As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 8, 2020.

File No. 333-                

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

WATERS CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

DELAWARE   13-3668640

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

34 Maple Street, Milford, MA 01757

(Address of Principal Executive Office)(Zip Code)

Waters Corporation

2020 Equity Incentive Plan

(Full title of the plan)

Keeley A. Aleman, Esq.

Waters Corporation

34 Maple Street

Milford, Massachusetts 01757

(Name and address of agent for service)

508-478-2000

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

 

 

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. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

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

Securities To Be Registered

 

Amount

To Be

Registered (1)

 

Proposed

Maximum

Offering Price

Per Share (2)

 

Proposed

Maximum

Aggregate

Offering Price

 

Amount Of

Registration Fee

Common Stock (par value $0.01 per share)

  4,725,000   $199.43   $942,306,750   $122,311.42

 

 

(1)

This Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of Common Stock which become issuable under the Waters Corporation 2020 Equity Incentive Plan by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization, or other similar transaction effected without the receipt of consideration which results in an increase in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock of Waters Corporation.

(2)

The proposed maximum offering price of $199.43 per share, which is the average of the high and low prices of the Registrant’s Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on June 1, 2020, is set forth solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rules 457(c) and (h) under the Securities Act of 1933.


PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

The information required by Part I is included in documents sent or given by Waters Corporation (the “Registrant”) to the participants in the Waters Corporation 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”).


PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 3.

Incorporation of Documents by Reference

The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), are hereby incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement:

 

  (a)

The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the Commission on February 25, 2020;

 

  (b)

The Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 28, 2020, filed with the Commission on April 29, 2020;

 

  (c)

The Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on February 19, 2020, April  28, 2020 and May 13, 2020; and

 

  (d)

The description of the Registrant’s Common Stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the Commission on October 17, 1995, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating that description. (P)

In addition, all documents filed with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities registered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all of such securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for the purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or replaces such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

 

Item 4.

Description of Securities

Not applicable.

 

Item 5.

Interests of Named Experts and Counsel

Not applicable.

 

Item 6.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) permits a corporation to indemnify any person who is or has been a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or who is or has been serving as director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of the corporation, against expenses (including, but not limited to, attorneys’ fees and disbursements and amounts paid in settlement or in satisfaction of judgments or as fines or penalties) actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any such action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which he/she may be involved by reason of the fact that he/she served or is serving in these capacities, if he/she acted in good faith and in a manner he/she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interest of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no cause to believe his/her conduct was unlawful. In the case of an action, suit or proceeding made or brought by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor, the corporation shall not indemnify such person in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person has been adjudged to be liable to the corporation, except for such expenses as the court may allow. Any such person who has been wholly successful on the merits or otherwise with respect to any such action, suit or proceeding or with respect to any such claim, issue or matter therein, shall be indemnified against all expenses actually and reasonably incurred in connection therewith. The Registrant’s certificate of incorporation, as amended, provides for the indemnification of directors and officers of the Registrant to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145.


In addition, Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL provides that a corporation may eliminate or limit the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that such provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. No such provision shall eliminate or limit the liability of a director for any act or omission occurring prior to the date when such provision becomes effective.

The amended and restated bylaws of the Registrant provide that to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as such may be amended, that a director of the Registrant shall not be liable to the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director.

In addition, pursuant to certain Indemnification Agreements between the Registrant and its directors and executive officers, the Registrant has agreed to indemnify such directors and executive officers to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware. Among other things, the Indemnification Agreements provide indemnification procedures, advancement of expenses during proceedings subject to indemnification and mechanisms for reviewing executive conduct in connection with a claim for indemnification.

 

Item 7.

Exemption from Registration Claimed

Not applicable.

 

Item 8.

Exhibits

The following exhibits are filed as part of this Registration Statement:

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Exhibit Description

  4.1    Waters Corporation 2020 Equity Incentive Plan
  5.1    Opinion of Ropes & Gray LLP with respect to the legality of the shares being registered
23.1    Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
23.2    Consent of Ropes & Gray LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1    Power of Attorney (included in signature page hereto)

 

Item 9.

Undertakings

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 of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”); (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement; (iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement; provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above shall 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 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the 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.

 

(4)

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 that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(5)

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 AND POWER OF ATTORNEY

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

 

WATERS CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Sherry L. Buck

  Name: Sherry L. Buck
  Title: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

We, the undersigned officers and directors of the Registrant, hereby severally constitute and appoint Keeley A. Aleman, our true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and re-substitution, for such person and in such person’s name, place and stead, and in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement on Form S-8, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated as of the 8th day of June, 2020.

 

Signature

  

Title

/s/ Christopher J. O’Connell

   President and Chief Executive Officer; Director
Christopher J. O’Connell    (Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ Sherry L. Buck

   Senior Vice President and
Sherry L. Buck    Chief Financial Officer
   (Principal Accounting and Financial Officer)

/s/ Dr. Flemming Ornskov

   Chairman of the Board of Directors
Dr. Flemming Ornskov   

/s/ Linda Baddour

   Director
Linda Baddour   

/s/ Dr. Michael J. Berendt

   Director
Dr. Michael J. Berendt   

/s/ Edward W. Conard

   Director
Edward W. Conard   

/s/ Dr. Laurie H. Glimcher

   Director
Dr. Laurie H. Glimcher   

/s/ Gary Hendrickson

   Director
Gary Hendrickson   


Signature

  

Title

/s/ Christopher A. Kuebler

   Director
Christopher A. Kuebler   

/s/ JoAnn A. Reed

   Director
JoAnn A. Reed   

/s/ Thomas P. Salice

   Director
Thomas P. Salice   

Exhibit 4.1

WATERS CORPORATION

2020 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

1.

DEFINED TERMS

Exhibit A, which is incorporated by reference, defines certain terms used in the Plan and includes certain operational rules related to those terms.

 

2.

PURPOSE

The Plan has been established to advance the interests of the Company by providing for the grant to Participants of Stock and Stock-based Awards.

 

3.

ADMINISTRATION

The Plan will be administered by the Administrator. The Administrator has discretionary authority, subject only to the express provisions of the Plan, to interpret the Plan; to determine eligibility for and grant Awards; to determine the exercise price, base value from which appreciation is measured, or purchase price, if any, applicable to any Award, to determine, modify, accelerate or waive the terms and conditions of any Award; to determine the form of settlement of Awards (whether in cash, shares of Stock, other Awards or other property); to prescribe forms, rules and procedures relating to the Plan and Awards; and to otherwise do all things necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of the Plan or any Award. Determinations of the Administrator made with respect to the Plan or any Award are conclusive and bind all persons.

 

4.

LIMITS ON AWARDS UNDER THE PLAN

(a) Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 7(b) below, the number of shares of Stock that may be issued in satisfaction of Awards under the Plan is (i) 4,725,000 shares of Stock, plus (ii)(A) the number of shares of Stock available for issuance under the Prior Plan as of the Date of Adoption, plus (B) the number of shares of Stock underlying awards under the Prior Plan that on or after the Date of Adoption expire or terminate or are surrendered without the delivery of shares of Stock, are forfeited to, or repurchased by, the Company, or otherwise become available again for grant under a Prior Plan in accordance with its terms (in the case of this subclause (ii), not to exceed 3,772,232 shares of Stock in the aggregate)(collectively, the “Share Pool”). Up to 2,500,000 of the shares of Stock from the Share Pool may be issued in satisfaction of ISOs, but nothing in this Section 4(a) will be construed as requiring that any, or any fixed number of, ISOs be granted under the Plan.

(b) Share Counting. The Share Pool will be reduced upon issuance of an Award under the Plan by the maximum number of shares of Stock underlying the Award. For purposes of the Share Pool and determining the number of Shares of Stock underlying awards under the Prior Plan that become available for grant under the Plan, each share of Stock underlying an Option or SAR will reduce or increase, as applicable, the Share Pool by one share of Stock and each share of Stock underlying any other type of Award will reduce or increase, as applicable, the Share Pool by two shares of Stock. The Share Pool shall be increased by any shares of Stock underlying any portion of an Award that is settled in cash or that expires, becomes unexercisable, terminates or is forfeited to or repurchased by the Company without the issuance (or retention, in the case of Restricted Stock or Unrestricted Stock) of Stock, except that the Share Pool will not be increased by (i) the number of shares of Stock withheld by the Company in payment of the exercise price or purchase price of an Award or in satisfaction of tax withholding requirements with respect to an Award or (ii) the shares of Stock underlying any portion of a SAR that is settled in cash. For the avoidance of doubt, the Share Pool will not be increased by any shares of Stock delivered under the Plan that are subsequently repurchased using proceeds directly attributable to Stock Option exercises. The limits set forth in this Section 4(a) will be construed to comply with the applicable requirements of Section 422.

 

1


(c) Substitute Awards. The Administrator may grant Substitute Awards under the Plan. To the extent consistent with the requirements of Section 422 and the regulations thereunder and other applicable legal requirements (including applicable stock exchange requirements), shares of Stock issued in respect of Substitute Awards will be in addition to and will not reduce the Share Pool. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything in Section 4 (a) above to the contrary, if any Substitute Award is settled in cash or expires, becomes unexercisable, terminates or is forfeited to or repurchased by the Company without the issuance (or retention, in the case of Restricted Stock or Unrestricted Stock) of Stock, the shares of Stock previously subject to such Award will not increase the Share Pool or otherwise be available for future issuance under the Plan. The Administrator will determine the extent to which the terms and conditions of the Plan apply to Substitute Awards, if at all, provided, however, that Substitute Awards will not be subject to the limits described in Section 4(e) below.

(d) Type of Shares. Stock issued by the Company under the Plan may be authorized but unissued Stock, treasury Stock or previously issued Stock acquired by the Company. No fractional shares of Stock will be issued under the Plan.

(e) Individual Limits. No person may be granted Awards in any calendar year with respect to more than 2,000,000 shares of Stock. In applying the foregoing limit, (i) each share of Stock underlying an Award will be counted as one share of Stock, regardless of the type of Award, and (ii) the number of shares of Stock underlying any Award will be determined based on the maximum number of shares of Stock that may be issued, or the value of which may be paid in cash or other property, assuming maximum payout levels.

 

5.

ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

The Administrator will select Participants from among Employees and Directors of, and consultants to, the Company and its Affiliates. Eligibility for ISOs is limited to individuals described in the first sentence of this Section 5 who are employees of the Company or of a “parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation” of the Company as those terms are defined in Section 424 of the Code. Eligibility for Stock Options, other than ISOs, and SARs is limited to individuals described in the first sentence of this Section 5 who are providing direct services on the date of grant of the Award to the Company or to a subsidiary of the Company that would be described in the first sentence of Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iii)(E) of the Treasury Regulations.

 

6.

RULES APPLICABLE TO AWARDS (a) All Awards.

(a) All Awards.

(1) Award Provisions. The Administrator will determine the terms and conditions of all Awards, subject to the limitations provided herein. No term of an Award shall provide for automatic “reload” grants of additional Awards upon the exercise of an Option or SAR. By accepting (or, under such rules as the Administrator may prescribe, being deemed to have accepted) an Award, the Participant agrees (or will be deemed to have agreed) to the terms and conditions of the Award and the Plan. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, Substitute Awards may contain terms and conditions that are inconsistent with the terms and conditions specified herein, as determined by the Administrator.

(2) Term of Plan. No Awards may be made after ten years from the Date of Adoption, but previously granted Awards may continue beyond that date in accordance with their terms.

(3) Transferability. Neither ISOs nor, except as the Administrator otherwise expressly provides in accordance with the third sentence of this Section 6(a)(3), other Awards may be transferred other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. During a Participant’s lifetime, ISOs and, except as the Administrator otherwise expressly provides in accordance with the third sentence of this Section 6(a)(3), SARs and NSOs may be exercised only by the Participant. The Administrator may permit the gratuitous transfer (i.e., transfer not for value) of Awards other than ISOs, subject to applicable securities and other laws and such terms and conditions as the Administrator may determine.

(4) Vesting; Exercisability. The Administrator will determine the time or times at which an Award vests or becomes exercisable and the terms and conditions on which a Stock Option or SAR remains exercisable. Without limiting the foregoing, the Administrator may at any time accelerate the vesting and/or exercisability of an Award (or any portion thereof), regardless of any adverse or potentially adverse tax or other consequences resulting from such acceleration. Unless the Administrator expressly provides otherwise, however, the following rules will apply if a Participant’s Employment ceases:

 

2


(A) Except as provided in (B) and (C) below, immediately upon the cessation of the Participant’s Employment, each Stock Option and SAR (or portion thereof) that is then held by the Participant or by the Participant’s permitted transferees, if any, will cease to be exercisable and will terminate, and each other Award that is then held by the Participant or by the Participant’s permitted transferees, if any, to the extent not then vested, will be forfeited.

(B) Subject to (C) and (D) below, each vested and unexercised Stock Option and SAR (or portion thereof) held by the Participant or the Participant’s permitted transferees, if any, immediately prior to the cessation of the Participant’s Employment, to the extent then exercisable, will remain exercisable for the lesser of (i) a period of ninety (90) days following such cessation of Employment or (ii) the period ending on the latest date on which such Stock Option or SAR could have been exercised without regard to this Section 6(a)(4), and will thereupon immediately terminate.

(C) Subject to (D) below, each vested and unexercised Stock Option and SAR (or portion thereof) held by a Participant or the Participant’s permitted transferees, if any, immediately prior to the cessation of the Participant’s Employment due to his or her death or by the Company due to his or her Disability, to the extent then exercisable, will remain exercisable for the lesser of (i) the one-year period ending on the first anniversary of such cessation of employment or (ii) the period ending on the latest date on which such Stock Option or SAR could have been exercised without regard to this Section 6(a)(4), and will thereupon immediately terminate.

(D) All Awards (whether or not vested or exercisable) held by a Participant or the Participant’s permitted transferees, if any, immediately prior to the cessation of the Participant’s Employment will immediately terminate upon such cessation of Employment if the termination is for Cause or occurs in circumstances that in the determination of the Administrator would have constituted grounds for the Participant’s Employment to be terminated for Cause (in each case, without regard to the lapsing of any required notice or cure periods in connection therewith).

(5) Recovery of Compensation; Other Policies. The Administrator may provide in any case that any outstanding Award (whether or not vested or exercisable), the proceeds from the exercise or disposition of any Award or Stock acquired under any Award and any other amounts received in respect of any Award or Stock acquired under any Award will be subject to forfeiture and disgorgement to the Company, with interest and other related earnings, if the Participant to whom the Award was granted is not in compliance with any provision of the Plan or any applicable Award or any non-competition, non-solicitation, no-hire, non-disparagement, confidentiality, invention assignment, or other restrictive covenant by which he or she is bound. Each Award will be subject to any policy of the Company or any of its Affiliates that relates to trading on non-public information and permitted transactions with respect to shares of Stock, including limitations on hedging and pledging. In addition, each Award will be subject to any policy of the Company or any of its Affiliates that provides for forfeiture, disgorgement, or clawback with respect to incentive compensation that includes Awards under the Plan and will be further subject to forfeiture and disgorgement to the extent required by law or applicable stock exchange listing standards, including, without limitation, Section 10D of the Exchange Act. Each Participant, by accepting or being deemed to have accepted an Award under the Plan, agrees (or will be deemed to have agreed) to the terms of this Section 6(a)(5) and any clawback, recoupment or similar policy of the Company or any of its Affiliates and further agrees (or will be deemed to have further agreed) to cooperate fully with the Administrator, and to cause any and all permitted transferees of the Participant to cooperate fully with the Administrator, to effectuate any forfeiture or disgorgement described in this Section 6(a)(5). Neither the Administrator nor the Company nor any other person, other than the Participant and his or her permitted transferees, if any, will be responsible for any adverse tax or other consequences to a Participant or his or her permitted transferees, if any, that may arise in connection with this Section 6(a)(5).

(6) Taxes. The grant of an Award and the issuance, delivery, vesting and retention of Stock, cash or other property under an Award are conditioned upon the full satisfaction by the Participant of all tax and

 

3


other withholding requirements with respect to the Award. The Administrator will prescribe such rules for the withholding of taxes and other amounts with respect to an Award as it deems necessary. Without limitation to the foregoing, the Company or any of its Affiliates will have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold (by any means set forth herein or in an Award agreement), or require a Participant to remit to the Company or one of its Affiliates, an amount sufficient to satisfy all U.S. and non-U.S. federal, state and local income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, fringe benefits tax, payment on account or other tax-related items related to participation in the Plan and legally applicable to the Participant and required by law to be withheld (including any amount deemed by the Company, in its discretion, to be an appropriate charge to the Participant even if legally applicable to the Company or one of its Affiliates). The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may hold back shares of Stock from an Award or permit a Participant to tender previously-owned shares of Stock in satisfaction of tax or other withholding requirements (but not in excess of the maximum withholding amount consistent with the Award being subject to equity accounting treatment under the Accounting Rules). Any amounts withheld pursuant to this Section 6 (a)(6) will be treated as though such amounts had been made directly to the Participant. In addition, the Company may, to the extent permitted by law, deduct any such tax and other withholding amounts from any payment of any kind otherwise due to a Participant from the Company or any of its Affiliates.

(7) Dividend Equivalents. The Administrator may provide for the payment of amounts (on terms and subject to conditions established by the Administrator) in lieu of cash dividends or other cash distributions with respect to Stock subject to an Award whether or not the holder of such Award is otherwise entitled to share in the actual dividend or distribution in respect of such Award; provided, however, that (a) dividends or dividend equivalents relating to an Award that, at the dividend payment date, remains subject to a risk of forfeiture (whether service-based or performance-based) shall be subject to the same risk of forfeiture as applies to the underlying Award and (b) no dividends or dividend equivalents shall be payable with respect to Options or SARs. Any entitlement to dividend equivalents or similar entitlements will be established and administered either consistent with an exemption from, or in compliance with, the applicable requirements of Section 409A.

(8) Rights Limited. Nothing in the Plan or any Award will be construed as giving any person the right to be granted an Award or to continued employment or service with the Company or any of its Affiliates, or any rights as a stockholder except as to shares of Stock actually issued under the Plan. The loss of existing or potential profit in any Award will not constitute an element of damages in the event of a termination of a Participant’s Employment for any reason, even if the termination is in violation of an obligation of the Company or any of its Affiliates to the Participant.

(9) Coordination with Other Plans. Shares of Stock and/or Awards under the Plan may be issued or granted in tandem with, or in satisfaction of or substitution for, other Awards under the Plan or awards made under other compensatory plans or programs of the Company or any of its Affiliates. For example, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, awards under other compensatory plans or programs of the Company or any of its Affiliates may be settled in Stock (including, without limitation, Unrestricted Stock) under the Plan if the Administrator so determines, in which case the shares delivered will be treated as awarded under the Plan (and will reduce the Share Pool in accordance with the rules set forth in Section 4 above).

(10) Section 409A.

(A) Without limiting the generality of Section 11(b) below, each Award will contain such terms as the Administrator determines and will be construed and administered, such that the Award either qualifies for an exemption from the requirements of Section 409A or satisfies such requirements.

(B) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or any Award agreement, the Administrator may unilaterally amend, modify or terminate the Plan or any outstanding Award, including, but not limited to, changing the form of the Award, if the Administrator determines that such amendment, modification or termination is necessary or desirable to avoid the imposition of an additional tax, interest or penalty under Section 409A.

(C) If a Participant is determined on the date of the Participant’s termination of Employment to be a “specified employee” within the meaning of that term under Section 409A(a)(2)(B) of the Code, then, with regard to any payment that is considered nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A, to

 

4


the extent applicable, payable on account of a “separation from service”, such payment will be made or provided on the date that is the earlier of (i) the first business day following the expiration of the six-month period measured from the date of such “separation from service” and (ii) the date of the Participant’s death (the “Delay Period”). Upon the expiration of the Delay Period, all payments delayed pursuant to this Section 6(a)(10)(C) (whether they would have otherwise been payable in a single lump sum or in installments in the absence of such delay) will be paid, without interest, on the first business day following the expiration of the Delay Period in a lump sum and any remaining payments due under the Award will be paid in accordance with the normal payment dates specified for them in the applicable Award agreement.

(D) For purposes of Section 409A, each payment made under the Plan or any Award will be treated as a separate payment.

(E) With regard to any payment considered to be nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A, to the extent applicable, that is payable upon a change in control of the Company or other similar event, to the extent required to avoid the imposition of any additional tax, interest or penalty under Section 409A, no amount will be payable unless such change in control constitutes a “change in control event” within the meaning of Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) of the Treasury Regulations.

(b) Stock Options and SARs.

(1) Time and Manner of Exercise. Unless the Administrator expressly provides otherwise, no Stock Option or SAR will be deemed to have been exercised until the Administrator receives a notice of exercise in a form acceptable to the Administrator that is signed by the appropriate person and accompanied by the payment required under the Award. The Administrator may limit or restrict the exercisability of any Stock Option or SAR in its discretion, including in connection with any Covered Transaction. Any attempt to exercise a Stock Option or SAR by any person other than the Participant will not be given effect unless the Administrator has received such evidence as it may require that the person exercising the Award has the right to do so.

(2) Exercise Price. The exercise price (or the base value from which appreciation is to be measured) per share of each Award requiring exercise must be no less than 100% (in the case of an ISO granted to a 10-percent stockholder within the meaning of Section 422(b)(6) of the Code, 110%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock, determined as of the date of grant of the Award, or such higher amount as the Administrator may determine in connection with the grant.

(3) Payment of Exercise Price. Where the exercise of an Award (or portion thereof) is to be accompanied by a payment, payment of the exercise price must be made by cash or check acceptable to the Administrator or, if so permitted by the Administrator and if legally permissible, (i) through the delivery of previously acquired unrestricted shares of Stock, or the withholding of unrestricted shares of Stock otherwise issuable upon exercise, in either case, that have a Fair Market Value equal to the exercise price; (ii) through a broker-assisted cashless exercise program acceptable to the Administrator; (iii) by other means acceptable to the Administrator; or (iv) by any combination of the foregoing permissible forms of payment. The delivery of previously acquired shares in payment of the exercise price under clause (i) above may be accomplished either by actual delivery or by constructive delivery through attestation of ownership, subject to such rules as the Administrator may prescribe.

(4) Maximum Term. The maximum term of Stock Options and SARs must not exceed 10 years from the date of grant (or five years from the date of grant in the case of an ISO granted to a 10-percent stockholder described in Section 6(b)(2) above).

(5) No Repricing. Except in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Company (which term includes, without limitation, any stock dividend, stock split, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares) or as otherwise contemplated by Section 7 below, the Company may not, without obtaining stockholder approval, (i) amend the terms of outstanding Stock Options or SARs to reduce the exercise price or base value of such Stock Options or SARs; (ii) cancel outstanding Stock Options or SARs in exchange for Stock Options or SARs that have an exercise price or base value that is less than the exercise price or base value of the original Stock Options or SARs; or (iii) cancel outstanding Stock Options or SARs that have an exercise price or base value greater than the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of such cancellation in exchange for cash or other consideration.

 

5


7.

EFFECT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS

(a) Covered Transactions. Except as otherwise expressly provided in an Award or other agreement or by the Administrator, the following provisions will apply in the event of a Covered Transaction:

(1) Assumption or Substitution. In the event of a Covered Transaction, each unvested Award (or portion thereof) that is outstanding as of the consummation of the Covered Transaction that is eligible to vest based on performance shall be deemed to be earned at target performance levels and shall thereafter be eligible to vest solely based on continued Employment. Each such Award (or portion thereof), and each unvested Award (or portion thereof) that is outstanding as of the consummation of the Covered Transaction that is eligible to vest solely based on continued Employment, shall be assumed, continued or substituted for by the acquiror or survivor or an affiliate of the acquiror or survivor with an award that substantially preserves the value of the Award (or portion thereof) as of the consummation of the Covered Transaction and vests on the same schedule as the Award so assumed, continued or substituted for; provided, that, if within two (2) years following the consummation of the Covered Transaction (other than a Covered Transaction described in clause (a)(1) of the definition thereof), a Participant’s Employment is terminated by the Company or any successor thereof for any reason other than Cause or, if a Participant is party to a then-effective employment or severance-benefit agreement with the Company or any of its Affiliates that contains a definition of “Good Reason,” if the Participant resigns for Good Reason (as defined in such agreement, such Award or any award granted in substitution therefor (or portion thereof) shall vest in full.

(2) Acceleration. Each unvested Award that is outstanding as of the consummation of a Covered Transaction that is not assumed, continued or substituted for as provided in Section 7(a)(1) above shall vest in full in connection with the consummation of the Covered Transaction on a basis that permits the applicable Participant to participate in the Covered Transaction as a stockholder of the Company.

(3) Cash-Out of Awards. Subject to Section 7(a)(5) below, the Administrator may provide for payment (a “cash-out”), with respect to some or all Awards that are not assumed, continued or substituted for as described in Section 7(a)(1) above or any portion thereof (including only the vested portion thereof, with the unvested portion terminating as provided in Section 7(a)(4) below), equal in the case of each applicable Award or portion thereof to the excess, if any, of (i) the fair market value of a share of Stock multiplied by the number of shares of Stock subject to the Award or such portion, minus (ii) the aggregate exercise or purchase price, if any, of such Award or portion thereof (or, in the case of a SAR, the aggregate base value above which appreciation is measured), in each case, on such payment and other terms and subject to such conditions (which need not be the same as the terms and conditions applicable to holders of Stock generally) as the Administrator determines, including that any amounts paid in respect of such Award in connection with the Covered Transaction be placed in escrow or otherwise made subject to such restrictions as the Administrator deems appropriate. For the avoidance of doubt, if the per share exercise or purchase price (or base value) of an Award or portion thereof is equal to or greater than the fair market value of one share of Stock, such Award or portion may be cancelled with no payment due hereunder or otherwise in respect thereof.

(4) Termination of Awards upon Consummation of Covered Transaction. Except as the Administrator may otherwise determine, each Award will automatically terminate (and in the case of outstanding shares of Restricted Stock, will automatically be forfeited) immediately upon the consummation of the Covered Transaction, other than (i) any Award that is assumed, continued or substituted for pursuant to Section 7(a)(1) above and (ii) any Award that by its terms, or as a result of action taken by the Administrator, continues following the Covered Transaction.

(5) Additional Limitations. Any share of Stock and any cash or other property or other award delivered pursuant to Section 7(a) (1), Section 7(a)(2) or Section 7(a)(3) above with respect to an Award may, in the discretion of the Administrator, contain such restrictions, if any, as the Administrator deems appropriate, including to reflect any performance or other vesting conditions to which the Award was subject and that did not lapse (and were not satisfied) in connection with the Covered Transaction. For purposes of the immediately

 

6


preceding sentence, an acceleration under Section 7(a)(2) above or a cash-out under Section 7(a)(3) above will not, in and of itself, be treated as the lapsing (or satisfaction) of a performance or other vesting condition. In the case of Restricted Stock that does not vest and is not forfeited in connection with the Covered Transaction, the Administrator may require that any amounts delivered, exchanged or otherwise paid in respect of such Stock in connection with the Covered Transaction be placed in escrow or otherwise made subject to such restrictions as the Administrator deems appropriate to carry out the intent of the Plan.

(6) Uniform Treatment. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrator need not treat Participants or Awards (or portions thereof) in a uniform manner, and may treat different Participants and/or Awards differently, in connection with a Covered Transaction.

(b) Changes in and Distributions with Respect to Stock.

(1) Basic Adjustment Provisions. In the event of a stock dividend, stock split or combination of shares (including a reverse stock split), recapitalization or other change in the Company’s capital structure that constitutes an equity restructuring within the meaning of the Accounting Rules, the Administrator will make appropriate adjustments to the Share Pool, the individual limits described in Section 4(e) above, the number and kind of shares of stock or securities underlying Awards then outstanding or subsequently granted, any exercise or purchase prices (or base values) relating to Awards and any other provision of Awards affected by such change.

(2) Certain Other Adjustments. The Administrator may also make adjustments of the type described in Section 7(b)(1) above to take into account distributions to stockholders other than those provided for in Sections 7(a) and 7(b)(1) above, or any other event, if the Administrator determines that adjustments are appropriate to avoid distortion in the operation of the Plan or any Award.

(3) Continuing Application of Plan Terms. References in the Plan to shares of Stock will be construed to include any stock or securities resulting from an adjustment pursuant to this Section 7.

 

8.

LEGAL CONDITIONS ON DELIVERY OF STOCK

The Company will not be obligated to issue any shares of Stock pursuant to the Plan or to remove any restriction from shares of Stock previously issued under the Plan until: (i) the Company is satisfied that all legal matters in connection with the issuance of such shares have been addressed and resolved; (ii) if the outstanding Stock is at the time of issuance listed on any stock exchange or national market system, the shares to be issued have been listed or authorized to be listed on such exchange or system upon official notice of issuance; and (iii) all conditions of the Award have been satisfied or waived. The Company may require, as a condition to the exercise of an Award or the issuance of shares of Stock under an Award, such representations or agreements as counsel for the Company may consider appropriate to avoid violation of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any applicable state or non-U.S. securities law. Any Stock issued under the Plan will be evidenced in such manner as the Administrator determines appropriate, including book-entry registration or delivery of stock certificates. In the event that the Administrator determines that stock certificates will be issued in connection with Stock issued under the Plan, the Administrator may require that such certificates bear an appropriate legend reflecting any restriction on transfer applicable to such Stock, and the Company may hold the certificates pending the lapse of the applicable restrictions.

 

9.

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

The Administrator may at any time or times amend the Plan or any outstanding Award for any purpose which may at the time be permitted by applicable law, and may at any time terminate the Plan as to any future grants of Awards; provided, however, that except as otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or the applicable Award, the Administrator may not, without the Participant’s consent, alter the terms of an Award so as to affect materially and adversely the Participant’s rights under the Award, unless the Administrator expressly reserved the right to do so in the Plan or at the time the applicable Award was granted. Any amendments to the Plan will be conditioned upon stockholder approval only to the extent, if any, such approval is required by applicable law (including the Code) or stock exchange requirements, as determined by the Administrator. For the avoidance of doubt, without limiting the Administrator’s rights hereunder, no adjustment to any Award pursuant to the terms of Section 7 above will be treated as an amendment requiring a Participant’s consent.

 

7


10.

OTHER COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS

The existence of the Plan or the grant of any Award will not affect the right of the Company or any of its Affiliates to grant any person bonuses or other compensation in addition to Awards under the Plan.

 

11.

MISCELLANEOUS

(a) Waiver of Jury Trial. By accepting or being deemed to have accepted an Award under the Plan, each Participant waives (or will be deemed to have waived), to the maximum extent permitted under applicable law, any right to a trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim concerning any rights under the Plan or any Award, or under any amendment, waiver, consent, instrument, document or other agreement delivered or which in the future may be delivered in connection therewith, and agrees (or will be deemed to have agreed) that any such action, proceedings or counterclaim will be tried before a court and not before a jury. By accepting or being deemed to have accepted an Award under the Plan, each Participant certifies that no officer, representative, or attorney of the Company has represented, expressly or otherwise, that the Company would not, in the event of any action, proceeding or counterclaim, seek to enforce the foregoing waivers. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan, nothing herein is to be construed as limiting the ability of the Company and a Participant to agree to submit any dispute arising under the terms of the Plan or any Award to binding arbitration or as limiting the ability of the Company to require any individual to agree to submit such disputes to binding arbitration as a condition of receiving an Award hereunder.

(b) Limitation of Liability. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or any Award, neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor the Administrator, nor any person acting on behalf of the Company, any of its Affiliates, or the Administrator, will be liable to any Participant, to any permitted transferee, to the estate or beneficiary of any Participant or any permitted transferee, or to any other person by reason of any acceleration of income, any additional tax, or any penalty, interest or other liability asserted by reason of the failure of an Award to satisfy the requirements of Section 422 or Section 409A or by reason of Section 4999 of the Code, or otherwise asserted with respect to any Award.

(c) Unfunded Plan. The Company’s obligations under the Plan are unfunded, and no Participant will have any right to specific assets of the Company in respect of any Award. Participants will be general unsecured creditors of the Company with respect to any amounts due or payable under the Plan.

 

12.

RULES FOR PARTICIPANTS SUBJECT TO NON-U.S. LAWS

The Administrator may at any time and from time to time (including before or after an Award is granted) establish, adopt, or revise any rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan for Participants based outside of the U.S. and/or subject to the laws of countries other than the U.S., including by establishing one or more sub-plans, supplements or appendices under the Plan or any Award agreement for the purpose of complying or facilitating compliance with non-U.S. laws or taking advantage of tax favorable treatment or for any other legal or administrative reason determined by the Administrator. Any such sub-plan, supplement or appendix may contain, in each case, (i) such limitations on the Administrator’s discretion under the Plan and (ii) such additional or different terms and conditions, as the Administrator deems necessary or desirable and will be deemed to be part of the Plan but will apply only to Participants within the group to which the sub-plan, supplement or appendix applies (as determined by the Administrator); provided, however, that no sub-plan, supplement or appendix, rule or regulation established pursuant to this provision shall increase Share Pool or cause a violation of any U.S. law.

 

13.

GOVERNING LAW

(a) Certain Requirements of Corporate Law. Awards and shares of Stock will be granted, issued and administered consistent with the requirements of applicable Delaware law relating to the issuance of stock and the consideration to be received therefor, and with the applicable requirements of the stock exchanges or other trading systems on which the Stock is listed or entered for trading, in each case, as determined by the Administrator.

 

8


(b) Other Matters. Except as otherwise provided by the express terms of an Award agreement, under a sub-plan described in Section 12 above or as provided in Section 13(a) above, the domestic substantive laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts govern the provisions of the Plan and of Awards under the Plan and all claims or disputes arising out of or based upon the Plan or any Award under the Plan or relating to the subject matter hereof or thereof, without giving effect to any choice or conflict of laws provision or rule that would cause the application of the domestic substantive laws of any other jurisdiction.

(c) Jurisdiction. Subject to Section 13(a) above and except as may be expressly set forth in an Award agreement, by accepting (or being deemed to have accepted) an Award, each Participant agrees or will be deemed to have agreed to (i) submit irrevocably and unconditionally to the jurisdiction of the federal and state courts located within the geographic boundaries of the United States District Court for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the purpose of any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of or based upon the Plan or any Award; (ii) not commence any suit, action or other proceeding arising out of or based upon the Plan or any Award, except in the federal and state courts located within the geographic boundaries of the United States District Court for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and (iii) waive, and not assert, by way of motion as a defense or otherwise, in any such suit, action or proceeding, any claim that he or she is not subject personally to the jurisdiction of the above-named courts that his or her property is exempt or immune from attachment or execution, that the suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum, that the venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper or that the Plan or any Award or the subject matter thereof may not be enforced in or by such court.

 

9


EXHIBIT A

Definition of Terms

The following terms, when used in the Plan, have the meanings and are subject to the provisions set forth below:

“Accounting Rules”: Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or any successor provision.

“Administrator”: The Compensation Committee, except that the Compensation Committee may delegate (i) to one or more of its members (or one or more other members of the Board, including the full Board) such of its duties, powers and responsibilities as it may determine; (ii) to one or more officers of the Company the power to grant Awards to the extent permitted by applicable law; and (iii) to such Employees or other persons as it determines such ministerial tasks as it deems appropriate. For purposes of the Plan, the term “Administrator” will include the Board, the Compensation Committee, and the person or persons delegated authority under the Plan to the extent of such delegation, as applicable.

“Award”: Any or a combination of the following:

 

  (a)

Stock Options.

 

  (b)

SARs.

 

  (c)

Restricted Stock.

 

  (d)

Unrestricted Stock.

 

  (e)

Stock Units, including Restricted Stock Units and performance-based Restricted Stock Units.

 

  (f)

Performance Awards.

 

  (g)

Awards (other than Awards described in (a) through (f) above) that are convertible into or otherwise based on Stock.

“Board”: The Board of Directors of the Company.

“Cause”: In the case of any Participant who is party to an employment or severance-benefit agreement that contains a definition of “Cause,” the definition set forth in such agreement shall apply with respect to such Participant for purposes of the Plan for so long as such agreement is in effect. In every other case, “Cause” means, as determined by the Administrator:

(a) the Participant’s commission of any felony or any crime involving moral turpitude;

(b) the Participant’s gross negligence, breach of fiduciary duty or breach of any non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality or developments agreement or other covenant in favor of the Company;

(c) the Participant’s willful failure to substantially perform his or her duties with the Company and its Affiliates after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered by the Company or one of its Affiliates, and such failure of substantial performance shall have continued for a period of thirty (30) days after such written demand;

(d) the Participant has been chronically absent from work (excluding vacations, illnesses or leaves of absences);

(e) the Participant’s commission of an act of fraud, embezzlement or misappropriation against the Company or one of its Affiliates;

(f) the Participant shall have refused, after explicit notice, to obey any lawful resolution or direction by the Board or his or her supervisor which is consistent with the Participant’s duties; or

(g) a violation by the Participant of any material written policy of the Company or any of its Affiliates or any code of conduct adopted by the Company or any of its Affiliates.

 

A-1


“Code”: The U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as from time to time amended and in effect, or any successor statute as from time to time in effect.

“Company”: Waters Corporation, a Delaware corporation.

“Compensation Committee”: The Compensation Committee of the Board.

“Covered Transaction”: Any of:

(a) a consolidation, merger or similar transaction or series of related transactions, including a sale or other disposition of stock:

1. in which the Company is not the surviving corporation;

2. unless following which securities possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of the survivor’s or acquiror’s outstanding securities (or the securities of any parent thereof) are held by a person or persons who held securities possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities immediately prior to the Covered Transaction; or

3. that results in any person or group of persons (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) directly or indirectly acquiring beneficial ownership (determined pursuant to Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of securities possessing more than 20% of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities unless pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made directly to the Company’s stockholders that the Board recommends such stockholders accept, in each case, other than an acquisition by (i) the Company or any of its Affiliates, (ii) an employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates, (iii) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates, or (iv) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities;

(b) a sale or transfer of all or substantially all the Company’s assets;

(c) a change in the composition of the Board, over a period of thirty-six (36) consecutive months or less, in which a majority of the Board members (rounded up to the next whole number, if a fraction) ceases, by reason of one or more proxy contests for the election of Board members, to be composed of individuals who either (1) have been Board members continuously since the beginning of that period, or (2) have been elected or nominated for election as Board members during such period by at least a majority of the Board members described in the preceding clause (1) who were still in office at the time that election or nomination was approved by the Board; or

(d) a dissolution or liquidation of the Company.

Where a Covered Transaction involves a tender offer that is reasonably expected to be followed by a merger described in clause (i) (as determined by the Administrator), the Covered Transaction will be deemed to have occurred upon consummation of the tender offer.

“Date of Adoption”: The date the Plan was approved by the Company’s stockholders.

“Director”: A member of the Board who is not an Employee.

“Disability”: In the case of any Participant who is party to an employment, change of control or severance-benefit agreement that contains a definition of “Disability” (or a corollary term), the definition set forth in such agreement shall apply with respect to such Participant for purposes of the Plan for so long as such agreement is in effect. In every other case, “Disability” means, as determined by the Administrator, absence from work due to a disability for a period in excess of ninety (90) days in any twelve (12)-month period that would entitle the Participant to receive benefits under the Company’s long-term disability program as in effect from time to time (if the Participant were a participant in such program).

“Employee”: Any person who is employed by the Company or any of its Affiliates.

“Employment”: A Participant’s employment or other service relationship with the Company or any of its Affiliates. Employment will be deemed to continue, unless the Administrator otherwise determines, so long as the Participant is employed by, or otherwise is providing services in a capacity described in Section 5 of the Plan

 

A-2


to, the Company or any of its Affiliates. If a Participant’s employment or other service relationship is with any of its Affiliates and that entity ceases to be an Affiliate, the Participant’s Employment will be deemed to have terminated when the entity ceases to be an Affiliate of the Company unless the Participant transfers Employment to the Company or one of its remaining Affiliates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in construing the provisions of any Award relating to the payment of “nonqualified deferred compensation” (subject to Section 409A) upon a termination or cessation of Employment, references to termination or cessation of employment, separation from service, retirement or similar or correlative terms will be construed to require a “separation from service” (as that term is defined in Section 1.409A-1(h) of the Treasury Regulations, after giving effect to the presumptions contained therein) from the Company and from all other corporations and trades or businesses, if any, that would be treated as a single “service recipient” with the Company under Section 1.409A-1(h)(3) of the Treasury Regulations. The Company may, but need not, elect in writing, subject to the applicable limitations under Section 409A, any of the special elective rules prescribed in Section 1.409A-1(h) of the Treasury Regulations for purposes of determining whether a “separation from service” has occurred. Any such written election will be deemed a part of the Plan.

“Exchange Act”: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“Fair Market Value”: As of a particular date, (i) the closing price for a share of Stock reported on the New York Stock Exchange (or any other national securities exchange on which the Stock is then listed) for that date or, if no closing price is reported for that date, the closing price on the immediately preceding date on which a closing price was reported or (ii) in the event that the Stock is not traded on a national securities exchange, the fair market value of a share of Stock determined by the Administrator consistent with the rules of Section 422 and Section 409A to the extent applicable.

“ISO”: A Stock Option intended to be an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422. Each Stock Option granted pursuant to the Plan will be treated as providing by its terms that it is to be an NSO unless, as of the date of grant, it is expressly designated as an ISO.

“NSO”: A Stock Option that is not intended to be an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422.

“Participant”: A person who is granted an Award under the Plan.

“Performance Award”: An Award subject to performance vesting conditions, which may include Performance Criteria.

“Performance Criteria”: Specified criteria, other than the mere continuation of Employment or the mere passage of time, the satisfaction of which is a condition for the grant, exercisability, vesting or full enjoyment of an Award. A Performance Criterion and any targets with respect thereto need not be based upon an increase, a positive or improved result or avoidance of loss and may be applied to a Participant individually, or to a business unit or division of the Company or to the Company as a whole. The Administrator may provide that one or more of the Performance Criteria applicable to such Award will be adjusted in a manner to reflect events (for example, but without limitation, acquisitions or dispositions) occurring during the performance period that affect the applicable Performance Criterion or Criteria.

“Plan”: This Waters Corporation 2020 Equity Incentive Plan, as from time to time amended and in effect.

“Prior Plan”: The Waters Corporation 2012 Equity Incentive Plan, as from time to time amended and in effect.

“Restricted Stock”: Stock subject to restrictions requiring that it be forfeited, redelivered or offered for sale to the Company if specified performance or other vesting conditions are not satisfied.

“Restricted Stock Unit”: A Stock Unit that is, or as to which the issuance of Stock or delivery of cash in lieu of Stock is, subject to the satisfaction of specified performance or other vesting conditions.

“SAR”: A right entitling the holder upon exercise to receive an amount (payable in cash or in shares of Stock of equivalent value) equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of the shares of Stock subject to the right over the base value from which appreciation under the SAR is to be measured.

 

A-3


“Section 409A”: Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder.

“Section 422”: Section 422 of the Code and the regulations thereunder.

“Stock”: Common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share.

“Stock Option”: An option entitling the holder to acquire shares of Stock upon payment of the exercise price.

“Stock Unit”: An unfunded and unsecured promise, denominated in shares of Stock, to issue Stock or deliver cash measured by the value of Stock in the future.

“Substitute Award”: An award issued under the Plan in substitution for one or more equity awards of an acquired company that are converted, replaced or adjusted in connection with the acquisition.

“Unrestricted Stock”: Stock not subject to any restrictions under the terms of the Award.

 

A-4

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO

  

ROPES & GRAY LLP

PRUDENTIAL TOWER

800 BOYLSTON STREET

BOSTON, MA 02199-3600

WWW.ROPESGRAY.COM

June 8, 2020

Waters Corporation

34 Maple Street

Milford, Massachusetts 01757

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This opinion letter is furnished to you in connection with the registration statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”), filed by Waters Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), on the date hereof, with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), for the registration of 4,725,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value, of the Company (the “Shares”). The Shares are issuable under the Waters Corporation 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”).

We are familiar with the actions taken by the Company in connection with the adoption of the Plan. We have examined such certificates, documents and records and have made such investigation of fact and such examination of law as we have deemed appropriate in order to enable us to render the opinions set forth herein. In conducting such investigation, we have relied, without independent verification, upon certificates of officers of the Company, public officials and other appropriate persons.

The opinions expressed below are limited to the Delaware General Corporation Law.

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized and, when the Shares have been issued and sold in accordance with the terms of the Plan, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby 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.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Ropes & Gray LLP

Ropes & Gray LLP

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of Waters Corporation of our report dated February 25, 2020 relating to the financial statements and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, which appears in Waters Corporation’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Boston, Massachusetts

June 8, 2020