Registration No. 333-                

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 6, 2020

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

 

LOGO

Koppers Holdings Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Pennsylvania   20-1878963

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

436 Seventh Avenue  
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania   15219
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

Koppers Holdings Inc. 2020 Long Term Incentive Plan

(Full title of the plan)

Stephanie L. Apostolou

General Counsel and Secretary

Koppers Holdings Inc.

436 Seventh Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15219

(Name and address of agent for service)

(412) 227-2001

(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

With a copy to:

Jeffrey W. Acre

K&L Gates LLP

K&L Gates Center

210 Sixth Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

(412) 355-6500

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act):

 

Large accelerated filer

 

  

Accelerated filer

 

Non-accelerated filer

 

  

Smaller reporting company

 

    

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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of each

class of securities

to be registered

 

Amount to be

registered(1)

 

Proposed

maximum

offering price

per share(2)

 

Proposed

maximum

aggregate

offering price(2)

 

Amount of

registration fee

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

 

2,146,963 shares(3)

 

$14.665

 

$31,485,212.40

 

$4,086.79

 

 

(1)

This Registration Statement also covers additional securities to be offered or issued upon any adjustment or change made to the registered securities by reason of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or similar transaction effected without the receipt of consideration which results in an increase in the number of the Registrant’s outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), as permitted by Rule 416(a) and Rule 416(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

(2)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act. The fee is calculated on the basis of the average of the high and low trading prices for the Common Stock on The New York Stock Exchange on May 1, 2020, which was $14.665.

(3)

Represents shares of Common Stock issuable under the Koppers Holdings Inc. 2020 Long Term Incentive Plan (the “2020 Plan”). This amount includes shares of Common Stock underlying outstanding awards granted under the Koppers Holdings Inc. 2018 Long Term Incentive Plan (the “Prior Plan”) as of May 6, 2020 (the “Effective Date”) that, following the Effective Date, may expire or be terminated, surrendered or forfeited for any reason without issuance of such shares (collectively, the “Rollover Shares”). Pursuant to the terms of the 2020 Plan, any Rollover Shares will be available for award grants under the 2020 Plan. In addition, in accordance with the terms of the 2020 Plan, shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the 2020 Plan include shares of Common Stock issued in settlement of performance-vesting share-based awards granted under the Prior Plan that become earned after the Effective Date and that are in excess of the share pool available for issuance under Prior Plan.

 

 

 


EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Registration Statement (the “Registration Statement”) registers an aggregate of 2,146,963 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), of Koppers Holdings Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation (the “Company” or the “Registrant”), that may be issued under the Koppers Holdings Inc. 2020 Long Term Incentive Plan (the “2020 Plan”) in accordance with the terms of the 2020 Plan. This amount represents (i) 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock approved for issuance under the 2020 Plan, and (ii) up to 1,146,963 shares of Common Stock (collectively, the “Rollover Shares”) that may be added to the share reserve of the 2020 Plan pursuant to the expiration, termination, surrender or forfeiture for any reason of outstanding awards granted under the Koppers Holdings Inc. 2018 Long Term Incentive Plan (the “Prior Plan”) without issuance of such shares on or after May 6, 2020 (the “Effective Date”). In accordance with the terms of the 2020 Plan, shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the 2020 Plan include shares issued in settlement of performance-vesting share-based awards granted under the Prior Plan that become earned after the Effective Date and that are in excess of the share pool available for issuance under Prior Plan. The 2020 Plan is more fully described in Proposal 2 contained in the Registrant’s definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on March 30, 2020. The Registrant’s shareholders approved the 2020 Plan on May 6, 2020.

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

ITEM 1. PLAN INFORMATION.*

ITEM 2. REGISTRANT INFORMATION AND EMPLOYEE PLAN INFORMATION*

 

*

Information required by Part I to be contained in the Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act and the Note to Part I of Form S-8. The document containing the information specified in Part I will be delivered to the participants in the Plan as required by Rule 428(b)(1). In accordance with the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and the instructions to Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act.


PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Commission are incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement:

 

  1.

The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, as filed on February 27, 2020 (File No. 001-32737);

 

  2.

All other reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), since December 31, 2019 (except to the extent of any information furnished in a Current Report on Form 8-K under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 and exhibits furnished therein that relate to such items); and

 

  3.

The description of the Registrant’s common stock contained in the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act on January 27, 2006, including all amendments and reports updating such description.

All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Registration Statement, but prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement that indicates that all securities offered by this Registration Statement have been sold or which deregisters all such securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Registrant is not incorporating by reference any information furnished (but not filed) under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K or any exhibit furnished therein that relates to such items. Each document incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a part of this Registration Statement from the date of filing of such document with the Commission until the information contained therein is superseded or updated by any subsequently filed document that is incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement or by any document that constitutes part of the prospectus relating to the 2020 Plan, each meeting the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

Not applicable.

ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

Not applicable.

ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

1. Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law. Sections 1741 and 1742 of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law (the “BCL”) provide that a business corporation shall have the power to indemnify any person who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party, to any proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a


director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such proceeding, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. In the case of an action by or in the right of the corporation, such indemnification is limited to expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person has been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless, and only to the extent that, a court determines upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for the expenses that the court deems proper.

BCL Section 1744 provides that, unless ordered by a court, any indemnification referred to above shall be made by the corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because the indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct. Such determination shall be made:

 

   

by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the proceeding;

 

   

if such a quorum is not obtainable, or if obtainable and a majority vote of a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion; or

 

   

by the shareholders.

Notwithstanding the above, BCL Section 1743 provides that to the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of a business corporation is successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any proceeding referred to in BCL Section 1741 or 1742, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.

BCL Section 1745 provides that expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer, director, employee or agent of a business corporation in defending any proceeding may be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by the indemnitee to repay the amount advanced if it is ultimately determined that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation.

BCL Section 1746 provides that the indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, the foregoing provisions is not exclusive of any other rights to which a person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, and that indemnification may be granted under any bylaw, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested directors or otherwise for any action taken or any failure to take any action whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify the person under any other provision of law and whether or not the indemnified liability arises or arose from any action by or in the right of the corporation, provided, however, that no indemnification may be made in any case where the act or failure to act giving rise to the claim for indemnification is determined by a court to have constituted willful misconduct or recklessness.


BCL Section 1747 permits a Pennsylvania business corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or other enterprise, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify the person against such liability under the provisions described above.

BCL Sections 1748 and 1749 extend the indemnification and advancement of expenses provisions to successor corporations in consolidations, mergers or divisions and to representatives serving as fiduciaries of employee benefit plans. BCL Section 1750 provides that the indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, Subchapter E of the BCL, shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a representative of the corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs and personal representative of such person.

2. Articles of Incorporation Provision on Liability of Directors. Our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended (the “Articles of Incorporation”), provide that the liability of directors for monetary damages shall be eliminated to the fullest extent permissible under Pennsylvania law.

3. Indemnification Bylaw. Article VII of our Second Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”) provides that the directors and officers of the registrant and certain other persons designated by the Board of Directors of the registrant shall be indemnified as of right in connection with any actual or threatened, pending or completed action, suit, appeal or proceeding of any nature, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, whether formal or informal, and whether brought by or in the right of the registrant, a class of its security holders or otherwise, arising out of their service to the registrant or to another enterprise at the request of the registrant, with certain limitations and exceptions.

Article VII of the Bylaws also provides that we may purchase and maintain insurance to protect the Company and any director, officer, agent or employee entitled to indemnification under Article VII against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in respect of the service of such person to the registrant.

As permitted by BCL Section 1713, the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws provide that no director shall be personally liable for monetary damages (including, without limitation, any judgment, amount paid in settlement, penalty, punitive damages or expense of any nature (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and disbursements)) for any action taken, or failure to take any action, unless: (A) the director has breached or failed to perform the duties of his office under Title 15, Chapter 17, Subchapter B; and (B) such director’s breach of duty or failure to perform constituted self-dealing, willful misconduct or recklessness. The BCL states that this exculpation from liability does not apply to the responsibility or liability of a director pursuant to any criminal statute or the liability of a director for the payment of taxes pursuant to federal, state or local law. It may also not apply to liabilities imposed upon directors by the federal securities laws. BCL Section 1715(d) creates a presumption, subject to exceptions, that a director acted in the best interests of the corporation. BCL Section 1712, in defining the standard of care a director owes to the corporation, provides that a director stands in a fiduciary relation to the corporation and must perform his duties as a director or as a member of any committee of the Board of Directors in good faith, in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation and with such care, including reasonable inquiry, skill and diligence, as a person of ordinary prudence would use under similar circumstances.


4. Director and Officer Liability Insurance. We maintain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance covering our directors and officers with respect to liability which they may incur in connection with their serving as such, which liability could include liability under the Securities Act of 1933. Under the insurance, we are entitled to reimbursement for amounts as to which the directors and officers are indemnified under the Bylaw indemnification provision. The insurance may also provide certain additional coverage for the directors and officers against certain liability even though such liability is not subject to the foregoing Bylaw indemnification provision.

ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

Not Applicable.

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.

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

 

  4.1

Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Koppers Holdings Inc., as amended on May 7, 2015 (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on August 6, 2015 by Koppers Holdings Inc. (Commission File No. 001-32737)).

 

  4.2

Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of Koppers Holdings Inc., as adopted on August 2, 2017 (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on August 3, 2017 by Koppers Holdings Inc. (Commission File 001-32737)).

 

  5.1

Opinion of K&L Gates LLP (filed herewith).

 

23.1

Consent of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm (filed herewith).

 

23.2

Consent of K&L Gates LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

 

24.1

Powers of Attorney (included on the signature page to this Registration Statement).

 

99.1

Koppers Holdings Inc. 2020 Long Term Incentive Plan (filed herewith).

 

ITEM 9.

UNDERTAKINGS.

(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

1. To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

i. To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

ii. To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement.


iii. To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in this Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

2. That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

3. To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement on Form S-8 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Pittsburgh, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on this 6th day of May, 2020.

 

KOPPERS HOLDINGS INC.

By:

 

/s/ Leroy M. Ball

 

Leroy M. Ball

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Each of the undersigned directors and officers of Koppers Holdings Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation, do hereby constitute and appoint Stephanie L. Apostolou, Leroy M. Ball, and Michael J. Zugay, or any of them, the undersigned’s true and lawful attorneys and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution in each, to do any and all acts and things in our name and on our behalf in our respective capacities as directors and officers and to execute any and all instruments for us and in our names in the capacities indicated below, which said attorneys and agents, or either of them, may deem necessary or advisable to enable said corporation to comply with the Securities Act, as amended, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, in connection with this Registration Statement, including specifically, but without limitation, power and authority to sign for us or any of us in our names in the capacities indicated below, any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) hereto, and each of the undersigned does hereby ratify and confirm all that said attorneys and agents, or either of them or any substitute, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This Power of Attorney may be executed in any number of counterparts.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated have signed this Registration Statement below.

 

Signature

  

Capacity

  

Date

/s/ Leroy M. Ball

Leroy M. Ball

   President and Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)    May 6, 2020

/s/ Michael J. Zugay

Michael J. Zugay

   Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)    May 6, 2020


/s/ Bradley A. Pearce

Bradley A. Pearce

  

Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer)

  

May 6, 2020

/s/ Xudong Feng

Xudong Feng

  

Director

  

May 6, 2020

/s/ Traci L. Jensen

Traci L. Jensen

  

Director

  

May 6, 2020

/s/ David L. Motley

David L. Motley

  

Director

  

May 6, 2020

/s/ Albert J. Neupaver

Albert J. Neupaver

  

Director

  

May 6, 2020

/s/ Louis L. Testoni

Louis L. Testoni

  

Director

  

May 6, 2020

/s/ Stephen R. Tritch

Stephen R. Tritch

  

Director

  

May 6, 2020

/s/ Sonja M. Wilkerson

Sonja M. Wilkerson

  

Director

  

May 6, 2020

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO

May 6, 2020

Koppers Holdings Inc.

436 Seventh Avenue

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219

Re: Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Koppers Holdings Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the Registration Statement”) to be filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), on the date hereof for the registration under the Securities Act of the offer and sale of an aggregate of 2,146,963 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (collectively, the “Shares”), which Shares may be issued from time to time in connection with, and pursuant to the terms of, the Koppers Holdings Inc. 2020 Long Term Incentive Plan (the “2020 Plan”).

In connection with rendering the opinions set forth below, we have examined (i) the 2020 Plan; (ii) the Registration Statement, including the exhibits filed therewith; (iii) the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended (the “Articles of Incorporation”); (iv) the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”); and (v) resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board of Directors”) which the authorize the 2020 Plan and authorize and provide for the filing of the Registration Statement. We have made such other investigation as we have deemed appropriate. We also have examined and relied upon certificates of public officials.

For the purposes of this opinion letter, we have assumed that (i) each document submitted to us is accurate and complete; (ii) each such document that is an original is authentic; (iii) each such document that is a copy conforms to an authentic original; and (iv) all signatures on each such document are genuine. We have further assumed the legal capacity of natural persons, and we have assumed that each party to the documents we have examined or relied on has the legal capacity or authority and has satisfied all legal requirements that are applicable to that party to the extent necessary to make such documents enforceable against that party. We have not verified any of the foregoing assumptions or any other assumptions set forth in this opinion letter.

The opinions expressed in this opinion letter are limited to the law of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We are not opining on, and we assume no responsibility for, the applicability to or effect on any of the matters covered herein of (i) any other laws; (ii) the laws of any other jurisdiction; or (iii) the law of any county, municipality or other political subdivision or local governmental agency or authority.

K&L GATES LLP

K&L GATES CENTER    210 SIXTH AVENUE    PITTSBURGH    PA 15222-2613

T +1 412 355 6500 F +1 412 355 6501 klgates.com


Koppers Holdings Inc.

May 6, 2020

Page 2

 

Based on the foregoing, and subject to the foregoing and the additional qualifications and other matters set forth below, it is our opinion that the Shares have been duly and validly authorized and reserved for issuance and that the Shares, when issued in accordance with the terms of the 2020 Plan and following receipt by the Company of any applicable consideration to be paid therefor, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

We assume no obligation to update or supplement any of our opinions to reflect any changes of law or fact that may occur.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving our consent, we do not thereby admit that we are experts with respect to any part of the Registration Statement within the meaning of the term “expert”, as used in Section 11 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, nor do we admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Yours truly,

/s/ K&L Gates LLP

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors

Koppers Holdings Inc.:

We consent to the use of our reports dated February 27, 2020, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets of Koppers Holdings Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), cash flows, and shareholders’ equity for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2019, and the related notes and financial statement schedule II, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019, incorporated herein by reference.

Our report on the consolidated financial statements refers to a change in the Company’s method of accounting for leases.

 

/s/ KPMG LLP

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

May 6, 2020

Exhibit 99.1

KOPPERS HOLDINGS INC.

2020 LONG TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

AS ADOPTED EFFECTIVE March 16, 2020

Section 1. Purpose

The purposes of the Koppers Holdings Inc. 2020 Long Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) are to encourage selected individuals in the service of Koppers Holdings Inc. (together with any successor thereto, the “Company”) and its Affiliates (as defined below) to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company’s growth and performance, to generate an increased incentive to contribute to the Company’s future success and to enhance the ability of the Company and its Affiliates to attract and retain key service providers. If approved by shareholders, the Plan supersedes and replaces the Predecessor Plan (as defined below). No further awards shall be made under the Predecessor Plan if the Plan is approved by shareholders and becomes effective on the Effective Date. Any Awards made under the Predecessor Plan prior to the Effective Date shall be governed by the terms of the Predecessor Plan in effect prior to the Effective Date, including with respect to any restrictive covenants.

Section 2. Definitions

As used in the Plan:

 

(a)

“Affiliate” means (i) any entity that, directly or through one or more intermediaries, is controlled by the Company, and (ii) any entity in which the Company has a significant equity interest as determined by the Committee.

 

(b)

“Award” means any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Award or Dividend Equivalent granted under the Plan.

 

(c)

“Award Agreement” means any written or electronic agreement or other instrument or document evidencing an Award granted under the Plan. The terms of any plan or guideline adopted by the Board or the Committee and applicable to an Award shall be deemed incorporated in and a part of the related Award Agreement.

 

(d)

“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

(e)

“Change in Control” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8(b).

 

(f)

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. References to the Code shall include the valid and binding governmental regulations, court decisions and other regulatory and judicial authority issued or rendered thereunder.

 

(g)

“Committee” means a committee of the Board designated by the Board to administer the Plan and composed of not less than two directors, each of whom is (i) qualified as a “Non-Employee Director” as contemplated by the Section 16 Rules and (ii) satisfies the independence standards established for compensation committee members by the Stock Exchange serving at the time as the primary market for the Company’s common stock. Such Committee may from time to time be hereinafter referred to as the “Primary Committee.” The term “Committee” shall also mean any Secondary Committee or Special Award Committee, to the extent such Secondary Committee or Special Award Committee acts within its administrative jurisdiction under the Plan.

 

(h)

“Dividend Equivalent” means any right granted under Section 6(f)(vi) of the Plan.

 

(i)

“Effective Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10 of the Plan.

 

(j)

“Employee” means any individual in the employ of the Company or any Affiliate, subject to the control and direction of the employer entity as to both the work to be performed and the manner and method of performance.

 

(k)

“Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any property other than shares of the Company’s common stock, the fair market value of such property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Primary Committee. Fair Market Value means, with respect to shares of the Company’s common stock, the closing selling price per share at the close of regular hours trading (i.e., before after-hours trading begins) on the date in question on the Stock Exchange serving at the time as the primary market for the Company’s common stock, as such price is reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers (if primarily traded on the Nasdaq Global or Global Select Market) or as officially quoted in the composite tape of transactions on any other Stock Exchange on which the Company’s common stock is then primarily traded. If there is no closing selling price for the Company’s common stock on the date in question, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists.

 

1


(l)

“GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles.

 

(m)

“Incentive Stock Option” means an option to purchase Shares granted under Section 6(b) of the Plan that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or a successor provision thereto.

 

(n)

“Long Term Performance Award” means an Award made in accordance with Section 6(d)(iii) of the Plan.

 

(o)

“1934 Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

(p)

“Non-Qualified Stock Option” means an option to purchase Shares granted under Section 6(b) of the Plan that is not intended to be an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(q)

“Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

 

(r)

“Participant” means an Employee or other eligible individual determined under Section 5 granted an Award under the Plan.

 

(s)

“Performance Award” means any award granted under Section 6(d) of the Plan.

 

(t)

“Performance Bonus” means an award denominated in cash or Shares that is made under Section 6(d)(ii) of the Plan and that is paid solely on account of the attainment of one or more specified performance targets in relation to one or more Performance Measures.

 

(u)

“Performance Cycle” means, with respect to any Award that vests based on Performance Measures, the period over which the level of performance will be assessed.

 

(v)

“Performance Measure” means, with respect to any Performance Bonus or Long Term Performance Award, the business criteria selected by the Committee to measure the level of performance of the Company and/or its Affiliates during a Performance Cycle. The Committee may select as the Performance Measure for a Performance Cycle any performance goals which it may consider appropriate for the award, which may include, but shall not be limited to, one or combination of the following Company measures, as interpreted by the Committee, which measures (to the extent applicable) will be determined in accordance with GAAP: (i) earnings or operating income before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and/or charges for stock-based compensation; (ii) earnings or operating income before interest and taxes and/or charges for stock-based compensation (iii) earnings per share; (iv) growth in earnings or earnings per share; (v) market price of the Company’s common stock; (vi) return on equity or average shareholder equity; (vii) total shareholder return or growth in total shareholder return, either directly or in relation to a comparative group; (viii) return on capital; (ix) return on assets or net assets; (x) invested capital, rate of return on capital, return on invested capital or improvements on capital structure; (xi) bond ratings; (xii) safety, health or environmental record or performance; (xiii) sales, revenue, growth in revenue or return on sales; (xiv) income or net income; (xv) operating income or net operating income; (xvi) operating profit or net operating profit; (xvii) operating margin; (xviii) return on operating revenue or return on operating profit; (xix) cash flow or cash flow per share (before or after dividends); (xx) market share; (xxi) collections and recoveries, (xxii) debt reduction, borrowing levels, leverage ratios or credit rating; (xxiii) compliance with covenants in the Company’s and/or its Affiliates’ debt agreements; (xxiv) litigation and regulatory resolution goals, (xxv) expense control goals, (xxvi) budget comparisons, (xxvii) development and implementation of strategic plans and/or organizational restructuring goals; (xxviii) productivity goals; (xxix) workforce management and succession planning goals; (xxx) economic value added or other value added measures, (xxxi) on-time delivery, quality standards and/or other measures of customer satisfaction, (xxxii) employee retention and/or attrition rates; (xxxiii) comparable site sales; (xxxiv) resolution and/or settlement of litigation and other legal proceedings; (xxxv) regulatory compliance; (xxxvi) satisfactory internal or external audits; (xxxvii) improvement of financial ratings; (xxxviii) strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives based on meeting specified market penetration, geographic business expansion goals, cost targets, management of employment practices and employee benefits, or supervision of information technology; (xxxix) formation of joint ventures or marketing or customer service collaborations or the completion of other corporate transactions intended to enhance the Company’s revenue or profitability or enhance its customer base; (xxxx) mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and/or business expansion; and (xxxxi) other similar criteria consistent with the foregoing. The Committee may also grant Performance Bonus or Long Term Performance Awards that are based on performance measures other than those set forth above.

 

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(w)

“Performance Unit” means an award made under Section 6(d)(iii) of the Plan and that is paid on account of the attainment of one or more specified performance targets in relation to one or more Performance Measures.

 

(x)

“Permanent Disability or Permanently Disabled” shall mean the inability of the Participant to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment expected to result in death or to be of continuous duration of twelve (12) months or more.

 

(y)

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, or government or political subdivision thereof.

 

(z)

“Predecessor Plan” means the Koppers Holdings Inc. 2018 Long Term Incentive Plan.

 

(aa)

“Released Securities” means securities that were Restricted Securities with respect to which all applicable restrictions imposed under the terms of the relevant Award have expired, lapsed or been waived or satisfied.

 

(bb)

“Restricted Securities” means Awards of Restricted Stock or other Awards under which outstanding Shares are held subject to certain restrictions.

 

(cc)

“Restricted Stock” means any Share granted under Section 6(c) of the Plan.

 

(dd)

“Restricted Stock Unit” means any right granted under Section 6(c) of the Plan that is denominated in Shares. Restricted Stock Units may be settled in Shares, in cash of equivalent Fair Market Value, or any combination as determined by the Committee and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(ee)

“Secondary Committee” means a committee of two or more Board members, including Board members who are also officers or employees of the Company or any Affiliate, appointed by the Board to administer the Plan and to make Awards with respect to persons other than Section 16 Insiders.

 

(ff)

“Section 16 Insider” means each officer of the Company (or any Affiliate) and Board member who is subject to the short-swing trading restrictions of Section 16 of the 1934 Act.

 

(gg)

“Section 16 Rules” means the rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to Section 16 of the 1934 Act or any successor rules.

 

(hh)

“Shares” means the common stock of the Company and such other securities or property as may become the subject of Awards pursuant to an adjustment made under Section 4(c) of the Plan.

 

(ii)

“Special Award Committee” shall mean a committee of one or more executive officers appointed by the Board to administer the Plan with respect to eligible employees other than members of such committee and Section 16 Insiders.

 

(jj)

“Stock Appreciation Right” means a tandem or stand-alone stock appreciation right granted pursuant to Section 6(e) of the Plan.

 

(kk)

“Stock Exchange” shall mean the Nasdaq Global or Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange, or any other principal securities exchange upon which the Company’s common stock is traded.

 

(ll)

“Target Amount” means the amount of the Performance Bonus or the amount per Performance Unit that will be paid to the Participant if the Performance Measure applicable to that Performance Bonus or Performance Unit is fully (100%) attained, as determined by the Committee.

 

(mm)

“Target Vesting Percentage” means the percentage of each performance-based Restricted Stock Unit or Restricted Stock Award that will vest if the Performance Measure applicable to that Performance-Based Award is fully (100%) attained, as determined by the Committee.

 

(nn)

“10% Shareholder” means an Employee who, as of the date on which an Incentive Stock Option is granted to such Employee, owns more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of Shares then issued by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

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Section 3. Administration

The Primary Committee shall serve as the primary administrator of the Plan and in that capacity shall have full power and authority to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the Awards to be granted to Participants; (iii) determine the number of Shares (or securities convertible into Shares) to be covered by Awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award; (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled or exercised in cash, Shares or other securities or property, or canceled, substituted, forfeited or suspended, and the method or methods by which Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, substituted, forfeited or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards, other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award under the Plan shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the Participant or of the Committee; (vii) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award made under, the Plan; (viii) establish, amend, suspend or waive such rules and guidelines and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the administration of the Plan; (ix) establish and interpret the various Performance Measures (or, as applicable, other performance criteria) that are to apply to the Performance Bonuses and Long Term Performance Awards made under the Plan, evaluate the level of performance over the applicable Performance Cycle, certify the level at which Performance Measures (or other performance criteria, as applicable) for that Performance Cycle has been attained and determine the amount payable with respect to those Awards based on the certified level of Performance Measure attainment; (x) waive the forfeiture period and any other conditions set forth in any Award Agreement under appropriate circumstances (including the death, disability or retirement of the Participant or a material change in circumstances arising after the date of an Award) and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall deem appropriate; and (xi) make any other determination and take any other action that it deems necessary or desirable for such administration.

The Board may also establish a Secondary Committee and delegate to such committee separate but concurrent authority with the Primary Committee to exercise all of the foregoing power and authority with respect to Awards to persons other than Section 16 Insiders. In addition, administration of the Plan may, at the Board’s or Primary Committee’s discretion, be vested in a Special Award Committee with authority to administer the Plan with respect to employees other than Section 16 Insiders and members of such Special Award Committee and to make Awards to such individuals under the Plan subject to such limitations and other terms and conditions as the Board shall specify from time to time. All designations, determinations, interpretations and other decisions with respect to the Plan or any Award shall be made by the Primary Committee or, with respect to Awards under its jurisdiction, the Secondary Committee or Special Award Committee, and shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all Persons, including the Company, any Affiliate, any Participants, any holder or beneficiary of any Award, any shareholder and any employee of the Company or of any Affiliate. The powers of the Primary Committee, Special Award Committee and the Secondary Committee include the adoption of modifications, amendments, procedures, subplans and the like as are necessary to comply with provisions of the laws of other countries in which the Company or an Affiliate may operate in order to assure the viability of Awards granted under the Plan and to enable Participants employed in such other countries to receive benefits under the Plan and such laws.

Section 4. Shares Available for Awards

 

(a)

Shares Available. Subject to the share counting provisions and adjustment procedures set forth in subsection (b) and (c) below, the aggregate number of Shares reserved and available for issuance under the Plan shall be 1,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock. In addition, shares of the Company’s common stock underlying any outstanding award granted under the Predecessor Plan that, following the Effective Date, expire, or is terminated, surrendered or forfeited for any reason without issuance of such shares shall be available for the grant of new Awards under this Plan. For this purpose, for any performance-vesting share-based awards granted under the Predecessor Plan that become earned after the Effective Date, (i) any shares earned shall be satisfied from the Predecessor Plan share pool to the extent available, (ii) any shares earned in excess of the Predecessor Plan share pool shall be issued from the aggregate number of Shares available for issuance under this Plan, and (iii) any shares that are not earned as a result of performance results shall be treated as forfeitures in accordance with the preceding sentence. Subject to adjustment pursuant to subsection (c) below, in no event may more than 1,000,000 Shares, in the aggregate, be granted pursuant to Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan.

 

(b)

Share Counting. The aggregate number of Shares available with respect to Awards under the Plan shall be reduced by one (1) Share for each Share to which an Award relates; provided, however, that any Award (or any portion) settled in cash, or the payment in cash of dividends or dividend equivalents under any outstanding Award, will not be counted against, or have any effect upon, the number of Shares available for issuance under this Plan. If any Shares covered by an Award granted under the Plan, or to which such an Award relates, are forfeited, or otherwise terminates or is canceled without the delivery of Shares, then the Shares covered by such Award, or to which such Award relates, or the number of Shares otherwise counted against the aggregate number of shares with respect to which Awards may be granted, to the extent of any such forfeiture, termination or cancellation, shall again become Shares with respect to which Awards may be granted; provided, however, that Shares (i) delivered or withheld by the Company in payment of the exercise price or base price of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right,

 

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as applicable, (ii) not issued upon the settlement of Stock Appreciation Rights, (iii) repurchased by the Company using proceeds from Option exercises or (iv) delivered to or withheld by the Company to pay federal, state or local withholding taxes, shall not become available again for issuance under this Plan. Shares issued under Awards granted in assumption, substitution or exchange for previously granted awards of a company acquired by the Company or an Affiliate (“Substitute Awards”) shall not reduce the Shares available under the Plan, and available shares under a shareholder approved plan of an acquired company (as appropriately adjusted to reflect the transaction) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the Plan’s Share reserve (subject to any applicable stock exchange listing requirements).

 

(c)

Adjustments. In the event that the Committee determines that any dividend or other distribution (other than regular cash dividends), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Shares or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the Shares such that an adjustment is determined by the Primary Committee to be appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, then the Committee shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust any or all of (i) the number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) which thereafter may be made the subject of Awards under Section 4(a), (ii) the number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, (iii) the grant, purchase or exercise price with respect to any Award, or, if the Committee deems it appropriate, make provision for a cash payment to the holder of an outstanding Award, (iv) the performance goals relating to outstanding Awards, (v) the maximum number of Shares or other securities which may be issued under Section 4(a) pursuant to Incentive Stock Options, and (vi) the maximum number of Shares or other securities for which any one Participant may be granted Awards pursuant to the limitations contained in Section 4(d). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Participant to whom Dividend Equivalents or dividend units have been awarded shall not be entitled to receive a special or extraordinary dividend or distribution unless the Committee shall have expressly authorized such receipt.

 

(d)

Limitation of Non-Employee Director Awards. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, the aggregate grant date fair value (computed as of the date of grant in accordance with applicable financial accounting rules) of all Awards granted to any non-Employee member of the Board during any single calendar year under this Plan (excluding Awards made at the election of such non-Employee director in lieu of all or a portion of annual and committee cash retainers) shall not exceed $200,000.

Section 5. Eligibility

Any Employee, including any officer or employee member of the Board, any non-employee member of the Board or the board of directors of an Affiliate, and any consultant in the service of the Company or an Affiliate shall be eligible to be designated a Participant. However, any Employee who is a member of a collective bargaining unit shall not be eligible to be designated a Participant unless the collective bargaining agreement covering that Employee allows for his or her participation in the Plan.

Section 6. Awards

 

(a)

Grants. All Awards shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and to such other terms and conditions consistent with this Plan as the Committee deems appropriate and as are specified in writing by the Committee to the individual in an Award Agreement or an amendment to the Award Agreement. All Awards shall be made conditional upon the Participant’s acknowledgement, in writing or by acceptance of the Award, that all decisions and determinations of the Committee shall be final and binding on the Participant, the Participant’s beneficiaries and any other person having or claiming an interest under such Award. Awards under a particular Section of the Plan need not be uniform as among the Participants.

 

(b)

Options. The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Participants with the following terms and conditions and with such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine:

 

  (i)

Exercise Price. The purchase price per Share purchasable under an Option shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that such purchase price shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of such Option (or 110% of the Fair Market Value of a Share in case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a 10% Shareholder), except in connection with Substitute Awards.

 

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  (ii)

Option Term. The term of each Option shall be fixed by the Committee, provided that in no event shall the term of an Option exceed a period of ten years from the date of its grant (or five years in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a 10% Shareholder).

 

  (iii)

Exercise. The Committee shall determine the time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part (but in no event shall an Option be exercisable after the expiration of ten years from the date of its grant (or five years in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a 10% Shareholder)), and the method or methods by which, and the form or forms (including, without limitation, cash, Shares, other Awards or other property, or any combination thereof, having a Fair Market Value on the exercise date equal to the relevant exercise price, including for this purpose a cashless net exercise) in which, payment of the exercise price with respect thereto may be made. In addition, to the extent the Option is exercised for vested Shares at a time when the Company’s common stock is registered under Section 12(g) of the 1934 Act, the exercise price may also be paid through a special sale and remittance procedure pursuant to which the Participant shall concurrently provide instructions to (a) a brokerage firm (reasonably satisfactory to the Company for purposes of administering such procedure in compliance with the Company’s pre-clearance/pre-notification policies) to effect the immediate sale of the purchased Shares and remit to the Company, out of the sale proceeds available on the settlement date, sufficient funds to cover the aggregate exercise price payable for the purchased Shares plus all applicable income and employment taxes required to be withheld by the Company by reason of such exercise and (b) the Company to deliver the certificates for the purchased Shares directly to such brokerage firm on such settlement date in order to complete the sale. The Committee shall have the authority to provide, in the applicable Award Agreement, for the automatic exercise, pursuant to the foregoing sale and remittance procedure or through a cashless net exercise, of a vested Option with an exercise price per Share that is less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the last day of the Option term.

 

  (iv)

Incentive Stock Options. The terms of any Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan shall be subject in all respects to the provisions of Section 422 of the Code, or any successor provision thereto, and any regulations promulgated thereunder. Without limiting the preceding sentence, the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time an option is granted) of Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year (under the Plan and any other plan of the Participant’s employer corporation and its parent and subsidiary corporations providing for Options) shall not exceed such dollar limitation as shall be applicable to Incentive Stock Options under Section 422 of the Code or a successor provision. If an Option that is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option fails to meet the requirements thereof, the Option shall automatically be treated as a Non-Qualified Stock Option to the extent of such failure.

 

(c)

Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units.

 

  (i)

Issuance. The Committee is authorized to grant Awards of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units to Participants.

 

  (ii)

Restrictions. Shares of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to such restrictions as the Committee may impose (including, without limitation, any limitation on the right to vote a Share of Restricted Stock or the right to receive any dividend or other right or property, subject to the provisions of Section 6(f)(vi) below), which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such time or times, in such installments or otherwise, as the Committee may deem appropriate.

 

  (iii)

Registration. Any Restricted Stock granted under the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee may deem appropriate, including, without limitation, book-entry registration or issuance of a stock certificate or certificates. In the event any stock certificate is issued in respect of Shares of Restricted Stock granted under the Plan, such certificate shall be registered in the name of the Participant and when delivered to the Participant shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock.

 

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  (iv)

Forfeiture. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, upon termination of employment or service for any reason during the applicable restriction period, all Shares of Restricted Stock and all Restricted Stock Units still subject to restriction shall be forfeited and reacquired by the Company. Unrestricted Shares, evidenced in such manner as the Committee shall deem appropriate, shall be delivered to the holder of Restricted Stock promptly after such Restricted Stock shall become Released Securities, subject to the Company’s collection of all applicable withholding taxes.

 

(d)

Performance Awards.

 

  (i)

In General. The Committee is authorized to grant Performance Awards to Participants (including, without limitation, Performance Bonuses and Long-Term Performance Awards described in Sections 6(d)(ii) and (iii)). Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, a Performance Award granted under the Plan (i) may be denominated or payable in cash, Shares (including, without limitation, Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units), other securities, other Awards or other property and (ii) shall confer on the holder thereof rights valued as determined by the Committee and payable to, or exercisable by, the holder of the Performance Award, in whole or in part, upon the achievement of such performance goals during such performance periods as the Committee shall establish. Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, the performance goals to be achieved during any performance period, the length of any performance period, the amount of any Performance Award granted, and the amount of any payment or transfer to be made pursuant to any Performance Award shall be determined by the Committee.

 

  (ii)

Performance Bonuses. The Committee is authorized to grant Performance Bonuses to Participants with the following terms and conditions, and with such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine:

 

  (a)

Performance Cycles. The Committee shall establish the applicable Performance Cycle for each Performance Bonus awarded under the Plan on or before the award date.

 

  (b)

Eligible Participants. The Committee shall determine the Participants who will be eligible to receive a Performance Bonus under the Plan for the Performance Cycle.

 

  (c)

Performance Measures; Targets; Award Criteria.

 

  (i)

The Committee shall fix and establish in writing (A) the Performance Measures that will apply to that Performance Cycle; (B) the Target Amount payable to each Participant; and (C) subject to subsection (d) below, the criteria for computing the amount that will be paid with respect to each level of attained performance. The Committee may also set forth the threshold level of performance that must be attained during the Performance Cycle before any Performance Bonus will vest and become payable and the percentage of the target amount that will vest and become payable upon attainment of various levels of performance that equal or exceed the required threshold level.

 

  (ii)

The Committee may, in its discretion, select Performance Measures that measure the performance of the Company or one or more business units, divisions or subsidiaries of the Company. The Committee may select Performance Measures that are absolute or relative to the performance of one or more comparable companies or an index of comparable companies.

 

  (d)

Payment, Certification. Unless the Committee determines otherwise, no Performance Bonus will vest with respect to any Participant until the Committee certifies in writing the level at which each applicable Performance Measure has been attained for the Performance Cycle. In determining the level of attainment of each applicable Performance Measure, the Committee may, in its discretion, include or exclude any event listed in Section 4(c) and the cumulative effect of changes in the law, regulations or accounting rules, and may determine to include or exclude, among other items, one or more of the following items: (A) asset impairments or write-downs; (B) litigation expenses, judgments, verdicts and settlements; (C) accruals for reorganization and restructuring programs; (D) the income, gain or loss attributable to the operations of any business acquired by the Company or its Affiliates; (E) the income, gain or loss attributable to one or more business operations or the assets thereof that are the subject of divestiture during the applicable Performance Cycle; (F) the effect of foreign currency fluctuations or changes in exchange rates; (G) expenses incurred in connection with a refinancing of the Company’s or its Affiliates’ debt; and (H) any event or transaction considered to be of an unusual nature or of an infrequent occurrence under GAAP.

 

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  (e)

Form and Time of Payment. Performance Bonuses shall be paid in cash or Shares, as determined by the Committee. All such Performance Bonuses shall be paid no later than the 15th day of the third month following the end of the calendar year (or, if later, following the end of the Company’s fiscal year) in which such Performance Bonuses are no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture (as determined for purposes of Section 409A of the Code), except to the extent that payment has been deferred under the terms of a duly authorized deferred compensation arrangement that complies with the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code, in which case the terms of such arrangement shall govern.

 

  (f)

Termination/Waiver. Performance Bonuses shall automatically terminate, and no payment or other consideration shall be due the Participant, if the Performance Measures established for the Performance Bonus are not attained or satisfied.

 

  (iii)

Long Term Performance Awards. The Committee may grant Long Term Performance Awards under the Plan in the form of Performance Units, Restricted Stock Units or Restricted Stock to any Participant who the Committee may from time to time select, in the amounts and pursuant to the terms and conditions that the Committee may determine and set forth in the Award Agreement, subject to the provisions below:

 

  (a)

Performance Cycles. The Committee shall establish the applicable Performance Cycle for each Long Term Performance Award made under the Plan on or before the award date.

 

  (b)

Eligible Participants. The Committee shall determine the Participants who will be eligible to receive a Long Term Performance Award for the Performance Cycle.

 

  (c)

Performance Measures; Targets; Award Criteria.

 

  (i)

The Committee shall fix and establish in writing (A) the Performance Measures that shall apply to that Performance Cycle; (B) with respect to Performance Units, the Target Amount payable to each Participant per Performance Unit; (C) with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit or Restricted Stock Award, the Target Vesting Percentage for the Shares subject to that Award; and (D) subject to subsection (d) below, the criteria for computing the amount that will be paid or will vest with respect to each level of attained performance. The Committee may also set forth the threshold level of performance that must be attained during the Performance Cycle before any Long Term Performance Award will vest and become payable, and the percentage of each Performance Unit Award that will vest and become payable and the percentage of each performance-based Restricted Stock Unit or Restricted Stock Award that will vest and become payable upon attainment of various levels of performance that equal or exceed the required threshold level.

 

  (ii)

The Committee may, in its discretion, select Performance Measures that measure the performance of the Company or one or more business units, divisions or subsidiaries of the Company. The Committee may select Performance Measures that are absolute or relative to the performance of one or more comparable companies or an index of comparable companies.

 

  (d)

Payment, Certification. Unless the Committee determines otherwise, no Long Term Performance Award will vest with respect to any Participant until the Committee certifies in writing the level at which each applicable Performance Measure has been attained for the Performance Cycle. In determining the level of attainment of each such Performance Measure, the Committee may, in its discretion, include or exclude any event listed in Section 4(c) and the cumulative effect of changes in the law, regulations or accounting rules, and may determine to include or exclude, among other items, one or more of the following items: (A) asset impairments or write-downs; (B) litigation expenses, judgments, verdicts and settlements; (C) accruals for reorganization and restructuring programs; (D) the income, gain or loss attributable to the operations of

 

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any business acquired by the Company or its Affiliates; (E) the income, gain or loss attributable to one or more business operations or the assets thereof that are the subject of divestiture during the applicable Performance Cycle; (F) the effect of foreign currency fluctuations or changes in exchange rates; (G) expenses incurred in connection with a refinancing of the Company’s or its Affiliates’ debt; and (H) any event or transaction considered to be of an unusual nature or of an infrequent occurrence under GAAP.

 

  (e)

Form and Time of Payment. Long Term Performance Awards in the form of Performance Units may be paid in cash or full Shares, in the discretion of the Committee, and as set forth in the Award Agreement. Performance-based Restricted Stock Units and Restricted Stock will be paid in full Shares; provided, however, that the Committee shall retain the discretion to cause any Performance-based Restricted Stock Units to be settled in cash rather than Shares. Payment with respect to any fractional Share will be in cash in an amount based on the Fair Market Value of the Share as of the date the Performance Unit becomes payable. All such Long Term Performance Awards shall be paid no later than the 15th day of the third month following the end of the calendar year (or, if later, following the end of the Company’s fiscal year) in which such Long Term Performance Awards are no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture (as determined for purposes of Code Section 409A), except to the extent that payment is deferred under the terms of a duly authorized deferred compensation arrangement that complies with the applicable requirements of Code Section 409A, in which case the terms of such arrangement shall govern.

 

  (f)

Termination/Waiver. Long Term Performance Awards shall automatically terminate, and no payment or other consideration shall be due the Participant, if the Performance Measures established for the Long Term Performance Awards are not attained or satisfied.

 

(e)

Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee is authorized to grant two types of Stock Appreciation Rights under the Plan: (i) tandem stock appreciation rights (“Tandem Rights”) and (ii) stand-alone stock appreciation rights (“Stand-alone Rights”).

 

  (i)

Tandem Rights. One or more Optionees may be granted a Tandem Right, exercisable upon such terms and conditions as the Committee may establish, to elect between the exercise of the underlying Option for Shares or the surrender of that Option in exchange for a distribution from the Company in an amount equal to the excess of (i) the Fair Market Value (on the Option surrender date) of the number of Shares in which the Participant is at the time vested under the surrendered Option (or surrendered portion thereof) over (ii) the aggregate exercise price payable for such vested Shares. No such Option surrender shall be effective unless it is approved by the Committee, either at the time of the actual Option surrender or at any earlier time. If the surrender is so approved, then the distribution to which the Participant shall accordingly become entitled shall be made in Shares valued at Fair Market Value on the Option surrender date or in cash or in a combination of the two, as determined by the Committee.

 

  (ii)

Stand-Alone Rights. One or more individuals eligible to participate in the Plan may be granted a Stand-alone Right not tied to any underlying Option. The Stand-alone Right shall relate to a specified number of Shares and shall be exercisable upon such terms and conditions as the Committee may establish. In no event, however, may the Stand-alone Right have a maximum term in excess of ten (10) years measured from the grant date. Upon exercise of the Stand-alone Right, the holder shall be entitled to receive a distribution from the Company in an amount equal to the excess of (i) the aggregate Fair Market Value (on the exercise date) of the Shares underlying the exercised right over (ii) the aggregate base price in effect for those Shares. The number of Shares underlying each Stand-alone Right and the base price in effect for those Shares shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion at the time the Stand-alone Right is granted. In no event, however, may the base price per share be less than the Fair Market Value per underlying Share on the grant date, except in the case of Substitute Awards. The distribution with respect to an exercised Stand-alone Right may be made in Shares valued at Fair Market Value on the exercise date, in cash or in a combination of the two, as determined by the Committee. The Committee shall have the authority to provide, in the applicable Award Agreement, for the automatic exercise of a vested Stand-alone Right with a base price per Share that is less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the last day of the term.

 

9


(f)

General.

 

  (i)

Minimum Vesting Requirements. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, equity-based Awards granted under the Plan shall vest no earlier than the first anniversary of the date the Award is granted (excluding, for this purpose, any (A) Substitute Awards, (B) shares delivered in lieu of fully vested cash Awards and (C) Awards to non-employee directors that vest on the earlier of the one year anniversary of the date of grant or the next annual meeting of shareholders (but not less than 50 weeks); provided, that, the Committee may grant equity-based Awards without regard to the foregoing minimum vesting requirement with respect to a maximum of five percent (5%) of the available share reserve authorized for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 4(a) (subject to adjustment under Section 4(c)); and, provided further, for the avoidance of doubt, that the foregoing restriction does not apply to the Committee’s discretion to provide for accelerated exercisability or vesting of any Award, including in cases of retirement, death, Permanent Disability or a Change in Control (in accordance with Section 8(a)), in the terms of the Award or otherwise.

 

  (ii)

No Cash Consideration for Awards. Participants shall not be required to make any cash payment for the granting of an Award except for such minimum consideration as may be required by applicable law.

 

  (iii)

Awards May Be Granted Separately or Together. Awards may be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution for any other Award or any award or benefit granted under any other plan or arrangement of the Company or any Affiliate.

 

  (iv)

Prohibition on Repricing. The Committee shall not (i) implement any cancellation/regrant program pursuant to which outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights under the Plan are cancelled and new Options or Stock Appreciation Rights are granted in replacement with a lower exercise or base price per Share, (ii) cancel outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights under the Plan with exercise or base prices per share in excess of the then current Fair Market Value per Share for consideration payable in cash, equity securities of the Company or in the form of any other Award under the Plan, except in connection with a Change in Control transaction, or pursuant to an equitable adjustment under Section 4(c), or (iii) otherwise reduce the exercise price or base price in effect for outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights under the Plan (except in connection with an equitable adjustment under Section 4(c)), without in each such instance obtaining the approval of the Company’s shareholders.

 

  (v)

Forms of Payment Under Awards. Subject to the terms of the Plan and of any applicable Award Agreement, payments to be made by the Company or an Affiliate upon the grant, exercise, or payment of an Award may be made in such form or forms as the Committee shall determine, including, without limitation, cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards, or other property or any combination thereof, and may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments, or on a deferred basis, in each case in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Committee.

 

  (vi)

Dividends or Dividend Equivalents. If specified in the Award Agreement, the recipient of an Award (other than Options or Stock Appreciation Rights) may be entitled to receive dividends or Dividend Equivalents with respect to the Shares or other securities covered by an Award. The terms and conditions of a Dividend Equivalent right may be set forth in the Award Agreement. Dividends or Dividend Equivalents credited to a Participant may be reinvested in additional Shares or other securities of the Company at a price per unit equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date that such dividend was paid to shareholders, as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, in no event will a dividend or Dividend Equivalent become payable with respect to an Award that becomes vested (i) based on the satisfaction of performance criteria before the date, and only to the extent, that such performance criteria are satisfied, or (ii) based on continued service with the Company before the applicable vesting date.

 

  (vii)

Limits on Transfer of Awards. No Award (other than Released Securities) or right thereunder shall be assignable or transferable by a Participant, other than (unless limited in the Award Agreement) by will or the laws of descent and distribution (or, in the case of an Award of Restricted Securities, to the Company), except that a Non-Qualified Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be transferred by gift to any member of the holder’s immediate family or to a trust for the benefit of one or more of such immediate family members, if permitted in the

 

10


 

applicable Award Agreement; provided, however, that, if so determined by the Committee, a Participant may, in the manner established by the Committee, designate a beneficiary or beneficiaries with respect to any Award to exercise the rights of the Participant, and to receive any property distributable, upon the death of the Participant. Each Award, and each right under any Award, shall be exercisable, during the Participant’s lifetime, only by the Participant or, if permissible under applicable law by the Participant’s guardian or legal representative unless it has been transferred in a permitted transfer under the Plan or Award Agreement to a member of the holder’s immediate family or to a trust for the benefit of one or more of such immediate family members, in which case it shall be exercisable only by such transferee. For the purposes of this provision, a holder’s “immediate family” shall mean the holder’s spouse or former spouse and any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law of such holder. No Award (other than Released Securities), and no right under any such Award, may be pledged, attached or otherwise encumbered other than in favor of the Company, and any purported pledge, attachment, or encumbrance thereof other than in favor of the Company shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any Affiliate.

 

  (viii)

Term of Awards. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, the term of each Award shall be for such period as may be determined by the Committee.

 

  (ix)

No Rights to Awards. No Employee, Participant or other Person shall have any claim to be granted an Award, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Employees, Participants or holders or beneficiaries of Awards under the Plan. The terms and conditions of Awards need not be the same with respect to each recipient. The prospective recipient of any Award under the Plan shall not, with respect to such Award, be deemed to have any right to acquire any Shares, cash or other property subject to such Award, until and unless such recipient shall have executed an agreement or other instrument accepting the Award and delivered a fully executed copy thereof to the Company, and otherwise complied with the then applicable terms and conditions.

 

  (x)

Withholding. The Company or any Affiliate may withhold from any Award granted or any payment due or any distribution or transfer of any Shares made under any Award or under the Plan the amount (in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards, or other property) sufficient to satisfy Federal, state, local, foreign or other taxes (including the Participant’s FICA or other applicable social tax obligation) required by law to be withheld as a result of any taxable event arising under this Plan, and take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Company or Affiliate to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such taxes. In addition, the Committee may provide one or more Participants with the right to direct the Company to withhold, from the Shares otherwise issuable upon the exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right or upon the issuance of fully-vested Shares (whether pursuant to Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Performance Awards or otherwise), a portion of those Shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the percentage of the applicable withholding taxes (not to exceed one hundred percent (100%)) designated by the Participant; provided, however, that the amount of any Shares so withheld shall not exceed the amount necessary to satisfy the Company’s required tax withholding obligations using not more than the applicable maximum statutory withholding rates (or such other rates as required to avoid adverse accounting treatment as determined by the Committee).

 

  (xi)

Other Compensation Arrangements. Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Company or any Affiliate from adopting or continuing in effect other or additional compensation arrangements, and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

 

  (xii)

No Right to Employment or Continued Service. The grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained in the employ or service of the Company or any Affiliate. Nothing in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall limit the right of the Company or an Affiliate at any time to dismiss a Participant from employment or service, free from any liability or any claim under the Plan or the Award Agreement.

 

  (xiii)

Governing Law. The validity, construction and effect of the Plan and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and applicable Federal law.

 

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  (xiv)

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

 

  (xv)

No Trust or Fund Created. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any Affiliate and a Participant or any other Person. To the extent that any Person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company or any Affiliate pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company or any Affiliate.

 

  (xvi)

No Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine whether cash, other securities or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional Shares, or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated or otherwise eliminated.

 

  (xvii)

Share Certificates. All certificates for Shares or other securities delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award or the exercise thereof shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan or the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any Stock Exchange upon which such Shares or other securities are then listed, and any applicable Federal or state securities laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, the Company may elect to satisfy any requirement under this Plan for the delivery of stock certificates through the use of book-entry.

 

  (xviii)

Conflict with Plan. In the event of any inconsistency or conflict between the terms of the Plan and an Award Agreement, the terms of the Plan shall govern.

 

  (xix)

Disclaimer. Although it is the intent of the Company that this Plan and Awards hereunder, to the extent the Committee deems appropriate and to the extent applicable, comply with Rule 16b-3 and Sections 409A and 422 of the Code: (a) the Company does not warrant that any Award under the Plan will qualify for favorable tax treatment under any provision of the federal, state, local or non-United States law; and (b) in no event shall any member of the Committee or the Company (or its employees, officers or directors) have any liability to any Participant (or any other Person) due to the failure of an Award to satisfy the requirements of Rule 16b-3 or Sections 409A or 422 of the Code or for any tax, interest, or penalties the Participant might owe as a result of the grant, holding, vesting, exercise, or payment of any Award under the Plan.

 

  (xx)

Clawback; Recoupment. Any Award granted under the Plan, and the right to receive and retain any Shares or cash payments covered by such Award, shall be subject to rescission, cancellation or recoupment, in whole or part, if and to the extent so provided under any “clawback,” recoupment or similar policy of the Company in effect on the date of the Award or that may be established thereafter, including any modification or amendment thereto, or as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or other applicable law, as may be in effect from time to time, and which may operate to create additional rights for the Company with respect to Awards and recovery of amounts relating thereto. By accepting Awards under the Plan, Participants agree and acknowledge that they are obligated to cooperate with, and provide any and all assistance necessary to, the Company to recover or recoup any Award or amounts paid under the Plan subject to clawback pursuant to such law, government regulation, stock exchange listing requirement or Company policy. Such cooperation and assistance shall include, but is not limited to, executing, completing and submitting any documentation necessary to recover or recoup any Award or amounts paid under the Plan from a Participant’s accounts, or pending or future compensation or Awards.

 

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  (xxi)

Awards in Foreign Countries. The Committee has the authority to grant Awards to Participants who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States on any different terms and conditions than those specified in the Plan that the Committee, in its discretion, believes to be necessary or desirable to accommodate differences in applicable law, tax policy, or custom, while furthering the purposes of the Plan. The Committee may also approve any sub-plans to the Plan as it believes to be necessary or appropriate for these purposes without altering the terms of the Plan in effect for other Participants; provided, however, that the Committee may not approve any sub-plan inconsistent with the terms or share limits in the Plan or which would otherwise cause the Plan to cease to satisfy any conditions under Rule 16b-3 under the 1934 Act.

Section 7. Amendment and Termination

 

(a)

Amendments to the Plan. The Board (or any authorized committee thereof) may amend or modify the Plan at any time. However, no such amendment or modification shall materially adversely affect the rights and obligations with respect to any Award at the time outstanding under the Plan unless the Participant consents to such amendment or modification. In addition, amendments to the Plan will be subject to shareholder approval to the extent required under applicable law or regulation or pursuant to the listing standards of the Stock Exchange on which the Company’s common stock is at the time primarily traded. Finally, the Board shall not have the authority to amend Section 6(f)(iv) without obtaining the approval of the Company’s shareholders.

 

(b)

Amendments to Awards. Except as provided in Section 6 or 8, the Committee may waive any conditions or rights with respect to, or amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate, any unexercised Award theretofore granted, prospectively or retroactively, provided that the Participant’s consent shall be required with respect to any suspension, discontinuation or termination of an Award or any amendment or alteration, that would materially impair the rights of such Participant.

 

(c)

Adjustments of Awards Upon Certain Acquisitions. In the event the Company or any Affiliate shall assume outstanding employee awards or the right or obligation to make future such awards in connection with the acquisition of another business or another company, the Committee may make such adjustments, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, in the terms of Awards as it shall deem appropriate.

 

(d)

Adjustments of Awards Upon the Occurrence of Certain Unusual or Nonrecurring Events. The Committee may make adjustments in the terms and conditions of Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, the events described in Section 4(c) hereof) affecting the Company, any Affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any Affiliate, or of changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles, whenever the Committee determines that such adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits to be made available under the Plan.

 

(e)

Termination of the Plan. The Board may terminate the Plan at any time; provided, however, that all Awards outstanding at that time shall continue to have force and effect in accordance with the provisions of the Award Agreement evidencing those Awards.

Section 8. Change in Control

 

(a)

Unless otherwise provided for in an Award Agreement and to the extent not inconsistent with Section 9 hereof, upon a Change in Control (as defined in Section 8(b) below) the Committee may, prior to the Change in Control provide as follows:

 

  (i)

If and to the extent that outstanding Awards under the Plan (1) are assumed by the successor corporation (or an affiliate of the successor) or continued or (2) replaced with equity awards that preserve the existing value of the awards at the time of the Change in Control and provide for substitute payout in accordance with a vesting schedule and Performance Measures, as applicable, that are the same or more favorable to the Participant than the vesting schedule and Performance Measures applicable to the awards, then all such Awards or such substitutes for such Awards shall remain outstanding and be governed by their respective terms and the provisions of the Plan.

 

  (ii)

If and to the extent that outstanding Awards under the Plan are not assumed, continued or replaced in accordance with Section 8(a)(i) above, then upon the Change in Control the Committee may provide for any of the following treatment for such Awards: (1) outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights shall immediately vest and become exercisable; and/or (2) the restrictions and other conditions applicable to outstanding Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units, including vesting requirements shall immediately lapse; provided,

 

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however, that any Awards as to which vesting depends upon the satisfaction of one or more Performance Measures shall immediately vest and become payable based upon the level of attainment of the Performance Measures as of the Change in Control date and pro-ration based on the time elapsed in the applicable performance period as of the Change in Control date. Such Awards shall be settled in cash, Shares or a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee, within thirty (30) days following such Change in Control (except to the extent that settlement of the Award must be made pursuant to its original schedule in order to comply with Section 409A of the Code).

 

  (iii)

If and to the extent that outstanding Awards under the Plan are not assumed, continued or replaced in accordance with Section 8(a)(i) above, then in connection with the applicable treatment set forth Section 8(a)(ii) above, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, upon advance notice to the affected Participants, provide for cancellation of such outstanding Awards and the alternative payment of the amount owed to the Participant, if any, under Section 8(a)(ii) at the time of the Change of Control and pay to the holders thereof, in cash, stock or other property (including the property, if any, payable in such a transaction) (or any combination thereof) an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the Shares payable under the Award, based on the price per Share received or to be received by other shareholders of the Company in such a transaction or such other value as determined by the Board (the “Transaction Fair Market Value”), over the exercise price of the Award, or make provision for a cash payment or payment of other property (including the property, if any, payable in such transaction) to the holder of any other outstanding Award in settlement of such Award; provided that, in the case of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right with an exercise price that equals or exceeds the Transaction Fair Market Value, the Board may cancel such Options or Stock Appreciation Right without payment or consideration therefor.

Any such action taken shall be performed in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Code so as not to affect the tax status of (A) any Award intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code, unless the Committee determines otherwise, or (B) any Award intended to comply with, or qualify for an exception to, Section 409A of the Code. Any such action taken by the Committee will be final, conclusive and binding for all purposes of this Plan.

 

(b)

Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a Change in Control shall have occurred in the event that:

 

  (i)

a person, partnership, joint venture, corporation or other entity, or two or more of any of the foregoing acting as a “person” within the meaning of Sections 13(d)(3) of the 1934 Act, other than the Company, a majority-owned subsidiary of the Company or an employee benefit plan of the Company or such subsidiary (or such plan’s related trust), become(s) the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act) of 50% or more of the then outstanding voting stock of the Company;

 

  (ii)

during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board (together with any new Board member whose election by the Company’s Board or whose nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Board members then still in office who either were Board members at the beginning of such period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, but excluding any Board member whose election was approved (A) in connection with an actual or threatened proxy contest or threatened solicitation of proxies or (B) through the use of any proxy access procedures set forth in the Company’s organizational documents) cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board members then in office;

 

  (iii)

all or substantially all of the business of the Company is disposed of pursuant to a merger, consolidation or other transaction in which the Company is not the surviving corporation or the Company combines with another company and is the surviving corporation (unless the Company’s shareholders immediately following such merger, consolidation, combination, or other transaction beneficially own, directly or indirectly, and in substantially the same proportion as owned immediately prior to the transaction, more than 50% of the aggregate voting stock or other ownership interests of (x) the entity or entities, if any, that succeed to the business of the Company or (y) the combined company);

 

  (iv)

the closing of a shareholder-approved sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company;

 

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  (v)

the consummation of a liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or

 

  (vi)

the acquisition, directly or indirectly, by any person or related group of persons (other than the Company or a person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Act) of securities possessing more than 20% of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made directly to the Company’s shareholders which the Board does not recommend such shareholders to accept.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, any definition of Change in Control in an Award Agreement may not provide that a Change in Control will occur before the consummation or effectiveness of a change in control (e.g., upon the announcement, commencement, shareholder approval or other potential occurrence of any event or transaction that, if completed, would result in a change in control).

Section 9. Section 409A

Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or an Award Agreement to the contrary, if any Award provided under this Plan is subject to the provisions of Section 409A of the Code, the provisions of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and construed in a manner necessary in order to comply with Section 409A of the Code or an exception thereto (or disregarded to the extent such provision cannot be so administered, interpreted or construed), and the following provisions shall apply, as applicable and as required by Section 409A:

 

(a)

If a Participant is a Specified Employee (as determined in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and the procedures established by the Company) for purposes of Section 409A of the Code and a payment subject to Section 409A of the Code (and not excepted therefrom) to the Participant is due upon a termination of employment with the Company that constitutes a “separation from service” (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code), such payment shall be delayed for a period of six months after the date of the Participant’s Separation from Service. Any payment that would otherwise have been due or owing during such six-month period will be paid immediately following the end of the six-month period unless another compliant date is specified in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(b)

For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, and to the extent applicable to any Award under the Plan, it is intended that distribution events qualify as permissible distribution events for purposes of Section 409A of the Code and shall be interpreted and construed accordingly. Whether a Participant has had a Separation from Service shall be determined by the Committee based on all of the facts and circumstances and, to the extent applicable to any Award, in accordance with the guidance issued under Section 409A of the Code. For this purpose, a Participant shall be presumed to have experienced a Separation from Service when the Participant and the Company reasonably anticipate that that no further service will be performed after a specified date or that the level of bona fide services performed after such date will permanently decrease to a level less than twenty percent of the average level of bona fide services performed during the immediately preceding thirty-six month period or such other applicable period as provided by Section 409A of the Code.

 

(c)

The grant of Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights and other stock rights subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be granted under terms and conditions consistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(5) such that any such Award does not constitute a deferral of compensation under Section 409A of the Code.

Section 10. Effective Date of the Plan

The Plan becomes effective upon approval by the Company’s shareholders at the 2020 Annual Meeting (the “Effective Date”).

Section 11. Term of the Plan

The Plan shall terminate at the earliest of (a) such time as no Shares remain available for issuance under the Plan, (b) termination of this Plan by the Board, or (c) the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date. Awards outstanding upon expiration of the Plan shall remain in effect until they have been exercised or terminated, or have expired.

 

15