Other
Information:
●
Based
on the closing price on Nasdaq for our common stock on April 13,
2020 of $1.19 per share, the aggregate market value as of April 13,
2020 of the 2,000,000 shares requested for issuance under the
Restated Plan was $2,380,000.
●
In
calendar years 2017, 2018 and 2019, we granted awards under the
2010 Stock Plan covering 533,380 shares, 390,905 shares, and
243,348 shares, respectively. The table below sets forth the number
of stock unit and stock option awards granted and the
weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding
during each year. There were no stock appreciation right awards or
restricted share awards during each year.
|
|
|
|
Stock
Unit Awards Granted
|
243,348
|
90,905
|
102,880
|
Stock
Options Grants
|
0
|
300,000
|
430,500
|
Weighted-Average
Common Stock Outstanding
|
19,004,559
|
18,842,088
|
18,640,070
|
●
In
determining the number of shares to request for approval under the
Restated Plan, our Compensation Committee received advice from
management relative to recent share usage and other
criteria.
Summary of the Restated Plan
The
Restated Plan authorizes our Board to provide equity-based
compensation in the form of stock options, appreciation rights,
restricted stock, restricted stock units (“RSUs”),
performance shares, performance units, and other awards for the
purpose of providing our directors, officers, other employees and
consultants incentives and rewards for superior performance. The
following description of the Restated Plan is only a summary of its
principal terms and provisions and is qualified by reference to the
full text of the Restated Plan attached as Appendix C to this proxy
statement.
Shares Available. For a
summary of the shares available under the Restated Plan and a
description of the Restated Plan limits, see the subsection titled
“Plan Limits” in the section “Summary of Proposed
Amendments” above.
Eligibility. Executive
officers, certain key employees or consultants of ours or our
subsidiaries, our non-employee directors, and any person who has
agreed to commence serving in any of those capacities within 90
days of the date of grant may be selected by our Board to receive
benefits under the Restated Plan. As of April 13, 2020, this
includes approximately one executive officer, 1,013 employees and
three non-employee directors. Any person who provides services to
us or a subsidiary that are substantially equivalent to those
typically provided by an employee may also be eligible to
participate in the Restated Plan.
Stock Options. We may
grant stock options that entitle the optionee to purchase shares of
common stock at a price not less than the market value per share at
the date of grant. The closing price of common stock on Nasdaq on
April 13, 2020, was $1.19 per share. The option price is payable in
cash, check or wire transfer at the time of exercise; by the
transfer to us of shares of common stock owned by the participant
having a value at the time of exercise equal to the option price;
by delivery of an irrevocable direction to a securities broker to
sell shares of common stock and to deliver all or part of the sale
proceeds to us in payment; by a combination of such payment
methods; or by such other method as may be approved by our Board.
To the extent permitted by law, any grant of a stock option may
provide for deferred payment of the option price from the proceeds
of a sale through a bank or broker of some or all of the shares of
common stock to which the exercise relates.
Stock
options will be evidenced by an award agreement containing such
terms and provisions, consistent with the Restated Plan, as our
Board may approve. No stock option may be exercisable more than 10
years from the date of grant. Each grant will specify the period of
continuous service with us or any subsidiary that is necessary
before the stock options become exercisable. No stock option may be
accompanied by a tandem award of dividend equivalents or provide
for dividends, dividend equivalents or other distributions to be
paid on the stock option. A grant of stock options may provide for
the earlier vesting of such stock options in the event of the
retirement, death or disability of the participant, or a change of
control. Successive grants may be made to the same participant
whether or not stock options previously granted remain unexercised.
Any grant of stock options may specify management objectives (as
described below) that must be achieved as a condition to exercising
such rights.
The
number of shares which may be issued under the Restated Plan
pursuant to the exercise of tax-qualified incentive stock options
(ISOs) may not exceed 1,934,600 (as equitably adjusted for the
extraordinary dividend paid on December 26, 2019).
SARs. A SAR is a right,
exercisable by the surrender of a related stock option (if granted
in tandem with stock options) or by itself (if granted as a
free-standing SAR), to receive from us an amount equal to 100%, or
such lesser percentage as the Board may determine, of the spread
between the base price (or option exercise price if a tandem SAR)
and the value of our shares of common stock on the date of
exercise. Any grant may specify that the amount payable on exercise
of a SAR may be paid by us in cash, in shares of common stock, or
in any combination of the two, and may either grant to the
participant or retain in our Board the right to elect among those
alternatives.
SARs
will be evidenced by an award agreement containing such terms and
provisions, consistent with the Restated Plan, as our Board may
approve. Any grant of a tandem SAR will provide that it may be
exercised only at a time when the related stock option is also
exercisable, at a time when the spread is positive, and by
surrender of the related stock option for cancellation. A grant of
SARs may provide for the earlier vesting of such SARs in the event
of the retirement, death or disability of the participant, or a
change of control. Successive grants of a tandem SAR may be made to
the same participant regardless of whether any tandem SARs
previously granted to the participant remain unexercised. Each
grant will specify in respect of each free-standing SAR a base
price that will be equal to or greater than the market value per
share on the date of grant. No free-standing SAR granted under the
Restated Plan may be exercised more than 10 years from the date of
grant. No SAR may be accompanied by a tandem award of dividend
equivalents or provide for dividends, dividend equivalents or other
distributions to be paid on the SAR.
Restricted Stock. A
grant of restricted stock involves the immediate transfer by us to
a participant of ownership of a specific number of shares of common
stock in consideration of the performance of services. The
participant is entitled immediately to voting, dividend and other
ownership rights in such shares.
Restricted stock
that vests upon the passage of time will be subject to a
“substantial risk of forfeiture” within the meaning of
Section 83 of the Code. Each such grant or sale of restricted stock
will provide that during or after the period for which such
substantial risk of forfeiture is to continue, the transferability
of the restricted stock will be prohibited or restricted in the
manner and to the extent prescribed by our Board at the date of
grant. Our Board may provide for a shorter period during which the
forfeiture provisions are to apply in the event of the retirement,
death or disability of the grantee, or a change of
control.
Any
grant of restricted stock may specify management objectives that,
if achieved, will result in termination or early termination of the
restrictions applicable to such shares. Any grant of restricted
stock may also specify, in respect of any applicable management
objectives, a minimum acceptable level of achievement and may set
forth a formula for determining the number of shares of restricted
stock on which restrictions will terminate if performance is at or
above the minimum level or threshold level or levels, or is at or
above the target level or levels, but falls short of maximum
achievement of the specified management objectives.
Grants
of restricted stock will be evidenced by an award agreement
containing such terms and provisions, consistent with the Restated
Plan, as our Board may approve. Any grant or sale of restricted
stock will require that any or all dividends or other distributions
paid with respect to the restricted stock during the period of
restriction be automatically deferred and reinvested in additional
shares of restricted stock, which will be subject to the same
restrictions as the underlying award.
RSUs. A
grant of RSUs
constitutes an agreement by us to deliver shares of common stock or
cash to the participant in the future in consideration of the
performance of services, but subject to the fulfillment of such
conditions during the restriction period as our Board may specify.
During the applicable restriction period, the participant will have
no rights of ownership in the shares of common stock deliverable
upon payment of the RSUs and will have no right to vote the shares
of common stock. Our Board may, at the date of grant, authorize the
payment of dividend equivalents on RSUs on either a current,
deferred or contingent basis, either in cash or in additional
shares of common stock. However, dividends or other distributions
on shares of common stock underlying RSUs with restrictions that
lapse as a result of the achievement of management objectives or
other conditions will be subject to restrictions and risk of
forfeiture to the same extent as the respective RSUs.
Any
grant of RSUs may specify management objectives that, if achieved,
will result in termination or early termination of the restriction
period applicable to such shares. Any grant of RSUs may also
specify, in respect of any applicable management objectives, a
minimum acceptable level of achievement and may set forth a formula
for determining the number of RSUs for which the restriction period
will terminate if performance is at or above the minimum or
threshold level or levels, or is at or above the target level or
levels, but falls short of maximum achievement of the specified
management objectives. Additionally, our Board may provide for a
shorter restriction period in the event of the retirement, death or
disability of the grantee, or a change of control.
Performance Shares and
Performance Units. A performance share is the equivalent of
one common share and a performance unit is the equivalent of $1.00
or such other value as determined by our Board. A participant may
be granted any number of performance shares or performance units,
subject to the limitations set forth above. The participant will be
given one or more management objectives to meet within a specified
period (the “Performance Period”). The specified
Performance Period will be a period of time not less than one year,
except in the case of the retirement, death or disability of the
grantee, or a change of control, if our Board so
determines.
Each
grant of performance shares or performance units may specify, in
respect of the relevant management objectives, a minimum acceptable
level or levels of achievement and will set forth a formula for
determining the number of performance shares or performance units
that will be earned if performance is at or above the minimum or
threshold level or levels, or is at or above the target level or
levels, but falls short of maximum achievement of the specified
management objectives.
To the
extent earned, the performance shares or performance units will be
paid to the participant at the time and in the manner determined by
our Board. Our Board may, at the date of grant of performance
shares, provide for the payment of dividend equivalents to
participant either in cash or in additional shares of common stock,
subject in all cases to deferral on a contingent basis based on the
participant’s earning of the performance shares with respect
to which such dividend equivalents are paid.
Performance shares
and performance units will be evidenced by an award agreement
containing such terms and provisions, consistent with the Restated
Plan, as our Board may approve. Each grant will specify the number
of performance shares or performance units to which it pertains,
which number may be subject to adjustment to reflect changes in
compensation or other factors.
Awards to Non-Employee
Directors. Our Board may, from time to time and upon such
terms and conditions as it may determine, authorize the granting to
non-employee directors of stock options, SARs or other awards and
may also authorize the grant or sale of shares of common stock,
restricted stock or RSUs to non-employee directors. Each grant of
an award to a non-employee director will be upon such terms and
conditions as approved by our Board. Each such grant will not be
required to be subject to any minimum vesting period and will be
evidenced by an award agreement in such form as will be approved by
our Board. Each grant will specify in the case of stock options, an
option price per share, and in the case of a free-standing SAR, a
base price per share, each of which will not be less than the
market value per share on the date of grant. Each stock option and
free-standing SAR granted under the Plan to a non-employee director
will expire not more than 10 years from the date of grant and will
be subject to earlier termination as hereinafter provided. If a
non-employee director subsequently becomes an employee of our
company or a subsidiary while remaining a member of our Board, any
award held under this Plan by such individual at the time of such
commencement of employment will not be affected. Non-employee
directors may be awarded or may be permitted to elect to receive
all or any portion of their annual retainer, meeting fees or other
fees in shares of common stock, restricted stock, RSUs or other
awards under the Restated Plan in lieu of cash. Assuming our
stockholders approve the proposed amendments in the Restated Plan,
the amount of cash plus the grant date fair value of all awards
granted under the Plan to any outside director as compensation for
services during any twelve (12)-month period may not exceed
$500,000.
Other Awards. Our Board
may, subject to limitations under applicable law, grant to any
participant other awards that may be denominated or payable in,
valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on,
or related to, shares of common stock or factors that may influence
the value of such shares, including, without limitation,
convertible or exchangeable debt securities; other rights
convertible or exchangeable into shares of common stock; purchase
rights for shares of common stock; awards with value and payment
contingent upon our performance or specified subsidiaries,
affiliates or other business units of ours or any other factors
designated by our Board; and awards valued by reference to the book
value of shares of common stock or the value of securities of, or
the performance of specified subsidiaries or affiliates or other
business units of ours.
Our
Board will determine the terms and conditions of the other awards.
Cash awards, as an element of or supplement to any other award
granted under the Restated Plan, may also be granted as another
award. Share-based other awards are not required to be subject to
any minimum vesting periods. Our Board may grant shares of common
stock as a bonus, or may grant other awards in lieu of our
obligation or a subsidiary’s obligation to pay cash or
deliver other property under the Restated Plan or under other plans
or compensatory arrangements, subject to such terms as will be
determined by our Board in a manner that complies with Section 409A
of the Code.
Management Objectives.
The
Restated Plan requires that the Board establish “Management
Objectives” for purposes of performance shares and
performance units, if and when used. When so determined by the
Board, stock options, SARs, restricted stock, RSUs, dividend
credits or other awards under the Restated Plan may also specify
management objectives. Management objectives may be described in
terms of company-wide objectives or objectives that are related to
the performance of the individual participant or of the subsidiary,
division, department, region or function within the company or
subsidiary in which the participant is employed. The management
objectives may be made relative to the performance of one or more
other companies or subsidiaries, divisions, departments, regions or
functions within such other companies, and may be made relative to
an index or one or more of the performance objectives
themselves.
If our
Board determines that a change in the business, operations,
corporate structure or capital structure of our company, or the
manner in which we conduct our business, or other events or
circumstances render the management objectives unsuitable, our
Board may in its discretion modify such management objectives or
the related level or levels of achievement, in whole or in part, as
our Board deems appropriate and equitable.
Qualified Performance-Based
Compensation.
Under
the Restated Plan, provisions that would have enabled certain
awards to qualify for an exemption from a tax deduction limitation
under Section 162(m) of the Code if otherwise eligible, including
per person annual award limits and a limited menu of approved
performance goals, have been deleted in light of the repeal of the
“qualified performance-based compensation” exemption
under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, enacted on December 22,
2017.
Prior
to the elimination of these provisions, no participant could be
granted stock options or SARs, in the aggregate, for more than
1,000,000 shares of common stock during any calendar year; awards
of restricted stock, RSUs, performance shares or other stock-based
awards intended to qualify as “qualified performance-based
compensation” under Section 162(m), in the aggregate, for
more than 1,000,000 shares of common stock during any calendar
year; or awards of performance units or other awards payable in
cash intended to qualify as “qualified performance-based
compensation” under Section 162(m) having an aggregate
maximum value in excess of $5,000,000 (these limits do not reflect
equitable adjustments approved by the Board for the extraordinary
dividend paid on December 26, 2019).
Administration. The
Restated Plan will be administered by our Board, which may from
time to time delegates all or any part of its authority under the
Restated Plan to the Compensation Committee of our Board (or a
subcommittee thereof), as constituted from time to time. Our Board
or the Compensation Committee may authorize one or more of our
officers to designate employees (other than Section 16 officers) to
receive awards under the Restated Plan and determine the size of
any such awards. When we refer herein to actions taken or
determinations made by our, we also mean such actions taken and
decisions made by any committee, officer or officers authorized to
administer the Plan or to make awards.
Amendments. Our Board
may at any time and from time to time amend the Restated Plan in
whole or in part. However, if an amendment to the Restated Plan
would materially increase the benefits accruing to participants
under the Restated Plan, would materially increase the number of
securities which may be issued under the Restated Plan, would
materially modify the requirements for participation in the
Restated Plan, or must otherwise be approved by our stockholders in
order to comply with applicable law or the rules of Nasdaq (or our
applicable securities exchange), then such amendment will be
subject to stockholder approval and will not be effective unless
and until such approval has been obtained.
If
permitted by Section 409A of the Code, in case of termination of
the employment of a participant by reason of death, disability or
normal or early retirement, or in the case of unforeseeable
emergency or other special circumstances, our Board may accelerate
the vesting of any unvested awards that the participants holds at
the time of such termination. Our Board may also waive any other
limitation or requirement under any such award.
Our
Board may amend the terms of any awards granted under the Restated
Plan prospectively or retroactively. Except in connection with
certain corporate transactions described in the Restated Plan, no
amendment will impair the rights of any participant without his or
her consent.
Our
Board may, in its discretion, terminate the Restated Plan at any
time. Termination of the Restated Plan will not affect the rights
of participants or their successors under any outstanding awards
and not exercised in full on the date of termination.
No Repricing of Stock Options
or SARs. Except in connection with certain corporate
transactions described in the Restated Plan, the terms of
outstanding awards may not be amended to reduce the option price of
outstanding stock options or the base price of outstanding SARs, or
cancel outstanding underwater stock options or SARs in exchange for
cash, other awards or stock options or SARs with an option price or
base price, as applicable, that is less than the option price of
the original stock options or base price of the original SARs, as
applicable, without stockholder approval.
Tax Withholding. The Compensation Committee may condition any
payment relating to an award on the withholding of taxes and may
provide that a portion of any shares of common stock or other
property to be distributed will be withheld (or previously acquired
shares of common stock or other property be surrendered by the
participant) to satisfy withholding and other tax
obligations.
Transferability. Except
as otherwise determined by our Board, no stock option, SAR or other
derivative security granted under the Restated Plan will be
transferable by the participant except by will or the laws of
descent and distribution, and in no event will any such award
granted under the Restated Plan be transferred for value. Our Board
may provide at the date of grant additional restrictions on
transfer for certain shares of common stock earned under the
Restated Plan.
Effective Date and
Termination. The Restated Plan will be effective as of the
date the Restated Plan is approved by our stockholders and will
continue until terminated by the Board, in its discretion. However,
no ISOs may be granted under the Restated Plan after the tenth
anniversary of the adoption of the Restated Plan.
Federal Income Tax Consequences
The
following is a brief summary of some of the federal income tax
consequences of certain transactions under the Restated Plan based
on federal income tax laws. This summary is not intended to be
complete and does not describe state, local or foreign tax
consequences.
Tax Consequences to Participants
Non-Qualified Stock
Options. In general: (1) no income will be recognized by an
optionee at the time a non-qualified stock option is granted; (2)
at the time of exercise of a non-qualified stock option, ordinary
income will be recognized by the optionee in an amount equal to the
difference between the option price paid for the shares and the
fair market value of the shares, if unrestricted, on the date of
exercise; and (3) at the time of sale of the shares acquired
pursuant to the exercise of a non-qualified stock option,
appreciation (or depreciation) in value of the shares after the
date of exercise will be treated as either short-term or long-term
capital gain (or loss) depending on how long the shares have been
held.
Incentive Stock Options. No
income generally will be recognized by an optionee upon the grant
or exercise of an ISO. The exercise of an ISO, however, may result
in alternative minimum tax liability. If shares of common stock are
issued to the optionee pursuant to the exercise of an ISO, and if
no disqualifying disposition of such shares is made by such
optionee within two years after the date of grant or within one
year after the transfer of such shares to the optionee, then upon
sale of such shares, any amount realized in excess of the option
price will be taxed to the optionee as a long-term capital gain and
any loss sustained will be a long-term capital loss.
If
shares of common stock acquired upon the exercise of an ISO are
disposed of prior to the expiration of either holding period
described above, the optionee generally will recognize ordinary
income in the year of disposition in an amount equal to the excess
(if any) of the fair market value of such shares at the time of
exercise (or, if less, the amount realized on the disposition of
such shares if a sale or exchange) over the option price paid for
such shares. Any further gain (or loss) realized by the participant
generally will be taxed as short-term or long-term capital gain (or
loss) depending on the holding period.
SARs. No income will be
recognized by a participant in connection with the grant of a
tandem SAR or a free-standing SAR. When the SAR is exercised, the
participant normally will be required to include as taxable
ordinary income in the year of exercise an amount equal to the
amount of cash received and the fair market value of any
unrestricted shares of common stock received on the
exercise.
Restricted Stock. The
recipient of restricted stock generally will be subject to tax at
ordinary income rates on the fair market value of the restricted
stock (reduced by any amount paid by the participant for such
restricted stock) at such time as the shares are no longer subject
to forfeiture or restrictions on transfer for purposes of Section
83 of the Code (“Restrictions”). However, a recipient
who so elects under Section 83(b) of the Code within 30 days of the
date of transfer of the shares will have taxable ordinary income on
the date of transfer of the shares equal to the excess of the fair
market value of such shares (determined without regard to the
Restrictions) over the purchase price, if any, of such restricted
stock. If a Section 83(b) election has not been made, any dividends
received with respect to restricted stock that is subject to the
Restrictions generally will be treated as compensation that is
taxable as ordinary income to the participant.
RSUs. No income
generally will be recognized upon the award of RSUs. The recipient
of an RSU award generally will be subject to tax at ordinary income
rates on the fair market value of unrestricted shares of common
stock on the date that such shares are transferred to the
participant under the award (reduced by any amount paid by the
participant for such RSUs), and the capital gains/loss holding
period for such shares will also commence on such
date.
Performance Shares and
Performance Units. No income generally will be recognized
upon the grant of performance shares or performance units. Upon
payment of performance shares or performance units, the recipient
generally will be required to include as taxable ordinary income in
the year of receipt an amount equal to the amount of cash received
and the fair market value of any unrestricted shares of common
stock received.
Tax Consequences to the Company or Subsidiary
To the
extent that a participant recognizes ordinary income in the
circumstances described above, we or the subsidiary for which the
participant performs services will be entitled to a corresponding
deduction provided that, among other things, the income meets the
test of reasonableness, is an ordinary and necessary business
expense, is not an “excess parachute payment” within
the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and is not disallowed by
the $1 million limitation on certain executive compensation under
Section 162(m) of the Code.
Section
162(m) of the Code generally disallows a deduction for federal
income tax purposes to any publicly-traded corporation for any
remuneration in excess of $1 million paid in any taxable year to
its Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and each of the
three non-CEO most highly-compensated executive officers (other
than, prior to 2018, its chief financial officer
(“CFO”)) (the “Covered Employees”).
However, compensation which qualifies as
“performance-based” is excluded from the $1 million
limit if, among other requirements, the compensation is payable
only upon attainment of pre-established, objective performance
goals under a plan approved by the corporation’s
shareholders, although this exception is severely limited beginning
in 2018, as described below. The 2010 Equity and Performance
Incentive Plan included provision for certain long-term incentive
awards designed to meet the definition of performance-based
compensation under Section 162(m) which, if otherwise eligible,
could qualify for the performance-based exception to the $1 million
deduction limit. However, to maintain flexibility in compensating
executive officers in a manner designed to promote varying
corporate goals in the best interest of the Company, we did not
previously limit executive compensation to amounts deductible under
Section 162(m) if the Compensation Committee determined that doing
so is in the best interests of the Company.
The Tax
Cuts and Jobs Act, enacted on December 22, 2017, substantially
modified Section 162(m) and, among other things, eliminated the
performance-based exception to the $1 million deduction limit
effective as of January 1, 2018. As a result, beginning in 2018,
compensation paid to certain executive officers in excess of $1
million will generally be non-deductible whether or not it is
performance-based. In addition, beginning in 2018, Covered
Employees will include any individual who served as the CEO or CFO
at any time during the taxable year and the three other most highly
compensated officers (other than the CEO and CFO) for the taxable
year, and once an individual becomes a Covered Employee for any
taxable year beginning after December 31, 2016, that individual
will remain a Covered Employee for all future years, including
following any termination of employment.
The Tax
Cuts and Jobs Act includes a transition rule under which the
changes to Section 162(m) described above will not apply to
compensation payable pursuant to a written binding contract that
was in effect on November 2, 2017 and is not materially modified
after that date. To the extent applicable to our existing contracts
and awards, the Compensation Committee may avail itself of this
transition rule. However, because of uncertainties as to the
application and interpretation of the transition rule, no
assurances can be given at this time that our existing contracts
and awards, even if in place on November 2, 2017, will meet the
requirements of the transition rule. Moreover, the Compensation
Committee does not limit its actions with respect to executive
compensation to preserve deductibility under Section 162(m) if the
Compensation Committee determines that doing so is in the best
interests of the Company.
New Plan Benefits
No new
grants have been made requiring stockholder approval. With respect
to future grants under the Restated Plan, it is not possible to
determine specific amounts and types of awards that may be awarded
in the future under the Restated Plan, because the grant and actual
settlement of awards will be discretionary.
Aggregate Past Grants Under the Restated Plan
In
accordance with SEC rules, the following table sets forth summary
information with respect to the number of shares of common stock
subject to stock option and stock unit awards made under the
Restated Plan to the Company’s named executive officers, all
current executive officers as a group, directors, associates of
such executive officers, directors and nominees, each other person
who received or is to receive 5% of such stock options and all
employees (other than executive officers) as a group as of April
13, 2020.
|
Number of Shares
Underlying Stock Option and Restricted Stock Unit
Awards
|
Richard
Bloom
|
418,490
|
President and Chief
Executive Officer
|
|
Joshua E.
Schechter
|
118,490
|
Chairperson
|
|
Bradly
Radoff
|
118,490
|
Director
|
|
Brian
Kelley
|
118,490
|
Director
|
|
All current
executive officers as a group
|
187,612
|
All current
directors who are not executive officers as a group
|
355,470
|
All nominees for
election as a director
|
-
|
Each associate of
any such director, executive officer or nominees
|
330,666
|
Each other person
who received or is to receive 5% of such awards
|
-
|
All employees,
including current officers who are not executive officers as a
group
|
1,352,428
|
|
|
Registration with the SEC
We
intend to file a Registration Statement on Form S-8 relating to the
issuance of the additional shares of common stock under the
Restated Plan with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant
to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended as soon as practicable
after approval of the Restated Plan by our
stockholders.
Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation
Plans
Equity
Compensation Plan Information
As of
December 31, 2019
|
Number of securities
to be issued upon
exercise of
outstanding options,
warrants, and rights
|
Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding
options, warrants,
and rights
|
Number
of securities
remaining available
for future issuance
under equity
compensation plans
(excluding securities
reflected in column (a))
|
Plan Category
|
|
|
|
Equity Compensation
Plans approved by security holders (1)
|
944,556
|
$1.87
|
3,622,573
|
Equity Compensation
Plans not approved by security holders (2)
|
120,000
|
$1.17
|
708,267
|
Total
|
1,064,556
|
$1.57
|
4,330,840
|
(1)
This
is the 2010 Stock Plan. Stock options, restricted stock, RSUs or
stock appreciation rights may be awarded under the 2010 Stock
Plan.
(2)
This
is the Inducement Plan.
Vote Required
Approval of the
Restated Plan requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a
majority of the shares that are present in person or represented by
proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote on such matter
(meaning that of the shares represented at the Annual Meeting and
entitled to vote, a majority of them must be voted
“FOR” Proposal No. 6 for it to be
approved).
BOARD RECOMMENDATION
Our Board recommends a vote “FOR” the approval of the
Third Amended and Restated 2010 Equity and Performance Incentive
Plan.
Appendix
A
SECTION 382 TAX
BENEFITS PRESERVATION PLAN
by and between
SUPPORT.COM, INC.
and
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,
as Rights Agent,
Dated as of August 21, 2019
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
Page
|
Section
1. Definitions.
|
1
|
|
|
Section
2. Appointment of Rights Agent
|
3
|
|
|
Section
3. Issuance of Right Certificates.
|
3
|
|
|
Section
4. Form of Right Certificates; Notice to Rights Agent as to
Acquiring Person.
|
4
|
|
|
Section
5. Countersignature and Registration.
|
4
|
|
|
Section 6.
Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates;
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right
Certificates.
|
4
|
|
|
Section
7. Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of
Rights.
|
5
|
|
|
Section
8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.
|
5
|
|
|
Section
9. Reservation and Availability of Shares of Preferred
Stock.
|
6
|
|
|
Section
10. Securities Issuable Upon Exercise
|
6
|
|
|
Section 11.
Adjustments to Number and Kind of Securities or Other Property,
Number of Rights or Purchase Price.
|
6
|
|
|
Section
12. Certification of Adjustments
|
9
|
|
|
Section
13. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.
|
9
|
|
|
Section
14. Rights of Action
|
9
|
|
|
Section
15. Agreement of Right Holders
|
9
|
|
|
Section
16. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder
|
9
|
|
|
Section
17. Concerning the Rights Agent.
|
10
|
|
|
Section
18. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
Agent.
|
10
|
|
|
Section
19. Duties of Rights Agent
|
10
|
|
|
Section
20. Change of Rights Agent
|
11
|
|
|
Section
21. Issuance of New Right Certificates
|
12
|
|
|
Section
22. Redemption.
|
12
|
|
|
Section
23. Exchange.
|
12
|
|
|
Section
24. Notice of Proposed Actions.
|
12
|
|
|
Section
25. Notices
|
13
|
|
|
Section
26. Supplements and Amendments
|
14
|
|
|
Section
27. Successors
|
14
|
|
|
Section
28. Benefits of this Agreement
|
14
|
|
|
Section
29. Governing Law
|
14
|
|
|
Section
30. Counterparts
|
14
|
|
|
Section
31. Descriptive Headings
|
14
|
|
|
Section
32. Severability
|
14
|
|
|
Section
33. Determination and Actions by the Board, etc
|
14
|
|
|
Section
34. Force Majeure
|
14
|
|
|
Section
35. Further Assurance
|
14
|
Exhibit A -
Amended and Restated Certificate of Designation of Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock
Exhibit B -
Form of Right Certificate
Exhibit C -
Form of Summary of Rights
SECTION 382 TAX
BENEFITS PRESERVATION PLAN
SECTION
382
TAX BENEFITS PRESERVATION PLAN (this “Agreement”),
dated August 21, 2019, between Support.com, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”),
and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a federally chartered trust
company, as rights agent (the “Rights
Agent”).
RECITALS:
WHEREAS,
the Company and certain of
its Subsidiaries have generated certain Tax Benefits (as
hereinafter defined) for United States federal income tax purposes,
such Tax Benefits may potentially provide valuable benefits to the
Company, the Company desires to avoid an “ownership
change” within the meaning of Section 382 (as hereinafter defined), and the
Treasury Regulations (as hereinafter defined) promulgated
thereunder, and thereby preserve its ability to utilize such Tax
Benefits, and, in furtherance of such objective, the Company
desires to enter into this Agreement; and
WHEREAS,
on August 21, 2019, the
Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”)
authorized and declared a dividend of one right (a
“Right”)
for each share of the Common Stock (as hereinafter defined) of the
Company outstanding as of the Close of Business (as defined herein)
on September 3, 2019 (the “Record
Date”), each
Right representing the right to purchase, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions herein, one one-thousandth of a share of
Preferred Stock (as defined below) of the Company (each one
one-thousandth of a share, a “Unit”),
and (ii) further authorized the issuance, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions herein, of one Right with respect to each
share of Common Stock of the Company that shall become outstanding
between the Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution Date
and the Expiration Date (each as defined herein) (or thereafter in
accordance with Section
21 hereof).
NOW,
THEREFORE, in
consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set
forth and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereby
agree as follows:
For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
(a) “Acquiring
Person”
means any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and
Associates of such Person, is or becomes the Beneficial Owner of
4.99% or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then
outstanding, as calculated pursuant hereto, but shall not
include:
(i) any
Exempt Person;
(ii) any
“direct public group” within the meaning of Treasury
Regulations Section 1.382-2T(j)(2)(ii);
(iii) any
Existing Holder unless and until such Existing Holder acquires
Beneficial Ownership of any additional shares of Common Stock of
the Company after the first public announcement by the Company of
the adoption of this Agreement (other than pursuant to a stock
split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, reclassification or
similar transaction effected by the Company) at a time when such
Existing Holder is still the Beneficial Owner of 4.99% or more of
shares of the Common Stock of the Company then outstanding, in
which case such Person shall be an Acquiring Person;
(iv) any
Person who as the result of an acquisition of shares of Common
Stock by the Company (or any Subsidiary of the Company, any
employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company, or any Person organized, appointed or established by the
Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) which, by
reducing the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company
outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares of Common
Stock of the Company Beneficially Owned by such Person to 4.99% or
more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then
outstanding;provided,
however,
that, if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 4.99% or
more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding
by reason of acquisition of shares by the Company (or any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company
or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person organized,
appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan) and shall, after the first public
announcement by the Company of such share acquisitions by the
Company (or any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit
plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any Person
organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant
to the terms of any such plan), becomes the Beneficial Owner of any
additional shares (other than pursuant to a stock split, reverse
stock split, stock dividend, reclassification or similar
transaction effected by the Company) of Common Stock of the Company
and immediately thereafter is the Beneficial Owner of 4.99% or more
of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding, then
such Person shall be an Acquiring Person; or
(v) any
Person who or which, within ten (10) Business Days of being
requested by the Company to advise it regarding the same, certifies
to the Company that such Person acquired shares of Common Stock in
excess of 4.99% inadvertently or without knowledge of the terms of
the Rights and who or which, together with all Affiliates and
Associates, thereafter within ten (10) Business Days following such
certification reduces such Person’s, together with its
Affiliates’ and Associates’, Beneficial Ownership to
less than 4.99% of the shares of Common Stock then
outstanding;provided,
however,
that (x) if
the Person requested to so certify fails to do so within ten (10)
Business Days or breaches or violates such certification, then such
Person shall become an Acquiring Person immediately after such ten
(10) Business Day period or such breach or violation or
(y) if
the Person together with its Affiliates and Associates fails to
reduce Beneficial Ownership to less than 4.99% within ten (10)
Business Days following such certification, then such Person shall
become an Acquiring Person immediately after such ten (10) Business
Day period;
provided,
however,
that no Person shall be an Acquiring Person if the Board shall have
affirmatively determined, prior to or after the Distribution Date,
in light of the intent and purposes of this Agreement or other
circumstances facing the Company, that such Person shall not be
deemed an Acquiring Person, unless and until such Person shall
again become an Acquiring Person.
In determining whether a Person owns
4.99% or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then
outstanding, for all purposes of this Agreement, all of the Common
Stock of the Company Beneficially Owned by such Person shall be
taken into account in the numerator and, for purposes of the
denominator, any calculation of the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding at any particular time shall be made pursuant to
and in accordance with Section 382 and the Treasury Regulations
promulgated thereunder. Without limiting the foregoing, any Person
(other than a “direct public group” within the meaning
of Treasury Regulations Section 1.382-2T(j)(2)(ii)) shall be treated as
the Beneficial Owner of 4.99% or more shares of the Common Stock of
the Company then outstanding if, in the determination of the Board,
that Person would be treated as a “5-percent
stockholder” for purposes of Section 382 (substituting “4.99”
for “5” each time “five” or “5”
is used in or for purposes of Section 382). Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary set forth herein, any shares of Common Stock of which a
Person or any Affiliate or Associate becomes the Beneficial Owner
pursuant to an equity compensation award granted to such Person by
the Company or as a result of an adjustment by the Company to the
number of shares of Common Stock represented by such equity
compensation award pursuant to the terms thereof shall, solely for
purposes of determining the number of shares of Common Stock of
which such Person or any Affiliate or Associate is the Beneficial
Owner at any time, not be included in (x) the calculation of the number of
shares of Common Stock outstanding or (y) the particular percentage of the
number of shares of Common Stock of which such Person and/or any
Affiliate or Associate of such Person is the Beneficial
Owner.
(c) “Affiliate”
and “Associate”
shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule
12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act
as in effect on the date of this Agreement, and to the extent not
included within the foregoing clause of this
Section 1(c),
shall also include, with respect to any Person (other than an
Exempt Person or an Existing Holder), any other Person whose Common
Stock would be deemed constructively or otherwise owned by, or
otherwise aggregated with shares owned by, such first Person or
owned by a single “entity” pursuant to the provisions
of Section 382;provided,
however,
that a Person will not be deemed to be the Affiliate or Associate
of another Person solely because either or both Persons are or were
directors of the Company.
(d) A
Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial
Owner”
of, and to “Beneficially
Own,”
any securities:
(i) which
such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or
Associates (A)
directly or indirectly has the right to vote or dispose of, alone
or in concert with others, or (B) is
deemed to beneficially own, directly or indirectly, within the
meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under
the Exchange Act as in effect on the date of this Agreement,
including, with respect to both clause (A) and clause (B), pursuant
to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing), but only if the effect of such agreement, arrangement or
understanding is to treat such Persons as an “entity”
under Section 1.382-3(a)(l)
of the Treasury Regulations;provided,
however,
that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to
Beneficially Own securities (including rights, options or warrants)
which are convertible or exchangeable into or exercisable for
Common Stock except to the extent the acquisition or transfer of
such rights, options or warrants would reasonably be expected to
result in the rights, options or warrants being treated as
exercised on the date of their acquisition or transfer under
Section 382;
(ii) which
such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates
owns, directly or indirectly, or has the right to acquire (whether
such right is exercisable immediately, or only after the passage of
time, compliance with regulatory requirements, the fulfillment of a
condition, or otherwise) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding (whether or not in writing), or upon the exercise of
conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants, options, or other
rights (including, without limitation, within the meaning of
Section 382)
or otherwise;provided,
however,
that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to
beneficially own, (A)
any shares of Common Stock by virtue of owning securities or other
interests (including rights, options or warrants) that are
convertible or exchangeable into, or exercisable for, such shares
of Common Stock, except to the extent that upon the issuance,
acquisition or transfer of such securities or other interests, such
securities or other interests would be treated as exercised under
Section 1.382-4(d)
or other applicable sections of the Treasury Regulations,
(B)
securities tendered pursuant to a tender offer or exchange offer
made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person’s
Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are
accepted for purchase or exchange or (C)
securities issuable upon the exercise or exchange of
Rights;
(iii) which
are owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person, if such
Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has
any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in
writing) with such other Person or any of such other Person’s
Affiliates or Associates for the purpose of acquiring, holding,
voting or disposing of any securities of the Company, but only if
the effect of such agreement, arrangement or understanding is to
treat such Persons as an “entity” under Section
1.382-3(a)(l) of the
Treasury Regulations; and
(iv) to
the extent not included within the foregoing provisions of this
Section, a Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial
Owner” of and shall be deemed to “beneficially
own” or have “beneficial ownership” of
securities, if such Person would be deemed to constructively own
such securities pursuant to Sections 1.382-2T(h) and
1.382-4(d)
of the Treasury Regulations, such Person owns such securities
pursuant to a “coordinated acquisition” treated as a
single “entity” as defined in Section
1.382-3(a)(l) of the
Treasury Regulations, or such securities are otherwise aggregated
with securities owned by such Person, pursuant to the provisions of
Section 382;
provided,
however,
that (i) a Person
will not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to Beneficially Own,
any security (A) if
such Person has the right to vote such security pursuant to an
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing)
which (1) arises
solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in
response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant
to, and in accordance with, Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act by means of a
solicitation statement filed on Schedule 14A, and (2) is not also
then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any
comparable or successor report), or (B) if such beneficial ownership arises
solely as a result of such Person’s status as a
“clearing agency,” as defined in Section 3(a)(23) of
the Exchange Act; (ii) nothing in this definition will cause a
Person engaged in business as an underwriter of securities to be
the Beneficial Owner of, or to Beneficially Own, any securities
acquired through such Person’s participation in good faith in
an underwriting syndicate until the expiration of forty (40)
calendar days after the date of such acquisition, or such later
date as the Board may determine in any specific case; (iii) subject
to Section
1(d)(iv), above, a
Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to
Beneficially Own, any securities if (A) such securities would not be deemed
constructively or otherwise owned by, or otherwise aggregated with
shares owned by, such Person, and (B) such securities would not be deemed
constructively or otherwise owned by a single “entity,”
in each case, for purposes of Section 382; and (iv) a Person shall not be
deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to Beneficially Own any
securities which such Person or any of such Person’s
Affiliates or Associates would otherwise be deemed to Beneficially
Own pursuant to this Section
1(d) solely as a
result of any merger or other acquisition agreement between the
Company and such Person (or one or more of such Person’s
Affiliates or Associates), or any tender, voting or support
agreement entered into by such Person (or one or more of such
Person’s Affiliates or Associates) in connection therewith,
if, prior to such Person becoming an Acquiring Person, the Board
has approved such merger or other acquisition agreement and any
such tender, voting or support agreement entered into in connection
therewith.
(e) “Appropriate
Officer” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 19(b).
(f) “Board”
shall have the meaning set forth in the
recitals.
(g) “Business
Day”
shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or a day on which
banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or
obligated by law or executive order to close.
(h) “Close
of Business”
on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M. New York City time, on such
date;provided,
however,
that if such date is not a Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
New York City time, on the next succeeding Business
Day.
(i) “Code”
shall have the meaning set forth in the
preamble.
(j) “Common
Stock.”
when used with reference to the Company, shall mean the common
stock (presently $0.0001 par value per share) of the Company.
“Common
Stock,”
when used with reference to any Person other than the Company,
shall mean shares of the capital stock with the greatest voting
power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a subsidiary
of another Person, the entity which ultimately controls such
first-mentioned Person. “Common
Stock”
when used with reference to any Person not organized in corporate
form shall mean units of beneficial interest which
(x)
represent the right to participate generally in the profits and
losses of such Person (including without limitation any
flow-through tax benefits resulting from an ownership interest in
such Person) and (y)
are entitled to exercise the greatest voting power of such Person
or, in the case of a limited partnership, have the power to remove
the general partner or partners.
(k) “Company”
shall have the meaning set forth in the
preamble.
(l) “Code”
shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.
(m) “Current
Market Price”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(d).
(o) “Distribution
Date”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a).
(p) “Equivalent
Preferred Securities”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 11(b).
(q) “Exchange
Act”
shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended,
(r) “Excess
Exchange Shares”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 23.
(s) “Existing
Holder”
shall mean any Person who, immediately prior to the first public
announcement of the adoption of this Agreement by the Company, is
the Beneficial Owner of 4.99% or more of the Common Stock then
outstanding, together with any Affiliates and Associates of such
Person.
(t) “Exempt
Person”
shall mean (i)
the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, in each case
including, without limitation, the officers and board of directors
thereof acting solely in their fiduciary capacity, (ii) any
employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company or any entity or trustee organized, appointed, established
or holding shares of Common Stock of the Company for or pursuant to
the terms of any such plan, or for the purpose of funding other
employee benefits for employees of the Company or any Subsidiary of
the Company, (iii) any Person who the Board determines, in its sole
discretion, prior to the time such Person would otherwise be an
Acquiring Person, should be permitted to become the Beneficial
Owner of up to a number of the shares of Common Stock determined by
the Board (the “Exempted
Number”)
and be exempted from being an Acquiring Person, unless and until
such Person acquires Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock
of the Company in excess of the Exempted Number (other than
pursuant to a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend,
reclassification or similar transaction effected by the Company) in
which case such Person shall be an Acquiring
Person;provided,
however,
that the Board may make such exemption subject to such conditions,
if any, which the Board may determine, and (iv) any Person who is a
transferee from the estate of an Exempt Person and who receives
Common Stock of the Company as a bequest or inheritance from such
Exempt Person, but only for so long as such transferee continues to
be the Beneficial Owner of 4.99% or more of the then outstanding
shares of Common Stock of the Company.
(u) “Expiration
Date”
shall mean the earliest of (i)
the date on which all of the Rights are redeemed as provided
in
Section 22, (ii)
the date on which the Rights are exchanged as provided in
Section 23,
(iii) the consummation of a reorganization transaction entered into
by the Company resulting in the imposition of stock transfer
restrictions that the Board, in its sole discretion, determines
will provide protection for the Company’s Tax Benefits
similar to that provided by this Agreement, (iv) the Close of
Business on the effective date of the repeal of
Section 382
(but excluding the repeal or withdrawal of any Treasury Regulations
thereunder), or any other change, if the Board determines in its
sole discretion, that this Agreement is no longer necessary or
desirable for the preservation of Tax Benefits, (v)
the date on which the Board otherwise determines, in its sole
discretion, that this Agreement is no longer necessary to preserve
the Tax Benefits, and (vi) the beginning of a taxable year of the
Company to which the Board determines in its sole discretion, that
no Tax Benefits may be carried forward.
(v) “Final
Expiration Date”
shall mean the earliest of (i) the Close of Business on the day
following the certification of the voting results of the
Company’s 2020 annual meeting of stockholders, if at such
stockholder meeting a proposal to approve this Agreement has not
been passed by the affirmative vote of the majority of the votes
cast at the 2020 annual meeting of stockholders or any other
meeting of stockholders of the Company duly held prior to August
21, 2020, and (ii) August 21, 2022, provided that
neither (i) nor (ii) shall apply if a Distribution Date has
occurred in advance of the effectiveness of either (i) or
(ii).
(w) “NASDAQ”
shall mean the NASDAQ Stock Market or any of its listing
venues.
(x) “NYSE”
shall mean the New York Stock Exchange.
(y) “Person”
shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited
liability company, limited liability partnership, association,
trust, syndicate or other entity, or any group of persons making a
“coordinated acquisition” of shares of Common Stock or
otherwise treated as an entity within the meaning of Section
1.382-3(a)(l)
of the Treasury Regulations or otherwise for purposes of
Section 382,
or any successor provision or replacement provision, and includes
any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such individual or
entity.
(z) “Preferred
Stock”
shall mean shares of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company having the voting
powers, designations, preferences and relative rights described in
the Amended and Restated Certificate of Designation, Preferences
and Rights set forth in
Exhibit A hereto,
and, to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares
of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock authorized to
permit the full exercise of the Rights, any other series of
preferred stock of the Company designated for such purpose
containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock.
(aa) “Purchase
Price”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7(b).
(bb) “Record
Date”
shall have the meaning set forth in the
recitals.
(cc) “Redemption
Price”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 22(a).
(dd) “Right”
shall have the meaning set forth in the
preamble.
(ee) “Rights
Agent”
shall have the meaning set forth in the
preamble.
(ff) “Right
Certificate”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(a).
(hh) “Section
382”
shall mean Section 382 of
the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated
thereunder.
(ii) “Securities
Act”
shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
(kk) “Stock
Acquisition Date”
shall mean the first date of a public announcement (which, for
purposes of this definition, shall include, without limitation, a
report filed or amended pursuant to Section 13(d) under the
Exchange Act) by the Company or an Acquiring Person indicating that
an Acquiring Person has become such; provided that, if such Person
is determined by the Board not to be or have become an Acquiring
Person, then no Stock Acquisition Date shall be deemed to have
occurred.
(ll) “Subsidiary”
of a Person shall mean any corporation or other entity of which
securities or other ownership interests having ordinary voting
power sufficient to elect or appoint a majority of the board of
directors or other persons performing similar functions are
beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person and any
corporation or other entity that is otherwise controlled by such
Person.
(nn) “Summary
of Rights”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3(b).
(oo) “Tax
Benefits”
shall mean the net operating loss carryforwards, capital loss
carryforwards, general business credit carryforwards, alternative
minimum tax credit carryforwards and foreign tax credit
carryforwards, as well as any loss or deduction attributable to a
“net unrealized built-in loss” within the meaning of
Section 382,
and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, of the Company
or any direct or indirect Subsidiary thereof.
(qq) “Treasury
Regulations”
shall mean final and temporary (but not proposed) regulations of
the U.S. Department of the Treasury promulgated under the Code, as
such regulations may be amended from time to
time.
(tt) “Trust
Agreement”
shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 23(a).
(uu) “Unit”
shall have the meaning set forth in the
recitals.
Section2. Appointment of Rights
Agent
. The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for
the Company and the holders of the Rights (who, in accordance
with
Section 3 hereof,
shall prior to the Distribution Date also be the holders of the
Common Stock) in accordance with the express terms and conditions
of this Agreement (and no implied terms and conditions), and the
Rights Agent hereby accepts this appointment. The Company may from
time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary
or desirable, upon ten (10) days’ prior written notice the
Rights Agent. In the event the Company appoints one or more
co-Rights Agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agents and
any co-Rights Agents shall be as the Company shall determine and
the Company shall promptly notify the Rights Agent of such duties.
The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and in no event
shall be liable for, the acts or omissions of any co-Rights
Agent.
Section3. Issuance of Right
Certificates.
(a) Until
the Close of Business on the earlier to occur of
(i) the tenth (10th) calendar day after the Stock Acquisition Date
or (ii) the tenth (10th) calendar day (or such later time as
determined by the Board but in no event later than the time such
Person becomes an Acquiring Person) after the date of the
commencement by any Person of a tender or exchange offer, upon the
successful consummation of which such Person, together with its
Affiliates and Associates, would be an Acquiring Person
(irrespective of whether any shares are actually purchased pursuant
to such offer), or in the case of clause (ii) such later date
specified by the Board which date shall not be later than the date
specified in clause (i) (the earliest of such dates being referred
to herein as the “Distribution
Date”),
(x)
the Rights will be evidenced by the certificates for the shares of
Common Stock of the Company registered in the names of the holders
of the shares of Common Stock of the Company (which certificates
for shares of Common Stock of the Company shall be deemed also to
be certificates for Rights) or, with respect to shares of Common
Stock of the Company not represented by certificates, the Rights
related thereto will be evidenced by the notation on the records of
the Company representing these shares, and, in each case, not by
separate certificates, (y)
the registered holders of shares of Common Stock of the Company
shall also be the registered holders of the associated Rights,
and (z)
the Rights (and the right to receive certificates therefor) will be
transferable only in connection with the transfer of the underlying
shares of Common Stock of the Company (including a transfer to the
Company). As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the
Rights Agent will, if requested to do so by the Company and
provided with all necessary information and documents, at the
expense of the Company, send, by first-class, postage prepaid mail,
to each record holder of shares of Common Stock of the Company as
of the Close of Business on the Distribution Date, at the address
of the holder shown on the records of the Company, a certificate in
substantially the form of
Exhibit B (the
“Right
Certificate”)
evidencing the Rights underlying the shares of Common Stock of the
Company so held,
provided, that
all procedures relating to actions to be taken or information to be
provided with respect to Rights recorded in uncertificated or
book-entry form, and all requirements with respect to the form of
any Right Certificate set forth in this Agreement, may be modified
as necessary or appropriate to reflect uncertificated or book-entry
ownership subject to the prior written consent of the Rights Agent.
As of and after the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced
solely by the Right Certificates. The Company shall promptly notify
the Rights Agent in writing upon the occurrence of the Distribution
Date and, if notification is given orally, the Company shall
confirm the same in writing on or prior to the next succeeding
Business Day. Until such written notice is received by the Rights
Agent, the Rights Agent may presume conclusively for all purposes
that the Distribution Date has not occurred.
(b) As
soon as practicable following the Record Date, the Company will
send a copy of the Summary of the Terms of the Rights,
substantially in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit C (the
“Summary of
Rights”),
by postage prepaid mail, to each record holder of the Common Stock
as of the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of
such holder shown on the records of the
Company.
(c) Until
the Distribution Date (or, if earlier, the Expiration Date or Final
Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for
shares of Common Stock of the Company shall also constitute the
surrender for transfer of the Rights associated with the shares of
Common Stock represented thereby and the transfer of shares of
Common Stock on the records of the Company shall also constitute
the transfer of the Rights associated with the shares.
(d) Certificates
issued for shares of Common Stock of the Company (including,
without limitation, certificates issued upon transfer or exchange
of shares of Common Stock of the Company) after the Record Date,
but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date, the Expiration
Date or the Final Expiration Date, shall have impressed on, printed
on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following
legend:
“This certificate also evidences
and entitles the holder to certain rights (the
“Rights”)
as set forth in a Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan by
and between Support.com, Inc. (the “Company”) and
Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent (or any
successor rights agent), dated as of August 21, 2019, as from time
to time amended, extended or renewed (the
“Plan”),
the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference and a copy
of which is on file at the principal executive office of the
Company. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Plan,
such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no
longer be evidenced by this certificate. The Company will mail to
the holder of record of this certificate a copy of the Plan,
without charge, within ten Business Days (as defined in the Plan)
after receipt of a written request therefor. Under certain
circumstances, as provided in the Plan, Rights issued to or
beneficially owned by Acquiring Persons or their Associates or
Affiliates (as such terms are defined in the Plan) or any purported
subsequent holder of such Rights will become null and void. The
Rights shall not be exercisable, and shall be void so long as held,
by a holder in any jurisdiction where the requisite qualification
to the issuance to such holder, or the exercise by such holder, of
the Rights in such jurisdiction shall not have been obtained or be
obtainable.”
In the
case of the initial transaction statement or subsequent period
statements with respect to shares of Common Stock of the Company
not represented by certificates (including, without limitation,
upon transfer or exchange of Common Stock) after the Record date,
but prior to the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration
Date, registration of such shares in the Company’s share
register shall be deemed also to be evidence of such Rights, and
such statements will include a legend in substantially the
following form:
“The
registration in the share register of Support.com of the shares of
common stock to which this initial transaction or subsequent
periodic statement relates also evidences and entitles the
registered holder of such shares to certain rights (the
“Rights”) as set forth in
a Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan by and between
Support.com, Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights
Agent (or any successor rights agent), dated as of August 21,
2019, as from time to time amended, extended or renewed (the
“Plan”), the terms of
which are incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is
on file at the principal executive office of the Company. Under
certain circumstances, as set forth in the Plan, such Rights will
be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be
evidenced by such registration. The Company will mail to the holder
of this statement a copy of the Plan, without charge, within ten
Business Days (as defined in the Plan) after receipt of a written
request therefor. Under certain circumstances, as provided in the
Plan, Rights issued to or beneficially owned by Acquiring Persons
or their Associates or Affiliates (as such terms are defined in the
Plan) or any purported subsequent holder of such Rights will become
null and void. The Rights shall not be exercisable, and shall be
void so long as held, by a holder in any jurisdiction where the
requisite qualification to the issuance to such holder, or the
exercise by such holder, of the Rights in such jurisdiction shall
not have been obtained or be obtainable.”
The failure to print the foregoing
legend on any such certificate, initial transaction statement or
subsequent period statement representing shares of Common Stock of
the Company or any defect therein shall not affect in any manner
whatsoever the application or interpretation of the provisions
of Section
7(e) hereof.
Section
4. Form of Right
Certificates; Notice to Rights Agent as to Acquiring
Person.
(a) The
Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase shares
and forms of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof),
when, as and if issued, shall be substantially in the form set
forth in
Exhibit B and may have such marks
of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or
endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate
(which do not affect the rights, liabilities, duties or
responsibilities of the Rights Agent) and as are not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to
comply with any law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant
thereto or with any law, rule or regulation of any stock exchange
on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform
to usage. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Right
Certificates evidencing the Rights, whenever issued, on their face
shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase, for each Right, one
Unit, at the Purchase Price, but the number and type of shares or
other property holders thereof shall be entitled to purchase and
the Purchase Price, shall be subject to adjustment as provided in
this Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding any
other provision of this Agreement, any Right Certificate that
represents Rights that may be or may have been at any time on or
after the Distribution Date beneficially owned by an Acquiring
Person or any Affiliate or Associate thereof (or any purported
transferee of such Rights) may have impressed on, printed on,
written on or otherwise affixed to it the following
legend:
“The beneficial
owner of the Rights (the “Rights”) represented
by this Right Certificate may be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate (as such terms are defined in the
Section 382 Tax Benefits
Preservation Plan by and between Support.com, Inc. and
Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent (or any
successor rights agent), dated as of August 21, 2019, as from time
to time amended, extended or renewed (the
“Plan”))
of an Acquiring Person or a subsequent holder of a Right
Certificate beneficially owned by such Persons (as defined in the
Plan). Accordingly, under certain circumstances as provided in the
Plan, this Right Certificate and the Rights represented hereby will
be null and void.”
The provisions of this Agreement shall be operative whether or not
the foregoing legend is imprinted on any such Right Certificate.
The Company shall give notice to the Rights Agent promptly after it
becomes aware of the existence of any Acquiring
Person.
Section
5. Countersignature and
Registration.
(a) The
Right Certificates shall be duly executed on behalf of the Company
by the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, General
Counsel or any Vice President of the Company, either manually or by
facsimile signature, and shall have affixed thereto the
Company’s seal or a facsimile thereof which shall be attested
by the Secretary, Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or any
Assistant Treasurer of the Company, either manually or by facsimile
signature. The Right Certificates shall be countersigned by the
Rights Agent, manually or by in facsimile signature, and shall not
be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any
officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right
Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before
countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by
the Company, the Right Certificates nevertheless may be
countersigned by the Rights Agent, issued and delivered with the
same force and effect as though the person who signed the Right
Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and
any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any
person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right
Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign the
Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this
Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
(b) Following
the Distribution Date and receipt by the Rights Agent of written
notice to that effect and all other relevant information referred
to in
Section 3(a), the
Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept books for registration
and transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. The books
shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the
Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by
each of the Right Certificates, the date of each of the Right
Certificates, and the certificate numbers for each of the Right
Certificates.
Section
6. Transfer, Split Up,
Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated,
Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.
(a) Subject
to the provisions of
Section 4(b),
Section 7(e) and
Section 13(b), at
any time after the Close of Business on the Distribution Date and
at or prior to the Close of Business on the earlier of the
Expiration Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right Certificate
or Right Certificates may be (a)
transferred or (b)
split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or
Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a
like number of Units (and/or other securities or property, as the
case may be) as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates
surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered
holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any
Right Certificate shall make such request in writing delivered to
the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate to be
transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office of the
Rights Agent designated for this purpose, accompanied by a
signature guarantee by an “Eligible Guarantor
Institution” that is a member or participant in the
Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program or other comparable
“signature guarantee program” (a “signature
guarantee”) and such other documentation as the Rights Agent
may reasonably request. The Right Certificates are transferable
only on the registry books of the Rights Agent. Neither the Rights
Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to take any action
whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such surrendered
Right Certificate until the registered holder thereof shall have
(i) properly completed and signed the certificate contained in the
form of assignment set forth on the reverse side of each such Right
Certificate, (ii) provided a signature guarantee and such
additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or
former Beneficial Owner) thereof and of the Rights evidenced
thereby and the Affiliates and Associates of such Beneficial Owner
(or former Beneficial Owner) as the Company or the Rights Agent
shall reasonably request, and (iii) paid a sum sufficient to
cover any
tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with
any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right
Certificates. Thereupon or as promptly as practicable thereafter,
the Company shall prepare, execute and deliver to the Rights Agent,
and the Rights Agent shall countersign (by manual or facsimile
signature) and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Right
Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so
requested, registered in such name or names as may be designated by
the surrendering registered holder. The Rights Agent shall forward
any such sum collected by it to the Company or to such Persons as
the Company shall specify by written notice. The Rights Agent shall
have no duty or obligation to take any action under this
Section 6 unless
and until the Rights Agent is reasonably satisfied that all such
taxes and/or charges have been paid.
(b) Subject
to
Section 7(d),
Section 7Section
7(e) or as
otherwise provided in this Agreement, upon receipt by the Company
and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of
the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate
and such additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial
Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates
thereof, accompanied by a signature guarantee and such other
documentation as the Company or the Rights Agent may reasonably
request, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity
or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and, if requested by
the Company, reimbursement to the Company of all reasonable
expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent
and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company
will execute and deliver to the Rights Agent a new Right
Certificate of like tenor for delivery to the registered owner in
lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or
mutilated. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company may require
the owner of any lost, stolen or destroyed Right Certificate, or
his legal representative, to give the Company a bond sufficient to
indemnify the Company and the Rights Agent against any claim that
may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or
destruction of any such Right Certificate or the issuance of any
such new Right Certificate.
Section
7. Exercise of Rights;
Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.
(a) Subject
to
Section 7(d),
Section 7(e)
or as
otherwise provided in this Agreement, the registered holder of any
Right Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby in
whole at any time or in part from time to time after the
Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the
form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly
executed (with such signature duly guaranteed), to the Rights Agent
at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such purposes
together with payment of the Purchase Price (defined below), or
portion thereof, as applicable, with respect to each Unit or Units
(and/or other securities or property in lieu thereof) as to which
the Rights are exercised, subject to adjustment as hereinafter
provided, at or prior to the earlier of the Expiration Date and the
Final Expiration Date.
(b) The
purchase price shall initially be $3.00 for each Unit issuable
pursuant to the exercise of a Right. The purchase price and the
number of Units (and/or other securities or property, as the case
may be) to be acquired upon exercise of a Right shall be subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in
Section 11. (The
purchase price, after giving effect to any adjustments, shall be
referred to as the “Purchase
Price.”)
The Purchase Price shall be payable in lawful money of the United
States of America, in accordance with
Section 7(c).
(c) Except
as provided in
Section 7(d)
and
Section 7(e),
upon receipt of a Right Certificate with the form of election to
purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase
Price, or the applicable portion thereof, for the Units (and/or
other securities or property, as the case may be) to be purchased
and an amount equal to any applicable tax or governmental charge,
by cash, certified check or official bank check payable to the
order of the Company or the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent shall
thereupon promptly (i)(A)
requisition from the Company or any transfer agent for the Units,
certificates for the number of Units so elected to be purchased or,
in the case of shares of Units not represented by certificates,
requisition from the Company or any transfer agent therefor a
notice setting forth such number of Units to be purchased for which
registration will be made in the Company’s share register,
and the Company will comply and hereby authorizes and directs the
transfer agent or shall cause the transfer agent (if the Rights
Agent is not also the transfer agent) to comply with all such
requests or (B) if
the Company, in its sole discretion, shall have elected to deposit
the shares of Preferred Stock underlying the Units issuable upon
exercise of the Rights hereunder into a depositary, requisition
from the depositary agent depositary receipts representing the
number of Units as are to be purchased (in which case certificates
for the shares of Preferred Stock underlying the Units represented
by the receipts shall be deposited by the transfer agent with the
depositary agent) and the Company will direct the depositary agent
to comply with such request, (ii) requisition from the Company the
amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares
in accordance with
Section 13(b) and
(iii) promptly after receipt of the Units certificates or
depositary receipts, as the case may be, cause the same to be
delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of the
Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be
designated by such holder, and, when appropriate, after receipt
promptly deliver the cash to or upon the order of the registered
holder of the Right Certificate. In the event that the Company is
obligated to issue other securities of the Company, pay cash and/or
distribute other property pursuant to
Section 11(a), the
Company shall make all arrangements necessary so that those other
securities, cash and/or other property are available for
distribution by the Rights Agent, if and when necessary to comply
with this Agreement and the Rights Agent shall promptly take the
appropriate actions corresponding to the foregoing clauses (i)
through (iii), as applicable. In addition, in the case of an
exercise of the Rights by a holder pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii), the
Rights Agent shall return the Right Certificate to the registered
holder thereof after imprinting, stamping or otherwise indicating
thereon that the Rights represented by the Right Certificate no
longer include the rights provided by
Section 11(a)(ii) and,
if less than all the Rights represented by such Right Certificate
were so exercised, the Rights Agent shall indicate on the Right
Certificate the number of Rights represented thereby which continue
to include the rights provided by
Section 11(a)(ii). In
case the holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise (except
pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii))
less
than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised
shall be issued by the Rights Agent and delivered to the registered
holder of the Right Certificate or the holder’s duly
authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of
Section 13(b).
(d) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Rights
Agent nor the Company shall be obligated to undertake any action
with respect to a registered holder upon the occurrence of any
purported exercise as set forth in this
Section 7 unless
the registered holder shall have (i)
properly completed and signed the certificate contained in the form
of election to purchase set forth on the reverse side of the Right
Certificate surrendered for exercise and (ii) provided such
additional evidence of the identity of the Beneficial Owner (or
former Beneficial Owner) or Affiliates or Associates thereof as the
Company or the Rights Agent shall reasonably
request.
(e) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, from and after the
first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event,
any Rights beneficially owned by (i) an
Acquiring Person (or any Affiliate or Associate thereof), (ii) a
transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Affiliate or Associate
thereof) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person
becomes such, or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of
any Affiliate or Associate thereof) who becomes a transferee prior
to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and
receives those Rights pursuant to either (A) a
transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring
Person to holders of equity interests in the Acquiring Person or to
any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has a continuing
agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing)
regarding the transferred Rights or (B) a
transfer which the Board has determined is part of an agreement,
arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or
effect the avoidance of this
Section 7(e),
shall become null and void without any further action and no holder
of those Rights shall have any rights whatsoever with respect to
those Rights, whether under any provision of this Agreement or
otherwise. The Company shall notify the Rights Agent when
this
Section 7(e)
applies
and shall use its best efforts to ensure that the provisions of
this
Section 7(e)
and
Section 4(b) are
complied with, but neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall
have any liability to any holder of Right Certificates or other
Person as a result of the Company’s failure to make any
determinations with respect to an Acquiring Person or its
Affiliates, Associates or transferees
hereunder.
Section
8. Cancellation and
Destruction of Right Certificates.
All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise,
transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered
to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights
Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form, or, if surrendered to
the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right
Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly
permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company
shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement,
and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any Right
Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than
upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all
cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the
written request of the Company, destroy the cancelled Right
Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate of
destruction thereof to the Company.
Section
9. Reservation and
Availability of Shares of Preferred Stock.
(a) The
Company covenants and agrees that, from and after the Distribution
Date, it will cause to be reserved and kept available, out of and
to the extent of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred
Stock not reserved for another purpose or shares of Preferred Stock
not reserved for another purpose held in its treasury, the number
of Units that, as provided in this Agreement, will be sufficient to
permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
Rights;provided,
however, that
the Company shall not be required to reserve and keep available
Units sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding
Rights pursuant to the adjustments set forth in
Section 11(a)(ii) or
Section 11(a)(iii) unless,
and only to the extent that, the Rights become exercisable pursuant
to such adjustments.
(b) The
Company shall (i)
use its best efforts to cause, from and after the Distribution
Date, the Rights and all Units (and/or following the occurrence of
a Triggering Event, shares of Common Stock of the Company or other
securities, as the case may be) issued or reserved for issuance
upon exercise thereof to be listed or admitted to trading on the
NYSE, NASDAQ or another national securities exchange, and (ii) if
then necessary to permit the offer and issuance of such Units,
shares of Common Stock of the Company and/or other securities, as
the case may be, register and qualify such Units (or shares of
Common Stock of the Company or other securities, as the case may
be) under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities or
“blue
sky”
laws (to the extent exemptions therefrom are not available), cause
the related registration statement and qualifications to become
effective as soon as possible after filing and keep such
registration statement and qualifications effective (with a
prospectus at all times meeting the requirements of the Securities
Act) until the earlier of the expiration of the 60-day
period referred to in
Section 11(a)(ii), the
Expiration Date or the Final Expiration Date. The Company may
temporarily suspend, for a period of time not to exceed 90 days,
the exercisability of the Rights in order to prepare and file a
registration statement under the Securities Act and permit it to
become effective. Upon any such suspension, the Company shall issue
a public announcement stating that the exercisability of the Rights
has been temporarily suspended, as well as a public announcement at
such time as the suspension is no longer in effect. The Company
shall promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing whenever it makes
a public announcement pursuant to this
Section 9(b) and
give the Rights Agent a copy of such announcement. Until such
written notice is received by the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent
may presume conclusively that no such suspension has occurred or
such suspension is still in effect, as the case may be.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary,
the Rights shall not be exercisable in any jurisdiction if the
requisite qualification in such jurisdiction shall not have been
obtained or the exercise thereof shall not otherwise be permitted
under applicable law or a registration statement under the
Securities Act (if required) shall not have been declared
effective.
(c) The
Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as
may be necessary to insure that all Units (or shares of Common
Stock or other securities) delivered upon exercise of Rights shall,
at the time of delivery of the certificates for such Units (or
shares of Common Stock of the Company or other securities) subject
to payment of the Purchase Price (or the applicable portion
thereof) in respect thereof, be duly and validly authorized and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable Units (and/or shares of
Common Stock and other securities, as the case may be) in
accordance with applicable law.
(d) The
Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and
payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and
governmental charges which may be payable in respect of the
issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any Units (or
shares of Company Stock of the Company or other securities or
property, as the case may be) upon the exercise of Rights. The
Company shall not, however, be required to pay any tax or charge
which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of
Right Certificates to a Person other than, or the issuance or
delivery of certificates for Units (or shares of Common Stock of
the Company or other securities or property, as the case may be)
upon exercise of Rights in a name other than that of, the
registered holder of the Right Certificate, and the Company and the
Rights Agent shall not be required to issue or deliver a Right
Certificate or certificate for Units (and/or shares of Common Stock
of the Company or other securities or property, as the case may be)
to a Person other than the registered holder until any such tax or
charge shall have been paid (any such tax or charge being payable
by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender)
or until it has been established to the Company’s and the
Rights Agent’s satisfaction that no such tax or charge is
due.
Section
10. Securities Issuable
Upon Exercise
. Each Person in whose name any certificate for Units (or shares of
Common Stock of the Company or other securities, as the case may
be) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be
deemed to have become the holder of record of the Units (or shares
of Common Stock or other securities, as the case may be)
represented thereby on, and the certificate shall be dated, the
date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing these Rights was
duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price, or the
applicable portion thereof (and any applicable taxes and
governmental charges), was made;provided,
however,
that if the date of such presentation and payment is a date upon
which the transfer books for the Units (or shares of Common Stock
of the Company or other securities, as the case may be) are closed,
such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of
such Units (or shares of Common Stock of the Company or other
securities) on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next
succeeding Business Day on which the transfer books for the Units
(or shares of Common Stock of the Company or other securities) are
open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the
holder of a Right Certificate, as such, shall not be entitled to
any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to shares
for which the Right shall be exercisable, including without
limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other
distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not
be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the
Company, except as provided herein.
Section
11. Adjustments to Number
and Kind of Securities or Other Property, Number of Rights or
Purchase Price.
The number and kind of securities or
other property subject to purchase upon the exercise of each Right,
the number of Rights outstanding and the Purchase Price are subject
to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section
11.
(a) (i) In
the event that the Company shall at any time after the date of this
Agreement (A)
declare or pay any dividend on the shares of Preferred Stock
payable in shares of Preferred Stock, (B)
subdivide or split the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock into a
greater number of shares, (C)
combine or consolidate the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock
into a smaller number of shares or effect a reverse split of the
outstanding shares of PreferredStock or (D)
issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the
shares of Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in
connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is
the continuing or surviving corporation), then except as otherwise
provided in this
Section 11(a) and
Section 7(e), the
Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for the
dividend or of the effective date of the subdivision, split,
combination, consolidation or reclassification, and the number of
Units and the number and kind of other securities, as the case may
be, issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so
that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be
entitled to receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price then in
effect, the aggregate number of Units and/or the number and kind of
other securities as the case may be, which, if the Right had been
exercised immediately prior to such date, whether or not such Right
was then exercisable, and at a time when the transfer books for the
Preferred Stock (or other capital stock, as the case may be) of the
Company were open, such holder would have owned upon such exercise
and been entitled to receive by virtue of the dividend,
subdivision, split, combination consolidation or reclassification.
If an event occurs which would require an adjustment under
both
Section 11(a)(i)
and
Section 11(a)(ii),
the adjustment provided for in this
Section 11(a)
shall
be in addition to, and shall be made prior to, any adjustment
required pursuant to
Section 11(ii).
(i) In the
event any Person at any time becomes an Acquiring Person (this
event being referred to as a “Section
11(a)(ii) Event”),
then, subject to
Section 22(a) and
Section 23, and
except as otherwise provided in
Section 7(e), each
holder of a Right shall, for a period of sixty days (or such longer
period as may be established by the Board) after the later of the
occurrence of any such event and the effective date of an
appropriate registration statement under the Securities Act
pursuant to
Section 9, have
a right to receive for each Right, upon exercise thereof in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement and payment of the
Purchase Price (or the applicable portion thereof) such number of
shares of Common Stock of the Company as shall equal the result
obtained by (x)
multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of
Units for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to the
first occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event
(whether or not such right was then exercisable), and
(y)
dividing that product by 50% of the Current Market Price per share
of Common Stock of the Company on the date of such first occurrence
(such number of shares of Common Stock is called the
“Adjustment
Shares”);provided,
however,
that the Purchase Price and the number of Adjustment Shares shall
be further adjusted as appropriate to reflect any stock split,
reverse stock split, stock dividend, reclassification or similar
transaction effected by the Company, or as provided in this
Agreement to reflect any other events, occurring after the date of
such first occurrence; and provided,
further,
that in connection with any exercise effected pursuant to
this
Section 11(a)(ii), the
Board may (but shall not be required to) determine that a holder of
Rights shall not be entitled to receive shares of Common Stock of
the Company that would result in such holder, together with such
holder’s Affiliates, becoming the Beneficial Owner of 4.99%
or more of the total number of shares of Common Stock of the
Company then outstanding. If a holder would, but for the previous
clause, be entitled to receive a number of shares of Common Stock
of the Company (such shares, the “Excess Flip-In
Shares”),
in lieu of receiving such Excess Flip-In Shares, such holder will
be entitled to receive an amount in (1) cash, (2)
debt securities of the Company, (3)
other assets, or (4)
any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal
to the Current Market Price per share of Common Stock of the
Company on the date of the occurrence of a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event
multiplied by the number of Excess Flip-In Shares that would
otherwise have been issuable to such holder.
(ii) In the
event that the number of shares of Common Stock of the Company
which are authorized by the Company’s Restated Certificate of
Incorporation but not outstanding and which are not reserved for
issuance for purposes other than upon exercise of the Rights is not
sufficient to permit the exercise in full of the Rights for shares
of Common Stock of the Company in accordance with
Section 11(a)(ii) and
the Rights shall become so exercisable, to the extent permitted by
applicable laws, each Right shall thereafter represent the right to
receive, upon exercise thereof at the Purchase Price,
(x) a
number of shares of Common Stock of the Company (up to the maximum
number of shares of Common Stock of the Company which may be
permissibly issued), and (y) a
number Units so that, when added together, the numbers in clauses
(x) and (y)
equal the number of Adjustment Shares. In the event the number of
shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock which are authorized by
the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation but not
outstanding or reserved for issuance for purposes other than upon
exercise of the Rights is insufficient to permit the exercise in
full of the Rights in accordance with the prior sentence and the
Rights shall become so exercisable, to the extent permitted by
applicable law, the Company shall: (A)
determine the value of the Adjustment Shares issuable upon the
exercise of a Right (the “Current
Value”)
and that value shall be conclusive for all purposes; and
(B)
with respect to each Right, upon exercise of such Right, issue
shares of Common Stock of the Company and Units to the extent
available for the exercise in full of such Right and, to the extent
shares of Common Stock or Units are not so available, make adequate
provision to substitute for the Adjustment Shares not received upon
exercise of such Right: (1)
other equity securities of the Company (including, without
limitation, shares, or units of shares, of preferred stock which,
by virtue of having dividend, voting and liquidation rights
substantially comparable to the shares of Common Stock of the
Company, are deemed in good faith by the Board to have
substantially the same value as one share of Common Stock of the
Company (such shares are herein called “Share
Equivalents”)
and whose determination shall be conclusive for all
purposes);(2)
debt securities of the Company;(3)
other assets;(4)
cash; or (5)
any combination of the foregoing as determined by the Board, having
a value which, when added to the value of the number of the shares
of Common Stock of the Company and Units actually issued upon
exercise of such Right, shall have an aggregate value equal to the
Current Value, where such aggregate value has been determined by
the Board based upon the advice of a nationally recognized
independent investment banking firm selected by the
Board;provided,
however, if
the Company shall not have made adequate provision to deliver
shares of Common Stock, Units and Share Equivalents pursuant
to
Section 11(a)(ii), the
prior sentence of this paragraph and clause (B) above within 50
days following the Stock Acquisition Date, then, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, the Company shall be obligated to
deliver, upon the surrender for exercise of a Right and without
requiring payment of the Purchase Price, shares of Common Stock (to
the extent available), Units or Share Equivalents and then, if
necessary, cash, debt securities, or other assets (in that order)
which shares, units, cash, debt securities and/or other assets have
an aggregate value equal to the excess of the Current Value over
the Purchase Price, and provided, further, that the Board may (but
shall not be required to) determine that a holder of Rights shall
not be entitled to receive equity securities under this
Section 11(a)(iii) to the
extent the Company determines the receipt thereof could limit the
Company’s ability to utilize the Tax Benefits. If the Board
shall determine in good faith that it is likely that sufficient
additional shares of Common Stock, Units or Share Equivalents could
be authorized for issuance upon exercise in full of the Rights, the
50 day period set forth above may be extended to the extent
necessary, but not more than 120 days after the Stock Acquisition
Date, in order that the Company may seek stockholder approval for
the authorization of such additional shares or Shares Equivalents
(such 50 day period, as it may be extended, is called the
“Substitution
Period”),
To the extent that the Company determines that some action need be
taken pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this
Section 11(a)(iii), the
Company (x)
shall provide, subject to
Section 7(e), that
this action shall apply uniformly to all outstanding and
exercisable Rights, and (y)
may suspend the exercisability of the Rights until the expiration
of the Substitution Period in order to seek any authorization of
additional shares and/or to decide the appropriate form of
distribution to be made pursuant to the foregoing provisions of
this Section
11(a)(iii) and,
if necessary, to determine the value thereof In the event of any
such suspension, the Company shall issue a public announcement
stating that the exercisability of the Rights has been temporarily
suspended, as well as a public announcement (with a prompt written
notice thereof to the Rights Agent) at such time as the suspension
is no longer in effect. For purposes of this
Section 11(a)(iii), the
value of each Unit, each share of Common Stock of the Company and
the per share or unit value of any Share Equivalent shall be deemed
to equal the Current Market Price of a share of Common Stock of the
Company thereof as of the Stock Acquisition
Date.
(b) In
case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights
(other than the Rights), options or warrants to all holders of
shares of Preferred Stock entitling them to subscribe for or
purchase (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after this
record date) shares of Preferred Stock and/or securities having the
same rights, privileges and preferences as the Preferred Stock
(“Equivalent Preferred
Securities”)
or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or Equivalent
Preferred Securities at a price per share of Preferred Stock or per
unit of Equivalent Preferred Securities (or having a conversion
price per share or unit, if a security convertible into Preferred
Stock or Equivalent Preferred Securities) less than the Current
Market Price per share of Preferred Stock on the record date, the
Purchase Price to be in effect after the record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to the record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on
such record date, plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock
which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of
Preferred Stock and/or units of Equivalent Preferred Securities
(and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible
securities so to be offered) would purchase at that Current Market
Price, and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares
of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date, plus the number
of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or units of Equivalent
Preferred Securities to be offered for subscription or purchase (or
into which the convertible securities so to be offered are
initially convertible). In case the subscription price may be paid
by delivery of consideration part or all of which may be in a form
other than cash, the value of the non-cash consideration shall be
as determined in good faith by the Board, whose determination shall
be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent. Shares of
Preferred Stock and units of Equivalent Preferred Securities owned
by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed
outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. This
adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date
is fixed, and in the event that such rights, options or warrants
are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the
Purchase Price which would then be in effect if the record date had
not been fixed.
(c) In
case the Company shall fix a record date for a distribution to all
holders of shares of Preferred Stock (including any such
distribution made in connection with a consolidation, merger or
share exchange in which the Company is the continuing corporation)
of evidences of indebtedness, cash (other than a regular periodic
cash dividend), assets (other than a dividend payable in shares of
Preferred Stock, but including any dividend payable in stock other
than Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding
those referred to in
Section 11(b)), the
Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately
prior to the record date by a fraction, the numerator of which
shall be the Current Market Price per share of Preferred Stock on
the record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good
faith by the Board, whose determination shall be described in a
statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the cash,
assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such
subscription rights or warrants applicable to a share of Preferred
Stock and the denominator of which shall be such Current Market
Price per share of Preferred Stock;provided,
however,
that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon exercise
of one Right be less than the aggregate par value of the shares of
capital stock of the Company issuable upon the exercise of one
Right. These adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a
record date is fixed; and in the event that the distribution is not
so made, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase
Price which would have been in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.
(d) (i) For
the purpose of any computation hereunder, other than computations
made pursuant to
Section 11(a)(iii), and
subject to
Section 11(d)(ii),
the “Current Market
Price”
per share of stock or unit of other securities on any date shall be
deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of
such stock or unit of other securities for the 30
consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined)
immediately prior to such date;provided,
however,
that in the event that the Current Market Price per share of any
stock or unit of other securities is determined during a period
following the announcement by the issuer of that stock or other
security of (i)
any dividend or distribution on such stock or other securities
(other than a regular quarterly cash dividend and other than the
Rights), or (ii) any subdivision, split, combination or
reclassification of that stock or other securities, and prior to
the expiration of the requisite 30
Trading Day period, the ex-dividend date for the dividend or
distribution, or the record date for the subdivision, combination
or reclassification occurs, then, and in each such case, the
Current Market Price shall be properly adjusted to take into
account ex-dividend trading. The closing price for each day shall
be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes
place on that day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices,
regular way, in either case as reported in the principal
consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to shares of
stock or units of securities listed or admitted to trading on the
NYSE or NASDAQ or, if the shares of stock or units of any other
securities are not listed or admitted to trading on the NYSE or
NASDAQ, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction
reporting system with respect to shares of stock or units of other
securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on
which the shares of stock or units of other securities are listed
or admitted to trading or, if the shares of stock or units of other
security are not listed or admitted to trading on any national
securities exchange, the last quoted sale price or, if not so
quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the
over-the-counter market, as reported by the OTC Bulletin Board or
any other system then in use, or, if on any such date the shares of
such stock or units of such other security are not quoted by any
such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices
as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in such
stock or other securities selected by the Board;provided,
that if such security is not listed or quoted on the NYSE or NASDAQ
and the principal market for such securities is a non-U.S.
securities exchange, then the closing price foreach day shall be
determined by using the customary convention for determining the
closing price of a security on such exchange as determined by the
Board (in which event the exchange rate of the relevant currency
into U.S. dollars for each Trading Day (as defined below) shall be
determined by the Board). The term “Trading
Day”
shall mean a day on which the principal national securities
exchange on which the shares of such stock or units of other
securities are listed or admitted to trading is open for the
transaction of business or, if the shares of such stock or other
units of such security are not listed or admitted to trading on any
national securities exchange, a Business Day; provided, that if
such security is not listed or quoted on the NYSE or NASDAQ and the
principal market for such security is a non-U.S. securities
exchange, then “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which
such non-U.S. securities exchange is open for the transaction of
business. Subject to
Section 11(d)(ii) with
respect to Units, if such stock or unit of other securities is not
publicly held or not so listed, traded or quoted,
“Current Market
Price”
per share or other unit of such securities shall mean the fair
value per share of stock or other unit of such securities as
determined in good faith by the Board whose determination shall be
described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent and shall be
conclusive for all purposes.
(i) For
the purpose of any computation hereunder, the
“Current Market
Price”
per Unit shall be determined in the same manner as set forth above
in paragraph (i) of
this
Section 11(d) (other
than the last sentence thereof). If the Current Market Price per
Unit cannot be determined in the manner provided above because the
Units are not publicly held, listed or traded or quoted in a manner
described in paragraph (i) of
this
Section 11(d), the
“Current Market
Price”
per Unit shall be conclusively deemed to be an amount equal to the
Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock of the Company.
If neither the shares of Common Stock of the Company nor the Units
are listed or traded or quoted as described in
Section 11(d)(i),
“Current Market
Price”
per share thereof shall mean the fair value per share of Common
Stock of the Company as determined in good faith by the Board,
whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with
the Rights Agent and shall be conclusive for all
purposes.
(e) Anything
herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no adjustment in the
Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would
require an increase or decrease of at least one percent in the
Purchase Price;provided,
however,
that any adjustments which by reason of this
Section 11(e)
are
not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into
account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under
this
Section 11 shall
be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest thousandth of a Unit
or share of Common Stock or any other security, as the case may be.
Notwithstanding the first sentence of this
Section 11(e), any
adjustment required by this
Section 11 shall
be made no later than the earlier of (i)
three years from the date of the transaction which mandates such
adjustment, or (ii) the Final Expiration Date.
(f) If
as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to
Section 11(a)(ii), the
holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to
receive any securities other than Units, thereafter the number of
the other securities so receivable upon exercise of any Right and
the Purchase Price thereof shall be subject to adjustment from time
to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as
practicable to the provisions with respect to the shares of
Preferred Stock and/or Units contained in
Section 11(a),
(b),
(c),
(d),
(e),
(g),
(h),
(i),
(j),
(k),
(l) and
(m), and
the provisions of
Section 7,
9,
10 and
Section 13 with
respect to the shares of Preferred Stock and/or Units shall apply
on like terms to any such other shares.
(g) All Rights originally
issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the
Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at
the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Units (and/or other
securities) purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise
of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided
herein.
(h) Unless
the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in
Section 11(i),
upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the
calculations made in
Section 11(b)
and
(c), each
Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such
adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the
adjusted Purchase Price, that number of Units (calculated to the
nearest one-thousandth) equal to the quotient obtained by
(i)
multiplying (x)
the number of Units covered by a Right immediately prior to this
adjustment by (y)
the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment
of the Purchase Price, and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by
the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of
the Purchase Price.
(i) The
Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the
Purchase Price or any adjustment to the number of Units for which a
Right may be exercised, to adjust the number of Rights, in lieu of
any adjustment in the number of Units purchasable upon the exercise
of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after the adjustment in
the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of Units
for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such
adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of
the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated
to the nearest one thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase
Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment
of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public announcement
(with prompt written notice thereof to the Rights Agent) of its
election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date
for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the
adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which
the Purchase Price is adjusted or any date thereafter, but, if the
Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days
later than the date of the public announcement. If Right
Certificates have been issued, upon each adjustment of the number
of Rights pursuant to this
Section 11(i), the
Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed
to the registered holders of Right Certificates on the record date
Right Certificates evidencing, subject to
Section 13, the
additional Rights to which the holders shall be entitled as a
result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall
cause to be distributed to such registered holders in substitution
and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders
prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if
required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the
Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such
adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be
issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for
herein (and may bear, at the option of the Company, the adjusted
Purchase Price) and shall be registered in the names of the
registered holders of Right Certificates on the record date
specified in the public announcement.
(j) Irrespective of any
adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of Units
issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates
theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the
Purchase Price per Unit and the number of Units which were
expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued
hereunder.
(k) Before taking any
action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price
below the then par value, if any, attributable to the Units, shares
of Common Stock or other securities issuable upon exercise of the
Rights, the Company shall use best efforts to take any corporate
action, which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in
order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and
nonassessable Units, shares of Common Stock or other securities at
such adjusted Purchase Price.
(l) In any
case in which this
Section 11 shall
require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective
as of a record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to
defer (with prompt written notice thereof to the Rights Agent)
until the occurrence of such event the issuance to the holder of
any Right exercised after such record date the Units and/or other
securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over
and above the Units and/or other securities of the Company, if any,
issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in
effect prior to such adjustment;provided,
however,
that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to
receive the additional Units and/or other securities upon the
occurrence of the event requiring such
adjustment.
(m) Anything
in this
Section 11 to the
contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make
such reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to those
adjustments expressly required by this
Section 11, as
and to the extent that in its good faith judgment the Board shall
determine to be advisable in order that any (i)
consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred Stock or Common
Stock, (ii) issuance wholly for cash of any shares of Preferred
Stock or Common Stock at less than the Current Market Price, (iii)
issuance wholly for cash or shares of Common Stock, Preferred Stock
or securities which by their terms are convertible into or
exchangeable for shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock, (iv)
stock dividends or (v)
issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to in this
Section 11,
hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Common Stock or
Preferred Stock, shall not be taxable to such
stockholders.
(n) The
Company covenants and agrees that, after the Distribution Date, it
will not, except as permitted by
Section 22,
Section 23 or
Section 26, take
(or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such
action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will
diminish substantially or eliminate the benefits intended to be
afforded by the Rights.
(o) Anything
in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event
that at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the
Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any
dividend on the shares of Common Stock of the Company payable in
shares of Common Stock of the Company or (ii) effect a subdivision
or split the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company into
a greater number of shares of Common Stock of the Company or (iii)
combine or consolidate the outstanding shares of Common Stock of
the Company into a small number of shares or effect a reverse split
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company, then in
any such case, each share of Common Stock outstanding following
payment of such dividend, such subdivision, split, combination,
consolidation or issuance shall continue to have one Right (as
adjusted as otherwise provided herein) associated therewith and the
Purchase Price following any such event shall be proportionately
adjusted to equal the result obtained by multiplying the Purchase
Price immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator
of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock of the
Company outstanding immediately prior to the occurrence of the
event and the denominator of which shall be the total number of
shares of Common Stock of the Company outstanding immediately
following the occurrence of such event. The adjustment provided for
in the preceding sentence shall be made successively whenever such
a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination
or consolidation is effected.
Section
12. Certification of
Adjustments
. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in
Section 11, the
Company shall (a)
promptly prepare a certificate setting forth the adjustment and a
reasonably detailed statement of facts and computations accounting
for such adjustment, (b)
promptly file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent
for the shares of Common Stock and Preferred Stock a copy of the
certificate, and (c) if
a Distribution Date has occurred, mail or cause the Rights Agent to
mail a brief summary thereof to each registered holder of a Right
Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder
of record of shares of Common Stock) in accordance with
Section 25.
Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the failure of the Company
to prepare such certificate or statement or make such filings or
mailings shall not affect the validity of, or the force or effect
of, the requirement for such adjustment. The Rights Agent shall be
fully protected in relying on such certificate, shall have no duty
or liability with respect to any adjustment therein contained, and
shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any adjustment or events
related thereto unless and until it shall have received such
certificate. Subject to the preceding sentence, any adjustment to
be made pursuant to
Section 11 shall
be effective as of the date of the event giving rise to the
adjustment.
Section13. Fractional Rights and
Fractional Shares.
(a) The
Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to
distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights.
Units may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by
depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between
the Company and a depositary selected by it, provided
that
the agreement shall provide that the holders of the depositary
receipts shall have all the rights, privileges and preferences to
which they are entitled as beneficial owners of the Units
represented by the depositary receipts. In lieu of such fractional
Rights, the Company shall pay to the holders of record of the Right
Certificates with regard to which the fractional Rights would
otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction
of the then Current Market Value of a whole
Right.
(b) The Company shall not
be required to issue fractions of Units or other securities upon
exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence
fractional Units or other securities. In lieu of issuing fractions
of Units or other securities, the Company shall pay to the
registered holders of Right Certificates at the time the Right
Certificates are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash
equal to the same fraction of the then Current Market Value of a
Unit or other securities, as the case may be.
(c) The
holder of a Right by the acceptance of a Right expressly waives his
right to receive any fractional Right or fractional Unit or other
fractional securities (other than the fractional shares of
Preferred Stock represented by Units) upon exercise of a
Right.
(d) Whenever
a payment for fractional Rights or fractional shares is to be made
by the Rights Agent under this Agreement, the Company shall
(i)
promptly prepare and deliver to the Rights Agent a certificate
setting forth in reasonable detail the facts related to such
payments and the prices and formulas utilized in calculating such
payments; and (ii) provide sufficient funds to the Rights Agent in
the form of fully collected funds to make such payments. The Rights
Agent shall be fully protected in relying upon such a certificate
and has no duty with respect to, and will not be deemed to have
knowledge of, any payment for fractional Rights or fractional
shares under any Section of this Agreement relating to the payment
of fractional Rights or fractional shares unless and until the
Rights Agent has received such a certificate and sufficient
monies.
Section
14. Rights of
Action
. All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, except those
rights of action vested in the Rights Agent pursuant to
Section 17 and
Section 19, are
vested in the respective registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the holders of
record of the Common Stock); and any registered holder of any Right
Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the shares of
Common Stock), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the
holder of any other Right Certificate (or, prior to the
Distribution Date, any shares of Common Stock), may, in its own
behalf and for its own benefit, enforce, and may institute and
maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company or any
other Person to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, its right
to exercise the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate in the
manner provided in the Right Certificate and in this Agreement.
Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the
holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders
of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach
of this Agreement and, accordingly, that they will be entitled to
specific performance of the obligations under, and injunctive
relief against actual or threatened violations of, the obligations
of any Person subject to this Agreement.
Section
15. Agreement of Right
Holders
. Every holder of a Right by accepting the same consents and agrees
with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other holder
of a Right that:
(a) prior
to the Distribution Date, the Rights will not be evidenced by a
Right Certificate and will be transferable only in connection with
the transfer of Common Stock of the Company;
(b) from
and after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates will be
transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if
surrendered at the office of the Rights Agent designated for such
purposes, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of
transfer and with the appropriate forms and certificates contained
therein properly completed and duly executed;
(c) subject
to
Section 6 and
Section 7(e), the
Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose
name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the
associated Common Stock certificate or, with respect to shares of
Common Stock not represented by a certificate the associated
notation on the Company’s share register) is registered as
the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby
(notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right
Certificate or the associated Common Stock certificate, if any,
made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent or the
transfer agent of the shares of Common Stock) for all purposes
whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary; and
(d) notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company,
its directors, officers, employees and agents nor the Rights Agent
shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or other Person
as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations
under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent
injunction or other order, decree, judgment or ruling (whether
interlocutory or final) issued by a court of competent jurisdiction
or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or
commission, or by reason of any statute, rule, regulation or
executive order promulgated or enacted by any governmental
authority, regulatory or administrative agency or commission,
prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such
obligation.
Section
16. Right Certificate
Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder
. No holder of a Right, as such, shall be entitled to vote, receive
dividends in respect of or be deemed for any purpose to be the
holder of shares of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Units or any
other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable
upon the exercise of the Rights, nor shall anything contained
herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the
holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a
stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of
directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any
meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate
action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting
stockholders (except as provided in
Section 24 hereof),
or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until
the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have
been exercised in accordance with the provisions
hereof.
Section
17. Concerning the Rights
Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to
pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services
rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the
Rights Agent, reimbursement of its reasonable expenses and counsel
fees and disbursements and other disbursements incurred in the
preparation, delivery, amendment, administration and execution of
this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties
hereunder.
(b) The Company also agrees
to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against,
any loss, damage, liability, demand, judgment, fine, penalty,
claim, settlement, cost or expense incurred without gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the
Rights Agent as each must be determined by final non-appealable
judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, for any action
taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with
the acceptance of, administration of and performance of its duties
under this Agreement, including reasonable attorneys’ fees
and expenses and the costs and expenses of defending against any
claim of liability in the premises.
(c) The
Rights Agent shall be authorized and protected and shall incur no
liability for or in respect of any action taken, suffered or
omitted by in connection with its administration and performance of
this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate, certificate
for shares of Common or Preferred Stock, Units or other securities
of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of
attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction,
consent, certificate, statement or other paper or document
reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed
and, where expressly required hereunder, guaranteed, verified or
acknowledged, by the proper person or persons, or otherwise upon
the advice of counsel as set forth herein. The Rights Agent shall
not be deemed to have knowledge of any event of which it was
supposed to receive notice thereof hereunder, and the Rights Agent
shall be fully protected and shall incur no liability for failing
to take any action in connection therewith, unless and until it has
received such notice.
The provisions of this Section
17 and
Section
19 shall survive
the termination or expiration of this Agreement, the exercise or
expiration of the Rights and the resignation, replacement or
removal of the Rights Agent. The costs and expenses incurred in
enforcing this right of indemnification shall be paid by the
Company. Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event
shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, punitive, indirect,
consequential or incidental loss or damage of any kind whatsoever
(including but not limited to lost profits, even if the Rights
Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage.
Any liability of the Rights Agent under this Agreement (other than
by reason of gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct, in
each case as determined by a non-appealable judgment of a court of
competent jurisdiction) will be limited to the amount of fees paid
by the Company to the Rights Agent during the twelve (12) months
immediately preceding the event for which recovery from the Rights
Agent is being sought.
Section
18. Merger or
Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.
(a) Any
Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person
resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights
Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any Person
succeeding to the stockholder services business of the Rights Agent
or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights
Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any
paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto,
provided that such Person would be eligible for appointment as a
successor Rights Agent under the provisions of
Section 20. In
case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the
agency created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates
shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor
Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor
Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned;
and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not
have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign
such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor
Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in
all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force
provided in the Right Certificates and in this
Agreement.
(b) In
case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and
at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been
countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the
countersignature under its prior name and deliver such Right
Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the
Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior
name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Right
Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right
Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section
19. Duties of Rights
Agent
. The Rights Agent undertakes to perform only the duties and
obligations expressly imposed by this Agreement (and no implied
duties and obligations) upon the following terms and conditions, by
all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates, by
their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The
Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal
counsel for the Company), and the advice or opinion of such counsel
shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the
Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or
in respect of, any action taken, suffered or omitted by it, subject
to
Section 17(b) and in
accordance with such advice or opinion.
(b) Whenever
in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights
Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter
(including, without limitation, the identity of any Acquiring
Person and the determination of Current Market Price) be proved or
established by the Company prior to taking, suffering or omitting
to take any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other
evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may
be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a
certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the Chief
Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the General
Counsel, any Vice President of the Company, the Treasurer, any
Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of
the Company (each, an “Appropriate
Officer”)
and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be
complete and full authorization and protection to the Rights Agent,
and, subject to
Section 17(b) the
Rights Agent shall incur no liability for or in respect of any
action taken, suffered or omitted by it under the provisions of
this Agreement in reliance upon such
certificate.
(c) The
Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct, as each is determined
by a final non-appealable judgment by a court of competent
jurisdiction.
(d) The
Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the
statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in
the Right Certificates (including in the case of uncertificated
shares, by notation in the Company’s share register
reflecting ownership), except as to the fact that it has
countersigned the Rights Certificates, or be required to verify the
same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed
to have been made by the Company only.
(e) The
Rights Agent shall not have any liability for nor be under any
responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the
execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by
the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any
Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereon); nor shall
it be liable nor responsible for any breach by the Company of any
covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right
Certificate; nor shall it be liable or responsible for any
adjustment required under the provisions of
Section 11 or
responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such adjustment
or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require
any such adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights
evidenced by Right Certificates after receipt of a certificate
describing any such adjustment); nor shall it by any act hereunder
be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the
authorization or reservation of any shares of Preferred Stock or
Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right
Certificate or as to whether any shares of Preferred Stock (or
other securities, as the case may be) will, when issued, be validly
authorized and issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) The
Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and
deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and
delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and
assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for
the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the
provisions of this Agreement.
(g) The
Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept
instructions with respect to the performance of its duties
hereunder from an Appropriate Officer, and to apply to such
officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties,
and such advice or instructions shall be full authorization and
protection to the Rights Agent and, subject to 17(b), the Rights Agent
shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken,
suffered or omitted to be taken by it in accordance with the advice
or instructions of any such officer.
(h) The
Rights Agent and any stockholder, Affiliate, director, officer or
employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the
Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily
interested in any transaction in which the Company may be
interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or
otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not the Rights
Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the
Rights Agent and such Persons from acting in any other capacity for
the Company or for any other Person.
(i) If,
with respect to any Right Certificate surrendered to the Rights
Agent for exercise or transfer, the certificate contained in the
form of assignment or the form of election to purchase set forth on
the reverse thereof, as the case may be, has either not been
completed or indicates an affirmative response to clause
1
and/or 2 of such certificate,
the Rights Agent shall not take any further action with respect to
such requested exercise of transfer without first consulting with
the Company and the Rights Agent shall not be liable for its
failure to act or any delay in acting in compliance with this
clause (i).
(j) No
provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder (other
than internal costs incurred by the Rights Agent in providing
services to the Company in the ordinary course of its business as
Rights Agent and for which the Rights Agent shall be compensated by
the Company pursuant to
Section 17(a)) or
in the exercise of its rights or powers if it believes that
repayment of such funds or adequate indemnification against such
risk or liability is not reasonably assured to
it.
(k) The
Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers
hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or
by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall
not be liable, answerable or accountable for any act, default,
neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any
loss to the Company, any holder of Rights or any other Person
resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, absent
gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct in the selection
and continued employment thereof, as each is determined by a final,
non-appealable court judgment of a court of competent
jurisdiction.
(l) The
Rights Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility in the case
of the receipt of any written demand from any holder of Rights with
respect to any action or default by the Company, including, without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, any duty or
responsibility to initiate or attempt to initiate any proceedings
at law or otherwise or to make any demand upon the
Company.
(m) The
Rights Agent shall not be liable or responsible for any failure of
the Company to comply with any of its obligations relating to any
registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission or this Agreement, including without limitation
obligations under applicable regulation or law.
(n) The
Rights Agent shall not assume any obligations or relationship of
agency or trust with any of the owners or holders of the
Rights.
(o) The
Rights Agent may rely on, and be fully authorized and protected in
acting or failing to act in reliance upon, (a) any guaranty of
signature by an “Eligible Guarantor Institution” that
is a member or participant in the Securities Transfer Agents
Medallion Program or other comparable “signature guarantee
program” or insurance program in addition to, or in
substitution for, the foregoing; or (b) any law, act,
regulation or any interpretation of the same even though such law,
act, or regulation may thereafter have been altered, changed,
amended or repealed.
Section
20. Change of Rights
Agent
. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be
discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 30 days’
notice in writing mailed to the Company and, to the extent the
Right Agent is not the transfer agent of the shares of Common
Stock, to each such transfer agent by registered or certified mail.
The Company shall notify the registered holders of any such change
in Rights Agent. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any
successor Rights Agent (with or without cause) upon 30 days’
notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or any successor
Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the
shares of Common Stock by registered or certified mail, and to the
registered holders of the Right Certificates by mail. In the event
a transfer agency relationship in effect between the Company and
the Rights Agent terminates, the Rights Agent will be deemed to
have resigned automatically and be discharged from its duties under
this Agreement as of the effective date of such termination, and
the Company shall be responsible for sending any required notice to
holders. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall
otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a
successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make
such appointment within a period of 30 days after such removal or
after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or
incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the
registered holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such
notice, submit such holder’s Right Certificate for inspection
by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for
the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent,
whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall
be (a) a
Person organized and doing business under the laws of the United
States or any state of the United States so long as such Person is
in good standing, is authorized to do business in such state, is
authorized under such laws to exercise stockholder services powers,
is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state
authority and has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a
combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 or
(b) an
Affiliate of a Person described in clause (a) of this sentence.
After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with
the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had
been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed;
but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the
successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it
hereunder, and shall execute and deliver, if applicable, any
further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for that
purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment,
the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the
predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common
Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered
holders of the Right Certificates, if any. Failure to give any
notice provided for in this
Section 20,
however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or
validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the
appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may
be.
Section
21. Issuance of New Right
Certificates
. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the
Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new
Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be
approved by its Board to reflect any adjustment or change in the
Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares of stock
or other securities or property purchasable under the Right
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of
shares of Common Stock of the Company following the Distribution
Date and prior to the earlier of the Redemption Date and the Final
Expiration Date, the Company (a)
shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock of the Company so
issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under
any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion
or exchange of securities hereafter issued by the Company,
and (b)
may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the
Board, issue Right Certificates representing the appropriate number
of Rights in connection with such issuance or
sale;provided,
however,
that (i) no
such Right Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that,
the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would
create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to
the Company or the Person to whom such Right Certificate would be
issued, and (ii) no such Right Certificate shall be issued, if, and
to the extent that, appropriate adjustment shall otherwise have
been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.
(a) The
Board may, at its option, at any time prior to the earlier
of (x)
the Close of Business on the tenth (10th) calendar day after the
Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the tenth (10th) calendar day
following the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date,
the Close of Business on the Record Date) or (y)
the Close of Business on the Final Expiration Date, direct the
Company to, and if directed, the Company shall, redeem all but not
less than all of the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price
of $0.001 per Right (the total amount paid to any holder of Rights
to be rounded up to the nearest $0.01), as such amount may be
appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, reverse stock
split, stock dividend, reclassification or similar transaction
effected by the Company occurring after the date (such redemption
price being hereinafter referred to as the
“Redemption
Price”).
(b) Immediately
upon the action of the Board directing the Company to make the
redemption of the Rights, evidence of which shall have been filed
with the Rights Agent, and without any further action and without
any notice, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the
only right thereafter of the holders of Rights shall be to receive
the Redemption Price for each Right so held. Promptly after the
action of the Board directing the Company to make such redemption
of the Rights, the Company shall give notice of such redemption to
the Rights Agent and each such holder of the then outstanding
Rights by mailing such notice to the Rights Agent and to each such
holders at such holder’s last address as it appears upon the
registry books of the Rights Agent, or, prior to the Distribution
Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for the Common
Stock. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided
shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the
notice. Each such notice of redemption will state the method by
which the payment of the Redemption Price will be made, unless such
notice is mailed together with such payment.
In the case of a redemption permitted
under Section
22(a), the
Company may, at its option, discharge all of its obligations with
respect to the Rights by (i) issuing a press release announcing
the manner of redemption of the Rights (with prompt written notice
thereof to the Rights Agent) and (ii) mailing payment of the
Redemption Price to each registered holder of the Rights at each
such holder’s last address as it appears on the registry
books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution Date, on
the registry books of the transfer agent of the Common Stock, and
upon such action, all outstanding Right Certificates shall be null
and void without any further action by the
Company.
(a) The
Board may, at its option, at any time after the later of the Stock
Acquisition Date or the Distribution Date, exchange all or part of
the then-outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not
include Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the
provisions of
Section 11(a)(ii)) for
Common Stock of the Company at an exchange ratio of one share of
Common Stock per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock
split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, reclassification or
similar transaction effected by the Company occurring after the
Record Date (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as
the “Exchange
Ratio”);provided,
however,
that in connection with any exchange effected pursuant to
this
Section 23, the
Board may (but shall not be required to) determine that a holder of
Rights shall not be entitled to receive shares of Common Stock that
would result in such holder, together with such holder’s
Affiliates, becoming the Beneficial Owner of 4.99% or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding. If a holder would, but for
the proviso set forth in the previous sentence, be entitled to
receive a number of shares under this
Section 23 that
would otherwise result in such holder, together with such
holder’s Affiliates, becoming the Beneficial Owner of 4.99%
or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding (such
shares, the “Excess Exchange
Shares”),
in lieu of receiving such Excess Exchange Shares, such holder will
be entitled to receive an amount in (1)
cash, (2)
debt securities of the Company, (3)
other assets, or (4)
any combination of the foregoing, having an aggregate value equal
to the Current Market Price per share of the Common Stock on the
date of the Stock Acquisition Date or Distribution Date, as
applicable, multiplied by the number of Excess Exchange Shares that
would otherwise have been issuable to such holder. Any such
exchange will be effective immediately upon the action of the Board
ordering the same, unless such action of the Board expressly
provides that such exchange will be effective at a subsequent time
or upon the occurrence or nonoccurrence of one or more specified
events (in which case such exchange will be effective in accordance
with the provisions of such action of the Board). Without limiting
the foregoing, prior to effecting an exchange pursuant to
this
Section 23, the
Board may enter into a Trust Agreement in such form and with such
terms as the Board shall then approve (the
“Trust
Agreement”).
If the Board so directs, the Company shall enter into the Trust
Agreement and shall issue to the trust created by such agreement
(the “Trust”)
all of the Common Stock issuable pursuant to the exchange (or any
portion thereof that has not theretofore been issued in connection
with the exchange). From and after the time at which such shares
are issued to the Trust, all stockholders then entitled to receive
shares pursuant to the exchange shall be entitled to receive such
shares (and any dividends or distributions made thereon after the
date on which such shares are deposited in the Trust) only from the
Trust and solely upon compliance with the relevant terms and
provisions of the Trust Agreement. Any shares of Common Stock
issued at the direction of the Board in connection herewith shall
be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable Common Stock, and
the Company shall be deemed to have received as consideration for
such issuance a benefit having a value that is at least equal to
the aggregate par value of the shares so
issued.
(b) Immediately
upon the action of the Board authorizing the exchange of any Rights
pursuant to
Section 23(a) and
without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter
of the holders of such Rights shall be to receive that number of
shares of Common Stock (or Units, as applicable) equal to the
number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the
Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of
any such exchange (with prompt written notice to the Rights
Agent);provided,
however,
that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not
affect the validity of such exchange. The Company shall promptly
mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of Rights
at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of
the Rights Agent. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein
provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives
the notice. Each notice of exchange will state the method by which
the exchange of shares of Common Stock (or Units, as applicable)
for Rights will be effected and, in the event of any partial
exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial
exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights
(other than Rights which have become null and void pursuant to the
provisions of
Section 7(e)) held
by each holder of Rights.
(c) In
any exchange pursuant to this
Section 23, the
Company, at its option, may, and to the extent there are an
insufficient number of authorized shares of Common Stock not
reserved for any other purpose to exchange all of the outstanding
Rights shall, substitute Units or Share Equivalents for some or all
of the shares of Common Stock exchangeable for Rights, at the
initial rate of one Unit or Share Equivalent for each share of
Common Stock.
(d) The
Board shall not authorize any exchange transaction referred to
in
Section 23(a) unless
at the time such exchange is authorized there shall be sufficient
shares of Common Stock (and/or Units or Unit Equivalents) issued
but not outstanding, or authorized but unissued, to permit the
exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with this
Section 23.
Section
24. Notice of Proposed
Actions.
(a) In
case the Company shall propose, at any time after the Distribution
Date, (i) to
pay any dividend to the holders of record of its shares of
Preferred Stock payable in stock of any class or to make any other
distribution to the holders of record of its shares of Preferred
Stock (other than a regular periodic cash dividend out of earnings
or retained earnings of the Company), (ii) to offer to the holders
of record of its shares of Preferred Stock options, warrants, or
other rights to subscribe for or to purchase shares of Preferred
Stock (including any security convertible into or exchangeable for
shares of Preferred Stock) or shares of stock of any class or any
other securities, options, warrants, convertible or exchangeable
securities or other rights, (iii) to effect any reclassification of
its shares of Preferred Stock or any recapitalization or
reorganization of the Company, (iv) to effect any consolidation,
combination or merger with or into, or any share exchange with, or
to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of
its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or
more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets, earning power or
cash flow of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole)
to, any other Person or Persons, or (v) to
effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company,
then, in each such case, the Company shall give to the Rights Agent
and, to the extent feasible, each registered holder of a Right
Certificate in accordance with
Section 25, a
written notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the
record date for the purposes of such dividend or distribution, or
the date on which such reclassification, recapitalization,
reorganization, consolidation, combination, merger, share exchange,
sale or transfer of assets, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up
is to take place and the record date for determining participation
therein by the holders of record of shares of Preferred Stock, if
any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in
the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least
10 days prior to the record date for determining holders of record
of the shares of Preferred Stock for purposes of such action, and
in the case of any such other action, at least 10 days prior to the
date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of
participation therein by the holders of record of the shares of
Preferred Stock, whichever shall be the earlier. The failure to
give notice required by this
Section 24 or any
defect therein shall not affect the legality or validity of the
action taken by the Company or the vote upon any such
action.
(b) In
case a
Section 11(a)(ii) Event
is proposed, then, in any such case, the Company shall, as soon as
practicable thereafter, give to the Rights Agent and to each
registered holder of Rights, to the extent feasible, in accordance
with
Section 25,
notice of the occurrence of such event or proposal of such
transaction which notice shall specify the proposed event and the
consequences of the event to holders of Rights under
Section 11(a)(ii), upon
consummating such transaction, shall similarly give notice thereof
to each holder of Rights.
. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or
made by the Rights Agent or by the registered holder of any Right
Certificate or Right to or on behalf of the Company shall be
sufficiently given or made if in writing and when sent by first-
class mail, postage prepaid, addressed or by nationally recognized
overnight courier (until another address is filed in writing with
the Rights Agent) as follows:
Support.com, Inc.
900 Chesapeake Drive, 2nd Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
Attention: General Counsel
Fax: (650) 556-1194
with a copy (which will not constitute notice) to:
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
2550
Hanover Street
Palo
Alto, CA 94304-1115
Attention: James J. Masetti, Esq.
Fax: (650) 233-4545
Subject to the provisions of
Section
20, any notice
or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or by the registered holder of any Right Certificate or
Right to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if in writing and when sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed or a nationally recognized courier service (until another
address is filed in writing with the Company) as
follows:
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
8742 Lucent Blvd., Suite 225
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
Attention: Client Services
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
250 Royall Street
Canton, MA 02021
Attention: General Counsel
Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made
by the Company or the Rights Agent to the registered holder of any
Right Certificate or Right shall be sufficiently given or made if
in writing and when sent by mail, postage prepaid, addressed to
such holder at the address of such holder as it appears upon the
registry books of the Rights Agent or, prior to the Distribution
Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent.
Section
26. Supplements
and Amendments
. Subject to extension by the Board by amendments, prior to the
Close of Business on the tenth (10th) calendar day after the Stock
Acquisition Date, the Company may in its sole and absolute
discretion and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs,
supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement (including
without limitation amendments that increase or decrease the
Purchase Price or Redemption Price or accelerate or extend the
Final Expiration Date or the period in which Rights may be
redeemed), without the approval of any holders of the Rights or
shares of Common Stock. From and after the Close of Business on the
tenth (10th) calendar day after the Stock Acquisition Date, the
Company may and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs,
supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any
holders of Right Certificates in order (i) to
cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision
contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any
other provisions herein, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time
period hereunder, or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions
hereunder in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or
desirable which shall not adversely affect the interests of the
holders of Right Certificates (other than any interest an Acquiring
Person or an Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person has
other than as a holder of Rights). Upon the delivery of a
certificate from an Appropriate Officer of the Company which states
that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the
terms of this
Section 26, the
Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment. Prior to
the Stock Acquisition Date, the interests of the holders of Rights
shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of
shares of Common Stock. Notwithstanding anything contained herein
to the contrary, the Rights Agent may, but shall not be obligated
to, enter into any supplement or amendment that affects the Rights
Agent’s own rights, duties, obligations or immunities under
this Agreement. In addition, notwithstanding anything to the
contrary in this Agreement, no supplement or amendment to this
Agreement shall be made that extends the Expiration Date.
No
supplement or amendment to this Agreement shall be effective unless
duly executed by the Rights Agent.
. All of the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for
the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure
to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
Section
28. Benefits of this
Agreement
. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any
Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered
holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution
Date, the shares of Common Stock) any legal or equitable right,
remedy or claim under this Agreement but this Agreement shall be
for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent
and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to
the Distribution Date, the shares of Common Stock).
Section
29. Governing
Law
. This Agreement and each Right Certificate issued hereunder shall
be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of
Delaware and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of such state applicable to contracts to
be made and performed entirely within such state.
. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and
each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an
original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but
one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of
a signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or electronic mail
shall be as effective as delivery of a manually executed
counterpart of this Agreement.
Section
31. Descriptive
Headings
. Descriptive headings of the several sections of this Agreement
are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect
the meaning or construction of any of the provisions.
. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement
is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to
be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms,
provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall
remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected,
impaired or invalidated; provided, however, that notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any such excluded
term, provision, covenant or restriction shall materially and
adversely affect the rights, immunities, duties or obligations of
the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent shall be entitled to resign
immediately upon written notice to the Company pursuant to the
requirements of
Section 25 of
this Agreement; and provided, further, that notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any such term,
provision, covenant or restriction is held by such court or
authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board
determines in its good faith judgment that severing the invalid
language from this Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or
effect of this Agreement, the right of redemption set forth
in
Section 22 hereof
shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the Close of
Business on the tenth (10th) Business Day following the date of
such determination by the Board.
Section
33. Determination and
Actions by the Board, etc
. Except
with respect to the rights, immunities, duties or obligations of
the Rights Agent hereunder, the Board shall have the exclusive
power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise
all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board, or to the
Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration
of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and
power to (i)
interpret the provisions of this Agreement, and (ii) make all
determinations or judgments deemed necessary or advisable for the
administration of this Agreement (including without limitation a
determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend this
Agreement) or otherwise contemplated by this Agreement. All such
actions, calculations, interpretations, judgments and
determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all
omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by
the Board in good faith, shall (x) be
final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the
holders of the Rights and all other parties, and
(y) not subject the Board to any liability to the holders of the
Right Certificates. The Rights Agent is entitled always to assume
the Board acted in good faith and shall be fully protected and
incur no liability in reliance thereon.
Section
34. Force
Majeure
. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the
Rights Agent shall not be liable for any delays or failures in
performance resulting from acts beyond its reasonable control
including, without limitation, acts of God, terrorist acts,
shortage of supply, breakdowns or malfunctions, interruptions or
malfunction of computer facilities, or loss of data due to power
failures or mechanical difficulties with information storage or
retrieval systems, labor difficulties, war, or civil
unrest.
Section
35. Further
Assurance
. The Company shall perform, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be
performed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other
acts, documents, instruments and assurances as may be reasonably
required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by
the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
[signature page follows]
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed, all as of the day and year first above
written.
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SUPPORT.COM,
INC.
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By:
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/s/ Richard
Bloom
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Name: Richard
Bloom
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Title:
President
and Chief Executive Officer
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COMPUTERSHARE
TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS RIGHTS AGENT
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By:
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/s/
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Name
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Title
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[Signature Page to Section 382
Tax Benefits Preservation Plan]
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed, all as of the day and year first above
written.
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SUPPORT.COM,
INC.
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By:
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/s/ Richard
Bloom
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Name: Richard
Bloom
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Title:
President
and Chief Executive Officer
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COMPUTERSHARE
TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS RIGHTS AGENT
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By:
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/s/ Patrick
Hayes
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Name: Patrick
Hayes
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Title:
Vice
President & Manager
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[Signature Page to Section 382
Tax Benefits Preservation Plan]
EXHIBIT A
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION
OF
SERIES B JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK
OF
SUPPORT.COM, INC.
(Pursuant to Section 151 of the Delaware General Corporation
Law)
_______________________________________
The undersigned, Richard Bloom, the
President and Chief Executive Officer of Support.com, Inc. (the
“Corporation”),
a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation
Law of the State of the Delaware, as amended (the
“DGCL”), does hereby certify:
That pursuant to the authority granted
by Article IV of the
Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, as
amended (the “Restated Certificate
of Incorporation”), and in accordance with
Section 151 of the
DGCL, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (hereinafter being
referred to as the “Board of
Directors” or
the “Board”),
at a meeting duly called and held on April 20, 2016, adopted
resolutions authorizing the creation and issuance of a series of
preferred stock designated as the “Series B Junior
Participating Preferred Stock,” none of which shares have
been issued;
That the Certificate of Designation for
the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the
“Certificate
of Designation”) was filed with the Secretary
of State for the State of Delaware and became effective on April
21, 2016.
That pursuant to the authority granted
by the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation, and
in accordance with Section 151 of the DGCL, the Board of Directors,
at a meeting duly called and held on August 21, 2019, adopted the
following resolutions amending and restating the Certificate of
Designation:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in
the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of the
Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Certificate of
Designation for the Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock
shall be amended and restated in its entirely, and the designation
and number of shares constituting such series, and the rights,
powers, preferences, privileges and restrictions relating to such
series, in addition to any set forth in the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation, shall be as follows:
1. Designation
and Amount. The
shares of such series shall be designated as “Series B
Junior Participating Preferred Stock” (the
“Series B Preferred
Stock”) and
the number of shares constituting the Series B Preferred Stock
shall be 150,000. Such number of shares may be increased or
decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors prior to
issuance; provided, that no decrease shall reduce the number of
shares of the Series B Preferred Stock to a number less than the
number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares
reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options,
rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding
securities issued by the Corporation convertible into the Series B
Preferred Stock; provided, further, that if more than a total of
150,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be issuable upon
the exercise of Rights (the “Rights”) issued pursuant
to the Tax Benefits Preservation Plan, dated as of August 21, 2019,
by and between the Corporation and Computershare Trust Company,
N.A., as Rights Agent, the Board of Directors of the Corporation,
pursuant to Section 151(g) of the DGCL, shall direct
by resolution or resolutions that a certificate be properly
executed, acknowledged, filed and recorded, in accordance with the
provisions of Section 103 of the DGCL, providing for the
total number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock authorized to be
issued to be increased (to the extent that the Certificate of
Incorporation then permits) to the largest number of whole shares
(rounded up to the nearest whole number) issuable upon exercise of
such Rights.
2.
Dividends and
Distributions.
(a) Subject to the rights of the holders of
any shares of any series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation (the
“Preferred
Stock”) (or
any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the shares of
Series B Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of
shares of the Series B Preferred Stock, in preference to the
holders of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the
Corporation (the “Common Stock”) and of any other stock
of the Corporation ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Stock,
shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board
of Directors out of funds of the Corporation legally available for
the payment of dividends, quarterly dividends payable in cash on
the last day of each fiscal quarter of the Corporation in each
year, or such other dates as the Board of Directors shall approve
(each such date being referred to herein as a
“Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date”), commencing on the first
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share
or fraction of a share of the Series B Preferred Stock (the
“Issue
Date”), in an
amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater
of (i) $1.00 or (ii)
subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1000
times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends,
and 1000 times the
aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash
dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in
shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares
of the Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on
the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend
Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of
a share of Series B Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation
shall at any time after the Issue Date (A) declare and pay any dividend on the
Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or
(B) effect a subdivision or
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a
dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number
of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to
which holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock were entitled
immediately prior to such event under clause (ii) of the preceding
sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator
of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event. In the event the
Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the
Series B Preferred Stock payable in shares of Series B Preferred
Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock (by reclassification
or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Series B
Preferred Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of
Series B Preferred Stock, then in each such case the amount to
which holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock were entitled
immediately prior to such event under clause (ii) of the first
sentence of this Section
2(a)
shall be adjusted by
multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is
the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event and the denominator of
which is the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock
outstanding immediately after such event.
(b) The Corporation shall declare a
dividend or distribution on the Series B Preferred Stock as
provided in paragraph (a) of this Section 2
immediately after it
declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than
a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); and the Corporation
shall pay such dividend or distribution on the Series B Preferred
Stock before the dividend or distribution declared on the Common
Stock is paid or set apart;provided
that, in the event no
dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common
Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend
of $1.00 per share on the Series B Preferred Stock shall
nevertheless be payable, when, as and if declared, on such
subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.
(a) Dividends
shall begin to accrue and be cumulative, whether or not declared,
on outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock from the
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of
such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to
the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in
which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the
date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date
for the determination of holders of shares of Series B Preferred
Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such
dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such
Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall
not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series B
Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such
dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be
allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares
at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record
date for the determination of holders of shares of Series B
Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or
distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more
than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment
thereof.
3. Voting
Rights. The holders
of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall have the following
voting rights:
(b) Subject
to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth and except as
otherwise provided in the Restated Certificate of Incorporation or
required by law, each share of Series B Preferred Stock shall
entitle the holder thereof to 1000 votes on all
matters upon which the holders of the Common Stock of the
Corporation are entitled to vote. In the event the Corporation
shall at any time after the Issue Date (i) declare or pay any
dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or
(ii) effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock)
into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in
each such case the number of votes per share to which holders of
shares of Series B Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior
to such event shall be adjusted by multiplying such number by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator
of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event. In the event the
Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the
Series B Preferred Stock payable in shares of Series B Preferred
Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock (by reclassification
or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Series B
Preferred Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of
Series B Preferred Stock, then in each such case the number of
votes per share to which holders of shares of Series B Preferred
Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event shall be
adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of
which is the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event and the denominator of
which is the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock
outstanding immediately after such event.
(b) Except
as otherwise provided herein, in the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation or in any other Certificate of Designations creating
a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, and except as
otherwise required by law, the holders of shares of Series B
Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any
other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights
shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote
of stockholders of the Corporation.
(c) (i)
If
at any time dividends on any Series B Preferred Stock shall be in
arrears in an amount equal to six quarterly dividends thereon, the
holders of the Series B Preferred Stock, voting as a separate
series from all other series of Preferred Stock and classes of
capital stock, shall be entitled to elect two members of the Board
in addition to any Directors elected by any other series, class or
classes of securities and the authorized number of Directors will
automatically be increased by two. Promptly thereafter, the Board
of the Corporation shall, as soon as may be practicable, call a
special meeting of holders of Series B Preferred Stock for the
purpose of electing such members of the Board. Such special meeting
shall in any event be held within 45 days of the occurrence of such
arrearage.
(ii) During
any period when the holders of Series B Preferred Stock, voting as
a separate series, shall be entitled and shall have exercised their
right to elect two Directors, then, and during such time as such
right continues, (a)
the then authorized number of Directors shall be increased by two,
and the holders of Series B Preferred Stock, voting as a separate
series, shall be entitled to elect the additional Directors so
provided for, and (b) each such additional Director shall
serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders for the
election of Directors, or until his successor shall be elected and
shall qualify, or until his right to hold such office terminates
pursuant to the provisions of this Section
3(c).
(iii) A
Director elected pursuant to the terms hereof may be removed with
or without cause by the holders of Series B Preferred Stock
entitled to vote in an election of such Director.
(iv) If,
during any interval between annual meetings of stockholders for the
election of Directors and while the holders of Series B Preferred
Stock shall be entitled to elect two Directors, there is no such
Director in office by reason of resignation, death or removal,
then, promptly thereafter, the Board shall call a special meeting
of the holders of Series B Preferred Stock for the purpose of
filling such vacancy and such vacancy shall be filled at such
special meeting. Such special meeting shall in any event be held
within 45 days of the occurrence of such vacancy.
(v) At such time as the arrearage is fully
cured, and all dividends accumulated and unpaid on any shares of
Series B Preferred Stock outstanding are paid, and, in addition
thereto, at least one regular dividend has been paid subsequent to
curing such arrearage, the term of office of any Director elected
pursuant to this Section
3(c), or his
successor, shall automatically terminate, and the authorized number
of Directors shall automatically decrease by two, the rights of the
holders of the shares of the Series B Preferred Stock to vote as
provided in this Section
3(c) shall cease,
subject to renewal from time to time upon the same terms and
conditions, and the holders of shares of the Series B Preferred
Stock shall have only the limited voting rights elsewhere herein
set forth.
(c) Except
as set forth herein, or as otherwise provided by law, holders of
Series B Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and
their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are
entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein)
for taking any corporate action.
(a) Whenever quarterly dividends or other
dividends or distributions payable on the Series B Preferred Stock
as provided in Section 2
hereof are in arrears,
thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and
distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series B
Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the
Corporation shall not:
(i) declare
or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of
stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series B Preferred
Stock;
(ii) declare
or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of
stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series B Preferred
Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series B Preferred
Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or
in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders
of all such shares are then entitled;
(iii) redeem
or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any
stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation,
dissolution or winding up) to the Series B Preferred Stock,
provided
that the Corporation may at
any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such
junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation
ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution,
liquidation or winding up) to the Series B Preferred Stock or
rights, warrants or options to acquire such junior stock;
or
(iv) redeem
or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of
Series B Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a
parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or
winding up) with the Series B Preferred Stock, except in accordance
with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as
determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares
upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of
the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and
preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine
in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the
respective series or classes.
(b) The Corporation shall not permit any
subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for
consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the
Corporation could, under paragraph (a) of this Section
4, purchase or
otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such
manner.
5. Reacquired
Shares. Any shares
of Series B Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the
Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled
promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon
their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred Stock and may be reissued, without designation as to
series until such shares are once more designated as part of a
particular series of Preferred Stock by resolution or resolutions
of the Board of Directors, subject to the conditions and
restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of
Designations creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar
stock or as otherwise required by law.
6. Liquidation,
Dissolution or Winding Up.
(d) Upon
any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no
distribution shall be made (i) to
the holders of the Common Stock or of shares of any other stock of
the Corporation ranking junior, either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up, to the Series B Preferred
Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series B
Preferred Stock shall have received $1000 per share, plus an amount
equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon,
whether or not declared, to the date of such payment,
provided
that
the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled
to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision
for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1000
times the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders
of shares of Common Stock, or (ii) to the holders of shares of
stock ranking on a parity either as to dividends or upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up with the Series B Preferred
Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series B Preferred
Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts
to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such
liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event, however, that
there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full
of the Series B Preferred Stock liquidation preference and the
liquidation preferences of all other classes and series of stock of
the Corporation, if any, that rank on a parity with the Series B
Preferred Stock in respect thereof, then the assets available for
such distribution shall be distributed ratably to the holders of
the Series B Preferred Stock and the holders of such parity shares
in the proportion to their respective liquidation preferences. In
the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Issue
Date (A)
declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares
of Common Stock, or (B)
effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or
otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock)
into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in
each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of
Series B Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such
event under the proviso in clause (i) of this Section 6(a)
shall
be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator
of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the
number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately
prior to such event. In the event the Corporation shall at any time
declare or pay any dividend on the Series B Preferred Stock payable
in shares of Series B Preferred Stock, or effect a subdivision,
combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Series B
Preferred Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment
of a dividend in shares of Series B Preferred Stock) into a greater
or lesser number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock, then in
each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of
Series B Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such
event under the proviso in clause (1) of
paragraph (A) of
this
Section 6 shall
be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator
of which is the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Series B Preferred
Stock outstanding immediately after such event.
(e) Neither
the merger, consolidation or other business combination of the
Corporation into or with another entity nor the merger,
consolidation or other business combination of any other entity
into or with the Corporation (nor the sale, lease, exchange or
conveyance of all or substantially all of the property, assets or
business of the Corporation) shall be deemed to be a liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of the Corporation within the meaning of
this Section
6.
7. Consolidation Merger,
etc. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, in case the Corporation
shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other
transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are converted into,
exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash
and/or any other property (payable in kind), then in any such case
each share of Series B Preferred Stock shall at the same time be
similarly converted into, exchanged for or changed into an amount
per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set
forth) equal to 1000
times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any
other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or
for which each share of Common Stock is converted or exchanged. In
the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Issue
Date (i) declare or
pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common
Stock, or (ii) effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation
(by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in
shares of Common Stock) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in
each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with
respect to the conversion, exchange or change of shares of Series B
Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common
Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator
of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were
outstanding immediately prior to such event. In the event the
Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the
Series B Preferred Stock payable in shares of Series B Preferred
Stock, or effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the
outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock (by reclassification
or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Series B
Preferred Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of
Series B Preferred Stock, then in each such case the amount set
forth in the first sentence of this Section
7 with respect to
the exchange or change of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall
be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator
of which is the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to such event and the
denominator of which is the number of shares of Series B Preferred
Stock outstanding immediately after such event.
8. No
Redemption. The
shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable from any
holder.
9. Rank.
The Series B Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the
payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, junior
to all series of any other class of the Preferred Stock issued
either before or
after the issuance of the Series B Preferred Stock, unless the
terms of any such series shall provide otherwise, and shall rank
senior to the Common Stock.
10. Amendment.
At such time as any shares of Series B Preferred Stock are
outstanding, if any proposed amendment to the Restated Certificate
of Incorporation (including this Certificate of Designation) would
materially alter, change or repeal any of the preferences, powers
or special rights given to the Series B Preferred Stock so as to
affect the Series B Preferred Stock adversely, then the holders of
the Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to vote separately
as a class upon such amendment, and the affirmative vote of
two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Series B Preferred
Stock, voting separately as a single class, shall be necessary for
the adoption thereof, in addition to such other vote as may be
required by the DGCL.
11. Fractional
Shares. Series B
Preferred Stock may be issued in fractions of a share that shall
entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional
shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate
in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of
holders of Series B Preferred Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned
have signed and attested this Amended and Restated Certificate of
Designation on the 21st
day of August,
2019.
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SUPPORT.COM, INC.
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By:
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/s/ Richard
Bloom
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Name:
Richard Bloom
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Title:
President and Chief Executive Officer
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Attest:
/s/ Olivia
Mirzoyev
Olivia Mirzoyev, Secretary
EXHIBIT B
Form of Right Certificate
Certificate No. R-____ ____________ Rights
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER August 21, 2022,
SUBJECT TO EARLIER REDEMPTION OR EXPIRATION PURSUANT TO THE
SECTION 382 TAX
BENEFITS PRESERVATION PLAN. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION,
AT THE OPTION OF THE COMPANY, AT $0.001 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS SET
FORTH IN THE SECTION 382 TAX BENEFITS PRESERVATION PLAN. THE
RIGHTS EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE SHALL NOT BE EXERCISABLE, AND
SHALL BE VOID SO LONG AS HELD BY A HOLDER IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE
THE REQUISITE QUALIFICATION FOR THE ISSUANCE TO SUCH HOLDER, OR THE
EXERCISE BY SUCH HOLDER, OF THE RIGHTS IN SUCH JURISDICTION SHALL
NOT HAVE BEEN OBTAINED OR BE OBTAINABLE. THE BENEFICIAL OWNER OF
THE RIGHTS REPRESENTED BY THIS RIGHT CERTIFICATE MAY BE AN
ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE (AS DEFINED IN THE
SECTION 382 TAX
BENEFITS PRESERVATION PLAN) OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR A SUBSEQUENT
HOLDER OF A RIGHT CERTIFICATE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY SUCH PERSONS.
ACCORDINGLY, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES AS PROVIDED IN THE
SECTION 382 TAX
BENEFITS PRESERVATION PLAN, THIS RIGHT CERTIFICATE AND THE RIGHTS
REPRESENTED HEREBY WILL BE NULL AND VOID.
RIGHT CERTIFICATE
SUPPORT.COM, INC.
This certifies
that ,
or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of
Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof,
subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the
Section 382 Tax
Benefits Preservation Plan, dated as of August 21, 2019, as
amended, restated, renewed or extended from time to time (the
“Plan”)
between Support.com, a Delaware corporation
(“Company”),
and Computershare Trust Company N.A., a federally chartered trust
company, as Rights Agent (“Rights
Agent”), to
purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date
(as such term is defined in the Plan) and prior to
5:00 P.M., New York City
time, on August 21, 2022, at the office or offices of the Rights
Agent, or its successors as Rights Agent, designated for such
purpose, one one-thousandth of a fully paid, nonassessable share of
Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001
per share, of the Company (a “Unit”),
at a purchase price of $3.00, as the same may from time to time be
adjusted in accordance with the Plan (“Purchase
Price”), upon
presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form
of Election to Purchase and included Certificate duly completed and
executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate
(and the number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise
thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above,
are the number and Purchase Price as of ___________, 20___, based
on the Units as constituted at such date.
As provided in the Plan, the Purchase Price and the number of Units
which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment
upon the happening of certain events and, upon the happening of
certain events, shares of Common Stock or other securities other
than Units, or other property, may be acquired upon exercise of the
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, as provided by the
Plan.
As more fully set forth in the Plan,
from and after the first occurrence of a Section
11(a)(ii) Event
(as such term is defined in the Plan), if the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate are beneficially owned by
(i) an Acquiring Person or
an Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person (as such terms are
defined in the Plan), (ii) a transferee of such Acquiring Person
(or of any such Associate or Affiliate), or (iii) under certain
circumstances specified in the Plan, a transferee of such Acquiring
Person (or of any such Associate or Affiliate) who becomes a
transferee prior to or concurrently with such Acquiring Person
becoming such, such Rights shall become null and void without any
further action, and no holder hereof shall have any right with
respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of such
Section
11(a)(ii) Event,
whether under the Plan or otherwise.
This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions
and conditions of the Plan, which terms, provisions and conditions
are incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to
which Plan reference is hereby made for a full description of the
rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities
of the Rights Agent, the Company and the registered holders of the
Right Certificates. Copies of the Plan are on file at the principal
executive office of the Company and will be mailed to stockholders
upon written request to the Rights Agent.
This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates,
upon surrender at the office or offices of the Rights Agent
designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Right
Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing
Rights entitling the registered holder to purchase a like aggregate
number of Units as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or
Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled the holder to
purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the
holder shall be entitled to receive, upon surrender hereof, the
Right Certificate indicating the remaining Rights represented
thereby or another Right Certificate or Right Certificates for the
number of Rights not exercised.
Subject to the provisions of the Plan,
the Rights evidenced by this Certificate may be (x) redeemed by the Company at its
option at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right at any time prior
to the earlier of the Close of Business on (i) the tenth (10th) calendar day after
the Stock Acquisition Date, and (ii) the Final Expiration Date, or
under certain other conditions as specified in the Plan, and
(y) exchanged, after any
Person becomes an Acquiring Person (as such terms are defined in
the Plan), at the option of the Board of Directors of the Company,
for one share of Common Stock of the Company as set forth in the
Plan.
No fractional Units, shares of Common Stock of the Company or other
securities (other than fractions of a share of Preferred Stock
represented by Units) shall be required to be issued upon the
exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby, and in lieu
thereof, as provided in the Plan, a holder otherwise entitled to
fractions of shares of Common Stock, Units or other securities
(other than fractions of a share of Preferred Stock represented by
Units) may receive an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of
the then current value of a share of Common Stock or such other
securities.
No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of Units,
shares of Preferred Stock, shares of Common Stock or of any other
securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable upon
the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Plan or
herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any
of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote
for the election of directors, or upon any matter submitted to
stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent
to any corporate action or to receive notice of meetings or other
actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Plan) or
to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until
the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have
been exercised as provided in the Plan.
This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights
Agent.
[remainder of page intentionally left blank]
WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal, dated as of ____________ ___,
______.
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SUPPORT.COM, INC.
By:
Name:
Title:
By: _____________________________
Name: _____________________________
Title: _____________________________
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Countersigned:
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COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS RIGHTS AGENT
By: _____________________________
Name: _____________________________
Title: _____________________________
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Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder
desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ________________________ hereby sells, assigns
and transfers unto
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________ Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, together
with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint _______________________
Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of
the within-named Company, with full power of
substitution.
Signature
(Signature must conform in all respects to the name of holder as
written upon the face of this Right Certificate, without alteration
or enlargement or any change whatsoever.)
Signature Guaranteed:*
* Signature must be guaranteed by an “Eligible Guarantor
Institution”
pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate
[ ] are
[ ] are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring
Person (as such terms are defined in the Plan);
after due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the
undersigned
[ ] did
[ ] did not
acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any
Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person or any transferee of such
Persons.
(Signature must conform in all respects to the name of holder as
written upon the face of this Right Certificate, without alteration
or enlargement or any change whatsoever.)
Signature Guaranteed:*
* Signature must be guaranteed by an “Eligible Guarantor
Institution”
pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
(To be executed if registered holder desires to Exercise the Right
Certificate.)
To: SUPPORT.COM, INC.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably
elects to
exercise Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the number of one
one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock, shares of Common
Stock or other securities issuable upon the exercise of such Rights
and requests that certificates representing such share(s) or other
securities be issued in the name of:
Please insert social security or other identifying number
________________________________
(Please print name and address)
If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the remaining
such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered
to:
Please insert social security or other identifying number
________________________________
(Please print name and address)
Signature
(Signature must conform in all respects to the name of holder as
written upon the face of the Right Certificate, without alteration
or enlargement or any change whatsoever.)
Signature Guaranteed:*
* Signature must be guaranteed by an
“Eligible Guarantor
Institution”
pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
Certificate
The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes
that:
(1) the
Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate
[ ] are
[ ] are not
being exercised by or on behalf of a Person who is or was an
Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or Associate of any such Acquiring
Person (as such terms are defined in the Plan);
(2) after
due inquiry and to the best knowledge of the undersigned, the
undersigned
[ ] did
[ ] did not
acquire the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate from any
Person who is or was an Acquiring Person or an Affiliate or
Associate of an Acquiring Person or any transferee of such
Persons.
(Signature must conform in all respects to the name of holder as
written upon the face of this Right Certificate, without alteration
or enlargement or any change whatsoever.)
Signature Guaranteed:*
* Signature must be guaranteed by an “Eligible Guarantor
Institution”
pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
EXHIBIT C
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES AS SET
FORTH IN THE SECTION 382 TAX BENEFITS PRESERVATION PLAN,
RIGHTS THAT ARE OR WERE BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON
OR ANY AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS
ARE DEFINED IN THE SECTION 382 TAX BENEFITS PRESERVATION PLAN) MAY
BECOME NULL AND VOID.
SUPPORT.COM, INC.
SUMMARY OF THE TERMS OF THE RIGHTS
TO PURCHASE UNITS OF PREFERRED STOCK
On August 21, 2019, the Board of
Directors (the “Board”)
of Support.com, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”),
declared a dividend distribution of one purchase right (a
“Right”)
for each outstanding share of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per
share (“Common
Stock”), of
the Company, payable to stockholders of record on September 3,
2019, and issuable as of that date. Except in the circumstances
described below, each Right, when it becomes exercisable, entitles
the registered holder to purchase from the Company one
one-thousandth of a share of Series B Junior Participating
Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value, of the Company
(“Preferred
Stock” and
each one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, a
“Unit”)
at a price of $3.00 per Unit (the “Purchase
Price”). The
rights of a holder of a Unit are substantially equivalent to the
rights of a holder of a share of Common Stock. The description and
terms of the Rights are set forth in a Section 382 Tax Benefits Preservation Plan (the
“Plan”)
between the Company and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a
federally chartered trust company, as rights agent (the
“Rights
Agent”).
The Company has generated substantial
operating losses (“NOLs”) in previous years which,
under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the
“Code”),
the Company may in certain circumstances use to offset current and
future earnings and thus reduce its future federal income tax
liability (subject to certain requirements and restrictions).
However, if the Company experiences an “Ownership
Change,” as defined in Section 382 of the Code and the treasury
regulations promulgated thereunder (“Section
382”), its
ability to use these NOLs could be substantially limited or lost
altogether. In order to seek to avoid an “Ownership
Change” and protect stockholder value, the Board of Directors
adopted the Plan.
As discussed below, initially the Rights will not be exercisable,
certificates will not be sent to stockholders and the Rights will
automatically trade with the Common Stock.
The Rights will be evidenced by Common
Stock certificates, and Rights relating to shares of Common Stock
not represented by certificates will be represented by notation on
the records of the Company, until the close of business on the
earlier to occur of (i) the tenth (10th) calendar day after
the day on which a public announcement or filing that a person or
group of affiliated or associated persons has become an
“Acquiring Person,” which is defined as a person who,
at any time after the date of the Plan, has acquired, or obtained
the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 4.99% or more of the
Common Stock of the Company then outstanding, subject to certain
exceptions as described below, or (ii) the tenth (10th) calendar
day (or a later date determined by the Board of Directors of the
Company) after the commencement of a tender or exchange offer the
consummation of which would result in a person becoming an
Acquiring Person (the earlier of these dates is called the
“Distribution
Date”).
As soon as practicable following a
Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will, if requested to do so by
the Company, mail separate certificates evidencing the Rights
(“Right
Certificates”)
to holders of record of shares of the Common Stock as of the close
of business on the Distribution Date, and those separate
certificates alone will evidence the Rights from and after the
Distribution Date.
Each of the following persons will not
be deemed to be an Acquiring Person, even if they have acquired, or
obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership of 4.99% or
more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then
outstanding: (i) the
Company, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) any employee
benefit plan or employee stock plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company, or any person organized, appointed,
established or holding shares of Common Stock of the Company for or
pursuant to the terms of any such plan; (iv) any “direct
public group” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations
Section 1.382-2T(j)(2)(ii);(v) any person who the Board determines
prior to the time the person would otherwise be an Acquiring
Person, should be exempted from being an Acquiring Person; (vi) any
person who would otherwise be an Acquiring Person upon the first
public announcement by the Company of the adoption of the Plan,
unless and until such person, or any Affiliate of such person,
acquires beneficial ownership of any additional shares of Common
Stock after the first public announcement by the Company of the
adoption of the Plan; (vii) any person who as the result of an
acquisition of shares of Common Stock by the Company (or any
Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan or employee
stock plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any
person organized, appointed, established or holding shares of
Common Stock of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any
such plan) which, by reducing the number of shares of Common Stock
outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares of Common
Stock beneficially owned by the person to 4.99% or more of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding, unless and until such
person, or any Affiliate of such person, following the first public
announcement by the Company of such share acquisition, acquires
beneficial ownership of any additional shares of Common Stock
(other than pursuant to a stock split, reverse stock split, stock
dividend, reclassification or similar transaction effected by the
Company); or (viii) any person who or which, within ten (10)
business days of being requested by the Company to advise it
regarding the same, certifies to the Company that such person
acquired shares of Common Stock in excess of 4.99% inadvertently or
without knowledge of the terms of the Rights and who or which,
together with all Affiliates and Associates, thereafter within ten
(10) business days following such certification reduces such
person’s (together with its Affiliates’ and
Associates’) beneficial ownership to less than 4.99% of the
shares of Common Stock then outstanding; provided, however,
that (x) if the
person requested to so certify fails to do so within ten (10)
business days or breaches or violates such certification, then such
person shall become an Acquiring Person immediately after such ten
(10) business day period or such breach or violation or
(y) if the person together
with its Affiliates and Associates fails to reduce beneficial
ownership to less than 4.99% within ten (10) business days
following such certification, then such person shall become an
Acquiring Person immediately after such ten (10) business day
period. In addition, no person shall be an Acquiring Person if the
Board shall have affirmatively determined in light of the intent
and purposes of the Plan or other circumstances facing the Company,
that such person should not be deemed an Acquiring Person. A person
(other than any “direct public group” within the
meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.382-2T(j)(2)(ii)) will be treated as
the beneficial owner of 4.99% or more shares of the Common Stock
if, in the determination of the Board, that person would be treated
as a “5-percent stockholder” for purposes of
Section 382
(substituting “4.99” for “5” each time
“five” or “5” is used in or for purposes of
Section 382).
The Rights are not exercisable until
after the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire upon the
earliest of (i) the
date on which all of the Rights are redeemed as described below,
(ii) the date on which the Rights are exchanged as described below,
(iii) the consummation of a reorganization transaction entered into
by the Company resulting in the imposition of stock transfer
restrictions that the Board determines, in its sole discretion,
will provide protection for the Company’s tax attributes
similar to that provided by the Plan, (iv) the close of business on
the effective date of the repeal of Section 382, or any other change, if the Board
determines, in its sole discretion, that the Plan is no longer
necessary or desirable for the preservation of the Company’s
tax attributes, (v)
the date on which the Board otherwise determines, in its sole
discretion, that the Plan is no longer necessary to preserve the
Company’s tax attributes, (vi) the beginning of a taxable
year of the Company to which the Board determines, in its sole
discretion, that none of the Company’s tax attributes may be
carried forward, (vii) the Close of Business on the day following
the certification of the voting results of the Company’s 2020
annual meeting of stockholders, if at such stockholder meeting a
proposal to approve the Agreement has not been passed by the
affirmative vote of the majority of the votes cast at the 2020
annual meeting of stockholders or any other meeting of stockholders
of the Company duly held prior to August 21, 2020, and (viii)
August 21, 2022.
The Purchase Price, and the number of
Units, shares of Common Stock or other securities or property
issuable upon exercise of the Rights, are subject to adjustment
from time to time to prevent dilution: (i) in the event of a stock dividend
on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the
Preferred Stock; (ii) upon the grant to holders of Preferred Stock
of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for Preferred Stock or
convertible securities at less than the current market price of the
Preferred Stock; or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the
Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding
dividends payable in Preferred Stock) or of subscription rights or
warrants (other than those referred to above). The Purchase Price
is also subject to adjustment from time to time in the event of a
Common Stock dividend on, or a subdivision or combination of, the
shares of Common Stock.
In the event any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, then each
holder of record of a Right, other than the Acquiring Person, will
thereafter have the right to receive, upon payment of the Purchase
Price, that number of shares of Common Stock having a value at the
time the person becomes an Acquiring Person equal to twice the
Purchase Price. Any Rights that are or were at any time, on or
after the Distribution Date, beneficially owned by an Acquiring
Person will become null and void. After such an event, to the
extent that insufficient shares of Common Stock are available for
the exercise in full of the Rights, holders of Rights will receive
upon exercise a number of shares of Common Stock to the extent
available and then Units or other securities of the Company,
assets, or cash, in proportions determined by the Company, so that
the aggregate value received is equal to twice the Purchase
Price.
No fractional shares of Common Stock or Units will be required to
be issued upon exercise of the Rights and, in lieu thereof, a
payment in cash equal to the fraction of the then current value of
a share of Common Stock may be made.
At any time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person, the Board
may exchange all or part of the outstanding Rights (other than
those held by an Acquiring Person) for shares of Common Stock at an
exchange rate of one share of Common Stock (and, in certain
circumstances, a Unit) for each Right. The Company will promptly
give public notice of any exchange (although failure to give notice
will not affect the validity of the exchange).
At any time until the close of business on the tenth (10th)
calendar day after the day a public announcement or filing is made
indicating that a person has become an Acquiring Person (and prior
to the giving of notice of the exchange or redemption, as
applicable to the holders of the Rights), or thereafter under
certain circumstances, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole,
but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right.
Immediately upon the action of the Board authorizing exchange or
redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will
terminate, and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to
receive (if applicable) the shares of Common Stock of the Company
(or Units) issuable in connection with the exchange or the
Redemption Price without any interest thereon.
Until the close of business on the tenth (10th) calendar day after
the day a public announcement or a filing is made indicating that a
person has become an Acquiring Person, or thereafter under certain
circumstances, the Company may amend the Rights in any manner. The
Company may also amend the Plan after the close of business on the
tenth (10th) calendar day after the day a public announcement or
filing is made indicating that a person has become an Acquiring
Person, to cure ambiguities, to correct defective or inconsistent
provisions or to otherwise change or supplement the Plan in any
manner that does not adversely affect the interests of holders of
the Rights.
Until a Right is exercised, the holder, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote
or to receive dividends.
The issuance of the Rights should not be taxable to the Company or
to stockholders under presently existing federal income tax law.
However, if the Rights become exercisable or are redeemed,
stockholders may recognize taxable income, depending on the
circumstances then existing.
A copy of the Plan has been filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Current
Report on Form 8-K
filed on August 22, 2019. In addition, a copy of the Plan is
available free of charge from the Company. This summary description
of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in
its entirety by reference to the Plan, which is incorporated in
this summary description by reference.
Appendix
B
SUPPORT.COM
AMENDED
AND RESTATED
2011 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
Support.com
Amended and Restated 2011 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
1.
Establishment, Purpose
And Term Of Plan
The
Support.com Amended and Restated 2011 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
(the “Plan”) amends
and restates the 2011 Employee Stock Purchase Plan effective upon
stockholder approval on [June 5, 2020] (the “Restatement Effective
Date”).
The
purpose of the Plan is to advance the interests of the Company and
its stockholders by providing an incentive to attract, retain and
reward Eligible Employees of the Participating Company Group and by
motivating such persons to contribute to the growth and
profitability of the Participating Company Group. The Plan provides
such Eligible Employees with an opportunity to acquire a
proprietary interest in the Company through the purchase of Stock.
The Company intends that the Plan qualify as an “employee
stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code (including
any amendments of such section), and the Plan shall be so
construed.
The
Committee may, in its discretion, terminate the Plan at any
time.
2.
Definitions And
Construction
Any
term not expressly defined in the Plan but defined for purposes of
Section 423 of the Code shall have the same definition herein.
Whenever used herein, the following terms shall have their
respective meanings set forth below:
(a) “Board”
means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(b) “Change in
Control” means the
occurrence of any one or a combination of the
following:
(i) any
“person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and
14(d) of the Exchange Act) becomes the “beneficial
owner” (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated
under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of
the Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total
Fair Market Value or total combined voting power of the
Company’s then-outstanding securities entitled to vote
generally in the election of Directors; provided, however, that a
Change in Control shall not be deemed to have occurred if such
degree of beneficial ownership results from any of the following:
(A) an acquisition by any person who is the beneficial owner of
more than fifty percent (50%) of such voting power, (B) any
acquisitiondirectly from the Company, including, without
limitation, pursuant to or in connection with a public offering of
securities, (C) any acquisition by the Company, (D) any acquisition
by a trustee or other fiduciary under an employee benefit plan of a
Participating Company or (E) any acquisition by an entity owned
directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in
substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the voting
securities of the Company; or
(ii) an
Ownership Change Event or series of related Ownership Change Events
(collectively, a “Transaction”)
in which the stockholders of the Company immediately before the
Transaction do not retain immediately after the Transaction direct
or indirect beneficial ownership of more than fifty percent (50%)
of the total combined voting power of the outstanding securities
entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors or, in the
case of an Ownership Change Event described in Section 2.1(o)(iii),
the entity to which the assets of the Company were transferred (the
“Transferee”),
as the case may be; or
(iii) approval
by the stockholders of a plan of complete liquidation or
dissolution of the Company; provided, however, that a Change in
Control shall be deemed not to include a transaction described in
subsections (i) or (ii) of this Section 2.1(b) in which a
majority of the members of the board of directors of the
continuing, surviving or successor entity, or parent thereof,
immediately after such transaction is comprised of Incumbent
Directors.
For
purposes of the preceding sentence, indirect beneficial ownership
shall include, without limitation, an interest resulting from
ownership of the voting securities of one or more corporations or
other business entities which own the Company or the Transferee, as
the case may be, either directly or through one or more subsidiary
corporations or other business entities. The Committee shall
determine whether multiple acquisitions of the voting securities of
the Company and/or multiple Ownership Change Events are related and
to be treated in the aggregate as a single Change in Control, and
its determination shall be final, binding and
conclusive.
(c) “Code”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any
applicable regulations promulgated thereunder.
(d) “Committee”
means the Compensation Committee and such other committee or
subcommittee of the Board, if any, duly appointed to administer the
Plan and having such powers in each instance as shall be specified
by the Board. If, at any time, there is no committee of the Board
then authorized or properly constituted to administer the Plan, the
Board shall exercise all of the powers of the Committee granted
herein, and, in any event, the Board may in its discretion exercise
any or all of such powers.
(e) “Company”
means Support.com, a Delaware corporation, or any successor
corporation thereto.
(f) “Compensation”
means, with respect to any Offering Period, base wages or salary,
overtime, bonuses, commissions, shift differentials, payments for
paid time off, payments in lieu of notice, and compensation
deferred under any program or plan, including, without limitation,
pursuant to Section 401(k) or Section 125 of the Code. Compensation
shall be limited to amounts actually payable in cash or deferred
during the Offering Period. Compensation shall not include moving
allowances, payments pursuant to a severance agreement, termination
pay, relocation payments, sign-on bonuses, any amounts directly or
indirectly paid pursuant to the Plan or any other stock purchase,
stock option or other stock-based compensation plan, or any other
compensation not included above.
(g) “Eligible
Employee” means an
Employee who meets the requirements set forth in Section 5 for
eligibility to participate in the Plan.
(h) “Employee”
means a person treated as an employee of a Participating Company
for purposes of Section 423 of the Code. A Participant shall be
deemed to have ceased to be an Employee either upon an actual
termination of employment or upon the corporation employing the
Participant ceasing to be a Participating Company. For purposes of
the Plan, an individual shall not be deemed to have ceased to be an
Employee while on any military leave, sick leave, or other bona
fide leave of absence approved by the Company of ninety (90) days
or less. If an individual’s leave of absence exceeds ninety
(90) days, the individual shall be deemed to have ceased to be an
Employee on the ninety-first (91st) day of such leave unless the
individual’s right to reemployment with the Participating
Company Group is guaranteed either by statute or by
contract.
(i) “Fair Market
Value” means, as of any
date:
(i) Except
as otherwise determined by the Committee, if, on such date, the
Stock is listed or quoted on a national or regional securities
exchange or quotation system, the closing price of a share of Stock
as quoted on the national or regional securities exchange or
quotation system constituting the primary market for the Stock, as
reported in The Wall Street Journal
or such other source as the Company
deems reliable. If the relevant date does not fall on a day on
which the Stock has traded on such securities exchange or quotation
system, the date on which the Fair Market Value is established
shall be the last day on which the Stock was so traded or quoted
prior to the relevant date, or such other appropriate day as
determined by the Committee, in its discretion.
(ii) If,
on the relevant date, the Stock is not then listed on a national or
regional securities exchange or quotation system, the Fair Market
Value of a share of Stock shall be as determined in good faith by
the Committee.
(j) “Non-United
States Offering” means a
separate Offering covering Eligible Employees of one or more
Participating Companies whose Eligible Employees are subject to a
prohibition under applicable law on payroll deductions or other
local law requirement, as described in Section
11.1(b).
(k) “Offering”
means an offering of Stock pursuant to the Plan, as provided in
Section 6.
(l) “Offering
Date” means, for any
Offering Period, the first day of such Offering
Period.
(m) “Offering
Period” means a period,
established by the Committee in accordance with Section 6, during
which an Offering is outstanding.
(n) “Officer”
means any person designated by the Board as an officer of the
Company.
(o) “Ownership
Change Event” means the
occurrence of any of the following with respect to the Company:
(i) the direct or indirect sale or exchange in a single or
series of related transactions by the stockholders of the Company
of securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent
(50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s
then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the
election of Directors; (ii) a merger or consolidation in which the
Company is a party; or (iii) the sale, exchange, or transfer of all
or substantially all of the assets of the Company (other than a
sale, exchange or transfer to one or more subsidiaries of the
Company).
(p) “Parent
Corporation” means any
present or future “parent corporation” of the Company,
as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.
(q) “Participant”
means an Eligible Employee who has become a participant in an
Offering Period in accordance with Section 7 and remains a
participant in accordance with the Plan.
(r) “Participating
Company” means the
Company and any Parent Corporation or Subsidiary Corporation
designated by the Committee as a corporation the Employees of which
may, if Eligible Employees, participate in the Plan. The Committee
shall have the discretion to determine from time to time which
Parent Corporations or Subsidiary Corporations shall be
Participating Companies.
(s) “Participating
Company Group” means, at
any point in time, the Company and all other corporations
collectively which are then Participating
Companies.
(t) “Purchase
Date” means, for any
Offering Period, the last day of such Offering Period, or, if so
determined by the Committee, the last day of each Purchase Period
occurring within such Offering Period.
(u) “Purchase
Period” means a period,
established by the Committee in accordance with Section 6, included
within an Offering Period and on the final date of which
outstanding Purchase Rights are exercised.
(v) “Purchase
Price” means the price at
which a share of Stock may be purchased under the Plan, as
determined in accordance with Section 9.
(w) “Purchase
Right” means an option
granted to a Participant pursuant to the Plan to purchase such
shares of Stock as provided in Section 8, which the Participant may
or may not exercise during the Offering Period in which such option
is outstanding. Such option arises from the right of a Participant
to withdraw any payroll deductions or other funds accumulated on
behalf of the Participant and not previously applied to the
purchase of Stock under the Plan, and to terminate participation in
the Plan at any time during an Offering Period.
(x) “Securities
Act” means the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended.
(y) “Stock”
means the common stock of the Company, as adjusted from time to
time in accordance with Section 4.2.
(z) “Subscription
Agreement” means a
written or electronic agreement, in such form as is specified by
the Company, stating an Employee’s election to participate in
the Plan and authorizing payroll deductions under the Plan from the
Employee’s Compensation or other method of payment authorized
by the Committee pursuant to Section 11.1(b).
(aa) “Subscription
Date” means the last
business day prior to the Offering Date of an Offering Period or
such earlier date as the Company shall
establish.
(bb) “Subsidiary
Corporation” means any
present or future “subsidiary corporation” of the
Company, as defined in Section 424(f) of the
Code.
Captions and titles
contained herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the
meaning or interpretation of any provision of the Plan. Except when
otherwise indicated by the context, the singular shall include the
plural and the plural shall include the singular. Use of the term
“or” is not intended to be exclusive, unless the
context clearly requires otherwise.
3.1. Administration by the
Committee
. The
Plan shall be administered by the Committee. All questions of
interpretation of the Plan, of any form of agreement or other
document employed by the Company in the administration of the Plan,
or of any Purchase Right shall be determined by the Committee, and
such determinations shall be final, binding and conclusive upon all
persons having an interest in the Plan or the Purchase Right,
unless fraudulent or made in bad faith. Subject to the provisions
of the Plan, the Committee shall determine all of the relevant
terms and conditions of Purchase Rights; provided, however, that
all Participants granted Purchase Rights pursuant to an Offering
shall have the same rights and privileges within the meaning of
Section 423(b)(5) of the Code. Any and all actions, decisions and
determinations taken or made by the Committee in the exercise of
its discretion pursuant to the Plan or any agreement thereunder
(other than determining questions of interpretation pursuant to the
second sentence of this Section 3.1) shall be final, binding and
conclusive upon all persons having an interest therein. All
expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in the administration
of the Plan shall be paid by the Company.
3.2. Authority of
Officers
. Any
Officer shall have the authority to act on behalf of the Company
with respect to any matter, right, obligation, determination or
election that is the responsibility of or that is allocated to the
Company herein, provided that the Officer has actual authority with
respect to such matter, right, obligation, determination or
election.
3.3. Power to Adopt Sub-Plans or
Varying Terms with Respect to Non-U.S. Employees
The
Committee shall have the power, in its discretion, to adopt one or
more sub-plans of the Plan and initiate separate Offerings through
such sub-plans or otherwise (which need not qualify under Section
423 of the Code) as the Committee deems necessary or desirable to
comply with the laws or regulations, tax policy, accounting
principles or custom of foreign jurisdictions applicable to
employees of a subsidiary business entity of the Company without
affecting the qualification of the remainder of the Plan under
Section 423 of the Code. Any of the provisions of any such sub-plan
or Offerings may supersede the provisions of this Plan, other than
Section 4. Except as superseded by the provisions of such sub-plan
or Offering, the provisions of this Plan shall govern such sub-plan
or Offering. In order to comply with the laws of a foreign
jurisdiction, the Committee shall also have the power, in its
discretion, to grant Purchase Rights in an Offering to citizens or
residents of a non-U.S. jurisdiction (without regard to whether
they are also citizens of the United States or resident aliens)
that provide terms which are less favorable or differ than the
terms of Purchase Rights granted to Employees resident in the
United States, subject to compliance with Section 423 of the
Code.
3.4. Power to Establish Separate
Offerings with Varying Terms
The Committee shall
have the power, in its discretion, to establish separate,
simultaneous or overlapping Offerings having different terms and
conditions and to designate the Participating Company or Companies
that may participate in a particular Offering, provided that each
Offering shall individually comply with the terms of the Plan and
the requirements of Section 423(b)(5) of the Code that all
Participants granted Purchase Rights pursuant to such Offering
shall have the same rights and privileges within the meaning of
such section.
3.5. Policies and Procedures
Established by the Company
Without
regard to whether any Participant’s Purchase Right may be
considered adversely affected, the Company may, from time to time,
consistent with the Plan and the requirements of Section 423 of the
Code, establish, change or terminate such rules, guidelines,
policies, procedures, limitations, or adjustments as deemed
advisable by the Company, in its discretion, for the proper
administration of the Plan, including, without limitation,
(a) a minimum payroll deduction amount required for
participation in an Offering, (b) a limitation on the
frequency or number of changes permitted in the rate of payroll
deduction during an Offering, (c) an exchange ratio applicable
to amounts withheld or paid in a currency other than United States
dollars, (d) a payroll deduction greater than or less than the
amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for the
Company’s delay or mistake in processing a Subscription
Agreement or in otherwise effecting a Participant’s election
under the Plan or as advisable to comply with the requirements of
Section 423 of the Code, (e) determination of the date and
manner by which the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock is
determined for purposes of administration of the Plan, and
(f) prescribe rules, forms and administrative procedures
designed to mandate a minimum holding period for shares of Stock
acquired under the Plan or to facilitate a “quick sale”
and/or 10b5-1 program by Participants in accordance with applicable
securities laws. All such actions by the Company shall be taken
consistent with the requirements under Section 423(b)(5) of the
Code that all Participants granted Purchase Rights pursuant to an
Offering shall have the same rights and privileges within the
meaning of such section, except as otherwise permitted by Section
3.3 and the regulations under Section 423 of the Code.
In
addition to such other rights of indemnification as they may have
as members of the Board or the Committee or as officers or
employees of the Participating Company Group, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, members of the Board or the Committee
and any officers or employees of the Participating Company Group to
whom authority to act for the Board, the Committee or the Company
is delegated shall be indemnified by the Company against all
reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and
necessarily incurred in connection with the defense of any action,
suit or proceeding, or in connection with any appeal therein, to
which they or any of them may be a party by reason of any action
taken or failure to act under or in connection with the Plan, or
any right granted hereunder, and against all amounts paid by them
in settlement thereof (provided such settlement is approved by
independent legal counsel selected by the Company) or paid by them
in satisfaction of a judgment in any such action, suit or
proceeding, except in relation to matters as to which it shall be
adjudged in such action, suit or proceeding that such person is
liable for gross negligence, bad faith or intentional misconduct in
duties; provided, however, that within sixty (60) days after the
institution of such action, suit or proceeding, such person shall
offer to the Company, in writing, the opportunity at its own
expense to handle and defend the same.
4.1. Maximum Number of Shares
Issuable
Subject
to adjustment as provided in Section 4.2, the maximum aggregate
number of shares of Stock that may be issued under the Plan shall
be one million(1,000,000) shares, plus the increase in the number
of shares available for issuance under the Plan resulting from the
equitable adjustment for the extraordinary dividend paid on
December 26, 2019 (50,275), plus an additional one million
(1,000,000) shares subject to and effective upon stockholder
approval of this amendment and restatement, and shall consist of
authorized but unissued or reacquired shares of Stock, or any
combination thereof. If an outstanding Purchase Right for any
reason expires or is terminated or canceled, the shares of Stock
allocable to the unexercised portion of that Purchase Right shall
again be available for issuance under the Plan.
4.2. Adjustments for Changes in
Capital Structure
.
Subject to any required action by the stockholders of the Company
and the requirements of Section 424 of the Code to the extent
applicable, in the event of any change in the Stock effected
without receipt of consideration by the Company, whether through
merger, consolidation, reorganization, reincorporation,
recapitalization, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split,
reverse stock split, split-up, split-off, spin-off, combination of
shares, exchange of shares, or similar change in the capital
structure of the Company, or in the event of payment of a dividend
or distribution to the stockholders of the Company in a form other
than Stock (excepting regular, periodic cash dividends) that has a
material effect on the Fair Market Value of shares of Stock,
appropriate and proportionate adjustments shall be made in the
number and kind of shares subject to the Plan, the limit on the
shares which may be purchased by any Participant during an Offering
(as described in Section 8) and each Purchase Right, and in the
Purchase Price in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of
Participants’ rights under the Plan. For purposes of the
foregoing, conversion of any convertible securities of the Company
shall not be treated as “effected without receipt of
consideration by the Company.” If a majority of the shares
which are of the same class as the shares that are subject to
outstanding Purchase Rights are exchanged for, converted into, or
otherwise become (whether or not pursuant to an Ownership Change
Event) shares of another corporation (the “New Shares”),
the Committee may unilaterally amend the outstanding Purchase
Rights to provide that such Purchase Rights are for New Shares. In
the event of any such amendment, the number of shares subject to,
and the exercise price per share of, the outstanding Purchase
Rights shall be adjusted in a fair and equitable manner as
determined by the Committee, in its discretion. Any fractional
share resulting from an adjustment pursuant to this Section shall
be rounded down to the nearest whole number, and in no event may
the Purchase Price be decreased to an amount less than the par
value, if any, of the stock subject to the Purchase Right. The
adjustments determined by the Committee pursuant to this Section
4.2 shall be final, binding and conclusive.
5.1. Employees Eligible to
Participate
. Each
Employee of a Participating Company is eligible to participate in
the Plan and shall be deemed an Eligible Employee, except the
following:
(a) Any
Employee who is customarily employed by the Participating Company
Group for twenty (20) hours or less per week; or
(b) Any
Employee who is customarily employed by the Participating Company
Group for not more than five (5) months in any calendar
year.
The
Committee may include Employees described above in the category of
Eligible Employees to the extent required under local law, subject
to compliance with Section 423 of the Code to the extent
applicable.
5.2. Exclusion of Certain
Stockholders
.
Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, no
Employee shall be treated as an Eligible Employee and granted a
Purchase Right under the Plan if, immediately after such grant, the
Employee would own, or hold options to purchase, stock of the
Company or of any Parent Corporation or Subsidiary Corporation
possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting
power or value of all classes of stock of such corporation, as
determined in accordance with Section 423(b)(3) of the Code. For
purposes of this Section 5.2, the attribution rules of Section
424(d) of the Code shall apply in determining the stock ownership
of such Employee.
5.3. Determination by
Company
. The
Company shall determine in good faith and in the exercise of its
discretion whether an individual has become or has ceased to be an
Employee or an Eligible Employee and the effective date of such
individual’s attainment or termination of such status, as the
case may be. For purposes of an individual’s participation in
or other rights, if any, under the Plan as of the time of the
Company’s determination of whether or not the individual is
an Employee, all such determinations by the Company shall be final,
binding and conclusive as to such rights, if any, notwithstanding
that the Company or any court of law or governmental agency
subsequently makes a contrary determination as to such
individual’s status as an Employee.
The
Plan shall be implemented by sequential Offerings of approximately
six (6) months duration or such other duration as the
Committee shall determine. Offering Periods shall commence on the
fifteenth day of May and November of each year and end on the
fourteenth day of the next May and November, respectively,
occurring thereafter. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee
may establish additional or alternative concurrent, sequential or
overlapping Offering Periods, a different duration for one or more
Offering Periods or different commencing or ending dates for such
Offering Periods; provided, however, that no Offering Period may
have a duration exceeding twenty-seven (27) months. If the
Committee shall so determine in its discretion, each Offering
Period may consist of two (2) or more consecutive Purchase
Periods having such duration as the Committee shall specify, and
the last day of each such Purchase Period shall be a Purchase Date.
If the first or last day of an Offering Period or a Purchase Period
is not a day on which the principal stock exchange or quotation
system on which the Stock is then listed is open for trading, the
Company shall specify the trading day that will be deemed the first
or last day, as the case may be, of the Offering Period or Purchase
Period.
7.
Participation In The
Plan
7.1. Initial
Participation
(a) Generally. An Eligible Employee may become a Participant in
an Offering Period by delivering a properly completed written or
electronic Subscription Agreement to the Company office or
representative designated by the Company (including a third-party
administrator designated by the Company) not later than the close
of business on the Subscription Date established by the Company for
that Offering Period. An Eligible Employee who does not deliver a
properly completed Subscription Agreement in the manner permitted
or required on or before the Subscription Date for an Offering
Period shall not participate in the Plan for that Offering Period
or for any subsequent Offering Period unless the Eligible Employee
subsequently delivers a properly completed Subscription Agreement
to the appropriate Company office or representative on or before
the Subscription Date for such subsequent Offering Period. An
Employee who becomes an Eligible Employee after the Offering Date
of an Offering Period shall not be eligible to participate in that
Offering Period but may participate in any subsequent Offering
Period provided the Employee is still an Eligible Employee as of
the Offering Date of such subsequent Offering
Period.
7.2. Continued
Participation
(a) Generally. A Participant shall automatically participate in
the next Offering Period commencing immediately after the final
Purchase Date of each Offering Period in which the Participant
participates provided that the Participant remains an Eligible
Employee on the Offering Date of the new Offering Period and has
not either (a) withdrawn from the Plan pursuant to Section
12.1, or (b) terminated employment or otherwise ceased to be
an Eligible Employee as provided in Section 13. A Participant who
may automatically participate in a subsequent Offering Period, as
provided in this Section, is not required to deliver any additional
Subscription Agreement for the subsequent Offering Period in order
to continue participation in the Plan. However, a Participant may
deliver a new Subscription Agreement for a subsequent Offering
Period in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section
7.1(a) if the Participant desires to change any of the elections
contained in the Participant’s then effective Subscription
Agreement.
8.1. Grant of Purchase
Right
On the
Offering Date of each Offering Period, each Participant in such
Offering Period shall automatically be granted a Purchase Right
consisting of an option to purchase the lesser of (a) that
number of whole shares of Stock determined by applying the dollar
limit in Section 8.2 (as provided below) or (b) the share
limit in Section 8.3 (as provided below). The Committee may, in its
discretion and prior to the Offering Date of any Offering Period,
(i) change the method of, or any of the foregoing factors in,
determining the number of shares of Stock subject to Purchase
Rights to be granted on such Offering Date, or (ii) specify a
maximum aggregate number of shares that may be purchased by all
Participants in an Offering or on any Purchase Date within an
Offering Period. No Purchase Right shall be granted on an Offering
Date to any person who is not, on such Offering Date, an Eligible
Employee.
8.2. Calendar Year Purchase
Limitation
Notwithstanding
any provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant shall be
granted a Purchase Right which permits his or her right to purchase
shares of Stock under the Plan to accrue at a rate which, when
aggregated with such Participant’s rights to purchase shares
under all other employee stock purchase plans of a Participating
Company intended to meet the requirements of Section 423 of the
Code, exceeds Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000) in Fair Market
Value (or such other limit, if any, as may be imposed by the Code)
for each calendar year in which such Purchase Right is outstanding
at any time. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the Fair
Market Value of shares purchased during a given Offering Period
shall be determined as of the Offering Date for such Offering
Period. The limitation described in this Section shall be applied
in conformance with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and the
regulations thereunder.
.
Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, no
Participant shall purchase more than ten thousand (10,000) shares
of Stock during an Offering Period. This limitation may be adjusted
by the Committee prior to the start of an Offering
Period.
The
Purchase Price at which each share of Stock may be acquired in an
Offering Period upon the exercise of all or any portion of a
Purchase Right shall be established by the Committee; provided,
however, that the Purchase Price on each Purchase Date shall not be
less than eighty-five percent (85%) of the lesser of (a) the
Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the Offering Date of the
Offering Period or (b) the Fair Market Value of a share of
Stock on the Purchase Date.
10.
Accumulation Of
Purchase Price Through Payroll Deduction
Except
as provided in Section 11.1(b) with respect to a Non-United States
Offering, shares of Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of all
or any portion of a Purchase Right may be paid for only by means of
payroll deductions from the Participant’s Compensation
accumulated during the Offering Period for which such Purchase
Right was granted, subject to the following:
10.1. Amount of Payroll
Deductions
Except
as otherwise provided herein, the amount to be deducted under the
Plan from a Participant’s Compensation on each pay day during
an Offering Period shall be determined by the Participant’s
Subscription Agreement. The Subscription Agreement shall set forth
the percentage of the Participant’s Compensation to be
deducted on each pay day during an Offering Period in whole
percentages of not less than one percent (1%) (except as a result
of an election pursuant to Section 10.3 to stop payroll deductions
effective following the first pay day during an Offering) or more
than fifteen (15%) percent. The Committee may change the foregoing
limits on payroll deductions (but shall not exceed fifteen (15)
percent) effective as of any Offering Date.
10.2. Commencement of Payroll
Deductions
Payroll
deductions shall commence on the first pay day following the
Offering Date and shall continue to the end of the Offering Period
unless sooner altered or terminated as provided
herein.
10.3. Election to Decrease or Stop
Payroll Deductions
.
During an Offering Period, a Participant may elect to decrease the
rate of or to stop deductions from his or her Compensation by
delivering to the Company office or representative designated by
the Company (including a third-party administrator designated by
the Company) an amended Subscription Agreement authorizing such
change on or before the “Change Notice
Date.” The “Change Notice
Date” shall be a date prior to the beginning of the
first pay period for which such election is to be effective as
established by the Company from time to time and announced to the
Participants. A Participant who elects, effective following the
first pay day of an Offering Period, to decrease the rate of his or
her payroll deductions to zero percent (0%) shall nevertheless
remain a Participant in such Offering Period unless the Participant
withdraws from the Plan as provided in Section 12.1.
10.4. Administrative Suspension of
Payroll Deductions
. The
Company may, in its discretion, suspend a Participant’s
payroll deductions under the Plan as the Company deems advisable to
avoid accumulating payroll deductions in excess of the amount that
could reasonably be anticipated to purchase the maximum number of
shares of Stock permitted
(a) under
the Participant’s Purchase Right, or (b) during a
calendar year under the limit set forth in Section 8.1. Unless the
Participant has either withdrawn from the Plan as provided in
Section 12.1 or has ceased to be an Eligible Employee, suspended
payroll deductions shall be resumed at the rate specified in the
Participant’s then effective Subscription Agreement
either
(i) at
the beginning of the next Offering Period if the reason for
suspension was clause (a) in the preceding sentence, or (ii)
at the beginning of the next Offering Period having a first
Purchase Date that falls within the subsequent calendar year if the
reason for suspension was clause (b) in the preceding
sentence.
10.5. Participant
Accounts
.
Individual bookkeeping accounts shall be maintained for each
Participant. All payroll deductions from a Participant’s
Compensation (and other amounts received from the Participant in a
non-United States Participant pursuant to Section 11.1(b)) shall be
credited to such Participant’s Plan account and shall be
deposited with the general funds of the Company. All such amounts
received or held by the Company may be used by the Company for any
corporate purpose.
.
Interest shall not be paid on sums deducted from a
Participant’s Compensation pursuant to the Plan or otherwise
credited to the Participant’s Plan account.
11.1. Exercise of Purchase
Right
(a) Generally. Except as provided in Section 11.1(b), on each
Purchase Date of an Offering Period, each Participant who has not
withdrawn from the Plan and whose participation in the Offering has
not otherwise terminated before such Purchase Date shall
automatically acquire pursuant to the exercise of the
Participant’s Purchase Right the number of whole shares of
Stock determined by dividing (a) the total amount of the
Participant’s payroll deductions accumulated in the
Participant’s Plan account during the Offering Period and not
previously applied toward the purchase of Stock by (b) the
Purchase Price. However, in no event shall the number of shares
purchased by the Participant during an Offering Period exceed the
number of shares subject to the Participant’s Purchase Right.
No shares of Stock shall be purchased on a Purchase Date on behalf
of a Participant whose participation in the Offering or the Plan
has terminated before such Purchase Date.
(b) Purchase by Non-United States
Participants for Whom Payroll Deductions Are Prohibited by
Applicable Law. Notwithstanding
Section 11.1(a), and without limiting the Committee’s powers
under Section 3.3, where payroll deductions on behalf of
Participants who are citizens or residents of countries other than
the United States (without regard to whether they are also citizens
of the United States or resident aliens) are prohibited by
applicable law, the Committee may establish a separate Offering (a
“Non-United
States Offering”)
covering all Eligible Employees of one or more Participating
Companies subject to such prohibition on payroll deductions. The
Non-United States Offering shall provide another method for payment
of the Purchase Price with such terms and conditions as shall be
administratively convenient and comply with applicable law. On each
Purchase Date of the Offering Period applicable to a Non-United
States Offering, each Participant who has not withdrawn from the
Plan and whose participation in such Offering Period has not
otherwise terminated before such Purchase Date shall automatically
acquire pursuant to the exercise of the Participant’s
Purchase Right a number of whole shares of Stock determined in
accordance with Section 11.1(a) to the extent of the total amount
of the Participant’s Plan account balance accumulated during
the Offering Period in accordance with the method established by
the Committee and not previously applied toward the purchase of
Stock. However, in no event shall the number of shares purchased by
a Participant during such Offering Period exceed the number of
shares subject to the Participant’s Purchase Right. The
Company shall refund to a Participant in a Non-United States
Offering in accordance with Section 11.4 any excess Purchase Price
payment received from such Participant.
11.2. Pro Rata Allocation of
Shares
If the
number of shares of Stock which might be purchased by all
Participants on a Purchase Date exceeds the number of shares of
Stock available in the Plan as provided in Section 4.1 or the
maximum aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be purchased
on such Purchase Date pursuant to a limit established by the
Committee pursuant to Section 8.1, the Company shall make a pro
rata allocation of the shares available in as uniform a manner as
practicable and as the Company determines to be equitable. Any
fractional share resulting from such pro rata allocation to any
Participant shall be disregarded.
Subject to any
governing rules or regulations, as soon as practicable after each
Purchase Date, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued to or
for the benefit of each Participant the shares of Stock acquired by
the Participant on such Purchase Date by means of one or more of
the following: (a) by delivering to the Participant evidence
of book entry shares of Stock credited to the account of the
Participant, (b) by depositing such shares of Stock for the
benefit of the Participant with any broker with which the
Participant has an account relationship, or (c) by delivering
such shares of Stock to the Participant in certificate form.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may permit or require
that the shares be deposited in the name of the Participant with a
broker designated by the Company to maintain accounts on behalf of
Participants who have purchased shares under the Plan, and may
require that the shares of Stock be retained with such designated
broker for a specified period of time. Unless otherwise provided by
the Committee, shares acquired by a Participant pursuant to the
exercise of a Purchase Right under the Plan must be held by the
Participant until three months after the date of exercise of such
Purchase Right.
11.4. Return of Plan Account
Balance
Any
cash balance remaining in a Participant’s Plan account
following any Purchase Date shall be refunded to the Participant as
soon as practicable after such Purchase Date. However, if the cash
balance to be returned to a Participant pursuant to the preceding
sentence is less than the amount that would have been necessary to
purchase an additional whole share of Stock on such Purchase Date,
the Company may retain the cash balance in the Participant’s
Plan account to be applied toward the purchase of shares of Stock
in the subsequent Purchase Period or Offering Period.
. At
the time a Participant’s Purchase Right is exercised, in
whole or in part, or at the time a Participant disposes of some or
all of the shares of Stock he or she acquires under the Plan, the
Participant shall make adequate provision for the federal, state,
local and foreign taxes (including social insurance), if any,
required to be withheld by any Participating Company upon exercise
of the Purchase Right or upon such disposition of shares,
respectively. A Participating Company may, but shall not be
obligated to, withhold from the Participant’s compensation
the amount necessary to meet such withholding
obligations.
11.6. Expiration of Purchase
Right
Any
portion of a Participant’s Purchase Right remaining
unexercised after the end of the Offering Period to which the
Purchase Right relates shall expire immediately upon the end of the
Offering Period.
11.7. Provision of Reports and
Stockholder Information to Participants
Each
Participant who has exercised all or part of his or her Purchase
Right shall receive, as soon as practicable after the Purchase
Date, a report of such Participant’s Plan account setting
forth the total amount credited to his or her Plan account prior to
such exercise, the number of shares of Stock purchased, the
Purchase Price for such shares, the date of purchase and the cash
balance, if any, remaining immediately after such purchase that is
to be refunded or retained in the Participant’s Plan account
pursuant to Section 11.4. The report required by this Section may
be delivered in such form and by such means, including by
electronic transmission, as the Company may determine. In addition,
each Participant shall be provided information concerning the
Company equivalent to that information provided generally to the
Company’s common stockholders.
12.1. Voluntary Withdrawal from the
Plan
A
Participant may withdraw from the Plan by signing and delivering to
the Company office or representative designated by the Company
(including a third-party administrator designated by the Company) a
written or electronic notice of withdrawal on a form provided by
the Company for this purpose. Such withdrawal may be elected at any
time prior to the end of an Offering Period; provided, however,
that if a Participant withdraws from the Plan after a Purchase
Date, the withdrawal shall not affect shares of Stock acquired by
the Participant on such Purchase Date. A Participant who
voluntarily withdraws from the Plan is prohibited from resuming
participation in the Plan in the same Offering from which he or she
withdrew but may participate in any subsequent Offering by again
satisfying the requirements of Sections 5 and 7.1. The Company may
impose, from time to time, a requirement that the notice of
withdrawal from the Plan be on file with the Company office or
representative designated by the Company for a reasonable period
prior to the effectiveness of the Participant’s
withdrawal.
12.2. Return of Plan Account
Balance
Upon a
Participant’s voluntary withdrawal from the Plan pursuant to
Section 12.1, the Participant’s accumulated Plan account
balance which has not been applied toward the purchase of shares of
Stock shall be refunded to the Participant as soon as practicable
after the withdrawal, without the payment of any interest, and the
Participant’s interest in the Plan and the Offering shall
terminate. Such amounts to be refunded in accordance with this
Section may not be applied to any other Offering under the
Plan.
13.
Termination Of
Employment Or Eligibility
Upon a
Participant’s ceasing, prior to a Purchase Date, to be an
Employee of the Participating Company Group for any reason,
including retirement, disability or death, or upon the failure of a
Participant to remain an Eligible Employee, the Participant’s
participation in the Plan shall terminate immediately. In such
event, the Participant’s Plan account balance which has not
been applied toward the purchase of shares of Stock shall, as soon
as practicable, be returned to the Participant or, in the case of
the Participant’s death, to the Participant’s
beneficiary designated in accordance with Section 20, if any, or
legal representative, and all of the Participant’s rights
under the Plan shall terminate. Interest shall not be paid on sums
returned pursuant to this Section 13. A Participant whose
participation has been so terminated may again become eligible to
participate in the Plan by satisfying the requirements of Sections
5 and 7.1.
14.
Effect Of Change In
Control On Purchase Rights
In the
event of a Change in Control, the surviving, continuing, successor,
or purchasing corporation or parent thereof, as the case may be
(the “Acquiring
Corporation”), may, without the consent of any
Participant, assume or continue the Company’s rights and
obligations under outstanding Purchase Rights or substitute
substantially equivalent purchase rights for the Acquiring
Corporation’s stock. If the Acquiring Corporation elects not
to assume, continue or substitute for the outstanding Purchase
Rights, the Purchase Date of the then current Offering Period shall
be accelerated to a date before the date of the Change in Control
specified by the Committee, but the number of shares of Stock
subject to outstanding Purchase Rights shall not be adjusted. All
Purchase Rights which are neither assumed or continued by the
Acquiring Corporation in connection with the Change in Control nor
exercised as of the date of the Change in Control shall terminate
and cease to be outstanding effective as of the date of the Change
in Control.
15.
Nontransferability Of
Purchase Rights
Neither
payroll deductions or other amounts credited to a
Participant’s Plan account nor a Participant’s Purchase
Right may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed
of in any manner other than as provided by the Plan or by will or
the laws of descent and distribution. (A beneficiary designation
pursuant to Section 20 shall not be treated as a disposition for
this purpose.) Any such attempted assignment, transfer, pledge or
other disposition shall be without effect, except that the Company
may treat such act as an election to withdraw from the Plan as
provided in Section 12.1. A Purchase Right shall be exercisable
during the lifetime of the Participant only by the
Participant.
16.
Compliance With
Securities Law
The
issuance of shares under the Plan shall be subject to compliance
with all applicable requirements of federal, state and foreign law
with respect to such securities. A Purchase Right may not be
exercised if the issuance of shares upon such exercise would
constitute a violation of any applicable federal, state or foreign
securities laws or other law or regulations or the requirements of
any securities exchange or market system upon which the Stock may
then be listed. In addition, no Purchase Right may be exercised
unless (a) a registration statement under the Securities Act
shall at the time of exercise of the Purchase Right be in effect
with respect to the shares issuable upon exercise of the Purchase
Right, or (b) in the opinion of legal counsel to the Company,
the shares issuable upon exercise of the Purchase Right may be
issued in accordance with the terms of an applicable exemption from
the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The inability
of the Company to obtain from any regulatory body having
jurisdiction the authority, if any, deemed by the Company’s
legal counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of
any shares under the Plan shall relieve the Company of any
liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such shares as
to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained. As
a condition to the exercise of a Purchase Right, the Company may
require the Participant to satisfy any qualifications that may be
necessary or appropriate, to evidence compliance with any
applicable law or regulation, and to make any representation or
warranty with respect thereto as may be requested by the
Company.
17.
Rights As A
Stockholder And Employee
A
Participant shall have no rights as a stockholder by virtue of the
Participant’s participation in the Plan until the date of the
issuance of the shares of Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise
of the Participant’s Purchase Right (as evidenced by the
appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly
authorized transfer agent of the Company). No adjustment shall be
made for dividends, distributions or other rights for which the
record date is prior to the date such shares are issued, except as
provided in Section 4.2. Nothing herein shall confer upon a
Participant any right to continue in the employ of the
Participating Company Group or interfere in any way with any right
of the Participating Company Group to terminate the
Participant’s employment at any time.
18.
Notification Of
Disposition Of Shares
The
Company may require the Participant to give the Company prompt
notice of any disposition of shares of Stock acquired by exercise
of a Purchase Right. The Company may require that until such time
as a Participant disposes of shares of Stock acquired upon exercise
of a Purchase Right, the Participant shall hold all such shares in
the Participant’s name until the later of two years after the
date of grant of such Purchase Right or one year after the date of
exercise of such Purchase Right. The Company may direct that the
certificates evidencing shares of Stock acquired by exercise of a
Purchase Right refer to such requirement to give prompt notice of
disposition.
The
Company may at any time place legends or other identifying symbols
referencing any applicable federal, state or foreign securities law
restrictions or any provision convenient in the administration of
the Plan on some or all of the certificates representing shares of
Stock issued under the Plan. The Participant shall, at the request
of the Company, promptly present to the Company any and all
certificates representing shares acquired pursuant to a Purchase
Right in the possession of the Participant in order to carry out
the provisions of this Section. Unless otherwise specified by the
Company, legends placed on such certificates may include but shall
not be limited to the following:
“THE
SHARES EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE WERE ISSUED BY THE CORPORATION
TO THE REGISTERED HOLDER UPON THE PURCHASE OF SHARES UNDER AN
EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN AS DEFINED IN SECTION 423 OF THE
INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED, AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO
TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED PURSUANT TO THE TERMS THEREOF. THE
TRANSFER AGENT FOR THE SHARES EVIDENCED HEREBY SHALL NOTIFY THE
CORPORATION IMMEDIATELY OF ANY TRANSFER OF THE SHARES BY THE
REGISTERED HOLDER HEREOF. THE REGISTERED HOLDER SHALL HOLD ALL
SHARES PURCHASED UNDER THE PLAN IN THE REGISTERED HOLDER’S
NAME (AND NOT IN THE NAME OF ANY NOMINEE).”
20.
Designation Of
Beneficiary
20.1. Designation
Procedure
Subject
to local laws and procedures, and if permitted by the Committee, a
Participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is
to receive (a) shares and cash, if any, from the
Participant’s Plan account if the Participant dies subsequent
to a Purchase Date but prior to delivery to the Participant of such
shares and cash, or (b) cash, if any, from the
Participant’s Plan account if the Participant dies prior to
the exercise of the Participant’s Purchase Right. If a
married Participant designates a beneficiary other than the
Participant’s spouse, the effectiveness of such designation
may be subject to the consent of the Participant’s spouse. A
Participant may change his or her beneficiary designation at any
time by written notice to the Company.
20.2. Absence of Beneficiary
Designation
If a
Participant dies without an effective designation pursuant to
Section 20.1 of a beneficiary who is living at the time of the
Participant’s death, the Company shall deliver any shares or
cash credited to the Participant’s Plan account to the
Participant’s legal representative or as otherwise required
by applicable law.
APPENDIX A
Participating Companies/Offerings
Offering
A – United States
Support.com,
Inc.
Offering
B- Outside the United States
SDC
Services Canada Inc.
Support.com India
Pvt Ltd.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
|
Page
|
1.
Establishment, Purpose And Term Of Plan
|
1
|
|
|
1.1
Establishment
|
1
|
|
|
1.2
Purpose
|
1
|
|
|
1.3
Term of Plan
|
1
|
|
|
2.
Definitions And Construction
|
1
|
|
|
2.1
Definitions
|
1
|
|
|
2.2
Construction
|
3
|
|
|
3.
Administration
|
3
|
|
|
3.1
Administration by the Committee
|
3
|
|
|
3.2
Authority of Officers
|
3
|
|
|
3.3
Power to Adopt Sub-Plans or Varying Terms with Respect to Non-U.S.
Employees
|
4
|
|
|
3.4
Power to Establish Separate Offerings with Varying
Terms
|
4
|
|
|
3.5
Policies and Procedures Established by the
Company
|
4
|
|
|
3.6
Indemnification
|
4
|
|
|
4.
Shares Subject To Plan
|
4
|
|
|
4.1
Maximum Number of Shares Issuable
|
4
|
|
|
4.2
Adjustments for Changes in Capital Structure
|
5
|
|
|
5.
Eligibility
|
5
|
|
|
5.1
Employees Eligible to Participate
|
5
|
|
|
5.2
Exclusion of Certain Stockholders
|
5
|
|
|
5.3
Determination by Company
|
5
|
|
|
6.
Offerings
|
6
|
|
|
7.
Participation In The Plan
|
6
|
|
|
7.1
Initial Participation
|
6
|
|
|
7.2
Continued Participation
|
6
|
|
|
8.
Right To Purchase Shares
|
6
|
|
|
8.1
Grant of Purchase Right
|
6
|
|
|
8.2
Calendar Year Purchase Limitation
|
6
|
|
|
8.3
Share Limitation
|
6
|
|
|
9.
Purchase Price
|
7
|
|
|
10.
Accumulation Of Purchase Price Through Payroll
Deduction
|
7
|
|
|
10.1
Amount of Payroll Deductions
|
7
|
|
|
10.2
Commencement of Payroll Deductions
|
7
|
|
|
10.3
Election to Decrease or Stop Payroll Deductions
|
7
|
|
|
10.4
Administrative Suspension of Payroll Deductions
|
7
|
|
|
10.5
Participant Accounts
|
7
|
|
|
10.6 No
Interest Paid
|
7
|
|
|
11.
Purchase Of Shares
|
8
|
|
|
11.1
Exercise of Purchase Right
|
8
|
|
|
11.2
Pro Rata Allocation of Shares
|
8
|
|
|
11.3
Transfer of Shares
|
8
|
|
|
11.4
Return of Plan Account Balance
|
8
|
|
|
11.5
Tax Withholding
|
8
|
|
|
11.6
Expiration of Purchase Right
|
9
|
|
|
11.7 Provision of
Reports and Stockholder Information to
Participants
|
9
|
|
|
12.
Withdrawal From Plan
|
9
|
|
|
12.1
Voluntary Withdrawal from the Plan
|
9
|
|
|
12.2
Return of Plan Account Balance
|
9
|
|
|
13.
Termination Of Employment Or Eligibility
|
9
|
|
|
14.
Effect Of Change In Control On Purchase Rights
|
9
|
|
|
15.
Nontransferability Of Purchase Rights
|
10
|
|
|
16.
Compliance With Securities Law
|
10
|
|
|
17.
Rights As A Stockholder And Employee
|
10
|
|
|
18.
Notification Of Disposition Of Shares
|
10
|
|
|
19.
Legends
|
10
|
|
|
20.
Designation Of Beneficiary
|
10
|
|
|
20.1
Designation Procedure
|
10
|
|
|
20.2
Absence of Beneficiary Designation
|
10
|
|
|
21.
Notices
|
10
|
|
|
22.
Amendment Or Termination Of The Plan
|
10
|
Appendix
C
Appendix C
SUPPORT.COM, INC.
Third Amended and Restated 2010 Equity and Performance Incentive
Plan
1. Purpose. The purpose of the Third
Amended and Restated 2010 Equity and Performance Incentive Plan is
to attract and retain directors, officers, other employees and
consultants of support.com, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its
Subsidiaries and to provide to such persons incentives and rewards
for superior performance. The Plan amends and restates the Second
Amended and Restated 2010 Equity and Performance Incentive Plan
effective upon stockholder approval on the Restatement Effective
Date.
2. Definitions. As used in this
Plan,
(a) “Appreciation
Right” means a right granted pursuant to Section 5 or Section
9 of this Plan, and will include both Tandem Appreciation Rights
and Free-Standing Appreciation Rights.
(b) “Base
Price” means the price to be used as the basis for
determining the Spread upon the exercise of a Free-Standing
Appreciation Right and a Tandem Appreciation Right.
(c) “Board”
means the Board of Directors of the Company and, to the extent of
any delegation by the Board to a committee (or subcommittee
thereof) pursuant to Section 14 of this Plan, such committee (or
subcommittee).
(d) “Change
of Control” shall mean the occurrence of either of the
following events:
(i)
A
change in the composition of the Board, as a result of which fewer
than one-half of the incumbent directors are directors who
either:
(A)
Had
been directors of the Company twenty-four (24) months prior to
such change; or
(B)
Were
elected, or nominated for election, to the Directors with the
affirmative votes of at least a majority of the directors who had
been directors of the Company twenty-four (24) months prior to
such change and who were still in office at the time of the
election or nomination; or
(ii)
Any
“person” (as such term is used in sections 13(d) and
14(d) of the Exchange Act) who, by the acquisition or aggregation
of securities, is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or
indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifty percent
(50%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s
then outstanding securities ordinarily (and apart from rights
accruing under special circumstances) having the right to vote at
elections of directors (the “Base Capital Stock”);
except that any change in the relative beneficial ownership of the
Company’s securities by any person resulting solely from a
reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of Base
Capital Stock, and any decrease thereafter in such person’s
ownership of securities, shall be disregarded until such person
increases in any manner, directly or indirectly, such
person’s beneficial ownership of any securities of the
Company. For purposes of this Subsection (ii), the term
“person” shall not include an employee benefit plan
maintained by the Company.
(e) “Code”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to
time.
(f) “Common
Stock” means the Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share,
of the Company or any security into which such Common Stock may be
changed by reason of any transaction or event of the type referred
to in Section 12 of this Plan.
(g) “Company”
means support.com Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its
successors.
(h) “Date
of Grant” means the date specified by the Board on which a
grant of Option Rights, Appreciation Rights, Performance Shares,
Performance Units or other awards contemplated by Section 10 of
this Plan, or a grant or sale of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock
Units, or other awards contemplated by Section 10 of this Plan,
will become effective (which date will not be earlier than the date
on which the Board takes action with respect thereto).
(i) “Director”
means a member of the Board of Directors of the
Company.
(j) “Evidence
of Award” means an agreement, certificate, resolution or
other type or form of writing or other evidence approved by the
Board that sets forth the terms and conditions of the awards
granted. An Evidence of Award may be in an electronic medium, may
be limited to notation on the books and records of the Company and,
unless otherwise determined by the Board, need not be signed by a
representative of the Company or a Participant.
(k) “Exchange
Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and the rules and regulations thereunder, as such law, rules and
regulations may be amended from time to time.
(l) “Free-Standing
Appreciation Right” means an Appreciation Right granted
pursuant to Section 5 or Section 9 of this Plan that is not granted
in tandem with an Option Right.
(m) “Incentive
Stock Options” means Option Rights that are intended to
qualify as “incentive stock options” under Section 422
of the Code or any successor provision.
(n) “Management
Objectives” means the measurable performance objective or
objectives established pursuant to this Plan for Participants who
have received grants of Performance Shares or Performance Units or,
when so determined by the Board, Option Rights, Appreciation
Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, dividend credits
or other awards pursuant to this Plan. Management Objectives may be
described, without limitation, in terms of Company-wide objectives
or objectives that are related to the performance of the individual
Participant or of the Subsidiary, division, department, region or
function within the Company or Subsidiary in which the Participant
is employed. The Management Objectives may be made relative to the
performance of one or more other companies or subsidiaries,
divisions, departments, regions or functions within such other
companies, and may be made relative to an index or one or more of
the performance objectives themselves.
If the
Board determines that a change in the business, operations,
corporate structure or capital structure of the Company, or the
manner in which it conducts its business, or other events or
circumstances render the Management Objectives unsuitable, the
Board may in its discretion modify such Management Objectives or
the related level or levels of achievement, in whole or in part, as
the Board deems appropriate and equitable
(o) “Market
Value per Share” means as of any particular date the closing
sale price of a share of Common Stock during regular trading as
reported on The NASDAQ Stock Market or, if not listed on such
exchange, on any other national securities exchange on which the
Common Stock is listed; for the avoidance of doubt, this excludes
pricing from “after-hours” trading, or any similar
period of outside of regular stock market hours when the full stock
market is open. If the Common Stock is not traded as of any given
date, the Market Value per Share means the closing price for a
share of Common Stock on the principal exchange on which the Common
Stock is traded for the immediately preceding date on which the
Common Stock is traded. If there is no regular public trading
market for the Common Stock, the Market Value per Share shall be
the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined in
good faith by the Board. The Board is authorized to adopt another
fair market value pricing method, provided such method is stated in
the Evidence of Award, and is in compliance with the fair market
value pricing rules set forth in Section 409A of the
Code.
(p) “Non-Employee
Director” means a person who is a “Non-Employee
Director” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 of
the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated under the
Exchange Act.
(q) “Optionee”
means the optionee named in an Evidence of Award evidencing an
outstanding Option Right.
(r) “Option
Price” means the purchase price payable on exercise of an
Option Right.
(s) “Option
Right” means the right to purchase Common Stock upon exercise
of an option granted pursuant to Section 4 or Section 9 of this
Plan.
(t) “Participant”
means a person who is selected by the Board to receive benefits
under this Plan and who is at the time an officer, other key
employee or a consultant of the Company or any one or more of its
Subsidiaries, or who has agreed to commence serving in any of such
capacities within 90 days of the Date of Grant, and will also
include each non-employee Director who receives Common Stock or an
award of Option Rights, Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock,
Restricted Stock Units or other awards under this Plan. The term
“Participant” shall also include any person who
provides services to the Company or a Subsidiary that are
substantially equivalent to those typically provided by an
employee.
(u) “Performance
Period” means, in respect of a Performance Share or
Performance Unit, a period of time established pursuant to Section
8 of this Plan within which the Management Objectives relating to
such Performance Share or Performance Unit are to be
achieved.
(v) “Performance
Share” means a bookkeeping entry that records the equivalent
of one Common Share awarded pursuant to Section 8 of this
Plan.
(w) “Performance
Unit” means a bookkeeping entry awarded pursuant to Section 8
of this Plan that records a unit equivalent to $1.00 or such other
value as is determined by the Board.
(x) “Plan”
means this Support.com, Inc. Third Amended and Restated 2010 Equity
and Performance Incentive Plan, as may be amended from time to
time.
(y) “Restatement
Effective Date” means [June 5, 2020].
(z) “Restricted
Stock” means Common Stock granted or sold pursuant to Section
6 or Section 9 of this Plan as to which neither the substantial
risk of forfeiture nor the prohibition on transfers has
expired.
(aa) “Restriction
Period” means the period of time during which Restricted
Stock Units are subject to restrictions, as provided in Section 7
or Section 9 of this Plan.
(bb) “Restricted
Stock Unit” means an award made pursuant to Section 7 or
Section 9 of this Plan of the right to receive Common Stock or cash
at the end of a specified period.
(cc) “Spread”
means the excess of the Market Value per Share on the date when an
Appreciation Right is exercised, or on the date when Option Rights
are surrendered in payment of the Option Price of other Option
Rights, over the Option Price or Base Price provided for in the
related Option Right or Free-Standing Appreciation Right,
respectively.
(dd) “Subsidiary”
means a corporation, company or other entity (i) more than 50
percent of whose outstanding shares or securities (representing the
right to vote for the election of directors or other managing
authority) are, or (ii) which does not have outstanding shares or
securities (as may be the case in a partnership, joint venture or
unincorporated association), but more than 50 percent of whose
ownership interest representing the right generally to make
decisions for such other entity is, now or hereafter, owned or
controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company except that for
purposes of determining whether any person may be a Participant for
purposes of any grant of Incentive Stock Options,
“Subsidiary” means any corporation in which at the time
the Company owns or controls, directly or indirectly, more than 50
percent of the total combined voting power represented by all
classes of stock issued by such corporation.
(ee) “Tandem
Appreciation Right” means an Appreciation Right granted
pursuant to Section 5 or Section 9 of this Plan that is granted in
tandem with an Option Right.
3. Shares
Available Under the Plan.
(a) Maximum
Shares Available Under Plan.
(i)
Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12 of
this Plan, the number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued
or transferred (A) upon the exercise of Option Rights or
Appreciation Rights, (B) in payment of Restricted Stock and
released from substantial risks of forfeiture thereof, (C) in
payment of Restricted Stock Units, (D) in payment of Performance
Shares or Performance Units that have been earned, (E) as awards to
Non-Employee Directors, (F) as awards contemplated by Section 10 of
this Plan, or (G) in payment of dividend equivalents paid with
respect to awards made under the Plan, will not exceed in the
aggregate eight million two hundred fifty thousand (8,250,000)
shares of Common Stock plus the number of shares relating to prior
awards under the 2000 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan that expire or
are forfeited or cancelled after May 19, 2010, plus the increase in
the number of shares available for grant resulting from the
equitable adjustment for the extraordinary dividend paid on
December 26, 2019 (1,655,553 shares), plus an additional two
million (2,000,000) shares subject to and effective upon
stockholder approval of this amendment and restatement on the
Restatement Effective Date. Each share of Common Stock issued
pursuant to an award of Option Rights or Appreciation Rights shall
reduce the aggregate Plan limit by one share. Commencing June 1,
2013, each share of Common Stock issued pursuant to an award other
than Option Rights or Appreciation Rights shall reduce the
aggregate Plan limit by 1.6 shares (and if
such shares are credited back to the aggregate plan limit pursuant
to Section 3(a)(ii) below, shall be credited based on the same
ratio). For the avoidance of doubt, such amounts do not include
shares used in payment of the exercise price or shares used to
satisfy tax withholding. Such Common Stock may be shares of
original issuance or treasury shares or a combination of the
foregoing.
(ii)
Shares
of Common Stock covered by an award granted under the Plan shall
not be counted as used unless and until they are actually issued
and delivered to a Participant and, therefore, the total number of
shares of Common Stock available under the Plan as of a given date
shall not be reduced by any Common Stock relating to prior awards
that have expired or have been forfeited or cancelled, and upon
payment in cash of the benefit provided by any award granted under
the Plan, any shares of Common Stock that are covered by that award
will be available for issue or transfer hereunder. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein: (A) if shares of Common
Stock are tendered or otherwise used in payment of the Option Price
of an Option Right, the total number of shares of Common Stock
covered by the Option Right being exercised shall count against the
aggregate plan limit described above; (B) shares of Common Stock
withheld by the Company to satisfy the tax withholding obligation
shall count against the aggregate plan limit described above; and
(C) the number of shares of Common Stock covered by an Appreciation
Right, to the extent that it is exercised and settled in Common
Stock, and whether or not the shares of Common Stock are actually
issued to the Participant upon exercise of the Appreciation Right,
shall be considered issued or transferred pursuant to the Plan. In
the event that the Company repurchases Common Stock with Option
Right proceeds, those shares of Common Stock will not be added to
the aggregate plan limit described above. If, under this Plan, a
Participant has elected to give up the right to receive
compensation in exchange for Common Stock based on fair market
value, such shares of Common Stock will not count against the
aggregate plan limit described above.
(b) Incentive
Stock Option Limit. Notwithstanding anything in this Section
3, or elsewhere in this Plan, to the contrary, and subject to
adjustment as provided in Section 12 of this Plan, the aggregate
number of shares of Common Stock actually issued or transferred by
the Company upon the exercise of Incentive Stock Options will not
exceed 1,934,600 shares of Common Stock (as equitably adjusted for
the extraordinary dividend paid on December 26, 2019).
(c) Limit on Non-Employee Director
Compensation. The amount of cash plus the grant date fair
value of all awards (as determined in accordance with Financial
Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic
718, or any successor thereto) granted under the Plan to any
Non-Employee Director as compensation for services as a
Non-Employee Director during any twelve (12)-month period may not
exceed $500,000.
4. Option Rights. The Board may, from time
to time and upon such terms and conditions as it may determine,
authorize the granting to Participants of options to purchase
Common Stock. Each such grant may utilize any or all of the
authorizations, and will be subject to all of the requirements
contained in the following provisions:
(a) Each grant will
specify the number of shares of Common Stock to which it pertains
subject to the limitations set forth in Section 3 of this
Plan.
(b) Each
grant will specify an Option Price per share, which may not be less
than the Market Value per Share on the Date of Grant.
(c) Each grant will
specify whether the Option Price will be payable (i) in cash or by
check acceptable to the Company or by wire transfer of immediately
available funds, (ii) by the actual or constructive transfer to the
Company of Common Stock owned by the Optionee (or other
consideration authorized pursuant to Section 4(d)) having a value
at the time of exercise equal to the total Option Price, (iii) by
delivery (through a process approved by the Board) of an
irrevocable direction to a securities broker to sell Common Stock
and to deliver all or part of the sale proceeds to the Company in
payment; (iv) by a combination of such methods of payment, or (v)
by such other methods as may be approved by the Board.
(d) To the extent
permitted by law, any grant may provide for deferred payment of the
Option Price from the proceeds of sale through a bank or broker on
a date satisfactory to the Company of some or all of the shares to
which such exercise relates.
(e) Successive grants
may be made to the same Participant whether or not any Option
Rights previously granted to such Participant remain
unexercised.
(f) Each grant will
specify the period or periods of continuous service by the Optionee
with the Company or any Subsidiary that is necessary before the
Option Rights or installments thereof will become exercisable. A
grant of Option Rights may provide for the earlier exercise of such
Option Rights in the event of the retirement, death or disability
of a Participant, or a Change of Control.
(g) Any grant of Option
Rights may specify Management Objectives that must be achieved as a
condition to the exercise of such rights.
(h) Option Rights
granted under this Plan may be (i) options, including, without
limitation, Incentive Stock Options, that are intended to qualify
under particular provisions of the Code, (ii) options that are not
intended so to qualify, or (iii) combinations of the foregoing.
Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to Participants who
meet the definition of “employees” under Section
3401(c) of the Code.
(i) No grant of Option
Rights may be accompanied by a tandem award of dividend equivalents
or provide for dividends, dividend equivalents or other
distributions to be paid on such Option Rights.
(j) The exercise of an
Option Right will result in the cancellation on a share- for-share
basis of any Tandem Appreciation Right authorized under Section 5
of this Plan.
(k) No Option Right
will be exercisable more than ten (10) years from the Date of
Grant.
(l) The Board reserves
the discretion at or after the Date of Grant to provide for (i) the
availability of a loan at exercise and (ii) the right to tender in
satisfaction of the Option Price nonforfeitable, unrestricted
shares of Common Stock, which are already owned by the Optionee and
have a value at the time of exercise that is equal to the Option
Price.
(m) Each grant of
Option Rights will be evidenced by an Evidence of Award. Each
Evidence of Award shall be subject to the Plan and shall contain
such terms and provisions as the Board may approve.
5. Appreciation
Rights.
(a) The Board may, from
time to time and upon such terms and conditions as it may
determine, authorize the granting (i) to any Optionee, of Tandem
Appreciation Rights in respect of Option Rights granted hereunder,
and (ii) to any Participant, of Free-Standing Appreciation Rights.
A Tandem Appreciation Right will be a right of the Optionee,
exercisable by surrender of the related Option Right, to receive
from the Company an amount determined by the Board, which will be
expressed as a percentage of the Spread (not exceeding 100 percent)
at the time of exercise. Tandem Appreciation Rights may be granted
at any time prior to the exercise or termination of the related
Option Rights;provided, however, that a Tandem
Appreciation Right awarded in relation to an Incentive Stock Option
must be granted concurrently with such Incentive Stock Option. A
Free-Standing Appreciation Right will be a right of the Participant
to receive from the Company an amount determined by the Board,
which will be expressed as a percentage of the Spread (not
exceeding 100 percent) at the time of exercise.
(b) Each grant of
Appreciation Rights may utilize any or all of the authorizations,
and will be subject to all of the requirements, contained in the
following provisions:
(i)
Any
grant may specify that the amount payable on exercise of an
Appreciation Right may be paid by the Company in cash, in Common
Stock or in any combination thereof and may either grant to the
Participant or retain in the Board the right to elect among those
alternatives.
(ii)
Any
grant may specify that the amount payable on exercise of an
Appreciation Right may not exceed a maximum specified by the Board
at the Date of Grant.
(iii)
Any
grant may specify waiting periods before exercise and permissible
exercise dates or periods.
(iv)
Any
grant may specify that such Appreciation Right may be exercised
only in the event of, or earlier in the event of, the retirement,
death or disability of a Participant, or a Change of
Control.
(v)
No
grant of Appreciation Rights may be accompanied by a tandem award
of dividend equivalents or provide for dividends, dividend
equivalents or other distributions to be paid on such Appreciation
Rights.
(vi)
Any
grant of Appreciation Rights may specify Management Objectives that
must be achieved as a condition of the exercise of such
Appreciation Rights.
(vii)
Each
grant of Appreciation Rights will be evidenced by an Evidence of
Award, which Evidence of Award will describe such Appreciation
Rights, identify the related Option Rights (if applicable), and
contain such other terms and provisions, consistent with this Plan,
as the Board may approve.
(c) Any grant of Tandem
Appreciation Rights will provide that such Tandem Appreciation
Rights may be exercised only at a time when the related Option
Right is also exercisable and at a time when the Spread is
positive, and by surrender of the related Option Right for
cancellation. Successive grants of Tandem Appreciation Rights may
be made to the same Participant regardless of whether any Tandem
Appreciation Rights previously granted to the Participant remain
unexercised.
(d) Regarding
Free-Standing Appreciation Rights only:
(i)
Each
grant will specify in respect of each Free-Standing Appreciation
Right a Base Price, which will be equal to or greater than the
Market Value per Share on the Date of Grant;
(ii)
Successive
grants of Free-Standing Appreciation Rights may be made to the same
Participant regardless of whether any Free-Standing Appreciation
Rights previously granted to the Participant remain unexercised;
and
(iii)
No
Free-Standing Appreciation Right granted under this Plan may be
exercised more than 10 years from the Date of Grant.
6. Restricted Stock. The Board may, from
time to time and upon such terms and conditions as it may
determine, also authorize the grant or sale of Restricted Stock to
Participants. Each such grant or sale may utilize any or all of the
authorizations, and will be subject to all of the requirements,
contained in the following provisions:
(a) Each such grant or
sale will constitute an immediate transfer of the ownership of
Common Stock to the Participant in consideration of the performance
of services, entitling such Participant to voting, dividend and
other ownership rights, but subject to the substantial risk of
forfeiture and restrictions on transfer hereinafter referred
to.
(b) Each such grant or
sale may be made without additional consideration or in
consideration of a payment by such Participant that is less than
the Market Value per Share at the Date of Grant.
(c) Each such grant or
sale will provide that the Restricted Stock covered by such grant
or sale that vests upon the passage of time will be subject to a
“substantial risk of forfeiture” within the meaning of
Section 83 of the Code for a period to be determined by the Board
at the Date of Grant or upon achievement of Management Objectives
referred to in subparagraph (e) below.
(d) Each such grant or
sale will provide that during or after the period for which such
substantial risk of forfeiture is to continue, the transferability
of the Restricted Stock will be prohibited or restricted in the
manner and to the extent prescribed by the Board at the Date of
Grant (which restrictions may include, without limitation, rights
of repurchase or first refusal in the Company or provisions
subjecting the Restricted Stock to a continuing substantial risk of
forfeiture in the hands of any transferee).
(e) Any grant of
Restricted Stock may specify Management Objectives that, if
achieved, will result in termination or early termination of the
restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock Each grant may
specify in respect of such Management Objectives a minimum
acceptable level of achievement and may set forth a formula for
determining the number of shares of Restricted Stock on which
restrictions will terminate if performance is at or above the
minimum or threshold level or levels, or is at or above the target
level or levels, but falls short of maximum achievement of the
specified Management Objectives.
(f) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Plan, any grant or sale
of Restricted Stock may provide for the earlier termination of
restrictions on such Restricted Stock in the event of the
retirement, death or disability of a Participant, or a Change of
Control.
(g) Any
such grant or sale of Restricted Stock shall require that all
dividends or other distributions paid thereon during the period of
such restrictions be automatically deferred and reinvested in
additional shares of Restricted Stock, which shall be subject to
the same restrictions and risk of forfeiture as the underlying
award.
(h) Each grant or sale
of Restricted Stock will be evidenced by an Evidence of Award and
will contain such terms and provisions, consistent with this Plan,
as the Board may approve. Unless otherwise directed by the Board,
(i) all certificates representing shares of Restricted Stock will
be held in custody by the Company until all restrictions thereon
will have lapsed, together with a stock power or powers executed by
the Participant in whose name such certificates are registered,
endorsed in blank and covering such Shares, or (ii) all shares of
Restricted Stock will be held at the Company’s transfer agent
in book entry form with appropriate restrictions relating to the
transfer of such shares of Restricted Stock.
7. Restricted Stock Units. The Board may,
from time to time and upon such terms and conditions as it may
determine, also authorize the granting or sale of Restricted Stock
Units to Participants. Each such grant or sale may utilize any or
all of the authorizations, and will be subject to all of the
requirements contained in the following provisions:
(a) Each such grant or
sale will constitute the agreement by the Company to deliver Common
Stock or cash to the Participant in the future in consideration of
the performance of services, but subject to the fulfillment of such
conditions (which may include the achievement of Management
Objectives) during the Restriction Period as the Board may specify.
Each grant may specify in respect of such Management Objectives a
minimum acceptable level of achievement and may set forth a formula
for determining the number of Restricted Stock Units on which
restrictions will terminate if performance is at or above the
minimum or threshold level or levels, or is at or above the target
level or levels, but falls short of maximum achievement of the
specified Management Objectives.
(b) Each such grant or
sale may be made without additional consideration or in
consideration of a payment by such Participant that is less than
the Market Value per Share at the Date of Grant.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Plan, any grant or sale
of Restricted Stock Units may provide for the earlier lapse or
modification of the Restriction Period in the event of the
retirement, death or disability of a Participant, or a Change of
Control.
(d) During the
Restriction Period, the Participant will have no right to transfer
any rights under his or her award and will have no rights of
ownership in the shares of Common Stock covered by such Restricted
Stock Units and will have no right to vote them, but the Board may
authorize the payment of dividend equivalents on a deferred basis,
either in cash or in additional shares of Common Stock; provided,
however, that any such dividend equivalents with respect to the
number of shares of Common Stock covered by Restricted Stock Units
shall be subject to the same conditions and restrictions (including
without limitation any forfeiture conditions) as the Restricted
Stock Units with respect to which such dividend equivalents attach.
The value of dividend equivalents payable or distributable with
respect to any unvested Restricted Stock Units that do not vest
shall be forfeited.
(e) Each grant or sale
of Restricted Stock Units will specify the time and manner of
settlement of the Restricted Stock Units that have been earned.
Settlement of vested Restricted Stock Units may be made in the form
of (i) cash, (ii) shares of Common Stock or (iii) any combination
of both, as determined by the Board. . Restricted Stock Units may
be settled when all vesting conditions applicable to the Restricted
Stock Units have been satisfied or have lapsed, or settlement may
be deferred to any later date, subject to compliance with Section
409A of the Code and the terms of the Evidence of
Award.
(f) Each grant or sale
of Restricted Stock Units will be evidenced by an Evidence of Award
and will contain such terms and provisions, consistent with this
Plan, as the Board may approve.
8. Performance Shares and Performance
Units. The Board may, from time to time and upon such terms
and conditions as it may determine, also authorize the granting of
Performance Shares and Performance Units that will become payable
to a Participant upon achievement of specified Management
Objectives during the Performance Period. Each such grant may
utilize any or all of the authorizations, and will be subject to
all of the requirements, contained in the following
provisions:
(a) Each grant will
specify the number of Performance Shares or Performance Units to
which it pertains, which number may be subject to adjustment to
reflect changes in compensation or other factors.
(b) The Performance
Period with respect to each Performance Share or Performance Unit
will be such period of time (not less than one year), commencing with the Date of
Grant as will be determined by the Board at the time of grant which
may be subject to earlier lapse or other modification in the event
of the retirement, death or disability of a Participant, or a
Change of Control.
(c) Any grant of
Performance Shares or Performance Units will specify Management
Objectives which, if achieved, will result in payment or early
payment of the award, and each grant may specify in respect of such
Management Objectives a minimum acceptable level of achievement and
may set forth a formula for determining the number of Performance
Shares or Performance Units that will be earned if performance is
at or above the minimum or threshold level or levels, or is at or
above the target level or levels, but falls short of maximum
achievement of the specified Management Objectives. The grant of
Performance Shares or Performance Units will specify that, before
the Performance Shares or Performance Units will be earned and
paid, the Board must certify that the Management Objectives have
been satisfied.
(d) Each grant will
specify the time and manner of payment of Performance Shares or
Performance Units that have been earned. Any grant may specify that
the amount payable with respect thereto may be paid by the Company
in cash, in Common Stock or in any combination thereof and may
either grant to the Participant or retain in the Board the right to
elect among those alternatives.
(e) Any grant of
Performance Shares or Performance Units may specify that the amount
payable or the number of shares of Common Stock issued with respect
thereto may not exceed maximums specified by the Board at the Date
of Grant.
(f) The Board may
provide for the payment of dividend equivalents to the holder of
Performance Shares either in cash or in additional shares of Common
Stock subject in all cases to payment on a contingent basis based
on the Participant’s earning of the Performance Shares with
respect to which such dividend equivalents attach.
(g) Each grant of
Performance Shares or Performance Units will be evidenced by an
Evidence of Award and will contain such other terms and provisions,
consistent with this Plan, as the Board may approve.
9. Awards to Non-Employee Directors. The
Board may, from time to time and upon such terms and conditions as
it may determine, authorize the granting to Non-Employee Directors
of Option Rights, Appreciation Rights or other awards contemplated
by Section 10 of this Plan and may also authorize the grant or sale
of Common Stock, Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units to
Non-Employee Directors. Each grant of an award to a Non-Employee
Director will be upon such terms and conditions as approved by the
Board, will not be required to be subject to any minimum vesting
period, and will be evidenced by an Evidence of Award in such form
as will be approved by the Board. Each grant will specify in the
case of an Option Right, an Option Price per share, and in the case
of a Free-Standing Appreciation Right, a Base Price per share,
which will not be less than the Market Value per Share on the Date
of Grant. Each Option Right and Free-Standing Appreciation Right
granted under the Plan to a Non-Employee Director will expire not
more than 10 years from the Date of Grant and will be subject to
earlier termination as hereinafter provided. If a Non-Employee
Director subsequently becomes an employee of the Company or a
Subsidiary while remaining a member of the Board, any award held
under this Plan by such individual at the time of such commencement
of employment will not be affected thereby. Non-Employee Directors,
pursuant to this Section 9, may be awarded, or may be permitted to
elect to receive, pursuant to procedures established by the Board,
all or any portion of their annual retainer, meeting fees or other
fees in Common Stock, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or
other awards under the Plan in lieu of cash. Notwithstanding any
provision of this Section 9 to the contrary, the provisions of this
Section 9 are subject in all respects to the limitations of Section
3(c).
10. Other
Awards.
(a) The Board may,
subject to limitations under applicable law, grant to any
Participant such other awards that may be denominated or payable
in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based
on, or related to, shares of Common Stock or factors that may
influence the value of such shares, including, without limitation,
convertible or exchangeable debt securities, other rights
convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock, purchase rights for
Common Stock, awards with value and payment contingent upon
performance of the Company or specified Subsidiaries, affiliates or
other business units thereof or any other factors designated by the
Board, and awards valued by reference to the book value of shares
of Common Stock or the value of securities of, or the performance
of specified Subsidiaries or affiliates or other business units of
the Company. The Board shall determine the terms and conditions of
such awards. Shares of Common Stock delivered pursuant to an award
in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 10
shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for at such time,
by such methods, and in such forms, including, without limitation,
cash, shares of Common Stock, other awards, notes or other
property, as the Board shall determine.
(b) Cash awards, as an
element of or supplement to any other award granted under this
Plan, may also be granted pursuant to this Section 10 of this
Plan.
(c) The Board may grant
Common Stock as a bonus, or may grant other awards in lieu of
obligations of the Company or a Subsidiary to pay cash or deliver
other property under this Plan or under other plans or compensatory
arrangements, subject to such terms as shall be determined by the
Board in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the
Code.
(d) Share-based awards
pursuant to this Section 10 are not required to be subject to any
minimum vesting period.
11. Transferability.
(a) Except as otherwise determined by the
Board, no Option Right, Appreciation Right or other derivative
security granted under the Plan shall be transferable by the
Participant except by will or the laws of descent and distribution,
and in no event shall any such award granted under this Plan be
transferred for value. Except as otherwise determined by the Board,
Option Rights and Appreciation Rights will be exercisable during
the Participant’s lifetime only by him or her or, in the
event of the Participant’s legal incapacity to do so, by his
or her guardian or legal representative acting on behalf of the
Participant in a fiduciary capacity under state law and/or court
supervision.
(b) The Board may
specify at the Date of Grant that part or all of the shares of
Common Stock that are (i) to be issued or transferred by the
Company upon the exercise of Option Rights or Appreciation Rights,
upon the termination of the Restriction Period applicable to
Restricted Stock Units or upon payment under any grant of
Performance Shares or Performance Units or (ii) no longer subject
to the substantial risk of forfeiture and restrictions on transfer
referred to in Section 6 of this Plan, will be subject to further
restrictions on transfer.
12. Adjustments. The Board shall make or
provide for such adjustments (including acceleration) in the
numbers of shares of Common Stock covered by outstanding Option
Rights, Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock Units, Performance
Shares and Performance Units granted hereunder and, if applicable,
in the number of shares of Common Stock covered by other awards
granted pursuant to Section 10 hereof, in the Option Price and Base
Price provided in outstanding Appreciation Rights, and in the kind
of shares covered thereby, as the Board, in its sole discretion,
exercised in good faith, may determine is equitably required to
prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants or
Optionees that otherwise would result from (a) any stock dividend,
stock split, combination of shares, recapitalization or other
change in the capital structure of the Company, (b) any merger,
consolidation, spin-off, split- off, spin-out, split-up,
reorganization, partial or complete liquidation or other
distribution of assets, issuance of rights or warrants to purchase
securities, or (c) anyother corporate transaction or event having
an effect similar to any of the foregoing. Moreover, in the event
of any such transaction or event or in the event of a Change of
Control, the Board, in its discretion, may provide in substitution
for any or all outstanding awards under this Plan such alternative
consideration (including cash), if any, as it, in good faith, may
determine to be equitable in the circumstances and may require in
connection therewith the surrender of all awards so replaced in a
manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code. In addition,
for each Option Right or Appreciation Right with an Option Price or
Base Price greater than the consideration offered in connection
with any such transaction or event or Change of Control, the Board
may in its sole discretion elect to cancel such Option Right or
Appreciation Right without any payment to the person holding such
Option Right or Appreciation Right. The Board shall also make or
provide for such adjustments in the numbers of shares of Common
Stock specified in Section 3 of this Plan as the Board in its sole
discretion, exercised in good faith, may determine is appropriate
to reflect any transaction or event described in this Section
12;provided,
however, that any
adjustment or acceleration to an Option Right intended to qualify
as an Incentive Stock Option, which will fail to so qualify as such
after the adjustment or acceleration, will be a non-qualified
Option Right.
13. Administration
of the Plan.
(a) This Plan will be
administered by the Board, which may from time to time delegate all
or any part of its authority under this Plan to the Compensation
Committee of the Board (or a subcommittee thereof), as constituted
from time to time. To the extent of any such delegation, references
in this Plan to the Board will be deemed to be references to such
committee or subcommittee. A majority of the committee (or
subcommittee) will constitute a quorum, and the action of the
members of the committee (or subcommittee) present at any meeting
at which a quorum is present, or acts unanimously approved in
writing, will be the acts of the committee (or
subcommittee).
(b) The interpretation
and construction by the Board of any provision of this Plan or of
any agreement, notification or document evidencing the grant of
Option Rights, Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted
Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units or other awards
pursuant to Section 10 of this Plan and any determination by the
Board pursuant to any provision of this Plan or of any such
agreement, notification or document will be final and conclusive.
No member of the Board will be liable for any such action or
determination made in good faith.
(c) The Board or, to
the extent of any delegation as provided in Section 13(a), the
committee, may delegate to one or more of its members or to one or
more officers of the Company, or to one or more agents or advisors,
such administrative duties or powers as it may deem advisable, and
the Board, the committee, or any person to whom duties or powers
have been delegated as aforesaid, may employ one or more persons to
render advice with respect to any responsibility the Board, the
committee or such person may have under the Plan. The Board or the
committee may, by resolution, authorize one or more officers of the
Company to do one or both of the following on the same basis as the
Board or the committee: (i) designate employees to be recipients of
awards under this Plan; (ii) determine the size of any such
awards;provided,
however, that (A)
the Board or the committee shall not delegate such responsibilities
to any such officer for awards granted to an employee who is an
officer, Director, or more than 10% beneficial owner of any class
of the Company’s equity securities that is registered
pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, as determined by the
Board in accordance with Section 16 of the Exchange Act; (B) the
resolution providing for such authorization sets forth the total
number of shares of Common Stock such officer(s) may grant; and
(iii) the officer(s) shall report periodically to the Board or the
committee, as the case may be, regarding the nature and scope of
the awards granted pursuant to the authority
delegated.
14. Cancellation Provisions. Any Evidence of
Award may provide for the cancellation, modification or termination
of an award upon such terms and conditions as may be determined
from time to time by the Board.
15. Non U.S. Participants. In order to
facilitate the making of any grant or combination of grants under
this Plan, the Board may provide for such special terms for awards
to Participants who are foreign nationals or who are employed by
the Company or any Subsidiary outside of the United States of
America or who provide services to the Company under an agreement
with a foreign nation or agency, as the Board may consider
necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law,
tax policy or custom. Moreover, the Board may approve such
supplements to or amendments, restatements or alternative versions
of this Plan (including without limitation, sub-plans) as it may
consider necessary or appropriate for such purposes, without
thereby affecting the terms of this Plan as in effect for any other
purpose, and the Secretary or other appropriate officer of the
Company may certify any such document as having been approved and
adopted in the same manner as this Plan. No such special terms,
supplements, amendments or restatements, however, will include any
provisions that are inconsistent with the terms of this Plan as
then in effect unless this Plan could have been amended to
eliminate such inconsistency without further approval by the
stockholders of the Company.
16. Withholding Taxes. To the extent that
the Company is required to withhold federal, state, local or
foreign taxes in connection with any payment made or benefit
realized by a Participant or other person under this Plan, it will
be a condition to the receipt of such payment or the realization of
such benefit that the Participant or such other person make
arrangements satisfactory to the Company for payment of the balance
of such taxes required to be withheld, which arrangements (in the
discretion of the Board) may include relinquishment of a portion of
such benefit. Without limiting the foregoing, the Board may also
permit or require a Participant to satisfy all or part of the
withholding obligation by having the Company withhold all or a
portion of any shares of Common Stock that otherwise would be
issued to the Participant or by surrendering all or a portion of
any shares of Common Stock that the Participant previously
acquired. The shares used for tax withholding will be valued at an
amount equal to the Market Value per Share of such Common Stock on
the date the benefit is to be included in Participant’s
income. In no event shall the Market Value per Share of the Common
Stock to be withheld and delivered pursuant to this Section 16 to
satisfy applicable withholding taxes in connection with the benefit
exceed the maximum amount of taxes required to be withheld.
Participants shall also make such arrangements as the Company may
require for the payment of any withholding tax obligation that may
arise in connection with the disposition of shares of Common Stock
acquired upon the exercise of Option Rights.
17. Amendments,
Etc.
(a) The Board may at
any time and from time to time amend the Plan in whole or in
part;provided,
however, that if an
amendment to the Plan (i) would materially increase the benefits
accruing to Participants under the Plan, (ii) would materially
increase the number of securities which may be issued under the
Plan, (iii) would materially modify the requirements for
participation in the Plan or (iv) must otherwise be approved by the
stockholders of the Company in order to comply with applicable law
or the rules of The NASDAQ Stock Market or, if the Common Stock is
not traded on The NASDAQ Stock Market, the principal national
securities exchange upon which the Common Stock is traded or
quoted, then, such amendment will be subject to stockholder
approval and will not be effective unless and until such approval
has been obtained.
(b) Except
in connection with a corporate transaction or event described in
Section 12 of this Plan, the terms of outstanding awards may not be
amended to reduce the Option Price of outstanding Option Rights or
the Base Price of outstanding Appreciation Rights, or cancel
outstanding Option Rights or Appreciation Rights that are
underwater in exchange for cash, other awards or Option Rights or
Appreciation Rights with an Option Price or Base Price, as
applicable, that is less than the Option Price of the original
Option Rights or Base Price of the original Appreciation Rights, as
applicable, without stockholder approval.
(c) If permitted by
Section 409A of the Code, in case of termination of employment by
reason of death, disability or normal or early retirement, or in
the case of unforeseeable emergency or other special circumstances,
of a Participant who holds an Option Right or Appreciation Right
not immediately exercisable in full, or any shares of Restricted
Stock as to which the substantial risk of forfeiture or the
prohibition or restriction on transfer has not lapsed, or any
Restricted Stock Units as to which the Restriction Period has not
been completed, or any Performance Shares or Performance Units
which have not been fully earned, or any other awards made pursuant
to Section 10 subject to any vesting schedule or transfer
restriction, or who holds Common Stock subject to any transfer
restriction imposed pursuant to Section 11(b) of this Plan, or in
the case of a Change of Control, the Board may, in its sole
discretion, accelerate the time at which such Option Right,
Appreciation Right or other award may be exercised or the time at
which such substantial risk of forfeiture or prohibition or
restriction on transfer will lapse or the time when such
Restriction Period will end or the time at which such Performance
Shares or Performance Units will be deemed to have been fully
earned or the time when such transfer restriction will terminate or
may waive any other limitation or requirement under any such
award.
(d) Subject to Section
17(b) hereof, the Board may amend the terms of any award
theretofore granted under this Plan prospectively or retroactively.
Subject to Section 12 above, no such amendment shall impair the
rights of any Participant without his or her consent. The Board
may, in its discretion, terminate this Plan at any time.
Termination of this Plan will not affect the rights of Participants
or their successors under any awards outstanding hereunder and not
exercised in full on the date of termination.
18. Compliance
with Section 409A of the Code.
(a) To
the extent applicable, it is intended that this Plan and any grants
made hereunder comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the
Code, so that the income inclusion provisions of Section 409A(a)(1)
of the Code do not apply to the Participants. ThisPlan and any
grants made hereunder shall be administered in a manner consistent
with this intent. Any reference in this Plan to Section 409A of the
Code will also include any regulations or any other formal guidance
promulgated with respect to such Section by the U.S. Department of
the Treasury or the Internal Revenue Service.
(b) Neither
a Participant nor any of a Participant’s creditors or
beneficiaries shall have the right to subject any deferred
compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code)
payable under this Plan and grants hereunder to any anticipation,
alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance,
attachment or garnishment. Except as permitted under Section 409A
of the Code, any deferred compensation (within the meaning of
Section 409A of the Code) payable to a Participant or for a
Participant’s benefit under this Plan and grants hereunder
may not be reduced by, or offset against, any amount owing by a
Participant to the Company or any of its affiliates.
(c) If,
at the time of a Participant’s separation from service
(within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code), (i) the
Participant shall be a specified employee (within the meaning of
Section 409A of the Code and using the identification methodology
selected by the Company from time to time) and (ii) the Company
shall make a good faith determination that an amount payable
hereunder constitutes deferred compensation (within the meaning of
Section 409A of the Code) the payment of which is required to be
delayed pursuant to the six-month delay rule set forth in Section
409A of the Code in order to avoid taxes or penalties under Section
409A of the Code, then the Company shall not pay such amount on the
otherwise scheduled payment date but shall instead pay it, without
interest, on the tenth business day of the seventh month after such
separation of service.
(d)
Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan and grants hereunder to
the contrary, in light of the uncertainty with respect to the
proper application of Section 409A of the Code, the Company
reserves the right to make amendments to this Plan and grants
hereunder as the Company deems necessary or desirable to avoid the
imposition of taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code. In
any case, a Participant shall be solely responsible and liable for
the satisfaction of all taxes and penalties that may be imposed on
a Participant or for a Participant’s account in connection
with this Plan and grants hereunder (including any taxes and
penalties under Section 409A of the Code), and neither the Company
nor any of its affiliates shall have any obligation to indemnify or
otherwise hold a Participant harmless from any or all of such taxes
or penalties.
19. Governing Law. The Plan and all grants
and awards and actions taken thereunder shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the internal substantive laws of the
State of Delaware.
20. Effective Date/Termination. This Plan
will be effective as of the Restatement Effective Date. No grants
of Incentive Stock Options will be made under this Plan after the
tenth anniversary of the Restatement Effective Date, but all grants
made on or prior to such date will continue in effect thereafter
subject to the terms thereof and of this Plan.
21. Miscellaneous.
(a) The Company will
not be required to issue any fractional shares of Common Stock
pursuant to this Plan. The Board may provide for the elimination of
fractions or for the settlement of fractions in cash.
(b) This Plan will not
confer upon any Participant any right with respect to continuance
of employment or other service with the Company or any Subsidiary,
nor will it interfere in any way with any right the Company or any
Subsidiary would otherwise have to terminate such
Participant’s employment or other service at any
time.
(c) To the extent that
any provision of this Plan would prevent any Option Right that was
intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option from qualifying as
such, that provision will be null and void with respect to such
Option Right. Such provision, however, will remain in effect for
other Option Rights and there will be no further effect on any
provision of this Plan.
(d) No award under this
Plan may be exercised by the holder thereof if such exercise, and
the receipt of cash or stock thereunder, would be, in the opinion
of counsel selected by the Board, contrary to law or the
regulations of any duly constituted authority having jurisdiction
over this Plan.
(e) Absence or leave
approved by a duly constituted officer of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries shall not be considered interruption or termination of
service of any employee for any purposes of this Plan or awards
granted hereunder, except that no awards may be granted to an
employee while he or she is absent on leave.
(f) No Participant
shall have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares
subject to awards granted to him or her under this Plan prior to
the date as of which he or she is actually recorded as the holder
of such shares upon the stock records of the Company.
(g) The Board may
condition the grant of any award or combination of awards
authorized under this Plan on the surrender or deferral by the
Participant of his or her right to receive a cash bonus or other
compensation otherwise payable by the Company or a Subsidiary to
the Participant.
(h) If any provision of
the Plan is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any
jurisdiction, or would disqualify the Plan or any award under any
law deemed applicable by the Board, such provision shall be
construed or deemed amended or limited in scope to conform to
applicable laws or, in the discretion of the Board, it shall be
stricken and the remainder of the Plan shall remain in full force
and effect.