1999 Nonofficer Employee Stock Option Plan (amended and restated)
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EX-10.2 3 amzn-20220630xex102.htm EX-10.2 Document
Exhibit 10.2
AMAZON.COM, INC.
1999 NONOFFICER EMPLOYEE
STOCK OPTION PLAN
(as amended and restated)
STOCK OPTION PLAN
(as amended and restated)
SECTION 1. PURPOSE
The purpose of the Amazon.com, Inc. 1999 Nonofficer Employee Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”) is to enhance the long-term stockholder value of Amazon.com, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), by offering opportunities to employees, consultants, agents, advisors and independent contractors of the Company and its Subsidiaries (as defined in Section 2) who are not officers of the Company or members of the Board to participate in the Company’s growth and success, and to encourage them to remain in the service of the Company and its Subsidiaries and to acquire and maintain stock ownership in the Company.
SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS
For purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below:
2.1Board
“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
2.2Cause
“Cause” means dishonesty, fraud, misconduct, unauthorized use or disclosure of confidential information or trade secrets, or conviction or confession of a crime punishable by law (except minor violations), in each case as determined by the Plan Administrator, and its determination shall be conclusive and binding.
2.3Code
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
2.4Common Stock
“Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company.
2.5Corporate Transaction
“Corporate Transaction” means any of the following events:
(a)Consummation of any merger or consolidation of the Company in which the Company is not the continuing or surviving corporation, or pursuant to which shares of the Common Stock are converted into cash, securities or other property (other than a merger of the Company in which the holders of Common Stock immediately prior to the
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merger have the same proportionate ownership of capital stock of the surviving corporation immediately after the merger);
(b)Consummation of any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer in one transaction or a series of related transactions of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets other than a transfer of the Company’s assets to a majority-owned subsidiary corporation (as the term “subsidiary corporation” is defined in for purposes of Section 422 of the Code) of the Company; or
(c)Approval by the holders of the Common Stock of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
2.6Disability
“Disability” means “permanent and total disability” as that term is defined for purposes of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.
2.7Early Retirement
“Early Retirement” means early retirement as that term is defined by the Plan Administrator from time to time for purposes of the Plan.
2.8Exchange Act
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
2.9Fair Market Value
The “Fair Market Value” shall be as established in good faith by the Plan Administrator or (a) if the Common Stock is listed on the Nasdaq National Market, the average of the high and low per share sales prices for the Common Stock as reported by the Nasdaq National Market for a single trading day or (b) if the Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange, the average of the high and low per share sales prices for the Common Stock as such price is officially quoted in the composite tape of transactions on such exchange for a single trading day. If there is no such reported price for the Common Stock for the date in question, then such price on the last preceding date for which such price exists shall be determinative of the Fair Market Value.
2.10Grant Date
“Grant Date” means the date the Plan Administrator adopted the granting resolution. If, however, the Plan Administrator designates in a resolution a later date as the date an Option is to be granted, then such later date shall be the “Grant Date.”
2.11Nonqualified Stock Option
“Nonqualified Stock Option” means an Option that is not intended to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code.
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2.12Option
“Option” means a Nonqualified Stock Option to purchase Common Stock.
2.13Optionee
“Optionee” means (a) the person to whom an Option is granted; (b) for an Optionee who has died, the personal representative of the Optionee’s estate, the person(s) to whom the Optionee’s rights under the Option have passed by will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution, or the beneficiary designated in accordance with Section 8; or (c) person(s) to whom an Option has been transferred in accordance with Section 8.
2.14Plan Administrator
“Plan Administrator” means the Board or any committee of the Board designated to administer the Plan under Section 3.1.
2.15Retirement
“Retirement” means retirement on or after the individual’s normal retirement date under the Company’s 401(k) plan or other similar successor plan applicable to salaried employees, unless otherwise defined by the Plan Administrator from time to time for purposes of the Plan.
2.16Securities Act
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
2.17Subsidiary
“Subsidiary” means any entity that is directly or indirectly controlled by the Company or in which the Company has a significant ownership interest, as determined by the Plan Administrator, and any entity that may become a direct or indirect parent of the Company.
SECTION 3. ADMINISTRATION
3.1Plan Administrator
The Plan shall be administered by the Board or a committee or committees (which term includes subcommittees) appointed by, and consisting of two or more members of, the Board (the “Plan Administrator”). The Board may delegate the responsibility for administering the Plan with respect to designated classes of eligible persons to different committees consisting of one or more members of the Board, subject to such limitations as the Board deems appropriate. Committee members shall serve for such term as the Board may determine, subject to removal by the Board at any time. To the extent consistent with applicable law, the Plan Administrator may authorize one or more officers of the Company to grant Awards to designated classes of eligible persons, within the limits specifically prescribed by the Plan Administrator.
3.2Administration and Interpretation by the Plan Administrator
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Except for the terms and conditions explicitly set forth in the Plan, the Plan Administrator shall have exclusive authority, in its discretion, to determine all matters relating to Options under the Plan, including the selection of individuals to be granted Options, the type of Options, the number of shares of Common Stock subject to an Option, all terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations, if any, of an Option and the terms of any instrument that evidences the Option. The Plan Administrator shall also have exclusive authority to interpret the Plan and may from time to time adopt, and change, rules and regulations of general application for the Plan’s administration. The Plan Administrator’s interpretation of the Plan and its rules and regulations, and all actions taken and determinations made by the Plan Administrator pursuant to the Plan, shall be conclusive and binding on all parties involved or affected. The Plan Administrator may delegate administrative duties to such of the Company’s officers as it so determines.
SECTION 4. STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN1
4.1Authorized Number of Shares
Subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 9.1, a maximum of 800,000,000 shares of Common Stock shall be available for issuance under the Plan. Shares issued under the Plan shall be drawn from authorized and unissued shares or shares now held or subsequently acquired by the Company as treasury shares.
4.2Reuse of Shares
Any shares of Common Stock that have been made subject to an Option that cease to be subject to the Option (other than by reason of exercise of the Option to the extent it is exercised for shares) shall again be available for issuance in connection with future grants of Options under the Plan.
SECTION 5. ELIGIBILITY
An Option may be granted only to an individual who, at the time the Option is granted, is an employee, agent, consultant, advisor or independent contractor of the Company or any Subsidiary who at the time the Option is granted is not an officer of the Company or a member of the Board..
SECTION 6. ACQUIRED COMPANY OPTIONS
Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Plan Administrator may grant Options under the Plan in substitution for awards issued under other plans, or assume under the Plan awards issued under other plans, if the other plans are or were plans of other acquired entities (“Acquired Entities”) (or the parent of an Acquired Entity) and the new Option is substituted, or the old award is assumed, by reason of a merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or of stock, reorganization or liquidation (the “Acquisition Transaction”). In the event that a written agreement pursuant to which the Acquisition Transaction is completed is approved by the Board and said agreement sets forth the terms and conditions of the substitution for or
1 Share amounts reflect 20-for-1 stock split effective May 2022.
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assumption of outstanding awards of the Acquired Entity, said terms and conditions shall be deemed to be the action of the Plan Administrator without any further action by the Plan Administrator, and the persons holding such awards shall be deemed to be Optionees.
SECTION 7. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTIONS
7.1Option Exercise Price
The exercise price for shares purchased under an Option shall be as determined by the Plan Administrator.
7.2Term of Options
The term of each Option shall be as established by the Plan Administrator or, if not so established, shall be 10 years from the Grant Date.
7.3Exercise and Vesting of Options
The Plan Administrator shall establish and set forth in each instrument that evidences an Option the time at which or the installments in which the Option shall vest and become exercisable, which provisions may be waived or modified by the Plan Administrator at any time. If not so established in the instrument evidencing the Option, the Option shall vest and become exercisable according to the following schedule, which may be waived or modified by the Plan Administrator at any time:
Period of Optionee’s Continuous Employment or Service With the Company or Its Subsidiaries From the Grant Date | Percent of Total Option That Is Vested and Exercisable | |||||||
After 1 year | 20% | |||||||
After 2 years | 40% | |||||||
Each three-month period completed thereafter | An additional 5% | |||||||
After 5 years | 100% |
To the extent that the right to purchase shares has accrued thereunder, an Option may be exercised from time to time by written notice to the Company, in accordance with procedures established by the Plan Administrator, setting forth the number of shares with respect to which the Option is being exercised and accompanied by payment in full as described in Section 7.4. An Option may not be exercised as to less than a reasonable number of shares at any one time, as determined by the Plan Administrator.
7.4Payment of Exercise Price
The exercise price for shares purchased under an Option shall be paid in full to the Company by delivery of consideration equal to the product of the Option exercise price and the number of shares purchased. Such consideration must be paid in cash or by check or, unless the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion determines otherwise, either at the time the Option is granted or at any time before it is exercised, a combination of cash and/or check (if any) and one
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or both of the following alternative forms: (a) tendering (either actually or, if and so long as the Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, by attestation) Common Stock already owned by the Optionee for at least six months (or any shorter period necessary to avoid a charge to the Company’s earnings for financial reporting purposes) having a Fair Market Value on the day prior to the exercise date equal to the aggregate Option exercise price or (b) if and so long as the Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, delivery of a properly executed exercise notice, together with irrevocable instructions, to (i) a brokerage firm designated by the Company to deliver promptly to the Company the aggregate amount of sale or loan proceeds to pay the Option exercise price and any withholding tax obligations that may arise in connection with the exercise and (ii) the Company to deliver the certificates for such purchased shares directly to such brokerage firm, all in accordance with the regulations of the Federal Reserve Board. In addition, to the extent permitted by the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion, the exercise price for shares purchased under an Option may be paid, either singly or in combination with one or more of the alternative forms of payment authorized by this Section 7.4, by (y) a full-recourse promissory note delivered pursuant to Section 11 or (z) such other consideration as the Plan Administrator may permit.
7.5Post-Termination Exercises
The Plan Administrator shall establish and set forth in each instrument that evidences an Option whether the Option will continue to be exercisable, and the terms and conditions of such exercise, if an Optionee ceases to be employed by, or to provide services to, the Company or its Subsidiaries, which provisions may be waived or modified by the Plan Administrator at any time. If not so established in the instrument evidencing the Option, the Option shall be exercisable according to the following terms and conditions, which may be waived or modified by the Plan Administrator at any time.
In the case of termination of the Optionee’s employment or services other than by reason of death or Cause, the Option shall be exercisable, to the extent of the number of shares vested at the date of such termination, only (a) within one year if the termination of the Optionee’s employment or services is coincident with Retirement, Early Retirement at the Company’s request or Disability or (b) within three months after the date the Optionee ceases to be an employee, director, officer, consultant, agent, advisor or independent contractor of the Company or a Subsidiary if termination of the Optionee’s employment or services is for any reason other than Retirement, Early Retirement at the Company’s request or Disability, but in no event later than the remaining term of the Option. Any Option exercisable at the time of the Optionee’s death may be exercised, to the extent of the number of shares vested at the date of the Optionee’s death, by the personal representative of the Optionee’s estate, the person(s) to whom the Optionee’s rights under the Option have passed by will or the applicable laws of descent and distribution or the beneficiary designated pursuant to Section 8 at any time or from time to time within one year after the date of death, but in no event later than the remaining term of the Option. Any portion of an Option that is not vested on the date of termination of the Optionee’s employment or services shall terminate on such date, unless the Plan Administrator determines otherwise. In the case of termination of the Optionee’s employment or services for Cause, the Option shall automatically terminate upon first notification to the Optionee of such termination, unless the Plan Administrator determines otherwise. If an Optionee’s employment or services with the Company are suspended pending an investigation of whether the Optionee shall be
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terminated for Cause, all the Optionee’s rights under any Option likewise shall be suspended during the period of investigation.
The Plan Administrator shall determine, in its sole discretion, whether a reduction in an Optionee’s regular hours of employment shall constitute a “termination of the Optionee’s employment or services” for purposes of the Plan. A transfer of employment or services between or among the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not be considered a termination of employment or services. The effect of a Company-approved leave of absence on the terms and conditions of an Option shall be determined by the Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion.
SECTION 8. ASSIGNABILITY
No Option granted under the Plan may be assigned, pledged or transferred by the Optionee other than by will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution, and, during the Optionee’s lifetime, such Option may be exercised only by the Optionee or a permitted assignee or transferee of the Optionee (as provided below). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion, may permit such assignment, transfer and exercisability and may permit an Optionee to designate a beneficiary who may exercise the Option after the Optionee’s death; provided, however, that any Option so assigned or transferred shall be subject to all the same terms and conditions contained in the instrument evidencing the Option.
SECTION 9. ADJUSTMENTS
9.1Adjustment of Shares
In the event that, at any time or from time to time, a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, distribution to stockholders other than a normal cash dividend, or other change in the Company’s corporate or capital structure results in (a) the outstanding shares, or any securities exchanged therefor or received in their place, being exchanged for a different number or class of securities of the Company or of any other corporation or (b) new, different or additional securities of the Company or of any other corporation being received by the holders of shares of Common Stock of the Company, then the Plan Administrator shall make proportional adjustments in (i) the maximum number and kind of securities subject to the Plan as set forth in Section 4.1 and (ii) the number and kind of securities that are subject to any outstanding Option and the per share price of such securities, without any change in the aggregate price to be paid therefor. In the event of any adjustment in the number of shares covered by any Option, each such Option shall cover only the number of full shares resulting from such adjustment. The determination by the Plan Administrator as to the terms of any of the foregoing adjustments shall be conclusive and binding.
9.2Corporate Transaction
Except as otherwise provided in the instrument that evidences the Option, in the event of a Corporate Transaction, the Plan Administrator shall determine whether provision will be made in connection with the Corporate Transaction for an appropriate assumption of the Options theretofore granted under the Plan (which assumption may be effected by means of a payment to each Optionee (by the Company or any other person or entity involved in the Corporate
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Transaction), in exchange for the cancellation of the Options held by such Optionee, of the difference between the then Fair Market Value of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock then subject to such Options and the aggregate exercise price that would have to be paid to acquire such shares) or for substitution of appropriate new options covering stock of a successor corporation to the Company or stock of an affiliate of such successor corporation. If the Plan Administrator determines that such an assumption or substitution will be made, the Plan Administrator shall give notice of such determination to the Optionees, and the provisions of such assumption or substitution, and any adjustments made (a) to the number and kind of shares subject to the outstanding Options (or to the options in substitution therefor), (b) to the exercise prices, and/or (c) to the terms and conditions of the stock options, shall be binding on the Optionees. Any such determination shall be made in the sole discretion of the Plan Administrator and shall be final, conclusive and binding on all Optionees. If the Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion, determines that no such assumption or substitution will be made, the Plan Administrator shall give notice of such determination to the Optionees, and each Option that is at the time outstanding shall automatically accelerate so that each such Option shall, immediately prior to the specified effective date for the Corporate Transaction, become 100% vested and exercisable, except that such acceleration will not occur if, in the opinion of the Company’s outside accountants, it would render unavailable “pooling of interest” accounting for a Corporate Transaction that would otherwise qualify for such accounting treatment. All such Options shall terminate and cease to remain outstanding immediately following the consummation of the Corporate Transaction, except to the extent assumed by the successor corporation or an affiliate thereof.
9.3Further Adjustment of Options
Subject to Section 9.2, the Plan Administrator shall have the discretion, exercisable at any time before a sale, merger, consolidation, reorganization, liquidation or change in control of the Company, as defined by the Plan Administrator, to take such further action as it determines to be necessary or advisable, and fair and equitable to Optionees, with respect to Options. Such authorized action may include (but shall not be limited to) establishing, amending or waiving the type, terms, conditions or duration of, or restrictions on, Options so as to provide for earlier, later, extended or additional time for exercise and other modifications, and the Plan Administrator may take such actions with respect to all Optionees, to certain categories of Optionees or only to individual Optionees. The Plan Administrator may take such action before or after granting Options to which the action relates and before or after any public announcement with respect to such sale, merger, consolidation, reorganization, liquidation or change in control that is the reason for such action.
9.4Limitations
The grant of Options shall in no way affect the Company’s right to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or otherwise change its capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve, liquidate or sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets.
9.5Prohibition on Option Repricing
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Except for adjustments made pursuant to Sections 9.1 and 9.2 hereof, unless approved by the Company’s stockholders the exercise price of any outstanding Option granted under the Plan may not be decreased after the Grant Date nor may any outstanding Option with an exercise price that is at the time in excess of Fair Market Value be surrendered to the Company in exchange for the grant of a new Option with a lower exercise price, the grant of another Option, or cash.
SECTION 10. WITHHOLDING
The Company may require the Optionee to pay to the Company the amount of any withholding taxes that the Company is required to withhold with respect to the grant or exercise of any Option. Subject to the Plan and applicable law, the Plan Administrator may, in its sole discretion, permit the Optionee to satisfy withholding obligations, in whole or in part, by paying cash, by electing to have the Company withhold shares of Common Stock (up to the minimum required federal withholding rate), or by transferring shares of Common Stock to the Company (already owned by the Participant for the period necessary to avoid a charge to the Company’s earnings for financial reporting purposes), in such amounts as are equivalent to the Fair Market Value of the withholding obligation. The Company shall have the right to withhold from any shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to an Option or from any cash amounts otherwise due or to become due from the Company to the Optionee an amount equal to such taxes. The Company may also deduct from any Option any other amounts due from the Optionee to the Company or a Subsidiary.
SECTION 11. LOANS, INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS AND LOAN GUARANTEES
To assist an Optionee in acquiring shares of Common Stock pursuant to an Option granted under the Plan, the Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion, may authorize, either at the Grant Date or at any time before the acquisition of Common Stock pursuant to the Option, (a) the extension of a loan to the Optionee by the Company, (b) the payment by the Optionee of the purchase price, if any, of the Common Stock in installments, or (c) the guarantee by the Company of a loan obtained by the Optionee from a third party. The terms of any loans, installment payments or loan guarantees, including the interest rate and terms of repayment, will be subject to the Plan Administrator’s discretion; provided, however, that repayment of any Company loan to the Optionee shall be secured by delivery of a full-recourse promissory note for the loan amount executed by the Optionee, together with any other form of security determined by the Plan Administrator. The maximum credit available is the purchase price, if any, of the Common Stock acquired, plus the maximum federal and state income and employment tax liability that may be incurred in connection with the acquisition.
SECTION 12. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF PLAN
12.1Amendment of Plan
The Plan may be amended only by the Board in such respects as it shall deem advisable; however, stockholder approval will be required for any amendment that will eliminate the prohibition on repricing Options under Section 9.5.
12.2Termination of Plan
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The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. The Plan shall have no fixed expiration date.
12.3Consent of Optionee
The amendment or termination of the Plan shall not, without the consent of the Optionee, impair or diminish any rights or obligations under any Option theretofore granted under the Plan.
SECTION 13. GENERAL
13.1Option Agreements
Options granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by a written agreement that shall contain such terms, conditions, limitations and restrictions as the Plan Administrator shall deem advisable and that are not inconsistent with the Plan.
13.2Continued Employment or Services; Rights in Options
None of the Plan, participation in the Plan or any action of the Plan Administrator taken under the Plan shall be construed as giving any person any right to be retained in the employ of the Company or limit the Company’s right to terminate the employment or services of any person.
13.3Registration
The Company shall be under no obligation to any Optionee to register for offering or resale or to qualify for exemption under the Securities Act, or to register or qualify under state or foreign securities or other laws, any shares of Common Stock, security or interest in a security paid or issued under, or created by, the Plan, or to continue in effect any such registrations or qualifications if made. The Company may issue certificates for shares with such legends and subject to such restrictions on transfer and stop-transfer instructions as counsel for the Company deems necessary or desirable for compliance by the Company with federal and state securities laws or any other applicable laws governing the issuance and sale of shares of Common Stock under the Plan.
Inability or impracticability of the Company to obtain, from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, the authority deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary for the lawful issuance and sale of any shares hereunder or the unavailability of an exemption from registration for the issuance and sale of any shares hereunder shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the nonissuance or sale of such shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained, and shall constitute circumstances in which the Plan Administrator may determine to amend or cancel Options pertaining to such shares, with or without consideration to the affected Optionees.
13.4No Rights as a Stockholder
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No Option shall entitle the Optionee to any dividend, voting or other right of a stockholder unless and until the date of issuance under the Plan of the shares that are the subject of such Option, free of all applicable restrictions.
13.5Participants in Foreign Countries
The Plan Administrator shall have the authority to adopt such modifications, procedures and subplans as may be necessary or desirable, after consideration of the provisions of the laws of foreign countries in which the Company or its Subsidiaries may operate, to assure the viability of the benefits from Options granted to Optionees employed in such countries and to meet the objectives of the Plan.
13.6No Trust
The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan. Nothing contained herein shall require the Company to segregate any monies or other property, or shares of Common Stock, or to create any trusts, or to make any special deposits for any immediate or deferred amounts payable to any Optionee, and no Optionee shall have any rights that are greater than those of a general unsecured creditor of the Company.
13.7Severability
If any provision of the Plan or any Option is determined to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, or as to any person, or would disqualify the Plan or any Option under any law deemed applicable by the Plan Administrator, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to applicable laws, or, if it cannot be so construed or deemed amended without, in the Plan Administrator’s determination, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Option, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, person or Option, and the remainder of the Plan and any such Option shall remain in full force and effect.
13.8Choice of Law
The Plan and all determinations made and actions taken pursuant hereto, to the extent not otherwise governed by the laws of the United States, shall be governed by the laws of the State of Washington without giving effect to principles of conflicts of laws.
SECTION 14. EFFECTIVE DATE
The Plan’s effective date is the date on which it is adopted by the Board.
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