As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 2, 2021
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 81-4717209 | |
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.) |
400 Interstate North Parkway SE
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) |
30339 (Zip Code) |
Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
(Full title of the plan)
Shannon Drake, Esq.
General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer
400 Interstate North Parkway SE
Suite 1600
Atlanta, Georgia 30339
(678) 385-4005
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copy to:
Drew M. Altman, Esq.
Greenberg Traurig, P.A.
333 S.E. 2nd Avenue, Suite 4400
Miami, Florida 33131
(305) 579-0500
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:
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 |
Proposed
maximum aggregate offering price |
Amount of
registration fee |
||||
Common stock, par value $0.01 per share, to be issued under the Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan |
5,404,926 | $12.34(2) | $66,696,786.84 | $7,276.62 | ||||
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|
(1) |
Pursuant to Rule 416 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), this Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (Common Stock), of Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. (the Registrant) that become issuable under the Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the Plan) by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without the receipt of consideration that results in an increase in the number of shares of the Registrants outstanding Common Stock. |
(2) |
Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee in accordance with Rules 457(c) and 457(h) of the Securities Act and based upon the average of the high and low sales prices of a share of Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on July 1, 2021. |
PART I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS
The information specified by Items 1 and 2 of Part I of Form S-8 is omitted from this registration statement (the Registration Statement) in accordance with the provisions of Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), and the Explanatory Note to Part I of Form S-8.
The documents containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8 will be sent or given to participants in the Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan as specified by Rule 428(b) under the Securities Act. Such documents and the documents incorporated by reference herein pursuant to Item 3 of Part II hereof, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. (the Registrant) hereby incorporates by reference into this Registration Statement the following documents previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission):
(a) |
The Registrants Prospectus dated April 28, 2021 and filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act relating to the Registrants Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (Registration No. 333-254981); |
(b) |
The Registrants Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended April 3, 2021, filed with the Commission on May 25, 2021; |
(c) |
The Registrants Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 5, 2021 and May 19, 2021 (not including any information furnished under Item 2.02, 7.01 or 9.01 of any such Form 8-K or any other information that is identified as furnished rather than filed, which information is not incorporated by reference herein); and |
(d) |
The description of the Registrants common stock, $0.01 par value per share, contained in the Registrants Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), on April 26, 2021 (File No. 001-40362), and any other amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
Additionally, all documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act (not including any information furnished under Items 2.02, 7.01 or 9.01 of Form 8-K, which information is not incorporated by reference herein), prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated herein by reference and to be a part of the Registration Statement from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated herein by reference will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of the Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein, or in a subsequently filed document incorporated herein by reference, modifies or supersedes the statement. Any statement modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as modified or superseded, to constitute a part of the 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 102 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the DGCL) permits a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of directors of a corporation to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached his or her duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of the DGCL or obtained an improper personal benefit. The Registrants Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the Amended Charter) provides that none of its directors shall be personally liable to the Registrant or to the Registrants stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, notwithstanding any provision of law imposing such liability, except to the extent that the DGCL prohibits the elimination or limitation of liability of directors for breaches of fiduciary duty.
Section 145 of the DGCL provides that a corporation has the power to indemnify a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or a person serving at the request of the corporation for another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise in related capacities, against expenses (including attorneys fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with an action, suit or proceeding to which he or she was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, by reason of such position, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful, except that, in the case of actions brought by or in the right of the corporation, no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or other adjudicating court determines that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to an indemnity for such expenses which the Delaware Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
The Amended Charter and the Registrants Second Amended and Restated Bylaws (the Amended Bylaws) provide indemnification for its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, subject to certain limited exceptions. The Registrant will indemnify each person who was or is a party or threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of the Registrant) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at the Registrants request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (all such persons being referred to as an Indemnitee), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal therefrom, if such Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the Registrants best interests, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The Amended Charter and Amended Bylaws provide that the Registrant will indemnify any Indemnitee who was or is a party to an action or suit by or in the right of the Registrant to procure a judgment in the Registrants favor by reason of the fact that the Indemnitee is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at the Registrants request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys fees) and, to the extent permitted by law, amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, and any appeal therefrom, if the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the Registrants best interests, except that no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to us, unless a court determines that, despite such adjudication but in view of all of
the circumstances, he or she is entitled to indemnification of such expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that any Indemnitee has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, he or she will be indemnified by the Registrant against all expenses (including attorneys fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection therewith. Expenses must be advanced to an Indemnitee under certain circumstances.
The Registrant has entered into separate indemnification agreements with each of its directors and executive officers. Each indemnification agreement provides, among other things, for indemnification to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Amended Charter and Amended Bylaws against any and all expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement of any claim. The indemnification agreements provide for the advancement or payment of all expenses to the indemnitee and for the reimbursement to the Registrant if it is found that such indemnitee is not entitled to such indemnification under applicable law and the Amended Charter and Amended Bylaws.
The Registrant has also purchased directors and officers liability insurance for each of its directors and executive officers that covers certain liabilities of directors and officers of the Registrants corporation arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers. Certain of the Registrants non-employee directors may, through their relationships with their employers, be insured and/or indemnified against certain liabilities incurred in their capacity as members of the Registrants board of directors.
Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.
Not applicable.
Item 8. Exhibits.
The following are the exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K:
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 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 do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic 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 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 the 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 Registrants annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plans annual report pursuant to 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.
(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 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Atlanta, State of Georgia, on July 2, 2021.
AVEANNA HEALTHCARE HOLDINGS INC. |
By: |
/s/ Tony Strange |
|
Name: Tony Strange Title: Chief Executive Officer |
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Tony Strange and David Afshar, and each of them any of whom may act without joinder of the other, with full power to act as such persons true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person and in such persons name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign this Registration Statement, and any and all amendments thereto (including post-effective amendments), and to file the same, with exhibits thereto, and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agent or his substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
Name |
Title |
Date |
||
/s/ Rodney D. Windley |
Executive Chairman | July 2, 2021 | ||
Rodney D. Windley | ||||
/s/ Tony Strange |
Chief Executive Officer and Director | July 2, 2021 | ||
Tony Strange | (Principal Executive Officer) | |||
/s/ David Afshar |
Chief Financial Officer | July 2, 2021 | ||
David Afshar | (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |||
/s/ Victor F. Ganzi |
Director | July 2, 2021 | ||
Victor F. Ganzi | ||||
/s/ Christopher R. Gordon |
Director | July 2, 2021 | ||
Christopher R. Gordon | ||||
|
Director | |||
Devin OReilly | ||||
/s/ Sheldon M. Retchin |
Director | July 2, 2021 | ||
Sheldon M. Retchin, M.D., M.S.P.H. |
/s/ Steven E. Rodgers |
Director | July 2, 2021 | ||
Steven E. Rodgers | ||||
/s/ Robert M. Williams, Jr. |
Director | July 2, 2021 | ||
Robert M. Williams, Jr. | ||||
/s/ Richard C. Zoretic |
Director | July 2, 2021 | ||
Richard C. Zoretic | ||||
/s/ Erica Schwartz |
Director | July 2, 2021 | ||
Erica Schwartz, M.D., J.D., M.P.H. |
Exhibit 4.3
AVEANNA HEALTHCARE HOLDINGS INC.
2021 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
This Aveanna Healthcare Holdings, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the Plan) is effective as of April 28, 2021 (the Effective Date), subject to approval by the Companys stockholders no later than twelve (12) months after the Effective Date. If stockholder approval is not obtained, then this Plan and any grants made hereunder shall immediately terminate and be null and void.
1. Purpose and Structure of the Plan and its Sub-Plans.
1.1 The purpose of this Plan is (a) to provide eligible employees of the Company and Participating Companies who wish to become stockholders in the Company a convenient method of doing so, (b) to encourage employees to work in the best interests of stockholders of the Company, (c) to support recruitment and retention of qualified employees, and (d) to provide employees an advantageous means of accumulating long-term investments. It is believed that employee participation in the ownership of the business will be to the mutual benefit of both the employees and the Company. This Plan document is an omnibus document which includes a sub-plan (Statutory Plan) designed to permit offerings of grants to employees of certain Subsidiaries that are Participating Companies where such offerings are intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 423 of the Code (although the Company makes no undertaking nor representation to obtain or maintain qualification under Section 423 for any Subsidiary, individual, offering or grant) and also separate sub-plans (Non-Statutory Plans) which permit offerings of grants to employees of certain Participating Companies which are not intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 423 of the Code. Section 6 hereof sets forth the maximum number of shares to be offered under the Plan (and its sub-plans), subject to adjustments as permitted under Sections 19 and 20 hereof.
1.2 The Statutory Plan shall be a separate and independent plan from the Non-Statutory Plans, provided, however, that the total number of shares authorized to be issued under the Plan applies in the aggregate to both the Statutory Plan and the Non-Statutory Plans. Offerings under the Non-Statutory Plans may be made to achieve desired tax or other objectives in particular locations outside the United States of America or to comply with local laws applicable to offerings in such foreign jurisdictions. Offerings under the Non-Statutory Plans may also be made to employees of entities that are not Subsidiaries.
1.3 All employees who participate in the Statutory Plan shall have the same rights and privileges under such sub-plan except for differences that may be mandated by local law and are consistent with the requirements of Code Section 423(b)(5). The terms of the Statutory Plan
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shall be those set forth in this Plan document to the extent such terms are consistent with the requirements for qualification under Code Section 423. The Committee may adopt Non-Statutory Plans applicable to particular Participating Companies or locations that are not participating in the Statutory Plan. The terms of each Non-Statutory Plan may take precedence over other provisions in this document, with the exception of Sections 6, 19 and 20 hereof with respect to the total number of shares available to be offered under the Plan for all sub-plans. Unless otherwise superseded by the terms of such Non-Statutory Plan, the provisions of this Plan document shall govern the operation of such Non-Statutory Plan. Except to the extent expressly set forth herein or where the context suggests otherwise, any reference herein to Plan shall be construed to include a reference to the Statutory Plan and the Non-Statutory Plans.
2. Definitions.
2.1 Account means the funds accumulated with respect to an individual employee as a result of deductions from such employees paycheck (or otherwise as permitted in certain circumstances under the terms of the Plan) for the purpose of purchasing Common Stock under this Plan. The funds allocated to an employees Account shall be deposited in the Companys general corporate accounts and may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate or otherwise set apart such funds allocated to an employees Account from any other corporate funds, except to the extent such commingling may be prohibited by the laws of any applicable jurisdiction.
2.2 Administrator means the Committee or the persons acting within the scope of their authority to administer the Plan pursuant to a delegation of authority from the Committee pursuant to Section 22 hereof.
2.3 Affiliate means an entity, other than a Subsidiary, in which the Company has an equity or other ownership interest.
2.4 Beneficial Owner and Beneficial Ownership shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act and any successor to such Rule.
2.5 Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.
2.6 Change in Control means the occurrence of any of the following:
(a) any person, as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act (other than the Company, any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under any employee benefit plan of the Company, or any company owned, or that immediately after the transaction would be owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the combined voting power or economic interests of the Company, as applicable, as of immediately prior to such transaction), becoming the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the combined voting power or economic interests of the Companys then outstanding securities; provided that the provisions of this subsection (a) are not intended to apply to or include as a Change in Control any transaction that is specifically excepted from the definition of Change in Control under clause (c) below; or
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(b) during any period of 12 months, individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board, and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in subsection (a), (c), or (d) of this definition or a director whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of either an actual or threatened election contest (as such term is used in Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A promulgated under the Exchange Act) or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a person other than the Board) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Companys stockholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the 12-month period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; or
(c) a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation or other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or parent company thereof) more than 50% of (i) the combined voting power of the voting securities and (ii) the economic interests of the surviving entity or the ultimate parent company thereof (within the meaning of Section 424(e) of the Code); provided, that a merger or consolidation effected to implement an internal recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no person is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of either the combined voting power of the Companys then-outstanding voting securities or the then-outstanding economic interests shall not be considered a Change in Control; or
(d) a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or the consummation of a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Companys assets in which any person, other than a person or persons who beneficially own(s), directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the combined voting power and economic interests of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to the sale, acquires (or has acquired during the 12-month period ending on the most recent acquisition by such person) assets from the Company that have a total gross fair market value equal to 50% or more of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Company as of immediately prior to such sale or disposition of the Companys assets.
For the avoidance of doubt, a transaction will not constitute a Change in Control if: (i) its sole purpose is to change the jurisdiction of the Companys incorporation, or (ii) its sole purpose is to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held the Companys securities immediately before such transaction. The Committee shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its sole discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control has occurred pursuant to the above definition, the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto.
2.7 Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
2.8 Committee means the Compensation Committee of the Board. The Committee may delegate its responsibilities as provided in Section 22 hereof.
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2.9 Common Stock means the common stock of the Company.
2.10 Company means Aveanna Healthcare Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its successors and assigns.
2.11 Compensation means, unless the Committee establishes otherwise for any offering, all base pay, inclusive of any employer-paid leave, overtime, cash bonuses, and commissions.
2.12 Enrollment Agreement means an agreement between the Company and an employee, in such form as may be established by the Company from time to time, pursuant to which the employee elects to participate in this Plan or elects changes with respect to such participation as permitted under the Plan.
2.13 ESPP Broker means a stock brokerage or other entity designated by the Company to establish accounts for Common Stock purchased under the Plan by participants.
2.14 Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.
2.15 Fair Market Value means the closing price on the date of determination on the principal national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted to trading and, if there were no trades on such date, on the day on which a trade occurred immediately preceding such date.
2.16 Offering Date as used in this Plan shall be the commencement date of an offering. A different date may be set by the Committee as determined in its discretion.
2.17 Participating Company means (i) the Company, (ii) any Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, and (iii) any Subsidiary or Affiliate that has been designated by the Board as eligible to participate in the Plan. For purposes of participation in the Statutory Plan, only the Company and its Subsidiaries may be considered Participating Companies, and the Board shall designate from time to time which Subsidiaries will be Participating Companies in the Statutory Plan and which Subsidiaries and Affiliates will be Participating Companies in particular Non-Statutory Plans. The foregoing designations and changes in designation by the Board shall not require stockholder approval. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term Participating Company shall not include any Subsidiary or Affiliate that offers its employees the opportunity to participate in an employee stock purchase plan covering the Subsidiarys or Affiliates common stock.
2.18 Plan means this Aveanna Healthcare Holdings, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as may be amended from time to time.
2.19 Person shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof and shall include a group as defined in Section 13(d) thereof.
2.20 Purchase Date means the last day of a Purchase Period contained in an offering.
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2.21 Purchase Period means a period of time or times specified within an offering, generally beginning on the Offering Date or on the first trading day following a Purchase Date within such offering and, in each case, ending on a Purchase Date.
2.22 Purchase Price is the price per share of Common Stock of the Company as established pursuant to Section 5 hereof.
2.23 Subsidiary means any entity (other than the Company), domestic or foreign, that is in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Company if, on an Offering Date, each of the entities other than the last entity in the unbroken chain owns stock or equity interests possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock or equity interests in one of the other entities in the chain, as described in Code Section 424(f).
2.24 Wholly-Owned Subsidiary means any entity (other than the Company), domestic or foreign, that is in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Company if, on an Offering Date, each of the entities other than the last entity in the unbroken chain owns stock or equity interests possessing 100% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock or equity interests in one of the other entities in the chain, as described in Code Section 424(f).
3. Employees Eligible to Participate. Any employee of a Participating Company who is in the employ of any Participating Company as of the first Offering Date is eligible to participate in this Plan as of such first Offering Date and on each Offering Date thereafter, so long as the employee continues to be employed with a Participating Company through and on such applicable Offering Date and Purchase Date; provided, however, that with respect to any offering under this Plan, the Committee may determine to exclude from eligibility any employee of the Company that is permitted to be excluded from eligibility under Code Section 423 provided that such determination is made prior to the Offering Date to which such exclusion(s) relate which include the following: (a) employees who have been employed less than 2 years, (b) employees whose customary employment is 20 hours or less per week, (c) employees whose customary employment is not more than 5 months in any calendar year, and/or (d) highly compensated employees (within the meaning of Section 414(q) of the Code). Notwithstanding the foregoing, employees of a Participating Company who are citizens or residents of a foreign jurisdiction (without regard to whether they are also citizens of the United States or resident aliens (within the meaning of Section 7701(b)(1)(A) of the Code)) shall not be eligible to participate in the Statutory Plan if: (i) the grant of an option under the Plan to such employee is prohibited under the laws of such jurisdiction; or (ii) compliance with the laws of such foreign jurisdiction would cause the Statutory Plan to violate the requirements of Code Section 423. During paid leaves of absence (as determined in accordance with the Companys and Participating Companys policies and procedures) and meeting the requirements of the applicable treasury regulations promulgated under the Code, a participant may elect to continue participation in the Plan for three months or for such longer period as permitted under applicable treasury regulations.
4. Offerings. During the term of the Plan, the Committee may from time to time provide for time periods (each, an offering) under which the Committee will grant or provide for the right to subscribe for shares of Common Stock under the Plan to employees (consisting of one or more Purchase Dates) on an Offering Date or Offering Dates selected by the Committee. Each offering will be for the period established by the Committee within its discretion; provided that
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as of the Effective Date, each offering shall be a consecutive twelve (12) month period unless otherwise determined by the Committee. Each offering shall provide for one or more Purchase Periods during such offering as determined by the Committee within its discretion. In order to become eligible to participate in an offering and purchase shares, an employee must complete and submit an Enrollment Agreement and any other necessary documents before the Offering Date of the particular offering in which he or she wishes to participate as described in Sections 7 and 8 hereof. Participation in one offering under the Plan shall neither limit, nor require, participation in any other offering. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may, within its discretion, establish (a) different durations for an offering; (b) different terms for one or more offerings, (c) different commencing and ending dates for such offerings, and/or (d) different durations for Purchase Periods during an offering; provided, however, that in no event shall any offering exceed twenty-seven (27) months. In the event the first or the last day of an offering is not a regular business day, then the first day of the offering shall be deemed to be the next regular business day and the last day of the offering shall be deemed to be the last preceding regular business day.
5. Price. The Purchase Price per share shall be eighty-five percent (85%) of the lesser of (a) the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the Offering Date of such offering and (b) the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the Purchase Date of such offering.
6. Number of Shares to be Offered. The maximum number of shares that will be offered under the Plan is 5,404,926 shares of Common Stock, subject to adjustment as permitted under Section 20 hereof (the Share Reserve). In addition, the total number shares of Common Stock available for issuance pursuant to the Share Reserve under the Plan shall be automatically increased on the first day of each fiscal year of the Company following the Effective Date (and prior to the termination of the Plan) in an amount equal to the lesser of (a) 1,801,642 shares of Common Stock, (b) 1% of the shares of Common Stock outstanding as of the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year of the Company and (c) such lesser number of shares of Common Stock as determined by the Board in its discretion. The shares to be sold to participants under the Plan will be Common Stock of the Company. If the total number of shares for which options are to be granted on any date in accordance with Section 12 hereof exceeds the number of shares then available under the Plan or a given sub-plan (after deduction of all shares for which options have been exercised under the Plan or are then outstanding), the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the shares remaining available in as nearly a uniform manner as it determines is practicable and equitable. In such event, the payroll deductions to be made pursuant to the authorizations therefor shall be reduced accordingly and the Company shall give written notice of the reduction to each employee affected. Any Shares delivered under the Plan may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Shares or treasury shares.
7. Participation.
7.1 An eligible employee may become a participant by completing an Enrollment Agreement provided by the Company and submitting it to the Company, or with such other entity designated by the Company for this purpose, prior to the commencement of the offering to which it relates. The Enrollment Agreement may be completed during any enrollment period after the employee becomes eligible to participate in the Plan, and will be effective as of the Offering Date next following the receipt of a properly completed Enrollment Agreement by the Company (or the Companys designee for this purpose).
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7.2 Payroll deductions for a participant shall commence on the first full payroll period following the Offering Date as described above and shall continue through subsequent offerings pursuant to Section 10 hereof until the participants termination of employment, subject to modification by the employee as provided in Section 8.1 hereof, and unless participation is earlier withdrawn or suspended by the employee as provided in Section 9 hereof.
7.3 Payroll deduction shall be the sole means of accumulating funds in a participants Account, except in foreign countries where payroll deductions are not allowed, in which case the Company may authorize alternative payment methods.
7.4 The Company may require current participants to complete a new Enrollment Agreement at any time it deems necessary or desirable to facilitate Plan administration or for any other reason.
8. Payroll Deductions.
8.1 At the time an employee files a payroll deduction authorization, the employee shall elect to have deductions made from the employees Compensation on each payday during each calendar year, which shall be in an amount not less than 1% and not more than 15% (or such greater percentage as the Committee may establish from time to time before an Offering Date, subject to the individual limits set forth in this Plan and Section 423 of the Code). The amount of payroll deductions shall be a whole percentage (i.e., 1%, 2%, 3%, etc.) of the employees Compensation. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, a participant may elect, only one (1) time during per offering, to either (a) decrease the amount to be withheld from his or her Compensation during an offering or (b) discontinue payroll contributions during an offering, by completing and filing with the Company an amended Enrollment Agreement authorizing the decrease or cessation of payroll deductions. The change shall be effective as of the beginning of the next payroll period following the date of filing the amended Enrollment Agreement if the amended Enrollment Agreement is filed at least ten (10) days (or such earlier date as provided by the Committee within its discretion) prior to such date (the Change Notice Date) and, if not, as of the beginning of the next succeeding payroll period. All payroll deductions accrued by a participant as of a Change Notice Date shall continue to be applied toward the purchase of Common Stock on the Purchase Date, unless a participant withdraws from an offering or the Plan, pursuant to Section 9 hereof. An amended Enrollment Agreement shall remain in effect until the participant changes such Enrollment Agreement in accordance with the terms of the Plan. The Committee may, from time to time, establish and/or change (i) limitations on the frequency and/or number of any permitted changes in the amount withheld during an offering, (ii) payroll withholding in excess of the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the Companys processing of properly completed withholding elections, and (iii) such other limitations or procedures as deemed advisable by the Committee in the Committees sole discretion that are consistent with the Plan and in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 423.
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8.2 All payroll deductions made for a participant shall be credited to his or her Account under the Plan. A participant may not make any separate cash payment into his or her Account nor may payment for shares be made other than by payroll deduction, except as provided under Section 7.3 hereof.
8.3 A participant may withdraw from or suspend his or her participation in the Plan as provided in Section 9 hereof. A participant may also make a prospective election, by changing his or her payroll deduction amount to zero as set forth in, and pursuant to the terms of, Section 8.1 hereof, to cease participation in the Plan effective as of the next Offering Date.
8.4 Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, Section 21 hereof, or any other applicable law, a participants payroll deductions may be decreased, including to zero, at such time during any offering which is scheduled to end during the current calendar year that the aggregate of all payroll deductions accumulated with respect to such offering and any other offering ending within the same calendar year are equal to $21,250. Payroll deductions shall recommence at the rate provided in the participants Enrollment Agreement at the beginning of the following offering which is scheduled to end in the following calendar year, unless the participant withdraws from an offering or the Plan, pursuant to Section 9 hereof.
9. Withdrawal and Suspension.
9.1 An employee may withdraw from an offering, in whole but not in part, at any time during the offering for which such withdrawal is to be effective, or by any other date specified by the Administrator, by submitting a withdrawal notice to the Company, in which event the Company will refund the entire balance of his or her Account as soon as practicable thereafter.
9.2 If an employee withdraws or suspends his or her participation pursuant to Section 9.1 hereof, he or she shall not participate in a subsequent offering unless and until he or she re-enters the Plan. To re-enter the Plan, an employee who has previously withdrawn or suspended participation by reducing payroll deductions to zero must file a new Enrollment Agreement in accordance with Section 7.1 hereof and otherwise be eligible to participate in this Plan pursuant to the terms hereof. The employees re-entry into the Plan will not become effective before the beginning of the next offering following his or her withdrawal or suspension.
10. Automatic Re-Enrollment. At the termination of each offering each participating employee who continues to be eligible to participate pursuant to Section 3 hereof shall be automatically re-enrolled in the next offering, unless the employee has advised the Company otherwise. Upon termination of the Plan, any balance in each employees Account shall be refunded to him or her.
11. Interest. No interest will be paid or allowed on any money in the Accounts of participating employees, except to the extent payment of interest is required by the laws of any applicable jurisdiction.
12. Granting of Option. On each Offering Date, this Plan shall be deemed to have granted to the participant an option for as many shares (which may include a fractional share) as he or she will be able to purchase with the amounts credited to his or her Account during his or her
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participation in that offering. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no participant may purchase more than 2,250 shares of Common Stock during any single offering. This number may be adjusted as permitted pursuant to Section 20 hereof.
13. Exercise of Option.
13.1 Each employee who continues to be a participant in an offering on a Purchase Date during that offering shall be deemed to have exercised his or her option on that Purchase Date and shall be deemed to have purchased from the Company the number of shares (which may not include a fractional share) of Common Stock reserved for the purpose of the Plan as the balance of his or her Account on such date will pay for at the Purchase Price.
13.2 Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, fractional shares shall not be issued hereunder and, as a result, any cash balance remaining in a participants Account at the termination of an offering that is not sufficient to purchase a whole share of Common Stock, shall be carried over in the participants Account and applied to the purchase of Common Stock in the next offering, provided the participant participates in the next offering and the purchase complies with Section 21 hereof. If the Participant does not participate in the next offering, such remaining cash balance shall be refunded to the participant as soon as practical after the Purchase Date.
13.3 Any amount remaining to the credit of a participants Account after the purchase of shares by the Participant on a Purchase Date which would be sufficient to purchase one or more full shares of Common Stock but for the limitations set forth in Sections 12 and/or 21 hereof shall be refunded to the participant as soon as practical after the Purchase Date.
14. Tax Obligations. To the extent any (a) grant of an option to purchase shares, (b) purchase of shares, or (c) disposition of shares purchased under the Plan gives rise to any tax withholding obligation (including, without limitation, income and payroll withholding taxes imposed by any jurisdiction) the Administrator may implement appropriate procedures to ensure that such tax withholding obligations are met. Those procedures may include, without limitation, increased withholding from an employees current compensation, cash payments to the Company or another Participating Company by an employee, or a sale of a portion of the Common Stock purchased under the Plan, which sale may be required and initiated by the Company.
15. Employees Rights as a Stockholder. No participating employee shall have any right as a stockholder with respect to any shares until the shares have been purchased in accordance with Section 13 above and the Common Stock has been issued by the Company.
16. Evidence of Stock Ownership.
16.1 Following the end of each offering, the number of shares of Common Stock purchased by each participant shall be deposited into an account established in the participants name at the ESPP Broker.
16.2 A participant shall be free to undertake a disposition (as that term is defined in Section 424(c) of the Code) of the shares in his or her ESPP Broker account at any time, whether by sale, exchange, gift, or other transfer of legal title, but in the absence of such a disposition of the
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shares, the shares must remain in the participants ESPP Broker account until the holding period set forth in Section 423(a) of the Code has been satisfied. With respect to shares for which the Section 423(a) holding period has been satisfied, the participant may move those shares to another brokerage account of participants choosing.
16.3 Notwithstanding the above, shares of Common Stock purchased under a Non-Statutory Plan may be moved to another brokerage account of the participants choosing at any time, without regard to the satisfaction of the Section 423(a) holding period, subject to applicable law.
17. Rights Not Transferable; Restrictions on Resale.
17.1 No participant shall be permitted to sell, assign, transfer, pledge, or otherwise dispose of or encumber either the payroll deductions credited to his or her Account or an option or any rights with regard to the exercise of an option or rights to receive shares under the Plan other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and such right and interest shall not be liable for, or subject to, the debts, contracts, or liabilities of the participant. If any such action is taken by the participant, or any claim is asserted by any other party in respect of such right and interest whether by garnishment, levy, attachment or otherwise, the action or claim will be treated as an election to withdraw funds in accordance with Section 9. During the participants lifetime, only the employee can make decisions regarding the participation in or withdrawal from an offering under the Plan.
17.2 Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, participants may not sell any shares of Common Stock acquired under the terms of the Plan until the expiration of the period commencing on each Purchase Date and ending 6 months later. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the time restriction on the sale of shares will lapse upon the participants termination of employment due to participants death.
18. Termination or Transfer of Employment.
18.1 Upon termination of employment for any or no reason whatsoever, including, but not limited to, death or retirement, the balance in the Account of a participating employee shall be paid to the employee or his or her estate. Whether and when employment is deemed terminated for purposes of this Plan shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion and may be determined without regard to statutory notice periods or other periods following termination of active employment.
18.2 In the event that a participant who is an employee of a Participating Company in a Non-Statutory Plan is transferred and becomes an employee of a different Participating Company in a Non-Statutory Plan, during an offering, such individual may, subject to the terms and eligibility of the Non-Statutory Plan of the new employer, become a participant under the Non-Statutory Plan of the new employer for the duration of the offering in effect at that time. Unless otherwise required under local law, any payroll deductions or other approved contributions may continue to be held by the Participating Company former employer of the participant for the remainder of the offering. At the next Purchase Date, all payroll deductions and other approved contributions made by or to such Participating Company former employer and/or the employer Participating Company shall be aggregated for the purchase of shares of Common Stock under, and subject to the terms and limitations of, the Non-Statutory Plan of the new employer.
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18.3 In the event that an employee of a Participating Company in the Statutory Plan and who is a participant in the Statutory Plan is transferred and becomes an employee of a Participating Company in a Non-Statutory Plan during an offering, unless determined otherwise by the Committee, such individual may, subject to the terms and eligibility of the Non-Statutory Plan of the new employer, become a participant under the Non-Statutory Plan of the new employer for the duration of the offering in effect at that time. Unless otherwise required under local law, any payroll deductions may continue to be held by the Participating Company former employer for the remainder of the offering. At the next Purchase Date, all payroll deductions and other approved contributions made by or to the Participating Company former employer and/or the employer Participating Company may be aggregated for the purchase of shares of Common Stock under, and subject to the terms and limitations of, the Non-Statutory Plan of the new employer.
19. Amendment or Discontinuance of the Plan.
19.1 The Committee may amend the Plan in such respects as it shall deem advisable; provided, however that (a) to the extent required for compliance with Code Section 423 or any applicable law or regulation, stockholder approval will be required for any amendment that will (i) increase the total number of shares as to which options may be granted under the Plan, except as provided in Section 20 hereof, (ii) modify the class of employees eligible to receive options, or (iii) otherwise require stockholder approval under any applicable law or regulation ((i), (ii) and (iii) being collectively referred to as the Specified Amendments); (b) notwithstanding anything set forth in Section 22, the approval by the Board, which may not be delegated to the Committee, will be required for the approval of any of the Specified Amendments; and (c) except as provided in this Section 19 or Section 24, no amendment to the Plan shall make any change in any option previously granted which adversely affects the rights of any Participant.
19.2 The Plan shall continue in effect for ten (10) years from the Effective Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may at any time and for any reason suspend or terminate the Plan. During any period of suspension or upon termination of the Plan, no options shall be granted.
19.3 Except as provided in Section 20 hereof, no such termination of the Plan may affect options previously granted, provided that the Plan or an offering may be terminated by the Board on a Purchase Date or by the Boards setting a new Purchase Date with respect to an offering then in progress if the Board determines that termination of the Plan and/or the offering is in the best interests of the Company and the stockholders or if continuation of the Plan and/or the offering would cause the Company to incur adverse accounting charges as a result of a change after the Effective Date in the generally accepted accounting rules applicable to the Plan.
20. Changes in Capitalization. In the event of reorganization, recapitalization, stock split, stock dividend, combination of shares, merger, consolidation, offerings of rights, or any other change in the structure of the common shares of the Company, the Committee shall make such adjustment, if any, as it may deem appropriate in the number, kind, and the price of shares
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available for purchase under the Plan, and in the number of shares which an employee is entitled to purchase including, without limitation, closing an offering early and permitting purchase on the last business day of the reduced offering period, or terminating an offering and refunding participants Account balances.
21. Share Ownership. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, no employee shall be permitted to subscribe for any shares under the Plan if the employee, immediately after such subscription, owns shares (including all shares that may be purchased under outstanding subscriptions under the Plan) possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of shares of the Company or of its parent or subsidiary corporations. For the foregoing purposes the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code shall apply in determining share ownership and shares the employee may purchase under outstanding options shall be treated as owned by the employee. In addition, no employee shall be allowed to subscribe for any shares under the Plan that permit his or her rights to purchase shares under all employee stock purchase plans of the Company and its parent or subsidiary corporations to accrue at a rate that exceeds $25,000 of Fair Market Value of such shares (determined at the time such right to subscribe is granted) for each calendar year in which the right to subscribe is outstanding at any time. Notwithstanding the above, lower limitations may be imposed with respect to participants in a Non-Statutory Plan or participants in the Statutory Plan who are subject to laws of another jurisdiction where lower limitations are required.
22. Administration and Board Authority.
22.1 The Plan shall be administered by the Board. Except as expressly set forth in the Plan, the Board has delegated its full authority under the Plan to the Committee, and the Committee may further delegate any or all of its authority under this Plan to such senior officer(s) of the Company as it may designate, to the extent not prohibited by law or rules of the Code and/or the applicable stock exchange under which the Common Stock is traded. Notwithstanding any such delegation of authority, the Board may itself take any action under the Plan in its discretion at any time, and any reference in this Plan document to the rights and obligations of the Committee shall be construed to apply equally to the Board. Any references to the Board mean only the Board. The authority that may be delegated by the Committee includes, without limitation, the authority to (a) establish Non-Statutory Plans and determine the terms of such sub-plans (including, without limitation, rules and procedures regarding handling of payroll deductions or other approved contributions, payment of interest, conversion of local currency, payroll tax, withholding procedures and handling of stock certificates that vary with local requirements and determining the eligible employees that may enroll in a Non-Statutory Plan), (b) designate from time to time which Subsidiaries (that are Participating Companies) will participate in the Statutory Plan and which Participating Companies will participate in a particular Non-Statutory Plan, (c) determine procedures for eligible employees to enroll in or withdraw from a sub-plan, setting or changing payroll deduction amounts, and obtaining necessary tax withholdings, (d) allocate the available shares under the Plan to the sub-plans for particular offerings and (e) adopt amendments to the Plan or any sub-plan including, without limitation, amendments to increase the shares available for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 20 hereof (but not including increases in the available shares above the maximum permitted by Sections 6 and 20 hereof which shall require Board and stockholder approval).
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22.2 The Committee shall be vested with full authority and discretion to construe the terms of the Plan and make factual determinations under the Plan, and to make, administer, and interpret such rules and regulations as it deems necessary to administer the Plan, and any determination, decision, or action of the Committee in connection with the construction, interpretation, administration, or application of the Plan shall be final, conclusive, and binding upon all participants and any and all persons claiming under or through any participant. The Committee may retain outside entities and professionals to assist in the administration of the Plan including, without limitation, a vendor or vendors to perform enrollment and brokerage services. The authority of the Committee will specifically include, without limitation, the power to make any changes to the Plan with respect to the participation of employees of any Subsidiary or Affiliate that is organized under the laws of a country other than the United States of America when the Committee deems such changes to be necessary or appropriate to achieve a desired tax treatment in such foreign jurisdiction or to comply with the laws applicable to such non-U.S. Subsidiaries or Affiliates. Those changes may include, without limitation, the exclusion of particular Subsidiaries or Affiliates from participation in the Plan; modifications to eligibility criteria, maximum number or value of shares that may be purchased in a given period, or other requirements set forth herein; and procedural or administrative modifications. Any modification relating to offerings to a particular Participating Company will apply only to that Participating Company and will apply equally to all similarly situated employees of that Participating Company. The rights and privileges of all employees granted options under the Statutory Plan shall be the same. To the extent any changes approved by the Committee would jeopardize the tax-qualified status of the Statutory Plan, the change shall cause the Participating Companies affected thereby to be considered Participating Companies under a Non-Statutory Plan or Non- Statutory Plans instead of the Statutory Plan.
22.3 Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 22.1 and 22.2 above, in the event that Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any successor provision thereto (Rule 16b-3) provides specific requirements for the administrators of plans of this type, the Plan shall only be administered by such body and in such a manner as shall comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3. Unless permitted by Rule 16b-3, no discretion concerning decisions regarding the Plan shall be afforded to any person that is not disinterested as that term is used in Rule 16b-3.
23. Notices. All notices or other communications by a participant to the Company or other entity designated for a particular purpose under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received by the Company or other designated entity, or when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.
24. Change of Control. In the event of a Change of Control, each outstanding option shall be assumed, continued or an equivalent option substituted by the successor company or parent thereof (the Successor Company). In the event that the Successor Company refuses to assume, continue or substitute for the option, any offering then in progress shall either be shortened by setting a new Purchase Date or by cancelling such offering and returning all Account balances to the respective participants. If an offering is to be shorted and not cancelled, then the new Purchase Date shall be a specified date before the date of the Change of Control as determined by the Administrator. The Administrator shall notify each participant in writing, prior
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to the new Purchase Date (the times period of which shall be determined by the Administrator within its discretion), that the Purchase Date for the participants option has been changed to the new Purchase Date and that the participants option shall be exercised automatically on the new Purchase Date, unless prior to such date the participant has withdrawn from an offering then in progress or the Plan as provided in Section 9 hereof.
25. Dissolution or Liquidation of the Company. In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the offering then in progress shall be cancelled and all Account balances shall be returned to the respective participants.
26. Limitations on Sale of Stock Purchased Under the Plan. The Plan is intended to provide Common Stock for investment and not for resale. The Company does not, however, intend to restrict or influence any employee in the conduct of the employees own affairs. An employee, therefore, may sell Common Stock purchased under the Plan at any time the employee chooses, subject to compliance with any applicable Federal, state or foreign securities laws and policies and/or participation rules established by the Committee, and any Company and Participating Company policies. THE EMPLOYEE ASSUMES THE RISK OF ANY MARKET FLUCTUATIONS IN THE PRICE OF THE COMPANYS STOCK.
27. Governmental Regulation/Compliance with Applicable Law/Separate Offering. The Companys obligation to sell and deliver shares of the Companys Common Stock under this Plan is subject to the approval of any governmental authority required in connection with the authorization, issuance, or sale of such shares. In addition, the terms of an offering under this Plan, or the rights of an employee under an offering, may be modified to the extent required by applicable law. For purposes of this Plan, the Committee also may designate separate offerings under the Plan (the terms of which need not be identical) in which eligible employees of one or more Participating Companies will participate, even if the dates of the offerings are identical.
28. No Employment/Service Rights. Nothing in the Plan shall confer upon any employee the right to continue in employment for any period of specific duration, nor interfere with or otherwise restrict in any way the rights of the Company (or any Subsidiary or Affiliate employing such person), or of any employee, which rights are hereby expressly reserved by each, to terminate such persons employment at any time for any reason, with or without cause.
29. Dates and Times. All references in the Plan to a date or time are intended to refer to dates and times determined pursuant to U.S. Eastern Time. Business days for purposes of the Plan are U.S. business days.
30. Masculine and Feminine, Singular and Plural. Whenever used in the Plan, a pronoun shall include the opposite gender and the singular shall include the plural, and the plural shall include the singular, whenever the context shall plainly so require.
31. Governing Law; Venue; Waiver of Jury trial. The Plan shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to principles of conflict of laws, and applicable federal law. The agreed venue and method for resolving disputes relating to an Award Agreement or the Plan shall be as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, or in the absence of such provision, as applies to disputes relating to or arising out of the Participants service with
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the Company and its Affiliates, including the termination thereof. Unless otherwise specifically provided by explicit reference to the jury waiver provision in this Section 31 in an applicable Award Agreement, each Participant, TO THE EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW THAT CANNOT BE WAIVED, WAIVES, AND COVENANTS THAT THE PARTICIPANT WILL NOT ASSERT (WHETHER AS PLAINTIFF, DEFENDANT OR OTHERWISE) ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION ARISING IN WHOLE OR IN PART UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE PLAN OR ANY AWARD AGREEMENT, WHETHER SOUNDING IN CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, AND AGREES THAT ANY OF THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES OR THE PARTICIPANT MAY FILE A COPY OF THIS PARAGRAPH WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE KNOWING, VOLUNTARY AND BARGAINED-FOR AGREEMENT AMONG THE COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES, ON THE ONE HAND, AND THE PARTICIPANT, ON THE OTHER HAND, IRREVOCABLY TO WAIVE ITS RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY PROCEEDING WHATSOEVER BETWEEN THEM RELATING TO THE PLAN OR ANY AWARD AGREEMENT, AND THAT ANY SUCH PROCEEDING WILL INSTEAD BE TRIED IN A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION BY A JUDGE SITTING WITHOUT A JURY.
32. No Liability of Committee Members. No member of the Committee shall be personally liable by reason of any contract or other instrument executed by such Committee member or on his or her behalf in his or her capacity as a member of the Committee nor for any mistake of judgment made in good faith, and the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each member of the Committee and each other employee, officer or director of the Company to whom any duty or power relating to the administration or interpretation of the Plan may be allocated or delegated, against any cost or expense (including counsel fees) or liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim) arising out of any act or omission to act in connection with the Plan unless arising out of such persons own fraud or willful bad faith; provided, however, that approval of the Board shall be required for the payment of any amount in settlement of a claim against any such person. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Companys Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.
33. Data Collection. By participating in the Plan or accepting any rights under it, each participant consents to the collection and processing of personal data relating to the participant so that the Company and its Subsidiaries can fulfill their obligations and exercise their rights under the Plan and generally administer and manage the Plan. This data will include, but may not be limited to, data about participation in the Plan and shares offered or received, purchased or sold under the Plan from time to time and other appropriate financial and other data about the participant and the participants participation in the Plan.
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Exhibit 5.1
July 2, 2021
Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc.
400 Interstate North Parkway SE
Atlanta, Georgia 30339
Re: |
Registration Statement on Form S-8 for the Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. |
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On or about the date hereof, Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), transmitted for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the Registration Statement) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act). The Registration Statement relates to the offering and sale by the Company of up to an aggregate of 5,404,926 shares of the Companys Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the Common Stock), under the Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the Plan). We have acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement.
In connection therewith, we have examined and relied upon the original or a copy, certified to our satisfaction, of: (i) the Companys Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, each as amended to the date hereof; (ii) records of corporate proceedings of the Company related to the Plan; (iii) the Registration Statement and exhibits thereto; and (iv) such other documents and instruments as we have deemed necessary for the expression of the opinions contained herein. In making the foregoing examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures and the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified or photocopies. As to various questions of fact material to this opinion, we have relied, to the extent we deemed reasonably appropriate, upon representations of officers or directors of the Company and upon documents, records and instruments furnished to us by the Company, without independently checking or verifying the accuracy of such documents, records and instruments.
Based upon the foregoing examination and assuming that (i) the Company reserves for issuance under the Plan an adequate number of authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock and (ii) the consideration, if any, required to be paid in connection with the issuance and sale of shares of Common Stock under the Plan is actually received by the Company as provided in the Plan, we are of the opinion that the shares of Common Stock issued under the Plan will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
This opinion is rendered solely in connection with the transactions covered hereby, is limited to the matters stated herein, and no opinions may be implied or inferred beyond the matters expressly stated herein.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
The opinions expressed herein are specifically limited to the laws of the State of Delaware and the federal laws of the United States of America and are as of the date hereof. We assume no obligation to update or supplement such opinions to reflect any facts or circumstances that may hereafter come to our attention or any changes in law that may hereafter occur.
Sincerely, |
By: |
/s/ Greenberg Traurig, LLP |
|
GREENBERG TRAURIG, LLP |
Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan of our report dated March 19, 2021 (except as to the paragraphs, and the effects thereto, related to the acquisition, change in capital structure and stock incentive plan in Note 21, as to which the date is April 19, 2021), with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. included in the Registration Statement, as amended (Form S-1 No. 333-254981) and related Prospectus of Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc., filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Atlanta, Georgia
July 2, 2021