UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

 

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

 

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): July 15, 2014

 

ENERGY FOCUS, INC.


(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)  

 

 

Delaware

 

0-24230

 

94-3021850

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

 

 

 

 

32000 Aurora Road, Suite B

 

 

Solon, Ohio

 

44139

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

(440) 715-1300

(Registrant’s telephone number,
including area code)

 

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligations of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240-13e-4(c))

 

 
 

 

 

Item 5.02

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

 

On July 15, 2014, the Board of Directors of Energy Focus, Inc. (the “Company”) approved forms of award agreements under the Company’s 2014 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) for nonqualified stock options to non-employee directors, nonqualified stock options to employees, restricted stock units to employees and incentive stock options to employees.

 

The forms of agreement supplement the terms of the Plan applicable to such awards, by setting forth the vesting and other conditions to which the awards are subject, and include the following provisions that are also set forth in the Plan:

 

 

In the event of a change of control of the Company (as defined in the Plan), unless the administrator has determined otherwise with respect to a particular award:

 

 

o

All outstanding unvested stock options become fully vested and exercisable if not assumed, or substituted with a new award, by the successor to the Company. If assumed or substituted by the successor to the Company, such unvested stock options will become fully exercisable and vested if a participant’s employment is terminated (other than a termination for cause) within two years following a change of control.

 

 

o

If an employee’s employment is terminated within two years after a change of control for any reason other than death, retirement, disability or termination for cause, each outstanding stock option that is vested following such termination will remain exercisable until the earlier of the third anniversary of termination or the expiration of the term of the stock option.

 

 

o

All restrictions and conditions on outstanding unvested stock awards, stock unit awards, and other stock-based awards that are not assumed or substituted with a new award by the successor to the Company will lapse and such awards shall become fully vested, and any such awards that are performance-based will be deemed fully earned at the target amount. All stock awards, stock unit awards and other stock-based awards shall be settled or paid within thirty days of vesting. If assumed or substituted by the successor to the Company, any stock awards, stock unit awards and other stock-based awards shall become fully vested if a participant’s employment is terminated (other than a termination for cause) within two years following a change of control, and any performance based award shall be deemed fully earned at the target amount.

 

 

In the event of termination of employment or board membership, the following provisions apply:

 

 

o

Stock Options:

 

 

Non-vested stock options held by non-employee directors will be forfeited upon the termination from Board membership of the director.

 

 

Vested stock options held by a non-employee director whose membership on the Board terminates will remain exercisable for the lesser of one year from the termination or the remaining term of the option.

 

 

Upon termination of an employee or termination from membership on the Board by a non-employee director due to death or disability, any unvested stock options will vest, and all stock options held by the employee or non-employee director on the date of such termination will remain exercisable for the lesser of one year after such termination or the remaining term of the stock option.

   

 
 

 

 

 

Upon termination of employment due to retirement, vested stock options will remain outstanding for the lesser of one year or the remaining term of the stock option.

 

 

Any other termination of employment, other than termination for cause, will result in immediate cancellation of all unvested stock options; vested stock options will remain exercisable for the lesser of 90 days after such termination or the remaining term of the stock option.

 

 

Upon termination for “cause” (as defined in the 2014 Plan, subject to a different definition that may be included in a participant’s award agreement, employment agreement or severance agreement), all outstanding stock options will be immediately cancelled.

 

 

o

Stock and Other Stock-Based Awards:

 

 

Unless otherwise provided in an award agreement, unvested stock awards or other stock-based awards will fully vest upon termination from Board membership of a non-employee director or termination of employment of an employee due to disability or death; in the case of stock awards or other stock-based awards that vest upon the achievement of performance goals, the vested amount will be based upon the target award.

 

 

Upon any other termination of employment or termination from membership on the Board by a non-employee director, all outstanding unvested stock awards and other stock-based awards will be cancelled.

 

Copies of these award agreements are attached hereto as Exhibits 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 and 10.4, respectively.

 

The Board also approved option grants to Xin He and William Cohen, who were elected as non-employee directors at the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders on July 15, 2014, and an annual option grant to Michael Ramelot, who was relected to the Board at such meeting. Messrs. He, Cohen and Ramelot each received options for 50,000 shares (pre-split) vesting monthly over a period of 12 months with an exercise price of the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date.

 

Item 5.03.

Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

 

On July 16, 2014, the Company filed a Certificate of Amendment to its Certificate of Incorporation (the “Amendment”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, effecting a reverse stock split of its outstanding common stock, $.0001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), at a ratio of 1-for-10, effective at 5:00 p.m. on July 16, 2014. In addition, pursuant to the Amendment, the number of authorized shares of Common Stock has been reduced from 150,000,000 to 15,000,000.

 

At the Company’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on July 15, 2014, the stockholders approved an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation, as described in the Company’s Proxy Statement dated June 26, 2014, to effect a reverse stock split of the Company’s outstanding common stock at a ratio ranging from 1-for-7 to 1-for-15, with such ratio determined by the Company’s Board of Directors in its discretion without further approval from the stockholders. The Board of Directors subsequently authorized proceeding with the reverse stock split at a ratio of 1-for-10.

 

No fractional shares of the Company’s post-split Common Stock will be issued as a result of the reverse stock split. Instead, a stockholder who otherwise would have been entitled to receive a fractional share as a result of the reverse stock split will receive a cash payment in lieu of such fractional share.

   

 
 

 

 

It is expected that the Company’s common stock will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis on the OTCQB Marketplace Market at the opening of trading on July 17, 2014. The Company’s common stock will be quoted on the OTCQB Marketplace under the symbol “EFOI” with the letter “D” added to the end of the trading symbol for a period of 20 trading days to indicate that the reverse stock split has occurred. Following the 20 day period, the ticker symbol will revert to “EFOI.” In addition, the Company’s common stock will also trade under a new CUSIP number (29268T 300).

 

A copy of the Certificate of Amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation is filed as Exhibit 3.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

 

On July 16, 2014, the Company issued a press release announcing the effectiveness of the reverse stock split. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.

 

Item 5.07.

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

 

The Company held its Annual Meeting of Shareholders on July 15, 2014 in Solon, Ohio. A total of 66,798,859 shares of Common Stock, representing approximately 85.5% of the shares outstanding, were represented at the meeting. The matters voted upon and the results of the votes were as follows:

 

Proposal No. 1 – Election of Directors

 

   

For

 

Withheld

Simon Cheng

 

52,433,748

 

520,809

William Cohen

 

52,873,529

 

81,028

John M. Davenport

 

52,468,926

 

485,631

Xin He

 

52,667,399

 

287,158

Michael R. Ramelot

 

52,733,147

 

221,410

Thomas W. Swidarski

 

52,862,861

 

91,696

James Tu

 

52,417,467

 

537,090

         

 

The seven Directors listed above were elected to serve until the next annual meeting or until their respective successors are duly elected or appointed.

 

Proposal No. 2 – Approval of the 2014 Stock Incentive Plan

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

50,653,612

 

2,215,095

 

85,850

 

Proposal No. 3 – Approval of a Discretionary Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to Effect a Reverse Stock Split of the Company’s Common Stock

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

64,765,165

 

1,978,000

 

55,694

 

The shareholders approved all proposals. The Company’s Proxy Statement for the Meeting filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 26, 2014 provides more information about these proposals and the vote required for approval for each of them.

   

 
 

 

 

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)

Exhibits

3.1

Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Energy Focus, Inc. filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on July 16, 2014

10.1

Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Grant Agreement to Non-Employee Directors

10.2

Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Grant Agreement to Employees

10.3

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Grant Agreement to Employees

10.4

Form of Incentive Stock Option Grant Agreement to Employees

99.1

Press release dated July 16, 2014

   

 
 

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

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

 

Dated: July 16, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENERGY FOCUS, INC.  

 

By:

/s/

Frank Lamanna  

 

 

Name:

Frank Lamanna  

 

 

Title

Chief Financial Officer 

 

   

 
 

 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

Description

3.1

Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Energy Focus, Inc. filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on July 16, 2014

10.1

Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Grant Agreement to Non-Employee Directors

10.2

Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Grant Agreement to Employees

10.3

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Grant Agreement to Employees

10.4

Form of Incentive Stock Option Grant Agreement to Employees

99.1

Press release dated July 16, 2014

Exhibit 3.1

 

 
 

 

 

Exhibit 10.1

 

ENERGY FOCUS, INC.

2014 Stock Incentive Plan

 

NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS

 

THIS NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS (this “ Agreement ”) is made as of [INSERT DATE] (the “ Grant Date ”) between ENERGY FOCUS, INC. (the “ Company ”) and [INSERT NAME] (referred to herein as “ Participant ”). Terms used in this Agreement with initial capital letters without definitions are defined in the Energy Focus, Inc. 2014 Stock incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”) and have the same meaning in this Agreement.

 

1.      Option Shares . On the Grant Date, the Company hereby grants to Participant the option (the “ Option ”) to purchase [INSERT NO. OF SHARES] shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “ Shares ”), pursuant and subject to the terms of the Plan, a copy of which has been delivered or made available to Participant and is incorporated herein by reference. The Option granted hereby is a Nonqualified Stock Option.

 

2.      Exercise Price . The purchase price per Share upon exercise of the Option is $[INSERT EXERCISE PRICE] .

 

3.      Vesting . Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Option shall vest and be exercisable as described below. Provided that Participant continues to be a Director of the Company, the Option shall vest and become exercisable (i.e., Shares may be purchased) according to the following schedule:

 

(a)     [ INSERT VESTING PROVISIONS SPECIFIC TO THE GRANT ].

 

The number of Shares, the exercise price thereof and the rights granted under this Agreement are subject to adjustment and modification as provided in the Plan. The total number of Shares referred to in this Section means, at any relevant time, the number of Shares stated in Section 1 hereof as such number shall then have been adjusted pursuant to the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a Change of Control prior to Participant’s Termination of Employment, the Option becomes fully vested and exercisable.

 

4.      Termination from Board Membership .

 

(a)      In General. If Participant’s termination from Board membership occurs for a reason other than Participant’s death or Disability:

 

(i)     any portion of the Option that has not vested as of the date of termination from Board membership will automatically be canceled and forfeited and Participant shall not be entitled to any further rights in respect thereof; and

 

(ii)     Participant will have one year from the date of termination from Board membership or until the expiration of the Option’s remaining term, whichever period is shorter, to exercise any portion of the Option that is vested and exercisable as of the date of termination from Board Membership.

   

 
 

 

 

(b)      Death or Disability . If Participant’s termination from Board membership occurs due to Participant’s death or Disability:

 

(i)      any unvested portion of the Option shall vest in full as of the date of Participant’s death or Disability; and

 

(ii)     the Option (including any portion that vested pursuant to subsection (b)(i)) may be exercised after the termination from Board membership by Participant or by the legal representative of Participant’s estate or by the legatee(s) of Participant under Participant’s will for a period of one year after such termination from Board membership or until the expiration of the Option’s remaining term, whichever period is shorter.

 

5.      Method of Exercise and Payment of Price .

 

(a)      Method of Exercise . At any time when all or a portion of the Option is exercisable under the Plan and this Agreement, some or all of the exercisable portion of the Option may be exercised from time to time by written notice to the Company, or such other method of exercise as may be specified by the Company, including without limitation, exercise by electronic means on the web site of the Company’s third-party equity plan administrator, which will:

 

(i)     state the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is being exercised; and

 

(ii)     if the Option is being exercised by anyone other than Participant, if not already provided, be accompanied by proof satisfactory to counsel for the Company of the right of such person or persons to exercise the Option under the Plan and all applicable laws and regulations.

 

(b)      Payment of Price . The full exercise price for the portion of the Option being exercised shall be paid to the Company as provided below:

 

(i)     in cash;

 

(ii)     by check or wire transfer (denominated in U.S. Dollars);

 

(iii)     subject to any conditions or limitations established by the Administrator, other Shares which:

 

(A)     have been owned by Participant for more than six months on the date of surrender (unless this condition is waived by the Administrator); and

 

(B)     have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to or greater than the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which said Option shall be exercised (it being agreed that the excess of the Fair Market Value over the aggregate exercise price shall be refunded to Participant in cash);

   

 
2

 

 

(iv)     subject to any conditions or limitations established by the Administrator, by the Company’s retention of the number of Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise of the Option at least equal to the exercise price (it being agreed that any excess of the Fair Market Value of the retained Shares over the aggregate exercise price shall be refunded to Participant in cash);

 

(v)     consideration received by the Company under a broker-assisted sale and remittance program acceptable to the Administrator and in compliance with Applicable Law;

 

(vi)     such other consideration and method of payment for the issuance of Shares to the extent permitted by Applicable Law; or

 

(vii)     any combination of the foregoing methods of payment.

 

6.      Transfer . The Option shall be transferable only at Participant’s death, by Participant’s will or pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution. During Participant’s lifetime, the Option may not be exercised by anyone other than Participant or, in the event of Participant’s incapacity, Participant’s legal representative. The terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon the executors, administrators, successors and assigns of Participant.

 

7.      Restrictions on Exercise . The Option is subject to all restrictions in this Agreement and/or in the Plan. As a condition of any exercise of the Option, the Company may require Participant or his successor to make any representation and warranty to comply with any applicable law or regulation or to confirm any factual matters reasonably requested by the Company.

 

8.      Privileges of Stock Ownership . Participant shall not have any of the rights of a stockholder with respect to any of the Shares (e.g., the rights to vote and receive dividends) until the Shares are issued to Participant following the exercise of all or part of the Option.

 

9.      Right of Set-Off . By accepting this Option, Participant consents to a deduction from, and set-off against, any amounts owed to Participant by the Company or any Subsidiary from time to time (including, but not limited to, amounts owed to Participant as Board member retainers or fees) to the extent of the amounts owed to the Company or Subsidiary under this Agreement.

 

10.      Withholding Tax .

 

(a)      Generally . Participant is liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the exercise of the Option, regardless of any action the Company takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the Option. The Company does not make any representation or undertaking regarding the tax treatment or the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the exercise of the Option. The Company does not commit and is under no obligation to structure the Option or the exercise of the Option to reduce or eliminate Participant's tax liability.

   

 
3

 

 

(b)      Payment of Withholding Taxes . Concurrently with the payment of the exercise price pursuant to Section 5 hereof, Participant is required to arrange for the satisfaction of the minimum amount of any domestic or foreign tax withholding obligation, whether national, federal, state or local, including any employment tax obligation (the “ Tax Withholding Obligation ”) in a manner acceptable to the Company. Any manner provided for in Section 5(b) hereof shall be deemed an acceptable manner to satisfy the Tax Withholding Obligation unless otherwise determined by the Company.

 

11.      Governing Law/Venue . This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to principles of conflicts of law, except to the extent superseded by the laws of the United States of America. The parties agree and acknowledge that the laws of the State of Delaware bear a substantial relationship to the parties and/or this Agreement and that the Option and benefits granted herein would not be granted without the governance of this Agreement by the laws of the State of Delaware. In addition, all legal actions or proceedings relating to this Agreement shall be brought exclusively in state or federal courts located in Ohio and the parties executing this Agreement hereby consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts. In the event that it becomes necessary for the Company to institute legal proceedings under this Agreement, Participant shall be responsible to the Company for all costs and reasonable legal fees incurred by the Company with regard to such proceedings. Any provision of this Agreement which is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable should be construed or limited in a manner that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to the business objectives intended by such provision, without invalidating or rendering unenforceable the remaining provisions of this Agreement.

 

12.      Interpretation and Administration . The parties agree that the interpretation of this Agreement shall rest exclusively and completely within the sole discretion of the Administrator. The parties agree to be bound by the decisions of the Administrator with regard to the interpretation of this Agreement and with regard to any and all matters set forth in this Agreement. The Administrator may delegate its functions under this Agreement to an officer of the Company designated by the Administrator (hereinafter the “ designee ”). In fulfilling its responsibilities hereunder, the Administrator or its designee may rely upon documents, written statements of the parties or such other material as the Administrator or its designee deems appropriate. The parties agree that there is no right to be heard or to appear before the Administrator or its designee and that any decision of the Administrator or its designee relating to this Agreement shall be final and binding unless such decision is arbitrary and capricious.

 

13.      Electronic Delivery and Consent to Electronic Participation . The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Option grant hereunder and participation in the Plan or future Options that may be granted under the Plan by electronic means. Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company, including the acceptance of option grants and the execution of option agreements through electronic signature.

 

14.      Notices . All notices requests, consents and other communications required or provided hereunder shall be in writing and, if to the Company, shall be delivered or mailed to its principal office, and, if to Participant, shall be delivered either personally or mailed to the address of Participant appearing on the books and records of the Company.

   

 
4

 

 

15.      Prompt Acceptance of Agreement . The Option grant evidenced by this Agreement shall, at the discretion of the Administrator, be forfeited if this Agreement is not manually executed and returned to the Company, or electronically executed by Participant by indicating Participant’s acceptance of this Agreement in accordance with the acceptance procedures set forth on the Company’s third-party equity plan administrator’s web site, within 90 days of the Grant Date.

 

16.      Entire Agreement . This Agreement, together with the Plan, contains the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, written or oral, with respect thereto. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall control.

 

17.      Amendment . This Agreement may not be modified, supplemented or otherwise amended other than pursuant to a written agreement between Company and Participant.

 

18.      No Third-Party Beneficiary . This Agreement is made for the benefit of the Company and any Subsidiary for which the Participant serves as a Board member during the term hereof.

 

19.      Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

20.      Board Membership . Nothing in the Plan or this Agreement confers upon Participant any right to continue in any relationship with the Company or any Subsidiary, or limit or interfere in any way with the right of the Company or Subsidiary to terminate Participant’s Board membership at any time.

 

21.      No Representations Regarding Tax Consequences . Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company has made no warranties or representations to Participant with respect to the tax consequences (including, but not limited to, income tax consequences) related to the Option granted under this Agreement, and Participant is in no manner relying on the Company or its representatives for an assessment of such tax consequences. Participant further acknowledges that there may be adverse tax consequences upon disposition of the Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of the Option and that Participant has been advised that he should consult with his own attorney, accountant and/or tax advisor regarding the consequences thereof. Participant also acknowledges that the Company has no responsibility to take or refrain from taking any actions in order to achieve a certain tax result for Participant.

 

22.      Headings . Section and subsection headings contained in this Agreement are inserted for the convenience of reference only. Section and subsection headings shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement for any purpose, and they shall not in any way define or affect the meaning, construction or scope of any of the provisions hereof.

   

 
5

 

 

 

 

ENERGY FOCUS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: 

 

Attest 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name: 

 

 

 

Title: 

 

 

 

 

 

Accepted By: 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Participant 

 

 

6

Exhibit 10.2

 

ENERGY FOCUS, INC.

2014 Stock Incentive Plan

 

NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT FOR EMPLOYEES

 

THIS NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT FOR EMPLOYEES (this “ Agreement ”) is made as of [INSERT DATE] (the “ Grant Date ”) between ENERGY FOCUS, INC. (the “ Company ”) and [INSERT NAME] (referred to herein as “ Participant ”). Terms used in this Agreement with initial capital letters without definitions are defined in the Energy Focus, Inc. 2014 Stock incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”) and have the same meaning in this Agreement.

 

1.      Option Shares . On the Grant Date, the Company hereby grants to Participant the option (the “ Option ”) to purchase [INSERT NO. OF SHARES] shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “ Shares ”), pursuant and subject to the terms of the Plan, a copy of which has been delivered or made available to Participant and is incorporated herein by reference. The Option granted hereby is a Nonqualified Stock Option.

 

2.      Exercise Price . The purchase price per Share upon exercise of the Option is $[INSERT EXERCISE PRICE] .

 

3.      Vesting . Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Option shall vest and be exercisable as described below. Provided that Participant continues to be an Employee of the Company or a Subsidiary, the Option shall vest and become exercisable (i.e., Shares may be purchased) according to the following schedule:

 

(a)     [ INSERT VESTING PROVISIONS SPECIFIC TO THE GRANT ].

 

The number of Shares, the exercise price thereof and the rights granted under this Agreement are subject to adjustment and modification as provided in the Plan. The total number of Shares referred to in this Section means, at any relevant time, the number of Shares stated in Section 1 hereof as such number shall then have been adjusted pursuant to the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a Change of Control prior to Participant’s Termination of Employment, the Option becomes fully vested and exercisable.

 

4.      Termination of Employment .

 

(a)      In General. If Participant’s Termination of Employment occurs for a reason other than Participant’s death, Disability or Retirement:

 

(i)     any portion of the Option that has not vested as of the date of Termination of Employment will automatically be canceled and forfeited and Participant shall not be entitled to any further rights in respect thereof; and

 

(ii)     Participant will have one year from the date of Termination of Employment or until the expiration of the Option’s remaining term, whichever period is shorter, to exercise any portion of the Option that is vested and exercisable as of the date of Termination of Employment.

   

 
 

 

 

Notwithstanding the above, if the Termination of Employment is a Termination for Cause, as determined by the Administrator, any outstanding and unexercised portion of the Option shall be immediately canceled as of the date of the Termination of Employment.

 

(b)      Death or Disability . If Participant’s Termination of Employment occurs due to Participant’s death or Disability:

 

(i)      any unvested portion of the Option shall vest in full as of the date of Participant’s death or Disability; and

 

(ii)     the Option (including any portion that vested pursuant to subsection (b)(i)) may be exercised after the Termination of Employment by Participant or by the legal representative of Participant’s estate or by the legatee(s) of Participant under Participant’s will for a period of one year after such Termination of Employment or until the expiration of the Option’s remaining term, whichever period is shorter.

 

(c)      Retirement . If Participant’s Termination of Employment occurs due to Participant’s Retirement, the Option, to the extent vested and exercisable as of the date of such Retirement, shall remain exercisable for the lesser of one year or the remaining term of the Option.

 

5.      Method of Exercise and Payment of Price .

 

(a)      Method of Exercise . At any time when all or a portion of the Option is exercisable under the Plan and this Agreement, some or all of the exercisable portion of the Option may be exercised from time to time by written notice to the Company, or such other method of exercise as may be specified by the Company, including without limitation, exercise by electronic means on the web site of the Company’s third-party equity plan administrator, which will:

 

(i)     state the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is being exercised; and

 

(ii)     if the Option is being exercised by anyone other than Participant, if not already provided, be accompanied by proof satisfactory to counsel for the Company of the right of such person or persons to exercise the Option under the Plan and all applicable laws and regulations.

 

(b)      Payment of Price . The full exercise price for the portion of the Option being exercised shall be paid to the Company as provided below:

 

(i)     in cash;

 

(ii)     by check or wire transfer (denominated in U.S. Dollars);

 

(iii)     subject to any conditions or limitations established by the Administrator, other Shares which:

   

 
2

 

 

(A)     have been owned by Participant for more than six months on the date of surrender (unless this condition is waived by the Administrator); and

 

(B)     have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to or greater than the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which said Option shall be exercised (it being agreed that the excess of the Fair Market Value over the aggregate exercise price shall be refunded to Participant in cash);

 

(iv)     subject to any conditions or limitations established by the Administrator, by the Company’s retention of the number of Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise of the Option at least equal to the exercise price (it being agreed that any excess of the Fair Market Value of the retained Shares over the aggregate exercise price shall be refunded to Participant in cash);

 

(v)     consideration received by the Company under a broker-assisted sale and remittance program acceptable to the Administrator and in compliance with Applicable Law;

 

(vi)     such other consideration and method of payment for the issuance of Shares to the extent permitted by Applicable Law; or

 

(vii)     any combination of the foregoing methods of payment.

 

6.      Transfer . The Option shall be transferable only at Participant’s death, by Participant’s will or pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution. During Participant’s lifetime, the Option may not be exercised by anyone other than Participant or, in the event of Participant’s incapacity, Participant’s legal representative. The terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon the executors, administrators, successors and assigns of Participant.

 

7.      Restrictions on Exercise . The Option is subject to all restrictions in this Agreement and/or in the Plan. As a condition of any exercise of the Option, the Company may require Participant or his successor to make any representation and warranty to comply with any applicable law or regulation or to confirm any factual matters reasonably requested by the Company.

 

8.      Privileges of Stock Ownership . Participant shall not have any of the rights of a stockholder with respect to any of the Shares (e.g., the rights to vote and receive dividends) until the Shares are issued to Participant following the exercise of all or part of the Option.

 

9.      Right of Set-Off . By accepting this Option, Participant consents to a deduction from, and set-off against, any amounts owed to Participant by the Company or any Subsidiary from time to time (including, but not limited to, amounts owed to Participant as wages, severance payments or other fringe benefits) to the extent of the amounts owed to the Company or Subsidiary under this Agreement.

 

10.      Withholding Tax .

   

 
3

 

 

(a)      Generally . Participant is liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the exercise of the Option, regardless of any action the Company takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the Option. The Company does not make any representation or undertaking regarding the tax treatment or the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the exercise of the Option. The Company does not commit and is under no obligation to structure the Option or the exercise of the Option to reduce or eliminate Participant's tax liability.

 

(b)      Payment of Withholding Taxes . Concurrently with the payment of the exercise price pursuant to Section 5 hereof, Participant is required to arrange for the satisfaction of the minimum amount of any domestic or foreign tax withholding obligation, whether national, federal, state or local, including any employment tax obligation (the “ Tax Withholding Obligation ”) in a manner acceptable to the Company. Any manner provided for in Section 5(b) hereof shall be deemed an acceptable manner to satisfy the Tax Withholding Obligation unless otherwise determined by the Company.

 

11.      Holding Period Requirement . If Participant is classified as an “officer” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, on the Grant Date, then, as a condition to receipt of the Option, Participant hereby agrees to hold his After-Tax Net Profit in Shares until the sixth month anniversary of the exercise of all or a portion of the Option (or, if earlier, the date of Participant’s Termination of Employment). “ After-Tax Net Profit ” means the total dollar value of the Shares that Participant elects to exercise under this Option at the time of exercise, minus the total of (i) the exercise price to purchase these Shares, and (ii) the amount of all applicable federal, state, local or foreign income, employment or other tax and other similar fees that are withheld in connection with the exercise.

 

12.      Governing Law/Venue . This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to principles of conflicts of law, except to the extent superseded by the laws of the United States of America. The parties agree and acknowledge that the laws of the State of Delaware bear a substantial relationship to the parties and/or this Agreement and that the Option and benefits granted herein would not be granted without the governance of this Agreement by the laws of the State of Delaware. In addition, all legal actions or proceedings relating to this Agreement shall be brought exclusively in state or federal courts located in Ohio and the parties executing this Agreement hereby consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts. In the event that it becomes necessary for the Company to institute legal proceedings under this Agreement, Participant shall be responsible to the Company for all costs and reasonable legal fees incurred by the Company with regard to such proceedings. Any provision of this Agreement which is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable should be construed or limited in a manner that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to the business objectives intended by such provision, without invalidating or rendering unenforceable the remaining provisions of this Agreement.

 

13.      Interpretation and Administration . The parties agree that the interpretation of this Agreement shall rest exclusively and completely within the sole discretion of the Administrator. The parties agree to be bound by the decisions of the Administrator with regard to the interpretation of this Agreement and with regard to any and all matters set forth in this Agreement. The Administrator may delegate its functions under this Agreement to an officer of the Company designated by the Administrator (hereinafter the “ designee ”). In fulfilling its responsibilities hereunder, the Administrator or its designee may rely upon documents, written statements of the parties or such other material as the Administrator or its designee deems appropriate. The parties agree that there is no right to be heard or to appear before the Administrator or its designee and that any decision of the Administrator or its designee relating to this Agreement shall be final and binding unless such decision is arbitrary and capricious.

   

 
4

 

 

14.      Electronic Delivery and Consent to Electronic Participation . The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Option grant hereunder and participation in the Plan or future Options that may be granted under the Plan by electronic means. Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company, including the acceptance of option grants and the execution of option agreements through electronic signature.

 

15.      Notices . All notices requests, consents and other communications required or provided hereunder shall be in writing and, if to the Company, shall be delivered or mailed to its principal office, and, if to Participant, shall be delivered either personally or mailed to the address of Participant appearing on the books and records of the Company.

 

16.      Prompt Acceptance of Agreement . The Option grant evidenced by this Agreement shall, at the discretion of the Administrator, be forfeited if this Agreement is not manually executed and returned to the Company, or electronically executed by Participant by indicating Participant’s acceptance of this Agreement in accordance with the acceptance procedures set forth on the Company’s third-party equity plan administrator’s web site, within 90 days of the Grant Date.

 

17.      Entire Agreement . This Agreement, together with the Plan, contains the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, written or oral, with respect thereto. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall control.

 

18.      Amendment . This Agreement may not be modified, supplemented or otherwise amended other than pursuant to a written agreement between Company and Participant.

 

19.      No Third-Party Beneficiary . This Agreement is made for the benefit of the Company and any Subsidiary employing Participant during the term hereof.

 

20.      Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

21.      Employment . This Agreement does not constitute a contract of employment or guarantee of employment of Participant for any length of time and nothing in the Plan or this Agreement confers upon Participant any right to continue in the employ of, or other relationship with the Company or any Subsidiary, or limit or interfere in any way with the right of the Company or Subsidiary to terminate Participant’s employment at any time with or without Cause.

   

 
5

 

 

22.      No Representations Regarding Tax Consequences . Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company has made no warranties or representations to Participant with respect to the tax consequences (including, but not limited to, income tax consequences) related to the Option granted under this Agreement, and Participant is in no manner relying on the Company or its representatives for an assessment of such tax consequences. Participant further acknowledges that there may be adverse tax consequences upon disposition of the Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of the Option and that Participant has been advised that he should consult with his own attorney, accountant and/or tax advisor regarding the consequences thereof. Participant also acknowledges that the Company has no responsibility to take or refrain from taking any actions in order to achieve a certain tax result for Participant.

 

23.      Headings . Section and subsection headings contained in this Agreement are inserted for the convenience of reference only. Section and subsection headings shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement for any purpose, and they shall not in any way define or affect the meaning, construction or scope of any of the provisions hereof.

 

 

[SIGNATURES ON NEXT PAGE]

 

 

NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT FOR EMPLOYEES

SIGNATURE PAGE

 

 

 

 

 

ENERGY FOCUS, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: 

 

Attest: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name: 

 

 

 

Title: 

 

 

 

 

 

Accepted by: 

     
       
      Participant

 

 

6

Exhibit 10.3

 

ENERGY FOCUS, INC.

2014 Stock Incentive Plan

 

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

 

THIS RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is made as of [INSERT DATE] (the “ Grant Date ”) between ENERGY FOCUS, INC. (the “ Company ”) and [INSERT NAME] (referred to herein as “ Participant ”). Terms used in this Agreement with initial capital letters without definition are defined in the Energy Focus, Inc. 2014 Stock Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”) and have the same meaning in this Agreement.

 

1.      Restricted Stock Unit Award . On the Grant Date, the Company hereby grants to Participant a Stock Unit Award of [INSERT NO. OF UNITS] Units or Shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “ Shares ”), pursuant and subject to the terms of this Agreement and the Plan, a copy of which has been delivered or made available to Participant and is incorporated herein by reference. The Stock Award is hereinafter referred to as the “ Restricted Stock Unit Award .” The number of Shares and the rights granted under this Agreement are subject to adjustment and modification as provided in the Plan. Accordingly, the total number of Shares referred to in this Section means, at any relevant time, the number of Shares stated above as such number shall then have been adjusted pursuant to the Plan.

 

2.      Vesting . Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Restricted Stock Unit Award shall vest as described below. Provided that Participant continues to be an Employee of the Company or a Subsidiary, the Restricted Stock Unit Award shall vest according to the following schedule:

 

(a)     [ INSERT VESTING PROVISIONS SPECIFIC TO THE AWARD ].

 

3.      Termination of Employment . Except as otherwise set forth in the Plan or this Agreement:

 

(a)      In General . If Participant’s Termination of Employment occurs before the vesting date for a reason other than Participant’s death or Disability: (i) the Restricted Stock Unit Award will automatically be canceled and forfeited on the date of Participant’s Termination of Employment and Participant shall not be entitled to any further rights in respect thereof and (ii) the Company’s obligation with respect to the Restricted Stock Unit Award shall terminate and be of no further force or effect.

 

(b)      Death or Disability . If Participant’s Termination of Employment occurs due to Participant’s death or Disability before the vesting date, the Restricted Stock Unit Award shall become vested in full effective as of the date of such Termination of Employment, and in the case of a Restricted Stock Unit Award that vests upon the achievement of performance goals, the vested amount shall be based upon the applicable target award amount.

 

4.      No Stockholder Rights . Notwithstanding anything set forth herein or in the Plan to the contrary, Participant (and Participant’s designated beneficiary) shall have no rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Shares until the date the Restricted Stock Unit Award is issued and, therefore, among other things, shall not be entitled to receive any cash dividends paid on the Shares or to any voting rights in respect of the Shares until the Restricted Stock Unit Award is issued and then only to the extent the Restricted Stock Unit Award is earned.

   

 
 

 

 

5.      Issuance of Shares . Participant (or Participant’s designated beneficiary in the event of Participant’s death) shall be issued Shares equal to the number of Shares stated in Section 1 hereof with appropriate vesting and/or restriction requirements. The Company may elect to have such Shares issued pursuant to an electronic transfer to Participant’s (or Participant’s designated beneficiary’s in the event of Participant’s death) brokerage account or pursuant to a stock certificate or certificates registered in Participant’s (or Participant’s designated beneficiary’s in the event of Participant’s death) name representing such Shares.

 

6.      Transfer . The Restricted Stock Unit Award shall be transferable only at Participant’s death, by Participant’s will or pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution.

 

7.      Governing Law/Venue . This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to principles of conflicts of law, except to the extent superseded by the laws of the United States of America. The parties agree and acknowledge that the laws of the State of Delaware bear a substantial relationship to the parties and/or this Agreement and that the Restricted Stock Unit Award and benefits granted herein would not be granted without the governance of this Agreement by the laws of the State of Delaware. In addition, all legal actions or proceedings relating to this Agreement shall be brought exclusively in state or federal courts located in the State of Ohio and the parties executing this Agreement hereby consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts. In the event that it becomes necessary for the Company to institute legal proceedings under this Agreement, Participant shall be responsible to the Company for all costs and reasonable legal fees incurred by the Company with regard to such proceedings. Any provision of this Agreement which is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable should be construed or limited in a manner that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to the business objectives intended by such provision, without invalidating or rendering unenforceable the remaining provisions of this Agreement.

 

8.      Interpretation and Administration . The parties agree that the interpretation of this Agreement shall rest exclusively and completely within the sole discretion of the Administrator. The parties agree to be bound by the decisions of the Administrator with regard to the interpretation of this Agreement and with regard to any and all matters set forth in this Agreement. The Administrator may delegate its functions under this Agreement to an officer of the Company designated by the Administrator (hereinafter the “ designee ”). In fulfilling its responsibilities hereunder, the Administrator or its designee may rely upon documents, written statements of the parties or such other material as the Administrator or its designee deems appropriate. The parties agree that there is no right to be heard or to appear before the Administrator or its designee and that any decision of the Administrator or its designee relating to this Agreement shall be final and binding unless such decision is arbitrary and capricious.

 

9.      Electronic Delivery and Consent to Electronic Participation . The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Restricted Stock Unit Award grant hereunder and participation in the Plan or future Stock Awards that may be granted under the Plan by electronic means. Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company, including the acceptance of Stock Award grants and the execution of Stock Award grant agreements through electronic signature.

   

 
2

 

 

10.      Notices . All notices requests, consents and other communications required or provided hereunder shall be in writing and, if to the Company, shall be delivered or mailed to its principal office, and, if to Participant, shall be delivered either personally or mailed to the address of Participant appearing on the books and records of the Company.

 

11.      Prompt Acceptance of Agreement . The Restricted Stock Unit Award evidenced by this Agreement shall, at the discretion of the Administrator, be forfeited if this Agreement is not manually executed and returned to the Company, or electronically executed by Participant by indicating Participant’s acceptance of this Agreement in accordance with the acceptance procedures set forth on the Company’s third-party equity plan administrator’s web site, within 90 days of the Grant Date.

 

12.      Entire Agreement . This Agreement, together with the Plan, contains the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, written or oral, with respect thereto. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall control.

 

13.      Amendment . This Agreement may not be modified, supplemented or otherwise amended other than pursuant to a written agreement between Company and Participant.

 

14.      No Third-Party Beneficiary . This Agreement is made for the benefit of the Company and any Subsidiary employing Participant during the term hereof.

 

15.      Employment . This Agreement does not constitute a contract of employment or guarantee of employment of Participant for any length of time and nothing in the Plan or this Agreement confers upon Participant any right to continue in the employ of, or other relationship with, the Company or any Subsidiary, or limit or interfere in any way with the right of the Company or Subsidiary to terminate Participant’s employment any time with or without Cause.

 

16.      Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

17.      Holding Period Requirement . If Participant is classified as an “officer” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, on the Grant Date, then, as a condition to receipt of the Restricted Stock Unit Award, Participant hereby agrees to hold, until the sixth month anniversary of the receipt of Shares pursuant to Section 5, the Shares issued pursuant to Section 5 (less any portion thereof withheld in order to satisfy all applicable federal, state, local or foreign income, employment or other tax).

 

18.      Right of Set-Off . By accepting this Restricted Stock Unit Award, Participant consents to a deduction from, and set-off against, any amounts owed to Participant by the Company or any Subsidiary from time to time (including, but not limited to, amounts owed to Participant as wages, severance payments or other fringe benefits) to the extent of the amounts owed to the Company or Subsidiary under this Agreement.

   

 
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19.      Withholding Tax .

 

(a)      Generally . Participant is liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the Restricted Stock Unit Award, regardless of any action the Company takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the Restricted Stock Unit Award. The Company does not make any representation or undertaking regarding the tax treatment or the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the vesting of the Restricted Stock Unit Award. The Company does not commit and is under no obligation to structure the Restricted Stock Unit Award or the vesting of the Restricted Stock Unit Award to reduce or eliminate Participant's tax liability.

 

(b)      Payment of Withholding Taxes . Prior to any event in connection with the Restricted Stock Unit Award (e.g., vesting) that the Company determines may result in any domestic or foreign tax withholding obligation, whether national, federal, state or local, including any employment tax obligation (the “ Tax Withholding Obligation ”), Participant is required to arrange for the satisfaction of the minimum amount of such Tax Withholding Obligation in a manner acceptable to the Company. Unless Participant elects to satisfy the Tax Withholding Obligation by an alternative means that is then permitted by the Company, Participant’s acceptance of this Agreement constitutes Participant’s instruction and authorization to the Company to withhold on Participant’s behalf the number of Shares from those Shares issuable to Participant under this Restricted Stock Unit Award as the Company determines to be sufficient to satisfy the Tax Withholding Obligation as and when any such Tax Withholding Obligation becomes due. In the case of any amounts withheld for taxes pursuant to this provision in the form of Shares, the amount withheld shall not exceed the minimum required by applicable law and regulations.

 

20.      No Representations Regarding Tax Consequences . Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company has made no warranties or representations to Participant with respect to the tax consequences (including, but not limited to, income tax consequences) related to the Restricted Stock Unit Award granted under this Agreement, and Participant is in no manner relying on the Company or its representatives for an assessment of such tax consequences. Participant acknowledges that the Company has no responsibility to take or refrain from taking any actions in order to achieve a certain tax result for Participant.

 

21.      Headings . Section and subsection headings contained in this Agreement are inserted for the convenience of reference only. Section and subsection headings shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement for any purpose, and they shall not in any way define or affect the meaning, construction or scope of any of the provisions hereof.

   

 
4

 

 

 

 

ENERGY FOCUS, INC.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title: 

 

 

 

 

 

Attest: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name: 

 

 

 

Title: 

 

 

 

 

 

Accepted by: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Participant 

 

 

5

Exhibit 10.4

 

ENERGY FOCUS, INC.

2014 Stock Incentive Plan

 

INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

 

THIS INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is made as of [INSERT DATE] (the “ Grant Date ”) between ENERGY FOCUS, INC. (the “ Company ”) and [INSERT NAME] (referred to herein as “ Participant ”). Terms used in this Agreement with initial capital letters without definitions are defined in the Energy Focus, Inc. 2014 Stock incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”) and have the same meaning in this Agreement.

 

1.      Option Shares . On the Grant Date, the Company hereby grants to Participant the option (the “ Option ”) to purchase [INSERT NO. OF SHARES] shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “ Shares ”), pursuant and subject to the terms of the Plan, a copy of which has been delivered or made available to Participant and is incorporated herein by reference. The Option granted hereby is an Incentive Stock Option.

 

2.      Exercise Price . The purchase price per Share upon exercise of the Option is $[INSERT EXERCISE PRICE] .

 

3.      Vesting . Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Option shall vest and be exercisable as described below. Provided that Participant continues to be an Employee of the Company or a Subsidiary, the Option shall vest and become exercisable (i.e., Shares may be purchased) according to the following schedule:

 

(a)     [ INSERT VESTING PROVISIONS SPECIFIC TO THE GRANT ].

 

The number of Shares, the exercise price thereof and the rights granted under this Agreement are subject to adjustment and modification as provided in the Plan. The total number of Shares referred to in this Section means, at any relevant time, the number of Shares stated in Section 1 hereof as such number shall then have been adjusted pursuant to the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a Change of Control prior to Participant’s Termination of Employment, the Option becomes fully vested and exercisable.

 

4.      Termination of Employment .

 

(a)      In General. If Participant’s Termination of Employment occurs for a reason other than Participant’s death, Disability or Retirement:

 

(i)     any portion of the Option that has not vested as of the date of Termination of Employment will automatically be canceled and forfeited and Participant shall not be entitled to any further rights in respect thereof; and

 

(ii)     Participant will have 90 days from the date of Termination from Employment or until the expiration of the Option’s remaining term, whichever period is shorter, to exercise any portion of the Option that is vested and exercisable as of the date of Termination of Employment.

   

 
 

 

 

Notwithstanding the above, if the Termination of Employment is a Termination for Cause, as determined by the Administrator, any outstanding and unexercised portion of the Option shall be immediately canceled as of the date of the Termination of Employment.

 

(b)      Death or Disability . If Participant’s Termination of Employment occurs due to Participant’s death or Disability:

 

(i)      any unvested portion of the Option shall vest in full as of the date of Participant’s death or Disability; and

 

(ii)     the Option (including any portion that vested pursuant to subsection (b)(i)) may be exercised after the Termination of Employment by Participant or by the legal representative of Participant’s estate or by the legatee(s) of Participant under Participant’s will for a period of one year after such Termination of Employment or until the expiration of the Option’s remaining term, whichever period is shorter.

 

(c)      Retirement . If Participant’s Termination of Employment occurs due to Participant’s Retirement, the Option, to the extent vested and exercisable as of the date of such Retirement, shall remain exercisable for the lesser of one year or the remaining term of the Option; provided, however, that any exercise beyond 90 days after Participant’s Termination of Employment is deemed to be the exercise of a Nonqualified Stock Option..

 

5.      Method of Exercise and Payment of Price .

 

(a)      Method of Exercise . At any time when all or a portion of the Option is exercisable under the Plan and this Agreement, some or all of the exercisable portion of the Option may be exercised from time to time by written notice to the Company, or such other method of exercise as may be specified by the Company, including without limitation, exercise by electronic means on the web site of the Company’s third-party equity plan administrator, which will:

 

(i)     state the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is being exercised; and

 

(ii)     if the Option is being exercised by anyone other than Participant, if not already provided, be accompanied by proof satisfactory to counsel for the Company of the right of such person or persons to exercise the Option under the Plan and all applicable laws and regulations.

 

(b)      Payment of Price . The full exercise price for the portion of the Option being exercised shall be paid to the Company as provided below:

 

(i)     in cash;

 

(ii)     by check or wire transfer (denominated in U.S. Dollars);

 

(iii)     subject to any conditions or limitations established by the Administrator, other Shares which:

   

 
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(A)     have been owned by Participant for more than six months on the date of surrender (unless this condition is waived by the Administrator); and

 

(B)     have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to or greater than the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which said Option shall be exercised (it being agreed that the excess of the Fair Market Value over the aggregate exercise price shall be refunded to Participant in cash);

 

(iv)     subject to any conditions or limitations established by the Administrator, by the Company’s retention of the number of Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise of the Option at least equal to the exercise price (it being agreed that any excess of the Fair Market Value of the retained Shares over the aggregate exercise price shall be refunded to Participant in cash);

 

(v)     consideration received by the Company under a broker-assisted sale and remittance program acceptable to the Administrator and in compliance with Applicable Law;

 

(vi)     such other consideration and method of payment for the issuance of Shares to the extent permitted by Applicable Law; or

 

(vii)     any combination of the foregoing methods of payment.

 

6.      Transfer . The Option shall be transferable only at Participant’s death, by Participant’s will or pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution. During Participant’s lifetime, the Option may not be exercised by anyone other than Participant or, in the event of Participant’s incapacity, Participant’s legal representative. The terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon the executors, administrators, successors and assigns of Participant.

 

7.      Restrictions on Exercise . The Option is subject to all restrictions in this Agreement and/or in the Plan. As a condition of any exercise of the Option, the Company may require Participant or his successor to make any representation and warranty to comply with any applicable law or regulation or to confirm any factual matters reasonably requested by the Company.

 

8.      Notice of Disqualifying Disposition of Shares . If Participant sells or otherwise disposes of any of the Shares acquired pursuant to the Option on or before the later of (i) the date two years after the Grant Date, and (ii) the date one year after transfer of such Shares to Participant upon exercise of the Option, Participant shall immediately notify the Company in writing of such disposition. Participant agrees that Participant may be subject to income tax withholding by the Company on the compensation income recognized by Participant from the early disposition payment in cash or out of the current wages or other compensation payable to Participant.

 

9.      Privileges of Stock Ownership . Participant shall not have any of the rights of a stockholder with respect to any of the Shares (e.g., the rights to vote and receive dividends) until the Shares are issued to Participant following the exercise of all or part of the Option.

   

 
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10.      Right of Set-Off . By accepting this Option, Participant consents to a deduction from, and set-off against, any amounts owed to Participant by the Company or any Subsidiary from time to time (including, but not limited to, amounts owed to Participant as wages, severance payments or other fringe benefits) to the extent of the amounts owed to the Company or Subsidiary under this Agreement.

 

11.      Withholding Tax .

 

(a)      Generally . Participant is liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the exercise of the Option, regardless of any action the Company takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the Option. The Company does not make any representation or undertaking regarding the tax treatment or the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the exercise of the Option. The Company does not commit and is under no obligation to structure the Option or the exercise of the Option to reduce or eliminate Participant's tax liability.

 

(b)      Payment of Withholding Taxes . Concurrently with the payment of the exercise price pursuant to Section 5 hereof, Participant is required to arrange for the satisfaction of the minimum amount of any domestic or foreign tax withholding obligation, whether national, federal, state or local, including any employment tax obligation (the “ Tax Withholding Obligation ”) in a manner acceptable to the Company. Any manner provided for in Section 5(b) hereof shall be deemed an acceptable manner to satisfy the Tax Withholding Obligation unless otherwise determined by the Company.

 

12.      Holding Period Requirement . If Participant is classified as an “officer” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, on the Grant Date, then, as a condition to receipt of the Option, Participant hereby agrees to hold his After-Tax Net Profit in Shares until the sixth month anniversary of the exercise of all or a portion of the Option (or, if earlier, the date of Participant’s Termination of Employment). “ After-Tax Net Profit ” means the total dollar value of the Shares that Participant elects to exercise under this Option at the time of exercise, minus the total of (i) the exercise price to purchase these Shares, and (ii) the amount of all applicable federal, state, local or foreign income, employment or other tax and other similar fees that are withheld in connection with the exercise.

 

13.      Governing Law/Venue . This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to principles of conflicts of law, except to the extent superseded by the laws of the United States of America. The parties agree and acknowledge that the laws of the State of Delaware bear a substantial relationship to the parties and/or this Agreement and that the Option and benefits granted herein would not be granted without the governance of this Agreement by the laws of the State of Delaware. In addition, all legal actions or proceedings relating to this Agreement shall be brought exclusively in state or federal courts located in Ohio and the parties executing this Agreement hereby consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts. In the event that it becomes necessary for the Company to institute legal proceedings under this Agreement, Participant shall be responsible to the Company for all costs and reasonable legal fees incurred by the Company with regard to such proceedings. Any provision of this Agreement which is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable should be construed or limited in a manner that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to the business objectives intended by such provision, without invalidating or rendering unenforceable the remaining provisions of this Agreement.

 

 
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14.      Interpretation and Administration . The parties agree that the interpretation of this Agreement shall rest exclusively and completely within the sole discretion of the Administrator. The parties agree to be bound by the decisions of the Administrator with regard to the interpretation of this Agreement and with regard to any and all matters set forth in this Agreement. The Administrator may delegate its functions under this Agreement to an officer of the Company designated by the Administrator (hereinafter the “ designee ”). In fulfilling its responsibilities hereunder, the Administrator or its designee may rely upon documents, written statements of the parties or such other material as the Administrator or its designee deems appropriate. The parties agree that there is no right to be heard or to appear before the Administrator or its designee and that any decision of the Administrator or its designee relating to this Agreement shall be final and binding unless such decision is arbitrary and capricious.

 

15.      Electronic Delivery and Consent to Electronic Participation . The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Option grant hereunder and participation in the Plan or future Options that may be granted under the Plan by electronic means. Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company, including the acceptance of option grants and the execution of option agreements through electronic signature.

 

16.      Notices . All notices requests, consents and other communications required or provided hereunder shall be in writing and, if to the Company, shall be delivered or mailed to its principal office, and, if to Participant, shall be delivered either personally or mailed to the address of Participant appearing on the books and records of the Company.

 

17.      Prompt Acceptance of Agreement . The Option grant evidenced by this Agreement shall, at the discretion of the Administrator, be forfeited if this Agreement is not manually executed and returned to the Company, or electronically executed by Participant by indicating Participant’s acceptance of this Agreement in accordance with the acceptance procedures set forth on the Company’s third-party equity plan administrator’s web site, within 90 days of the Grant Date.

 

18.      Entire Agreement . This Agreement, together with the Plan, contains the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, written or oral, with respect thereto. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall control.

 

19.      Amendment . This Agreement may not be modified, supplemented or otherwise amended other than pursuant to a written agreement between Company and Participant.

 

20.      No Third-Party Beneficiary . This Agreement is made for the benefit of the Company and any Subsidiary employing Participant during the term hereof.

   

 
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21.      Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

22.      Employment . This Agreement does not constitute a contract of employment or guarantee of employment of Participant for any length of time and nothing in the Plan or this Agreement confers upon Participant any right to continue in the employ of, or other relationship with the Company or any Subsidiary, or limit or interfere in any way with the right of the Company or Subsidiary to terminate Participant’s employment at any time with or without Cause.

 

23.      No Representations Regarding Tax Consequences . Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company has made no warranties or representations to Participant with respect to the tax consequences (including, but not limited to, income tax consequences) related to the Option granted under this Agreement, and Participant is in no manner relying on the Company or its representatives for an assessment of such tax consequences. Participant further acknowledges that there may be adverse tax consequences upon disposition of the Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of the Option and that Participant has been advised that he should consult with his own attorney, accountant and/or tax advisor regarding the consequences thereof. Participant also acknowledges that the Company has no responsibility to take or refrain from taking any actions in order to achieve a certain tax result for Participant.

 

24.      Headings . Section and subsection headings contained in this Agreement are inserted for the convenience of reference only. Section and subsection headings shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement for any purpose, and they shall not in any way define or affect the meaning, construction or scope of any of the provisions hereof.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ENERGY FOCUS, INC.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tile: 

 

Attest: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name: 

 

 

 

Title: 

 

 

 

 

 

Accepted by: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Participant 

 

 

6

Exhibit 99.1

 

Energy Focus, Inc. Announces 1-for-10 Reverse Stock Split

 

SOLON, Ohio, July 16, 2014—Energy Focus, Inc. (OTCQB:EFOI), a leader in LED lighting technologies, today announced that it will implement a 1-for-10 reverse split of its common stock effective today as of 5:00 p.m., EDT (the “Effective Time”).

 

The reverse stock split was approved by the Company’s stockholders at its annual meeting of stockholders held on July 15, 2014 and the Board of Directors subsequently approved a ratio for the stock split of 1-for-10. On July 16, 2014, the Company filed an amendment to its Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware to effect the reverse stock split. At the Effective Time, every ten shares of the Company’s pre-split common stock will automatically consolidate into one share of the Company’s post-split common stock.

 

 

It is expected that the Company’s common stock will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis on the OTCQB Marketplace Market at the opening of trading on July 17, 2014. The Company’s common stock will be quoted on the OTCQB Marketplace under the symbol “EFOI” with the letter “D” added to the end of the trading symbol for a period of up to 20 trading days to indicate that the reverse stock split has occurred. Following the 20 day period, the ticker symbol will revert to “EFOI.” The Company’s common stock will also trade under a new CUSIP number ( 29268T 300). The Company has filed an initial listing application with The NASDAQ Capital Market.

 

No fractional shares of the Company’s post-split common stock will be issued as a result of the reverse stock split. Instead, a stockholder who otherwise would have been entitled to receive a fractional share as a result of the reverse stock split will receive a cash payment in lieu of such fractional share.

 

The reverse stock split will reduce the number of shares of common stock outstanding from approximately 80.2 million shares to approximately 8.02 million shares. The Certificate of Incorporation was also amended to reduce the number of authorized shares of common stock from 150,000,000 to 15,000,000. Proportional adjustments have also been made to the conversion or exercise rights under the Company’s outstanding stock options, warrants and other securities entitling their holders to purchase or receive shares of common stock so that the reverse stock split will not materially affect ownership interest, proportional voting power or the rights of holders of those securities.

 

Stockholders with certificated shares of pre-split common stock will be required to exchange their stock certificates for new stock certificates representing the appropriate number of shares of post-split common stock resulting from the reverse stock split. The Company’s exchange and transfer agent, Broadridge, will mail a letter of transmittal to registered stockholders holding certificated shares with instructions on how to complete the exchange. The number of shares of the Company’s common stock held in book entry form will be automatically adjusted to reflect the reverse stock split ratio for stockholders holding such shares in book entry form. All holders may be asked to complete tax forms to avoid certain withholding if they will receive cash for fractional shares.

 

Additional information regarding the reverse stock split can be found in the Company’s definitive proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 26, 2014.

 

Forward Looking Statements

 

Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Generally, these statements can be identified by the use of words such as “believes,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “seeks,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “would” and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from Energy Focus’ forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the actual timing by the OTCQB Marketplace in updating its trading data to reflect the reverse stock split; the number of fractional shares that will be cashed out in connection with the reverse stock split; the Company’s ability to meet the qualitative and quantitative criteria for initial and/or continued listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market; and the timing and process of the Company’s transfer agent in exchanging certificates to reflect the reverse stock split. For more information about potential factors that could affect the financial results of Energy Focus, please refer to the Company’s SEC reports, including its Annual Reports on Form 10-K and its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Energy Focus disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

   

 
 

 

 

About Energy Focus, Inc.

 

Energy Focus, Inc. is a leading provider of energy efficient LED lighting products, turnkey energy efficient lighting solutions and a developer of energy efficient lighting technology. Our solutions provide energy savings, aesthetics, safety and maintenance cost benefits over conventional lighting. Our long-standing relationship with the U.S. Government continues to enable us to provide energy efficient LED lighting products to the U.S. Navy and the Military Sealift Command fleets.

 

Customers include national, state and local U.S. government agencies as well as Fortune 500 companies, the U.S. Navy, and many others. Company headquarters are located in Solon, OH, with additional offices in Nashville, TN, and the United Kingdom. For more information, see our web site at www.energyfocusinc.com.

 

Media and Investor Contact:
Energy Focus, Inc.
(440) 715-1300
pr@energyfocusinc.com

ir@energyfocusinc.com