), the Companys stockholders voted on and approved the amendment to the Long Term Incentive Plan.
The amendment (a) increases the number of shares of Common Stock issuable over the term of the plan by an additional 1,470,502 to 2,579,062 shares in the aggregate; (b) increases the number of shares of common stock issuable under the plan as incentive stock options by an additional 2,004,087 to 2,579,062 shares; (c) increases the per person award limits for purposes of compliance with Section 162(m) to 2,000,000 shares for options and SARs and to 2,000,000 shares for other types of stock awards; and (d) for purposes of Section 162(m) (i) confirms existing performance criteria upon which performance goals may be based with respect to performance awards under the Long Term Incentive Plan, and (ii) confirms existing means of adjustment when calculating the attainment of performance goals for performance awards granted under the Long Term Incentive Plan.
A summary of the Long Term Incentive Plan is set forth in the Companys proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 5, 2017 (the Proxy Statement). The description of the amendment is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Long Term Incentive Plan, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
2015 Employee Share Purchase Plan
In February 2017, the Compensation Committee recommended to the Board, and the Board subsequently adopted, subject to stockholder approval, an amendment to the Companys 2015 Employee Share Purchase Plan (the 2015 ESPP). At the Annual Meeting, the Companys stockholders voted on and approved the amendment to the 2015 ESPP.
The amendment (a) increases by 250,000 the shares of Common Stock (from 15,000 shares to a total of 265,000 shares) available for issuance under the 2015 ESPP; and (b) increases the maximum number of shares of Common Stock an employee may purchase in any offering period to 2,500.
A summary of the 2015 ESPP is set forth in the Companys Proxy Statement. The description of the amendment is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the 2015 ESPP, which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
Item 5.07 | Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders. |
On May 18, 2017, the Company held its Annual Meeting virtually via live webcast, pursuant to notice duly given. Only stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 23, 2017 were entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. As of March 23, 2017, the record date for the Annual Meeting, 7,585,629 shares of common stock of the Company were outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, of which 5,262,580 shares of common stock of the Company were represented, in person or by proxy, constituting a quorum. The final results of the stockholder vote on each proposal brought before the Annual Meeting were as follows:
(a) Proposal 1 . Each of the five (5) nominees for election to the Board of Directors was elected to serve for a one-year term based upon the following votes:
N AME |
V OTES F OR | V OTES W ITHHELD | B ROKER N ON -V OTES | |||||||||
James R. Neal |
1,923,585 | 116,056 | 3,222,939 | |||||||||
W. Denman Van Ness |
1,926,125 | 113,516 | 3,222,939 | |||||||||
Joseph M. Limber |
1,927,575 | 112,066 | 3,222,939 | |||||||||
Jack L. Wyszomierski |
1,927,970 | 111,671 | 3,222,939 | |||||||||
Matthew D. Perry |
1,928,915 | 110,726 | 3,222,939 |
Effective immediately following the Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors appointed Messrs. Limber (Chairman), Van Ness and Wyszomierski as members of the Audit Committee.
(b) Proposal 2 . The amendment to the Companys Amended and Restated 2010 Long Term Incentive and Stock Award Plan was approved based upon the following votes:
Votes for |
1,755,277 | |||
Votes against |
272,836 | |||
Abstentions |
11,528 | |||
Broker non-votes |
3,222,939 |
(c) Proposal 3 . The amendment to the Companys 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan was approved based upon the following votes:
Votes for |
1,831,819 | |||
Votes against |
193,918 | |||
Abstentions |
13,904 | |||
Broker non-votes |
3,222,939 |
(d) Proposal 4 . The appointment of Ernst & Young LLP to act as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm for the 2017 fiscal year was ratified based upon the following votes:
Votes for |
5,195,292 | |||
Votes against |
55,745 | |||
Abstentions |
11,543 |
(e) Proposal 5 . The advisory vote on the compensation of the Companys named executive officers was approved based upon the following votes:
Votes for |
1,881,884 | |||
Votes against |
147,248 | |||
Abstentions |
10,509 | |||
Broker non-votes |
3,222,939 |
(f) Proposal 6 . The votes, on a non-binding advisory basis, on the frequency of holding future advisory votes on executive compensation were as follows:
Votes for 1 year |
399,842 | |||
Votes for 2 years |
28,138 | |||
Votes for 3 years |
1,539,044 | |||
Abstentions |
72,617 | |||
Broker non-votes |
3,222,939 |
Based on the Boards recommendation in the Proxy Statement, the voting results on this matter and the Boards consideration of the appropriate voting frequency for the Company at this time, the Board resolved that the Company will hold an advisory vote on the compensation of named executive officers every three years.
Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits
Number |
Description |
|
10.1 | Amended and Restated 2010 Long Term Incentive and Stock Award Plan. | |
10.2 | Amended 2015 Employee Share Purchase 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.
XOMA CORPORATION | ||||||
Date: May 24, 2017 |
||||||
/s/ Thomas Burns |
||||||
Thomas Burns | ||||||
Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer |
EXHIBIT INDEX
Number |
Description |
|
10.1+ | Amended and Restated 2010 Long Term Incentive and Stock Award Plan. | |
10.2+ | Amended 2015 Employee Share Purchase Plan |
+ | Filed herewith |
Exhibit 10.1
XOMA CORPORATION
AMENDED AND RESTATED
2010 LONG TERM INCENTIVE AND STOCK AWARD PLAN
(as amended through May 18, 2017)
1. Purposes.
The purposes of the XOMA Corporation Amended and Restated 2010 Long Term Incentive and Stock Award Plan are to advance the interests of XOMA Corporation and its stockholders by providing a means to attract, retain, and motivate employees, consultants and directors of the Company, its Subsidiaries and Affiliates, to provide for competitive compensation opportunities, to encourage long term service, to recognize individual contributions and reward achievement of performance goals, and to promote the creation of long term value for stockholders by aligning the interests of such persons with those of stockholders.
2. Definitions.
For purposes of this Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below:
(a) Affiliate means any entity other than the Company and its Subsidiaries that is designated by the Board or the Committee as a participating employer under this Plan; provided , however , that the Company directly or indirectly owns at least 20% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of such entity or at least 20% of the ownership interests in such entity.
(b) Award means any Option, SAR, Restricted Share, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Share, Performance Unit, Dividend Equivalent, or Other Stock-Based Award granted to an Eligible Person under this Plan.
(c) Award Agreement means any written agreement, contract, or other instrument or document evidencing an Award.
(d) Beneficiary means the person, persons, trust or trusts which have been designated by an Eligible Person in his or her most recent written beneficiary designation filed with the Company to receive the benefits specified under this Plan upon the death of the Eligible Person, or, if there is no designated Beneficiary or surviving designated Beneficiary, then the person, persons, trust or trusts entitled by will or the laws of descent and distribution to receive such benefits.
(e) Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(f) Change in Control means the occurrence of any of the following events:
(i) a merger, consolidation or acquisition in which the Company is not the surviving or continuing entity, except for a transaction the principal purpose of which is to change the jurisdiction of the Companys organization;
(ii) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company;
(iii) any other reorganization or business combination in which fifty percent (50%) or more of the Companys outstanding voting securities are transferred to different holders in a single transaction or series of related transactions;
(iv) any approval by the stockholders of the Company of a plan of complete liquidation of the Company;
(v) any person (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) becoming the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power represented by the Companys then outstanding voting securities; or
(vi) a change in the composition of the Board, as a result of which fewer than a majority of the directors are Incumbent Directors.
(g) Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. References to any provision of the Code shall be deemed to include successor provisions thereto and regulations thereunder.
(h) Committee means the Compensation Committee of the Board, or such other Board committee or committees (which may include the entire Board) as may be designated by the Board to administer all or any portion of this Plan; provided , however , that, unless otherwise determined by the Board, a Committee shall consist of two or more directors of the Company, each of whom is a non-employee director within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, to the extent applicable, and each of whom is an outside director within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, to the extent applicable; provided , further , that the mere fact that a Committee shall fail to qualify under either of the foregoing requirements shall not invalidate any Award made by such Committee which Award is otherwise validly made under this Plan. Different Committees may administer this Plan with respect to different groups of Eligible Persons. As used herein, the singular Committee shall include the plural Committees if applicable, except where the context requires otherwise.
(i) Company means XOMA Corporation, a Delaware corporation, or any successor company.
(j) Director means a member of the Board who is not an employee of the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate.
(k) Dividend Equivalent means a right, granted under Section 5(g), to receive cash, Shares, or other property equal in value to dividends paid with respect to a specified number of Shares. Dividend Equivalents may be awarded on a free-standing basis or in connection with another Award, and may be paid currently or on a deferred basis.
(l) Effective Date means July 21, 2010, contingent on shareholder approval of this Plan on such date.
(m) Eligible Person means (i) an employee or consultant of the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate, including any director who is an employee, or (ii) a Director. Notwithstanding any provisions of this Plan to the contrary, an Award may be granted to an employee or consultant in connection with his or her hiring or retention prior to the date the employee or consultant first performs services for the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate; provided , however , that any such Award shall not become vested or exercisable prior to the date the employee or consultant first performs such services.
(n) Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time. References to any provision of the Exchange Act shall be deemed to include successor provisions thereto and regulations thereunder.
(o) Fair Market Value means:
(i) if the Shares are not at the time listed or admitted to trading on any stock exchange but are traded in the over-the-counter market, the fair market value shall be the closing selling price per Share on the date in question, as such price is reported on The NASDAQ Global Market or any successor system; provided that if there is no reported closing selling price for Shares on the date in question, then the closing selling price on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists shall be determinative of fair market value;
(ii) if the Shares are at the time listed or admitted to trading on any stock exchange, then the fair market value shall be the closing selling price per Share on the date in question on the stock exchange determined by the Committee to be the primary market for the Shares, as such price is officially quoted on such exchange; provided that if there is no reported sale of Shares on such exchange on the date in question, then the fair market value shall be the closing selling price on the exchange on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists; or
(iii) if the Shares are at the time neither listed nor admitted to trading on any stock exchange nor traded in the over-the-counter market (or if the Committee determines that the value as determined pursuant to subsection (i) or (ii) above does not reflect fair market value), then the Committee shall determine fair market value after taking into account such factors as it deems appropriate, including one or more independent professional appraisals.
(p) Incumbent Directors means directors who (i) are directors of the Company as of the date hereof, (ii) are elected, or nominated for election, to the Board with the affirmative votes of the directors of the Company as of the date hereof, or (iii) are elected, or nominated for election, to the Board with the affirmative votes of at least a majority of those directors whose election or nomination was not in connection with any transaction described in subsections (i) through (v) of the definition of Change in Control or in connection with an actual or threatened proxy contest relating to the election of directors of the Company.
(q) ISO means any Option intended to be and designated as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
(r) NQSO means any Option that is not an ISO.
(s) Option means a right, granted under Section 5(b), to purchase Shares.
(t) Other Stock-Based Award means a right, granted under Section 5(h) that relates to or is valued by reference to Shares.
(u) Participant means an Eligible Person who has been granted an Award under this Plan.
(v) Performance Award shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(a).
(w) Performance Period shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(f)(i).
(x) Performance Share means a performance share granted under Section 5(f).
(y) Performance Unit means a performance unit granted under Section 5(f).
(z) Plan means this XOMA Corporation Amended and Restated 2010 Long Term Incentive and Stock Award Plan.
(aa) Restricted Shares means an Award of Shares under Section 5(d) that may be subject to certain restrictions and to a risk of forfeiture.
(bb) Restricted Stock Unit means a right, granted under Section 5(e), to receive Shares or cash at the end of a specified deferral period.
(cc) Rule 16b-3 means Rule 16b-3, as from time to time in effect and applicable to this Plan and Participants, promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
(dd) SAR or Stock Appreciation Right means the right, granted under Section 5(c), to be paid an amount measured by the difference between the exercise price of the right and the Fair Market Value of Shares on the date of exercise of the right, with payment to be made in cash, Shares, or property as specified in the Award or determined by the Committee.
(ee) Shares means shares of common stock of the Company, and such other securities as may be substituted for Shares pursuant to Section 4(c) hereof.
(ff) Subsidiary means any company (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of companies beginning with the Company if each of the companies (other than the last company in the unbroken chain) owns shares possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other companies in the chain.
(gg) Termination of Service means the termination of the Participants employment, consulting services or directorship with the Company, its Subsidiaries and its Affiliates, as the case may be. A Participant employed by a Subsidiary of the Company or one of its Affiliates shall also be deemed to incur a Termination of Service if the Subsidiary of the Company or Affiliate ceases to be such a Subsidiary or an Affiliate, as the case may be, and the Participant does not immediately thereafter become an employee or director of, or a consultant to, the Company, another Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate. In the event that a Participant who is an employee of the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate becomes a Director or a consultant to the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate upon the Participants termination of employment, unless otherwise determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, no Termination of Service shall be deemed to occur until such time as such Participant is no longer an employee of, or consultant to, the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate or a Director, as the case may be. If a Participant who is a Director becomes an employee of, or a consultant to, the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate upon such Participant ceasing to be a Director, unless otherwise determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, such termination of the Participants directorship shall not be treated as a Termination of Service unless and until the Participants employment or consultancy, as the case may be, terminates. Temporary absences from employment because of illness, vacation or leave of absence and transfers among the Company and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates shall not be considered a Termination of Service.
3. Administration.
(a) Authority of the Committee. This Plan shall be administered by the Committee, and the Committee shall have full and final authority to take the following actions, in each case subject to and consistent with the provisions of this Plan:
(i) to select Eligible Persons to whom Awards may be granted;
(ii) to designate Affiliates;
(iii) to determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Eligible Person;
(iv) to determine the type and number of Awards to be granted, the number of Shares to which an Award may relate, the terms and conditions of any Award granted under this Plan (including, but not limited to, any exercise price, grant price, or purchase price, any restriction or condition, any schedule for lapse of restrictions or conditions relating to transferability or forfeiture, exercisability, or settlement of an Award, and waiver or accelerations thereof, and waivers of performance conditions relating to an Award, based in each case on such considerations as the Committee shall determine), and all other matters to be determined in connection with an Award;
(v) to determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances an Award may be settled, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid, in cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property, or an Award may be canceled, forfeited, exchanged, or surrendered;
(vi) to determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property payable with respect to an Award will be deferred either automatically, at the election of the Committee, or at the election of the Eligible Person, provided that such deferral shall be intended to be in compliance with Section 409A of the Code;
(vii) to prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for each Eligible Person;
(viii) to adopt, amend, suspend, waive, and rescind such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable to administer this Plan;
(ix) to correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in this Plan and to construe and interpret this Plan and any Award, rules and regulations, Award Agreement, or other instrument hereunder;
(x) to accelerate the exercisability or vesting of all or any portion of any Award or to extend the period during which an Award is exercisable;
(xi) to determine whether uncertificated Shares may be used in satisfying Awards and otherwise in connection with this Plan; and
(xii) to make all other decisions and determinations as may be required under the terms of this Plan or as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of this Plan.
(b) Manner of Exercise of Committee Authority. The Committee shall have sole discretion in exercising its authority under this Plan. Any action of the Committee with respect to this Plan shall be final, conclusive, and binding on all persons, including the Company, Subsidiaries, Affiliates, Eligible Persons, any person claiming any rights under this Plan from or through any Eligible Person, and stockholders. The express grant of any specific power to the Committee, and the taking of any action by the Committee, shall not be construed as limiting any power or authority of the Committee. The Committee may delegate to other members of the Board or officers or managers of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate the authority, subject to such terms as the Committee shall determine, to perform administrative functions and, with respect to Awards granted to persons not subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, to perform such other functions as the Committee may determine, to the extent permitted under Rule 16b-3 (if applicable) and applicable law.
(c) Limitation of Liability. Each member of the Committee shall be entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to him or her by any officer or other employee of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, the Companys independent certified public accountants, or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of this Plan. No member of the Committee, and no officer or employee of the Company acting on behalf of the Committee, shall be personally liable for any action, determination, or interpretation taken or made in good faith with respect to this Plan, and all members of the Committee and any officer or employee of the Company acting on their behalf shall, to the extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company with respect to any such action, determination, or interpretation.
(d) Limitation on Committees Discretion. Anything in this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, in the case of any Award which is intended to qualify as performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code, the Committee shall have no discretion to increase the amount of compensation payable under the Award to the extent such an increase would cause the Award to lose its qualification as such performance-based compensation.
(e) No Option or SAR Repricing Without Stockholder Approval. Except as provided in the first sentence of Section 4(c) hereof relating to certain anti-dilution adjustments, unless the approval of stockholders of the Company is obtained, (i) Options and SARs shall not be amended to lower their exercise price, (ii) Options and SARs will not be exchanged for other Options or SARs with lower exercise prices, (iii) Options and SARs with an exercise price in excess of the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares will not be exchanged for cash or other property and (iii) no other action shall be taken with respect to Options or SARs that would be treated as a repricing under the rules of the principal stock exchange on which the Shares are listed.
(f) Limitation on Committees Authority under 409A. Anything in this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, the Committees authority to modify outstanding Awards shall be limited to the extent necessary so that the existence of such authority does not (i) cause an Award that is not otherwise deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code to become deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code or (ii) cause an Award that is otherwise deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code to fail to meet the requirements prescribed by Section 409A of the Code.
4. Shares Subject to this Plan.
(a) Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(c) hereof, the total number of Shares reserved for issuance in connection with Awards under this Plan shall be (i) 2,579,062 plus (ii) the number of Shares subject to awards granted prior to the Effective Date of this Plan under the Companys 1981 Share Option Plan, its Restricted Share Plan or its 1992 Directors Share Option Plan (the Prior Plans) which awards are, after the Effective Date, forfeited, canceled, surrendered or otherwise terminated without a distribution of Shares to the holder of the award; provided , however , that, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(c) hereof, no more than 2,579,062 Shares may be issued as ISOs under this Plan; and, provided , further , that for each Restricted Share, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Share, Performance Unit, Dividend Equivalent or Other Stock-Based Award issued, such total number of available Shares shall be reduced by 1.08 Shares. No Award may be granted if the number of Shares to which such Award relates, when added to the number of Shares previously issued under this Plan, exceeds the number of Shares reserved under the applicable provisions of the preceding sentence. If any Awards are forfeited, canceled, terminated, exchanged or surrendered or such Award is settled in cash or otherwise terminates without a distribution of Shares to the Participant, any Shares counted against the
number of Shares reserved and available under this Plan with respect to such Award shall, to the extent of any such forfeiture, repurchase, settlement, termination, cancellation, exchange or surrender, again be available for Awards under this Plan. Further, for each share underlying an Award that was granted under this Plan and is a Restricted Share, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Share, Performance Unit, Dividend Equivalent or Other Stock-Based Award and for each share underlying an award other than an option or stock appreciation right that was granted under a Prior Plan, in each case, that is forfeited, cancelled, terminated, exchanged or surrendered, such forfeiture, cancellation, termination, exchange or surrender will result in the addition of 1.08 shares to the share reserve of this Plan. Upon the exercise of any Award granted in tandem with any other Awards, such related Awards shall be canceled to the extent of the number of Shares as to which the Award is exercised. If any shares subject to an Award are not delivered to a participant because the Award is exercised through a reduction of shares subject to the Award (i.e., net exercised), the number of shares that are not delivered to the participant shall not remain available for issuance under the Long Term Incentive Plan. Also, any shares withheld or reacquired by the Company pursuant to the exercise of an option or SAR or as consideration for the exercise of an option or SAR, and any shares withheld or reacquired by the Company in satisfaction of the Companys tax withholding obligation on an Award shall not again become available for issuance under the Plan
(b) Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(c) hereof, the maximum number of Shares (i) with respect to which Options or SARs may be granted during a calendar year to any Eligible Person under this Plan shall be 2,000,000 Shares, and (ii) with respect to which Performance Shares, Performance Units, Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units intended to qualify as performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code may be granted during a calendar year to any Eligible Person under this Plan shall be 2,000,000 Shares.
(c) In the event that the Committee shall determine that any dividend in Shares, recapitalization, Share split, reverse split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase, share exchange, extraordinary distribution or other similar corporate transaction or event, affects the Shares such that an adjustment is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of Eligible Persons under this Plan, then the Committee shall make such equitable changes or adjustments as it deems appropriate and, in such manner as it may deem equitable, (i) adjust any or all of (w) the number and kind of shares which may thereafter be issued under this Plan, (x) the number and kind of shares, other securities or other consideration issued or issuable in respect of outstanding Awards, (y) the exercise price, grant price, or purchase price relating to any Award, and (z) the maximum number of shares, as provided in Section 4(b), with respect to which Options or SARs may be granted during a calendar year to any Eligible Person under this Plan and with respect to which Performance Shares, Performance Units, Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units intended to qualify as performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code may be granted during a calendar year to any Eligible Person under this Plan, or (ii) provide for a distribution of cash or property in respect of any Award; provided , however , in each case that, with respect to ISOs, such adjustment shall be made in accordance with Section 424(a) of the Code, unless the Committee determines otherwise; provided , further , that no adjustment shall be made pursuant to this Section 4(c) that causes any Award that is not otherwise deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code to be treated as deferred compensation pursuant to Section 409A of the Code. In addition, the Committee is authorized to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria and performance objectives, if any, included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or non-recurring events (including, without limitation, events described in the preceding sentence) affecting the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate or the financial statements of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, or in response to changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles; provided , however , that the Committee shall not have discretion to increase the amount of compensation payable under any Award intended to qualify as
performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code to the extent such an increase would cause the Award to lose its qualification as performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code and the regulations thereunder.
(d) Any Shares distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Shares or treasury Shares including Shares acquired by purchase in the open market or in private transactions.
5. Specific Terms of Awards.
(a) General . Awards may be granted on the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 5. In addition, the Committee may impose on any Award or the exercise thereof, at the date of grant or thereafter (subject to Section 9(d)), such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Plan, as the Committee shall determine, including terms regarding forfeiture of Awards or continued exercisability of Awards in the event of Termination of Service by the Eligible Person.
(b) Options . The Committee is authorized to grant Options, which may be NQSOs or ISOs, to Eligible Persons on the following terms and conditions:
(i) Exercise Price . The exercise price per Share purchasable under an Option shall be determined by the Committee; provided , however , that the exercise price per Share of an Option shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of the Option. The Committee may, without limitation, set an exercise price that is based upon achievement of performance criteria if deemed appropriate by the Committee.
(ii) Option Term . The term of each Option shall be determined by the Committee; provided , however , that such term shall not be longer than ten years from the date of grant of the Option.
(iii) Time and Method of Exercise . The Committee shall determine at the date of grant or thereafter the time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part (including, without limitation, upon achievement of performance criteria if deemed appropriate by the Committee), the methods by which such exercise price may be paid or deemed to be paid (including, without limitation, broker-assisted exercise arrangements), the form of such payment (including, without limitation, cash, Shares or other property), and the methods by which Shares will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Eligible Persons.
(iv) ISOs . The terms of any ISO granted under this Plan shall comply in all respects with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code, including but not limited to the requirement that the ISO shall be granted within ten years from the earlier of the date of adoption or stockholder approval of this Plan. ISOs may only be granted to employees of the Company or a Subsidiary.
(c) SARs . The Committee is authorized to grant SARs (Stock Appreciation Rights) to Eligible Persons on the following terms and conditions:
(i) Right to Payment . A SAR shall confer on the Eligible Person to whom it is granted a right to receive with respect to each Share subject thereto, upon exercise thereof, the excess of (1) the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of exercise over (2) the exercise price per Share of the SAR, as determined by the Committee as of the date of grant of the SAR (which shall not be less than the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant of the SAR and, in the case of a SAR granted in tandem with an Option, shall be equal to the exercise price of the underlying Option).
(ii) Other Terms . The Committee shall determine, at the time of grant or thereafter, the time or times at which a SAR may be exercised in whole or in part (which shall not be more than ten years after the date of grant of the SAR), the method of exercise, method of settlement, form of consideration payable in settlement, method by which Shares will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Eligible Persons, whether or not a SAR shall be in tandem with any other Award, and any other terms and conditions of any SAR. Unless the Committee determines otherwise, a SAR (1) granted in tandem with an NQSO may be granted at the time of grant of the related NQSO or at any time thereafter and (2) granted in tandem with an ISO may only be granted at the time of grant of the related ISO.
(d) Restricted Shares . The Committee is authorized to grant Restricted Shares to Eligible Persons on the following terms and conditions:
(i) Issuance and Restrictions . Restricted Shares shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability and other restrictions, if any, as the Committee may impose at the date of grant or thereafter, which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, under such circumstances (including, without limitation, upon achievement of performance criteria if deemed appropriate by the Committee), in such installments, or otherwise, as the Committee may determine. Except to the extent restricted under the Award Agreement relating to the Restricted Shares, an Eligible Person granted Restricted Shares shall have all of the rights of a stockholder including, without limitation, the right to vote Restricted Shares and the right to receive dividends thereon.
(ii) Forfeiture . Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, at the date of grant or thereafter, upon Termination of Service during the applicable restriction period, Restricted Shares shall be repurchased by the Company for a nominal amount equal to their par value and any accrued but unpaid dividends or Dividend Equivalents that are at that time subject to restrictions shall be forfeited; provided , however , that the Committee may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award Agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Shares will be waived in whole or in part in the event of Termination of Service resulting from specified causes, and the Committee may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of Restricted Shares.
(iii) Certificates for Shares . Restricted Shares granted under this Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee shall determine. If certificates representing Restricted Shares are registered in the name of the Eligible Person, such certificates shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Shares, and, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the Company shall retain physical possession of the certificate and the Participant shall deliver a stock power to the Company, endorsed in blank, relating to the Restricted Shares.
(iv) Dividends . Dividends paid on Restricted Shares shall be either paid at the dividend payment date, or deferred for payment to such date, and subject to such conditions, as determined by the Committee, in cash or in restricted or unrestricted Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, Shares distributed in connection with a Share split or dividend in Shares, and other property distributed as a dividend, shall be subject to restrictions and a risk of forfeiture to the same extent as the Restricted Shares with respect to which such Shares or other property has been distributed.
(e) Restricted Stock Units . The Committee is authorized to grant Restricted Stock Units to Eligible Persons, subject to the following terms and conditions:
(i) Award and Restrictions . Delivery of Shares or cash, as the case may be, will occur upon expiration of the deferral period specified for Restricted Stock Units by the Committee (or, if permitted by the Committee, as elected by the Eligible Person). In addition, Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to such
restrictions as the Committee may impose, if any (including, without limitation, the achievement of performance criteria if deemed appropriate by the Committee), at the date of grant or thereafter, which restrictions may lapse at the expiration of the deferral period or at earlier or later specified times, separately or in combination, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee may determine.
(ii) Forfeiture . Except as otherwise determined by the Committee at the date of grant or thereafter, upon Termination of Service during the applicable deferral period or portion thereof to which forfeiture conditions apply (as provided in the Award Agreement evidencing the Restricted Stock Units), or upon failure to satisfy any other conditions precedent to the delivery of Shares or cash to which such Restricted Stock Units relate, all Restricted Stock Units that are at that time subject to deferral or restriction shall be forfeited; provided , however , that the Committee may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award Agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Stock Units will be waived in whole or in part in the event of Termination of Service resulting from specified causes, and the Committee may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of Restricted Stock Units.
(iii) Dividend Equivalents . Unless otherwise determined by the Committee at the date of grant, Dividend Equivalents on the specified number of Shares covered by a Restricted Stock Unit shall be either (A) paid with respect to such Restricted Stock Unit at the dividend payment date in cash or in restricted or unrestricted Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends, or (B) deferred with respect to such Restricted Stock Unit and the amount or value thereof automatically deemed reinvested in additional Restricted Stock Units or other Awards, as the Committee shall determine.
(f) Performance Shares and Performance Units . The Committee is authorized to grant Performance Shares or Performance Units or both to Eligible Persons on the following terms and conditions:
(i) Performance Period . The Committee shall determine a performance period (the Performance Period) of one or more years or other periods and shall determine the performance objectives for grants of Performance Shares and Performance Units. Performance objectives may vary from Eligible Person to Eligible Person and shall be based upon the performance criteria as the Committee may deem appropriate. The performance objectives may be determined by reference to the performance of the Company, or of a Subsidiary or Affiliate, or of a division or unit of any of the foregoing. Performance Periods may overlap and Eligible Persons may participate simultaneously with respect to Performance Shares and Performance Units for which different Performance Periods are prescribed.
(ii) Award Value . At the beginning of a Performance Period, the Committee shall determine for each Eligible Person or group of Eligible Persons with respect to that Performance Period the range of number of Shares, if any, in the case of Performance Shares, and the range of dollar values, if any, in the case of Performance Units, which may be fixed or may vary in accordance with such performance or other criteria specified by the Committee, which shall be paid to an Eligible Person as an Award if the relevant measure of Company performance for the Performance Period is met.
(iii) Significant Events . If during the course of a Performance Period there shall occur significant events as determined by the Committee which the Committee expects to have a substantial effect on a performance objective during such period, the Committee may revise such objective; provided , however , that, in the case of any Award intended to qualify as performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code, the Committee shall not have any discretion to increase the amount of compensation payable under the Award to the extent such an increase would cause the Award to lose its qualification as performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code and the regulations thereunder.
(iv) Forfeiture . Except as otherwise determined by the Committee at the date of grant or thereafter, upon Termination of Service during the applicable Performance Period, Performance Shares and Performance Units for which the Performance Period was prescribed shall be forfeited; provided , however , that the Committee may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award Agreement, or may determine in an individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Performance Shares and Performance Units will be waived in whole or in part in the event of Terminations of Service resulting from specified causes, and the Committee may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of Performance Shares and Performance Units.
(v) Payment . Each Performance Share or Performance Unit may be paid in whole Shares, or cash, or a combination of Shares and cash either as a lump sum payment or in installments, all as the Committee shall determine, at the time of grant of the Performance Share or Performance Unit or otherwise, commencing at the time determined by the Committee.
(vi) Restriction on Dividends . No dividends or Dividend Equivalents shall be paid on any Performance Share or Performance Unit until such time (if ever) as the performance criteria associated therewith have been met.
(g) Dividend Equivalents . The Committee is authorized to grant Dividend Equivalents to Eligible Persons. The Committee may provide, at the date of grant or thereafter, that Dividend Equivalents shall be paid or distributed when accrued or shall be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Shares, or other investment vehicles as the Committee may specify; provided , however , that, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, Dividend Equivalents (other than freestanding Dividend Equivalents) shall be subject to all conditions and restrictions of any underlying Awards to which they relate.
(h) Other Stock-Based Awards . The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law, to grant to Eligible Persons such other Awards that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Shares, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of this Plan, including, without limitation, unrestricted shares awarded purely as a bonus and not subject to any restrictions or conditions, other rights convertible or exchangeable into Shares, purchase rights for Shares, Awards with value and payment contingent upon performance of the Company or any other factors designated by the Committee, and Awards valued by reference to the performance of specified Subsidiaries or Affiliates. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards at date of grant or thereafter. Shares delivered pursuant to an Award in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 5(h) shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for at such times, by such methods, and in such forms, including, without limitation, cash, Shares, notes or other property, as the Committee shall determine. Cash awards, as an element of or supplement to any other Award under this Plan, shall also be authorized pursuant to this Section 5(h).
6. Certain Provisions Applicable to Awards.
(a) Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem and Substitute Awards . Awards granted under this Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted to Eligible Persons either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in exchange or substitution for, any other Award granted under this Plan or any award granted under any other plan or agreement of the Company, any Subsidiary or Affiliate, or any business entity to be acquired by the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate, or any other right of an Eligible Person to receive payment from the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate. Awards may be granted in addition to or in tandem with such other Awards or awards, and may be granted either as of the same time as, or a different time from, the grant of such other Awards or awards. Subject to the provisions of Section 3(e) hereof prohibiting Option and SAR repricing without stockholder approval, the per Share exercise price of any Option, or grant price of any SAR, which is granted in connection with the substitution of awards granted
under any other plan or agreement of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, or any business entity to be acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, shall be determined by the Committee, in its discretion.
(b) Term of Awards . The term of each Award granted to an Eligible Person shall be for such period as may be determined by the Committee; provided , however , that in no event shall the term of any Option or SAR exceed a period of ten years from the date of its grant (or, in the case of ISOs, such shorter period as may be applicable under Section 422 of the Code).
(c) Form of Payment Under Awards . Subject to the terms of this Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, payments to be made by the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate upon the grant, maturation, or exercise of an Award may be made in such forms as the Committee shall determine at the date of grant or thereafter, including, without limitation, cash, Shares, notes or other property, and may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments, or on a deferred basis, provided that any such deferral shall be intended to be in compliance with Section 409A of the Code. The Committee may make rules relating to installment or deferred payments with respect to Awards, including the rate of interest to be credited with respect to such payments, and the Committee may require deferral of payment under an Award if, in the sole judgment of the Committee, it may be necessary in order to avoid nondeductibility of the payment under Section 162(m) of the Code.
(d) Nontransferability . Awards shall not be transferable by an Eligible Person except by will or the laws of descent and distribution (except pursuant to a Beneficiary designation) and shall be exercisable during the lifetime of an Eligible Person only by such Eligible Person or his or her guardian or legal representative, provided that Awards that are NQSOs may be transferred or assigned by the optionee to the optionees spouse or descendent (any such spouse or descendent, an Immediate Family Member) or a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or trust so long as all of the stockholders, partners, members or beneficiaries thereof, as the case may be, are either the optionee or the optionees Immediate Family Member, provided , further , that (i) there may be no consideration for any such transfer and (ii) subsequent transfers of the transferred NQSO will be prohibited other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. An Eligible Persons rights under this Plan may not be pledged, mortgaged, hypothecated, or otherwise encumbered, and shall not be subject to claims of the Eligible Persons creditors.
(e) Noncompetition . The Committee may, by way of the Award Agreements or otherwise, establish such other terms, conditions, restrictions and/or limitations, if any, of any Award, provided they are not inconsistent with this Plan, including, without limitation, the requirement that the Participant not engage in competition with, solicit customers or employees of, or disclose or use confidential information of the Company or its Affiliates.
7. Performance Awards.
(a) Performance Awards Granted to Covered Employees . If the Committee determines that an Award (other than an Option or SAR) to be granted to an Eligible Person should qualify as performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code, the grant, vesting, exercise and/or settlement of such Award (each, a Performance Award) shall be contingent upon achievement of pre-established performance goals and other terms set forth in this Section 7(a).
(i) Performance Goals Generally . The performance goals for such Performance Awards shall consist of one or more business criteria and a targeted level or levels of performance with respect to each of such criteria, as specified by the Committee consistent with this Section 7(a). The performance goals shall be
objective and shall otherwise meet the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code and regulations thereunder (including Treasury Regulation 1.162-27 and successor regulations thereto), including the requirement that the level or levels of performance targeted by the Committee result in the achievement of performance goals being substantially uncertain. The Committee may determine that such Performance Awards shall be granted, vested, exercised and/or settled upon achievement of any one performance goal or that two or more of the performance goals must be achieved as a condition to grant, vesting, exercise and/or settlement of such Performance Awards. Performance goals may differ for Performance Awards granted to any one Participant or to different Participants.
(ii) Business Criteria . One or more of the following business criteria for the Company, on a consolidated basis, and/or for specified Subsidiaries or Affiliates or other business units or lines of business of the Company shall be used by the Committee in establishing performance goals for such Performance Awards: (1) earnings per share (basic or fully diluted); (2) revenues; (3) earnings, before or after taxes, from operations (generally or specified operations), or before or after interest expense, depreciation, amortization, incentives, or extraordinary or special items; (4) cash flow, free cash flow, cash flow return on investment (discounted or otherwise), net cash provided by operations, or cash flow in excess of cost of capital; (5) return on net assets, return on assets, return on investment, return on capital, return on equity; (6) economic value added; (7) operating margin or operating expense; (8) net income; (9) Share price or total stockholder return; (10) book value; (11) expense ratio; (12) operating income; and (13) strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives based on meeting specified market penetration, geographic business expansion goals, cost targets, customer satisfaction, supervision of litigation and information technology, and goals relating to acquisitions or divestitures of Subsidiaries, Affiliates or joint ventures. The targeted level or levels of performance with respect to such business criteria may be established at such levels and in such terms as the Committee may determine, in its discretion, including in absolute terms, as a goal relative to performance in prior periods, or as a goal compared to the performance of one or more comparable companies or an index covering multiple companies.
(iii) Performance Period; Timing for Establishing Performance Goals; Per-Person Limit . Achievement of performance goals in respect of such Performance Awards shall be measured over a performance period, as specified by the Committee. A performance goal shall be established not later than the earlier of (A) 90 days after the beginning of any performance period applicable to such Performance Award or (B) the time 25% of such performance period has elapsed. In all cases, the maximum Performance Award of any Participant shall be subject to the limitation set forth in Section 4(b) or 7(a)(v), as applicable.
(iv) Settlement of Performance Awards; Other Terms . Settlement of such Performance Awards shall be in cash, Shares, other Awards or other property, in the discretion of the Committee. The Committee may, in its discretion, reduce the amount of a settlement otherwise to be made in connection with such Performance Awards, but may not exercise discretion to increase any such amount payable to the Participant in respect of a Performance Award subject to this Section 7(a). Any settlement which changes the form of payment from that originally specified shall be implemented in a manner such that the Performance Award and other related Awards do not, solely for that reason, fail to qualify as performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code. The Committee shall specify the circumstances in which such Performance Awards shall be paid or forfeited in the event of Termination of Service of the Participant or other event (including a Change in Control) prior to the end of a performance period or settlement of such Performance Awards.
(v) Maximum Annual Cash Award . The maximum amount payable upon settlement of a cash-settled Performance Unit (or other cash-settled Award) granted under this Plan that is intended to satisfy the requirements for performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code for any calendar year to any Eligible Person shall not exceed $3,000,000.
(b) Written Determinations . Determinations by the Committee as to the establishment of performance goals, the amount potentially payable in respect of Performance Awards, the level of actual achievement of the specified performance goals relating to Performance Awards and the amount of any final Performance Award shall be recorded in writing in the case of Performance Awards intended to qualify under Section 162(m) of the Code. Specifically, the Committee shall certify in writing, in a manner conforming to applicable regulations under Section 162(m), prior to settlement of each such Award, that the performance objective relating to the Performance Award and other material terms of the Award upon which settlement of the Award was conditioned have been satisfied.
8. Change in Control Provisions . Unless otherwise provided by the Committee at the time of the Award grant, in the event of a Change in Control, each outstanding Award shall either be assumed by the successor company or parent thereof or to be replaced with comparable awards with respect to capital stock of the successor company or parent thereof, such comparability to be determined by the Committee; provided, however , that notwithstanding the foregoing, if an outstanding Award is not so assumed or replaced, then (i) such outstanding Award pursuant to which the Participant may have rights the exercise of which is restricted or limited, shall become fully exercisable at the time of the Change in Control, and (ii) unless the right to lapse of restrictions or limitations is waived or deferred by a Participant prior to such lapse, all restrictions or limitations (including risks of forfeiture and deferrals) on such outstanding Award subject to restrictions or limitations under this Plan shall lapse, and all performance criteria and other conditions to payment of Awards under which payments of cash, Shares or other property are subject to conditions shall be deemed to be achieved or fulfilled at target (if applicable) and shall be waived by the Company at the time of the Change in Control.
9. General Provisions.
(a) Compliance with Legal and Trading Requirements . This Plan, the granting and exercising of Awards thereunder, and the other obligations of the Company under this Plan and any Award Agreement, shall be subject to all applicable federal, state and foreign laws, rules and regulations, and to such approvals by any stock exchange, regulatory or governmental agency as may be required. The Company, in its discretion, may postpone the issuance or delivery of Shares under any Award until completion of such stock exchange or market system listing or registration or qualification of such Shares or any required action under any state, federal or foreign law, rule or regulation as the Company may consider appropriate, and may require any Participant to make such representations and furnish such information as it may consider appropriate in connection with the issuance or delivery of Shares in compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations. No provisions of this Plan shall be interpreted or construed to obligate the Company to register any Shares under federal, state or foreign law. The Shares issued under this Plan may be subject to such other restrictions on transfer as determined by the Committee.
(b) No Right to Continued Employment or Service . Neither this Plan nor any action taken thereunder shall be construed as giving any employee, consultant or director the right to be retained in the employ or service of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates to terminate any employees, consultants or directors employment or service at any time.
(c) Taxes . The Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate is authorized to withhold from any Award granted, any payment relating to an Award under this Plan, including from a distribution of Shares, or any payroll or other payment to an Eligible Person, amounts of withholding and other taxes due in connection with any transaction involving an Award, and to take such other action as the Committee may deem advisable to enable the Company and Eligible Persons to satisfy obligations for the payment of withholding taxes and other tax obligations relating to any Award. This authority shall include authority
to withhold or receive Shares or other property and to make cash payments in respect thereof in satisfaction of an Eligible Persons tax obligations; provided , however , that the amount of tax withholding to be satisfied by withholding Shares shall be limited to the minimum amount of taxes, including employment taxes, required to be withheld under applicable Federal, state and local law.
(d) Changes to this Plan and Awards . The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate this Plan or the Committees authority to grant Awards under this Plan without the consent of stockholders of the Company or Participants, except that any such amendment or alteration shall be subject to the approval of the Companys stockholders (i) to the extent such stockholder approval is required under the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares may then be listed or quoted, or (ii) as it applies to ISOs, to the extent such stockholder approval is required under Section 422 of the Code; provided , however , that, without the consent of an affected Participant, no amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation, or termination of this Plan may materially and adversely affect the rights of such Participant under any Award theretofore granted to him or her. The Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate, any Award theretofore granted, prospectively or retrospectively; provided , however , that, without the consent of a Participant, no amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation or termination of any Award may materially and adversely affect the rights of such Participant under any Award theretofore granted to him or her.
(e) No Rights to Awards; No Stockholder Rights . No Eligible Person or employee shall have any claim to be granted any Award under this Plan, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Eligible Persons and employees. No Award shall confer on any Eligible Person any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company unless and until Shares are duly issued or transferred to the Eligible Person in accordance with the terms of the Award.
(f) Unfunded Status of Awards . This Plan is intended to constitute an unfunded plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in this Plan or any Award shall give any such Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company; provided , however , that the Committee may authorize the creation of trusts or make other arrangements to meet the Companys obligations under this Plan to deliver cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property pursuant to any Award, which trusts or other arrangements shall be consistent with the unfunded status of this Plan unless the Committee otherwise determines with the consent of each affected Participant.
(g) Nonexclusivity of this Plan . Neither the adoption of this Plan by the Board nor its submission 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 options and other awards otherwise than under this Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases.
(h) Not Compensation for Benefit Plans . No Award payable under this Plan shall be deemed salary or compensation for the purpose of computing benefits under any benefit plan or other arrangement of the Company for the benefit of its employees, consultants or directors unless the Company shall determine otherwise.
(i) No Fractional Shares . No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to this Plan or any Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, other Awards, or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of such fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.
(j) Governing Law . The validity, construction, and effect of this Plan, any rules and regulations relating to this Plan, and any Award Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to principles of conflict of laws thereof.
(k) Effective Date; Plan Termination . This Plan became effective as of the Effective Date. This Plan shall terminate as to future awards on May 25, 2020 unless earlier terminated or extended by amendment.
(l) Section 409A . Awards under this Plan are intended to comply with, or be exempt from, the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code and shall be limited, construed and interpreted in accordance with such intent. Although the Company does not guarantee any particular tax treatment, to the extent that any Award is subject to Section 409A of the Code, it shall be paid in a manner that is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Code, including regulations and any other guidance issued by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service with respect thereto. In no event whatsoever shall the Company be liable for any additional tax, interest or penalties that may be imposed on a Participant by Section 409A of the Code or any damages for failing to comply with Section 409A of the Code.
(m) Change of Domicile . This Plan has been amended and restated to give effect to the Companys change of its jurisdiction of incorporation from Bermuda to Delaware (the Domestication), effective December 31, 2011 (the Domestication Effective Date). To the extent that Shares are required to, or may, be issued pursuant to an Award, shares of common stock of XOMA Corporation, a Delaware corporation, will be issued upon exercise or payment of any such Award previously or hereafter granted under this Plan, including Awards that were outstanding prior to the Domestication Effective Date. Until surrendered and exchanged, each certificate delivered to a Participant pursuant to this Plan and evidencing outstanding Shares immediately prior to the Domestication Effective Date shall, for all purposes of this Plan and the Shares, continue to evidence the identical amount and number of outstanding Shares at and after the Domestication Effective Date. After the Domestication Effective Date, the Company may make such modifications in the certificates evidencing (and the form of) the Shares as it deems necessary to reflect the substance of the changes to this Plan relating to the Domestication, but no such modifications shall be necessary to reflect the substance thereof.
(n) Titles and Headings . The titles and headings of the sections in this Plan are for convenience of reference only. In the event of any conflict, the text of this Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control.
Exhibit 10.2
XOMA CORPORATION
AMENDED 2015 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
(as amended through May 18, 2017)
The following constitute the provisions of the 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan of XOMA Corporation.
1. Purpose .
The purpose of the Plan (as defined below) is to provide Employees (as defined below) of the Company (as defined below) and its Designated Parents (as defined below) or Subsidiaries (as defined below) with an opportunity to purchase Common Stock (as defined below) of the Company through accumulated payroll deductions. It is the intention of the Company to have the Plan qualify as an employee stock purchase plan under Section 423 of the Code (as defined below) and the applicable regulations thereunder. The provisions of the Plan, accordingly, shall be construed so as to extend and limit participation in a manner consistent with the requirements of that section of the Code.
2. Definitions .
As used herein, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) Administrator means either the Board or a committee of the Board that is responsible for the administration of the Plan as is designated from time to time by resolution of the Board.
(b) Applicable Laws means the legal requirements relating to the administration of employee stock purchase plans, if any, under applicable provisions of federal securities laws, state corporate and securities laws, the Code and the applicable regulations thereunder, the rules of any applicable stock exchange or national market system, and the rules of any foreign jurisdiction applicable to participation in the Plan by residents therein.
(c) Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(d) Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(e) Common Stock means the common stock of the Company.
(f) Company means XOMA Corporation, a Delaware corporation.
(g) Compensation means an Employees base salary from the Company or one or more Designated Parents or Subsidiaries, including such amounts of base salary as are deferred by the Employee: (i) under a qualified cash or deferred arrangement described in Section 401(k) of the Code; or (ii) to a plan qualified under Section 125 of the Code. Compensation does not include overtime, bonuses, annual awards, other incentive payments, reimbursements or other expense allowances, fringe benefits (cash or non-cash), moving expenses, deferred compensation, contributions (other than contributions described in the first sentence) made on the Employees behalf by the Company or one or more Designated Parents or Subsidiaries under any employee benefit or welfare plan now or hereafter established, and any other payments not specifically referenced in the first sentence.
(h) Corporate Transaction means any of the following transactions, provided, however, that the Administrator shall determine under parts (iv) and (v) whether multiple transactions are related, and its determination shall be final, binding and conclusive:
(i) a merger or consolidation of the Company in which the Company is not the surviving entity, except for a transaction the principal purpose of which is to change the state in which the Company is incorporated;
(ii) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company;
(iii) the complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company
(iv) any reverse merger or series of related transactions culminating in a reverse merger (including, but not limited to, a tender offer followed by a reverse merger) in which the Company is the surviving entity but (A) the shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such merger are converted or exchanged by virtue of the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise, or (B) in which securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Companys outstanding securities are transferred to a person or persons different from those who held such securities immediately prior to such merger or the initial transaction culminating in such merger; or
(v) acquisition in a single or series of related transactions by any person or related group of persons (other than the Company or by a Company-sponsored employee benefit plan) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act) of securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Companys outstanding securities but excluding any such transaction or series of related transactions that the Administrator determines shall not be a Corporate Transaction.
(i) Designated Parents or Subsidiaries means the Parents or Subsidiaries, which have been designated by the Administrator from time to time as eligible to participate in the Plan.
(j) Effective Date means May 21, 2015. However, should any Parent or Subsidiary become a Designated Parent or Subsidiary after such date, then the Administrator, in its discretion, shall designate a separate Effective Date with respect to the employee-participants of such Designated Parent or Subsidiary.
(k) Employee means any individual, including an officer or director, who is an employee of the Company or a Designated Parent or Subsidiary for purposes of Section 423 of the Code. For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship shall be treated as continuing intact while the individual is on sick leave or other leave of absence approved by the individuals employer. Where the period of leave exceeds three (3) months and the individuals right to reemployment is not guaranteed either by statute or by contract, the employment relationship will be deemed to have terminated on the day that is three (3) months and one (1) day following the start of such leave, for purposes of determining eligibility to participate in the Plan.
(l) Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(m) Exercise Date means the last day of each Purchase Period.
(n) Fair Market Value means, as of any date, the value of Common Stock determined as follows:
(i) If the Common Stock is listed on one or more established stock exchanges, including without limitation, the Nasdaq Stock Market, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on the principal exchange or system on which the Common Stock is listed (as determined by the Administrator) on the date of determination (or, if no closing sales price or closing bid was reported on that date, as applicable, on the last trading date such closing sales price or closing bid was reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;
(ii) If the Common Stock is regularly quoted on an automated quotation system (including the OTC Bulletin Board) or by a recognized securities dealer, but selling prices are not reported, its Fair
Market Value shall be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices for the Common Stock on the date of determination (or, if no such prices were reported on that date, on the last date such prices were reported), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or
(iii) In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock of the type described in (i) and (ii), above, its Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined by the Administrator in good faith.
(o) New Exercise Date has the meaning set forth in Section 18(b).
(p) Offer Period means an Offer Period established pursuant to Section 4 hereof.
(q) Offering means an offer under this Plan of an Option that may be exercised during an Offer Period. For purposes of the Plan, all Employees eligible to participate pursuant to Section 3 will be deemed to participate in the same Offering unless the Administrator otherwise determines that Employees of the Company or one or more Designated Parents or Subsidiaries will be deemed to participate in separate Offerings, in which case the Offerings will be considered separate even if the dates of each such Offering are identical and the provisions of the Plan will separately apply to each Offering. To the extent permitted by Section 1.423-2(a)(1) of the Treasury regulations issued under Section 423 of the Code, the terms of each Offering need not be identical provided that the terms of the Plan and the Offering together satisfy Sections 1.423-2(a)(2) and (a)(3) of such Treasury regulations.
(r) Offering Date means the first day of each Offer Period.
(s) Option means, with respect to each Offer Period, a right to purchase shares of Common Stock on the Exercise Date for such Offer Period in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(t) Parent means a parent corporation of the Company, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.
(u) Participant means an Employee of the Company or Designated Parent or Subsidiary who has enrolled in the Plan as set forth in Section 5(a).
(v) Plan means this 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
(w) Purchase Period means a period of approximately six months, commencing on December 1 and June 1 of each year and terminating on the next following May 31 and November 30, respectively. The first Purchase Period shall commence on July 1, 2015 and end on November 30, 2015.
(x) Purchase Price means an amount equal to eighty-five percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Offering Date or on the Exercise Date, whichever is lower.
(y) Reserves means, as of any date, the sum of: (1) the number of shares of Common Stock covered by each then outstanding Option under the Plan which has not yet been exercised; and (2) the number of shares of Common Stock which have been authorized for issuance under the Plan but not then subject to an outstanding Option.
(z) Subsidiary means a subsidiary corporation of the Company, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.
3. Eligibility .
(a) General . Subject to the further limitations in Sections 3(b) and 3(c), any individual who is an Employee on a given Offering Date shall be eligible to participate in the Plan for the Offer Period commencing with such Offering Date. No individual who is not an Employee shall be eligible to participate in the Plan.
(b) Limitations on Grant and Accrual . Any provisions of the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, no Employee shall be granted an Option under the Plan: (i) if, immediately after the grant, such Employee (taking into account stock owned by any other person whose stock would be attributed to such Employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) would own stock and/or hold outstanding options to purchase stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Parent or Subsidiary; or (ii) which permits the Employees rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase plans of the Company and its Parents or Subsidiaries to accrue at a rate which exceeds Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars (US$25,000) worth of stock (determined at the Fair Market Value of the shares at the time such Option is granted) for each calendar year in which such Option is outstanding at any time. The determination of the accrual of the right to purchase stock shall be made in accordance with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and the regulations thereunder.
(c) Other Limits on Eligibility . Notwithstanding Subsection (a), above, unless otherwise determined prior to the applicable Offer Date, the following Employees shall not be eligible to participate in the Plan for any relevant Offer Period: (i) Employees whose customary employment is 20 hours or less per week; (ii) Employees whose customary employment is for not more than 5 months in any calendar year; (iii) Employees who have not been employed for such continuous period preceding the Offering Date as the Administrator may require, but in no event shall the required period of continuous employment be equal to or greater than 2 years; and (iv) Employees who are citizens or residents of a non-U.S. jurisdiction (without regard to whether he or she is also a citizen of the United States or a resident alien (within the meaning of Section 7701(b)(1)(A) of the Code)) if his or her participation is prohibited under the laws of the applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction or if complying with the laws of the applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction would cause the Plan or an Offering to violate Section 423 of the Code.
4. Offer Periods .
(a) The Plan shall be implemented through overlapping or consecutive Offer Periods until such time as (i) the maximum number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan shall have been purchased or (ii) the Plan shall have been sooner terminated in accordance with Section 19 hereof. The maximum duration of an Offer Period shall be twenty-seven (27) months. Initially, the Plan shall be implemented through consecutive Offer Periods of six months duration commencing each December 1 and June 1 following the Effective Date. However, the initial Offer Period shall commence on July 1, 2015 and shall end on November 30, 2015).
(b) A Participant shall be granted a separate Option for each Offer Period in which he or she participates. The Option shall be granted on the Offering Date and shall be automatically exercised in successive installments on the Exercise Dates ending within the Offer Period.
(c) If on the first day of any Purchase Period in an Offer Period in which an Employee is a Participant, the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock is less than the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the Offering Date of the Offer Period (after taking into account any adjustment during the Offer Period pursuant to Section 18(a)), the Offer Period shall be terminated automatically and the Participant shall be enrolled automatically in the new Offer Period which has its first Purchase Period commencing on that date, provided the Employee is eligible to participate in the Plan on that date and has not elected to terminate participation in the Plan.
(d) Except as specifically provided herein, the acquisition of Common Stock through participation in the Plan for any Offer Period shall neither limit nor require the acquisition of Common Stock by a Participant in any subsequent Offer Period.
5. Participation .
(a) An eligible Employee may become a Participant in the Plan by submitting an authorization of payroll deduction (using such form or method (including electronic forms) as the Administrator may designate from time to time) as of a date in advance of the Offering Date for the Offer Period in which such participation will commence, as required by the Administrator for all eligible Employees with respect to a given Offer Period.
(b) Payroll deductions for a Participant shall commence with the first partial or full payroll period beginning on the Offering Date and shall end on the last complete payroll period during the Offer Period, unless sooner terminated by the Participant as provided in Section 10.
6. Payroll Deductions .
(a) At the time a Participant enrolls in the Plan, the Participant shall elect to have payroll deductions made during the Offer Period in amounts between one percent (1%) and not exceeding ten percent (10%) of the Compensation which the Participant receives during the Offer Period.
(b) All payroll deductions made for a Participant shall be credited to the Participants account under the Plan and will be withheld in whole percentages only. A Participant may not make any additional payments into such account.
(c) A Participant may discontinue participation in the Plan as provided in Section 10, or may increase or decrease the rate of payroll deductions during the Offer Period by submitting notice of a change of status (using such form or method (including electronic forms) as the Administrator may designate from time to time) authorizing an increase or decrease in the payroll deduction rate. Any increase or decrease in the rate of a Participants payroll deductions shall be effective as soon as administratively practicable following the date of the request. A Participants payroll deduction authorization (as modified by any change of status notice) shall remain in effect for successive Offer Periods unless terminated as provided in Section 10. The Administrator shall be authorized to limit the number of payroll deduction rate changes during any Offer Period.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Section 3(b) herein, a Participants payroll deductions shall be decreased to zero percent (0%). Payroll deductions shall recommence at the rate provided in such Participants payroll deduction authorization, as amended, when permitted under Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Section 3(b), unless such participation is sooner terminated by the Participant as provided in Section 10.
7. Grant of Option .
On the Offering Date, each Participant shall be granted an Option to purchase (at the applicable Purchase Price) shares of Common Stock; provided: (i) that such Option shall be subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 3(b), 6 and 12; (ii) until otherwise determined by the Administrator, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock a Participant shall be permitted to purchase in any Offer Period shall be 2,500, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 18; and (iii) that such Option shall be subject to such other terms and conditions (applied on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis), as the Administrator shall determine from time to time. Exercise of the Option shall occur as provided in Section 8, unless the Participant has withdrawn pursuant to Section 10, and the Option, to the extent not exercised, shall expire on the last day of the Offer Period with respect to which such Option was granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, shares subject to the Option may only be purchased with accumulated payroll deductions credited to a Participants account in accordance with Section 6. In addition, to the extent an Option is not exercised on each Exercise Date, the Option shall lapse and thereafter cease to be exercisable.
8. Exercise of Option .
Unless a Participant withdraws from the Plan as provided in Section 10, the Participants Option for the purchase of shares of Common Stock will be exercised automatically on each Exercise Date, by applying the accumulated payroll deductions in the Participants account to purchase the number of full shares subject to the Option by dividing such Participants payroll deductions accumulated prior to such Exercise Date and retained in the Participants account as of the Exercise Date by the applicable Purchase Price. No fractional shares will be purchased; any payroll deductions accumulated in a Participants account which are not sufficient to purchase a full share shall be carried over to the next Purchase Period or Offer Period, whichever applies, or returned to the Participant, if the Participant withdraws from the Plan. In addition, any amount remaining in a Participants account following the purchase of shares on the Exercise Date due to the application of Section 423(b)(8) of the Code or Section 7, shall be returned to the Participant and shall not be carried over to the next Offer Period or Purchase Period. During a Participants lifetime, a Participants Option to purchase shares hereunder is exercisable only by the Participant.
9. Delivery .
Upon receipt of a request from a Participant after each Exercise Date on which a purchase of shares occurs, the Company shall arrange for the delivery to such Participant, as soon as administratively practicable, of the shares purchased upon exercise of the Participants Option.
10. Withdrawal; Termination of Employment .
(a) A Participant may, by giving notice to the Company (using such form or method (including electronic forms) as the Administrator may designate from time to time), either: (i) withdraw all but not less than all the payroll deductions credited to the Participants account and not yet used to exercise the Participants Option under the Plan; or (ii) terminate future payroll deductions, but allow accumulated payroll deductions to be used to exercise the Participants Option under the Plan at any time. If the Participant elects withdrawal alternative (i) described above, all of the Participants payroll deductions credited to the Participants account will be paid to such Participant as soon as administratively practicable after receipt of notice of withdrawal, such Participants Option for the Offer Period will be automatically terminated, and no further payroll deductions for the purchase of shares will be made during the Offer Period. If the Participant elects withdrawal alternative (ii) described above, no further payroll deductions for the purchase of shares will be made during the Offer Period, all of the Participants payroll deductions credited to the Participants account will be applied to the exercise of the Participants Option on the next Exercise Date (subject to Sections 3(b), 6, 7 and 12), and after such Exercise Date, such Participants Option for the Offer Period will be automatically terminated and all remaining accumulated payroll deduction amounts shall be returned to the Participant. If a Participant withdraws from an Offer Period, payroll deductions will not resume at the beginning of the succeeding Offer Period unless the Participant enrolls in such succeeding Offer Period. The Administrator may, in its discretion and on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis, specify procedures for withdrawal.
(b) Upon termination of a Participants employment relationship (as described in Section 2(k)) prior to the next scheduled Exercise Date, the payroll deductions credited to such Participants account during the Offer Period but not yet used to exercise the Option will be returned to such Participant or, in the case of his/her death, to the person or persons entitled thereto under Section 14, and such Participants Option will be automatically terminated without exercise of any portion of such Option.
11. Interest .
No interest shall accrue on the payroll deductions credited to a Participants account under the Plan.
12. Stock .
(a) The maximum number of shares of Common Stock which shall be made available for sale under the Plan shall be 265,000 shares, subject to adjustment upon changes in capitalization of the Company as provided in Section 18. If the Administrator determines that on a given Exercise Date the number of shares with respect to which Options are to be exercised may exceed: (x) the number of shares then available for sale under the Plan; or (y) the number of shares available for sale under the Plan on the Offering Date(s) of one or more of the Offer Periods in which such Exercise Date is to occur, the Administrator may make a pro rata allocation of the shares remaining available for purchase on such Offering Dates or Exercise Date, as applicable, and shall either continue the Offer Period then in effect or terminate any one or more Offer Periods then in effect pursuant to Section 19, below. Such allocation method shall be bottom up, with the result that all Option exercises for one (1) share shall be satisfied first, followed by all exercises for two (2) shares, and so on, until all available shares have been exhausted. Any amount remaining in a Participants payroll account following such allocation shall be returned to the Participant and shall not be carried over to any future Purchase Period or Offer Period, as determined by the Administrator.
(b) A Participant will have no interest or voting right in shares covered by the Participants Option until such shares are actually purchased on the Participants behalf in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Plan. No adjustment shall be made for dividends, distributions or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date of such purchase.
(c) Shares to be delivered to a Participant under the Plan will be registered in the name of the Participant.
13. Administration .
The Plan shall be administered by the Administrator, which shall have full and exclusive discretionary authority to construe, interpret and apply the terms of the Plan, to determine eligibility, to adjudicate all disputed claims filed under the Plan, and to designate separate Offerings for the eligible Employees of the Company and one or more Designated Parents or Subsidiaries, in which case the Offerings will be considered separate even if the dates of each such Offering are identical and the provisions of the Plan will separately apply to each Offering. Every finding, decision and determination made by the Administrator shall, to the full extent permitted by Applicable Law, be final and binding upon all persons.
14. Designation of Beneficiary .
(a) Each Participant will file a designation (using such form or method (including electronic forms) as the Administrator may designate from time to time) of a beneficiary who is to receive any shares and cash, if any, from the Participants account under the Plan in the event of such Participants death. If a Participant is married and the designated beneficiary is not the spouse, spousal consent shall be required for such designation to be effective.
(b) Such designation of beneficiary may be changed by the Participant (and the Participants spouse, if any) at any time by written notice. In the event of the death of a Participant and in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living (or in existence) at the time of such Participants death, the Company shall deliver such shares and/or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant, or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Administrator), the Administrator shall deliver such shares and/or cash to the spouse (or domestic partner, as determined by the Administrator) of the Participant, or if no spouse (or domestic partner) is known to the Administrator, then to the issue of the Participant, such distribution to be made per stirpes (by right of representation), or if no issue are known to the Administrator, then to the heirs at law of the Participant determined in accordance with Section 27.
15. Transferability .
No payroll deductions credited to a Participants account, Options granted hereunder, or any rights with regard to the exercise of an Option or to receive shares under the Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of in any way (other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution, or as provided in Section 14) by the Participant. Any such attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposition shall be without effect, except that the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, treat such act as an election to withdraw funds from an Offer Period in accordance with Section 10.
16. Use of Funds .
All payroll deductions received or held by the Company under the Plan may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate such payroll deductions or hold them exclusively for the benefit of Participants. All payroll deductions received or held by the Company may be subject to the claims of the Companys general creditors. Participants shall have the status of general unsecured creditors of the Company. Any amounts payable to Participants pursuant to the Plan shall be unfunded and unsecured obligations for all purposes, including, without limitation, Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. The Company shall retain at all times beneficial ownership of any investments which the Company may make to fulfill its payment obligations hereunder. Any investments or the creation or maintenance of any trust or any Participant account shall not create or constitute a trust or fiduciary relationship between the Administrator, the Company or any Designated Parent or Subsidiary and a Participant, or otherwise create any vested or beneficial interest in any Participant or the Participants creditors in any assets of the Company or a Designated Parent or Subsidiary. The Participants shall have no claim against the Company or any Designated Parent or Subsidiary for any changes in the value of any assets that may be invested or reinvested by the Company with respect to the Plan.
17. Reports .
Individual accounts will be maintained for each Participant in the Plan. Statements of account will be given to Participants at least annually, which statements will set forth the amounts of payroll deductions, the Purchase Price, the number of shares purchased and the remaining cash balance, if any.
18. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization; Corporate Transactions .
(a) Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization . Subject to any required action by the stockholders of the Company, the Administrator, in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, will, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust the Reserves, the Purchase Price, the maximum number of shares that may be purchased in any Offer Period or Purchase Period, as well as any other terms that the Administrator determines require adjustment, for: (i) any increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification of the Common Stock; (ii) any other increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock effected without receipt of consideration by the Company; or (iii) as the Administrator may determine in its discretion, any other transaction with respect to Common Stock, including a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation (including a spin-off or other distribution of stock or property), reorganization, liquidation (whether partial or complete) or any similar transaction; provided, however, that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been effected without receipt of consideration. Such adjustment, if any, shall be made by the Administrator and its determination shall be final, binding and conclusive. Except as the Administrator determines, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason hereof shall be made with respect to, the Reserves and the Purchase Price.
(b) Corporate Transactions . In the event of a proposed Corporate Transaction, each Option under the Plan shall be assumed by such successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation, unless the Administrator, in the exercise of its sole discretion and in lieu of such assumption, determines to shorten the Offer Period then in progress by setting a new Exercise Date (the New Exercise Date ). If the Administrator shortens the Offer Period then in progress in lieu of assumption in the event of a Corporate Transaction, the Administrator shall notify each Participant in writing at least ten (10) business days prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the Participants Option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that either :
(i) the Participants Option will be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offer Period as provided in Section 10; or
(ii) the Company shall pay to the Participant on the New Exercise Date an amount in cash, cash equivalents, or property as determined by the Administrator that is equal to the excess, if any, of (x) the Fair Market Value of the shares subject to the Option over (y) the Purchase Price due had the Participants Option been exercised automatically under Subsection (b)(i) above. In addition, all remaining accumulated payroll deduction amounts shall be returned to the Participant.
(c) For purposes of Section 18(b), an Option granted under the Plan shall be deemed to be assumed if, in connection with the Corporate Transaction, the Option is replaced with a comparable Option with respect to shares of capital stock of the successor corporation or Parent thereof. The determination of Option comparability shall be made by the Administrator prior to the Corporate Transaction and its determination shall be final, binding and conclusive on all persons.
19. Amendment or Termination .
(a) The Administrator may at any time and for any reason terminate or amend the Plan. Except as provided in Section 18, no such termination can adversely affect Options previously granted, provided that the Plan or any one or more Offer Periods then in effect may be terminated by the Administrator on any Exercise Date or by the Administrator establishing a new Exercise Date with respect to any Offer Period and/or Purchase Period then in progress if the Administrator determines that the termination of the Plan or one or more Offer Periods is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. Except as provided in Section 18 and this Section 19, no amendment may make any change in any Option theretofore granted which adversely affects the rights of any Participant without the consent of affected Participants. To the extent necessary to comply with Section 423 of the Code (or any successor rule or provision or any other Applicable Law), the Company shall obtain stockholder approval of any amendment in such a manner and to such a degree as required.
(b) Without stockholder consent and without regard to whether any Participant rights may be considered to have been adversely affected, the Administrator shall be entitled to limit the frequency and/or number of changes in the amount withheld during Offer Periods, change the length of Purchase Periods within any Offer Period, determine the length of any future Offer Period, determine whether future Offer Periods shall be consecutive or overlapping, establish the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars, establish or change Plan or per Participant limits on share purchases, establish additional terms, conditions, rules or procedures to accommodate the rules or laws of applicable foreign jurisdictions, permit payroll withholding in excess of the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the Companys processing of properly completed withholding elections, establish reasonable waiting and adjustment periods and/or accounting and crediting procedures to ensure that amounts applied toward the purchase of Common Stock for each Participant properly correspond with amounts withheld from the Participants Compensation, and establish such other limitations or procedures as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion advisable and which are consistent with the Plan, in each case to the extent consistent with the requirements of Code Section 423 and other Applicable Laws.
20. Notices .
All notices or other communications by a Participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form specified by the Administrator at the location, or by the person, designated by the Administrator for the receipt thereof.
21. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares .
Shares shall not be issued with respect to an Option unless the exercise of such Option and the issuance and delivery of such shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all Applicable Laws and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. As a condition to the exercise of an Option, the Company may require the Participant to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by any of the aforementioned Applicable Laws or is otherwise advisable. In addition, no Options shall be exercised or shares issued hereunder before the Plan has been approved by stockholders of the Company as provided in Section 23.
22. Term of Plan .
The Plan shall become effective upon the earlier to occur of its adoption by the Board or its approval by the stockholders of the Company. It shall continue in effect for a term of ten (10) years unless sooner terminated under Section 19.
23. Stockholder Approval .
Continuance of the Plan shall be subject to approval by the stockholders of the Company within twelve (12) months before or after the date the Plan is adopted. Such stockholder approval shall be obtained in the degree and manner required under Applicable Laws.
24. No Employment Rights .
The Plan does not, directly or indirectly, create any right for the benefit of any employee or class of employees to purchase any shares under the Plan, or create in any employee or class of employees any right with respect to continuation of employment by the Company or a Designated Parent or Subsidiary, and it shall not be deemed to interfere in any way with such employers right to terminate, or otherwise modify, an employees employment at any time.
25. No Effect on Retirement and Other Benefit Plans .
Except as specifically provided in a retirement or other benefit plan of the Company or a Designated Parent or Subsidiary, participation in the Plan shall not be deemed compensation for purposes of computing benefits or contributions under any retirement plan of the Company or a Designated Parent or Subsidiary, and shall not affect any benefits under any other benefit plan of any kind or any benefit plan subsequently instituted under which the availability or amount of benefits is related to level of compensation. The Plan is not a Retirement Plan or Welfare Plan under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
26. Effect of Plan .
The provisions of the Plan shall, in accordance with its terms, be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, all successors of each Participant, including, without limitation, such Participants estate and the executors, administrators or trustees thereof, heirs and legatees, and any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy or representative of creditors of such Participant.
27. Governing Law .
The Plan is to be construed in accordance with and governed by the internal laws of the State of California (as permitted by Section 1646.5 of the California Civil Code, or any similar successor provision) without giving effect to any choice of law rule that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the internal laws of the State of California to the rights and duties of the parties, except to the extent the internal laws of the State of California are superseded by the laws of the United States. Should any provision of the Plan be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, the other provisions shall nevertheless remain effective and shall remain enforceable.
28. Dispute Resolution .
The provisions of this Section 28 shall be the exclusive means of resolving disputes arising out of or relating to the Plan. The Company and the Participant, or their respective successors (the parties ), shall attempt in good faith to resolve any disputes arising out of or relating to the Plan by negotiation between individuals who have authority to settle the controversy. Negotiations shall be commenced by either party by notice of a written statement of the partys position and the name and title of the individual who will represent the party. Within thirty (30) days of the written notification, the parties shall meet at a mutually acceptable time and place, and thereafter as often as they reasonably deem necessary, to resolve the dispute. If the dispute has not been resolved by negotiation, the parties agree that any suit, action, or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Plan shall be brought in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California (or should such court lack jurisdiction to hear such action, suit or proceeding, in a California state court in the County of Alameda) and that the parties shall submit to the jurisdiction of such court. The parties irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection the party may have to the laying of venue for any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court. THE PARTIES ALSO EXPRESSLY WAIVE ANY RIGHT THEY HAVE OR MAY HAVE TO A JURY TRIAL OF ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING. If any one or more provisions of this Section 28 shall for any reason be held invalid or unenforceable, it is the specific intent of the parties that such provisions shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it or its application valid and enforceable.