ASIAINFO HOLDINGS, INC. 2008 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
Exhibit 10.1
ASIAINFO HOLDINGS, INC.
2008 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
As Amended Through April 10, 2008
1. | Purpose. |
The purpose of the AsiaInfo Holdings, Inc. 2008 Stock Incentive Plan (the Plan) is to enhance the long-term stockholder value of AsiaInfo Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), by offering opportunities to employees, directors, officers, consultants, agents, advisors and independent contractors of the Company and its Subsidiaries (as defined in Section 2) to participate in the Companys 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.
2. | Definitions. |
For purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below:
2.1 Award means an award or grant made pursuant to the Plan, including, without limitation, awards or grants of Options and Stock Awards, or any combination of the foregoing.
2.2 Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.
2.3 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), as provided under applicable law, in each case as determined by the Plan Administrator, and its determination shall be conclusive and binding.
2.4 Code means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
2.5 Common Stock means the common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company.
2.6 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 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 Companys assets
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other than a transfer of the Companys assets to a majority-owned subsidiary corporation (as the term subsidiary corporation is defined in Section 8.3) 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.
2.7 Disability means permanent and total disability as that term is defined for purposes of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.
2.8 Early Retirement means early retirement as that term is defined by the Plan Administrator from time to time for purposes of the Plan.
2.9 Exchange Act means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
2.10 Fair Market Value shall be established in good faith by the Plan Administrator or (a) if the Common Stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Market or the Nasdaq Capital Market, the average of the high and low per share sales prices for the Common Stock as reported by the Nasdaq Global Market or the Nasdaq Capital Market (as the case may be) 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. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, to the extent applicable, the determination of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock shall be determined in a manner which complies with Section 409A of the Code and the applicable Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
2.11 Grant Date means the date the Plan Administrator adopted the granting resolution and all conditions precedent to the grant have been satisfied; provided that conditions to the exercisability or vesting of Awards shall not defer the Grant Date. If, however, the Plan Administrator designates in a resolution a later date as the date an Award is to be granted, then such later date shall be the Grant Date.
2.12 Incentive Stock Option means an Option to purchase Common Stock granted under Section 7 with the intention that it qualify as an incentive stock option as that term is defined in Section 422 of the Code.
2.13 Nonqualified Stock Option means an Option to purchase Common Stock granted under Section 7 other than an Incentive Stock Option.
2.14 Option means the right to purchase Common Stock granted under Section 7.
2.15 Participant means (a) the person to whom an Award is granted; (b) for a Participant who has died, the personal representative of the Participants estate, the person(s) to whom the Participants rights under the Award have passed by will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution, or the beneficiary designated in accordance with Section 10; or (c) person(s) to whom an Award has been transferred in accordance with Section 10.
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2.16 Plan Administrator means the Compensation Committee of the Board or any successor committee of the Board designated to administer the Plan under Section 3.1.
2.17 PRC means the Peoples Republic of China.
2.18 Restricted Stock Award means shares of Common Stock or units denominated in Common Stock granted under Section 9, the rights of ownership of which may be subject to restrictions prescribed by the Plan Administrator.
2.19 Retirement means retirement on or after the individuals normal retirement date under PRC law or the law of such individuals other jurisdiction of employment unless otherwise defined by the Plan Administrator from time to time for purposes of the Plan.
2.20 Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
2.21 Subsidiary, except as provided in Section 8.3 in connection with Incentive Stock Options, 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 subsidiary of the Company.
3. | Administration. |
3.1 Plan Administrator. The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board or a successor committee or committees (which term includes subcommittees) appointed by, and consisting of two or more members of, the Board. If and so long as the Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, the Board shall consider in selecting the Plan Administrator and the membership of any committee acting as Plan Administrator, with respect to any persons subject or likely to become subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the provisions regarding (a) outside directors as contemplated by Section 162(m) of the Code and (b) non employee directors as contemplated by Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act. The Plan Administrator 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.
3.2 Administration and Interpretation by the Plan Administrator. 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 Awards under the Plan, including the selection of individuals to be granted Awards, the type of Awards, the number of shares of Common Stock subject to an Award, all terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations,
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if any, of an Award and the terms of any instrument that evidences the Award. 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 Plans administration. The Plan Administrators 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 Companys officers as it so determines.
4. | Stock Subject to the Plan. |
4.1 Authorized Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11.1, the number of shares of Common Stock that shall be available for issuance under the Plan shall be: (a) 2,000,000 shares plus (b) any authorized shares of Common Stock that, as of February 25, 2008, were available for issuance under the Companys 2005 Stock Option Plan (the Prior Plan) (or that thereafter become available for issuance under the Prior Plan in accordance with its terms). The maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options shall be the number determined pursuant to the preceding sentence, as adjusted from time to time pursuant to Section 11.1. 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.
4.2 Limitations. Subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11.1, not more than 100,000 shares of Common Stock may be made subject to Awards under the Plan to any individual in the aggregate in any one fiscal year of the Company, except that the Company may make additional one-time grants of up to 200,000 shares to newly hired or newly promoted individuals, such limitation to be applied in a manner consistent with the requirements of, and only to the extent required for compliance with, the exclusion from the limitation on deductibility of compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code.
4.3 Reuse of Shares. Any shares of Common Stock that have been made subject to an Award that cease to be subject to the Award (other than by reason of exercise or payment of the Award to the extent it is exercised for or settled in shares), and/or shares of Common Stock subject to repurchase or forfeiture which are subsequently reacquired by the Company, shall again be available for issuance in connection with future grants of Awards under the Plan; provided, however, that for purposes of Section 4.2, any such shares shall be counted in accordance with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code.
5. | Eligibility. |
Awards may be granted under the Plan to those officers, directors and employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries as the Plan Administrator from time to time selects. Awards may also be granted to consultants, agents, advisors and independent contractors who provide services to the Company and its Subsidiaries.
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6. | Awards. |
6.1 Form and Grant of Awards. The Plan Administrator shall have the authority, in its sole discretion, to determine the type or types of Awards to be made under the Plan. Such Awards may include, but are not limited to, Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options and Restricted Stock Awards. Awards may be granted singly or in combination.
6.2 Settlement of Awards. The Company may settle Awards through the delivery of shares of Common Stock, cash payments, the granting of replacement Awards or any combination thereof as the Plan Administrator shall determine. Any Award settlement, including payment deferrals, may be subject to such conditions, restrictions and contingencies as the Plan Administrator shall determine. The Plan Administrator may permit or require the deferral of any Award payment, subject to such rules and procedures as it may establish, which may include provisions for the payment or crediting of interest, or dividend equivalents, including converting such credits into deferred stock equivalents.
6.3 Acquired Company Option Awards. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Plan Administrator may grant Awards 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 Award 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 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, except as may be required for compliance with Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, and the persons holding such awards shall be deemed to be Participants.
7. | Terms and Conditions of Options. |
7.1 Grant of Options. The Plan Administrator is authorized under the Plan, in its sole discretion, to issue Options as Incentive Stock Options or as Nonqualified Stock Options, which shall be appropriately designated.
7.2 Option Exercise Price. The exercise price for shares purchased under an Option shall be as determined by the Plan Administrator, but shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the Grant Date with respect to Incentive Stock Options.
7.3 Term 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.
7.4 Exercise 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.
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To the extent that an Option has become exercisable, the 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 7.5. The Plan Administrator may determine at any time that an Option may not be exercised as to less than any number of shares at any one time for vested shares and any number in its discretion for unvested shares (or the lesser number of remaining shares covered by the Option).
7.5 Payment of Exercise Price. Except in the case that a cashless exercise or same-day-sale is approved and implemented by the Plan Administrator, 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 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 Participant for at least six months (or any shorter period necessary to avoid a charge to the Companys 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 United States Federal Reserve Board. In addition, 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 7.5, by (y) a promissory note delivered pursuant to Section 13 or (z) such other consideration as the Plan Administrator may permit.
7.6 Post-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 a Participant 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 will be exercisable according to the following terms and conditions, which may be waived or modified by the Plan Administrator at any time.
In case of termination of the Participants 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 Participants employment or services is coincident with Retirement, Early Retirement at the Companys request or Disability or (b) within three months after the date the Participant ceases to be an employee, director, officer, consultant, agent, advisor or independent contractor of the Company or a Subsidiary if termination of the Participants employment or services is for any reason other than Retirement, Early Retirement at the Companys request or Disability, but in no
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event later than the remaining term of the Option. Any Option exercisable at the time of the Participants death may be exercised, to the extent of the number of shares vested at the date of the Participants death, by the personal representative of the Participants estate, the person(s) to whom the Participants rights under the Option have passed by will or the applicable laws of descent and distribution or the beneficiary designated pursuant to Section 10 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 Participants employment or services shall terminate on such date, unless the Plan Administrator determines otherwise. In case of termination of the Participants employment or services for Cause, the Option shall automatically terminate upon first notification to the Participant of such termination, unless the Plan Administrator determines otherwise. If a Participants employment or services with the Company are suspended pending an investigation of whether the Participant shall be terminated for Cause, all the Participants rights under any Option likewise shall be suspended during the period of investigation.
With respect to employees, unless the Plan Administrator at any time determines otherwise, termination of the Participants employment or services for purposes of the Plan (including without limitation this Section 7 and Section 14) shall mean any reduction in the Participants regular hours of employment to less than thirty (30) hours per week. 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.
7.7 Prohibition on Option Repricing. An option issued under the Plan may not be repriced by lowering the option exercise price or by cancellation of an outstanding option with a subsequent replacement or re-grant of an option with a lower exercise price.
8. | Incentive Stock Option Limitations. |
To the extent required by Section 422 of the Code, Incentive Stock Options shall be subject to the following additional terms and conditions:
8.1 Dollar Limitation. To the extent the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the Grant Date) of Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time during any calendar year (under the Plan and all other stock option plans of the Company) exceeds $100,000, such portion in excess of $100,000 shall be subject to delayed exercisability or treated as a Nonqualified Stock Option as set forth by the Plan Administrator in the agreement(s) evidencing the Option. In the event the Participant holds two or more such Options that become exercisable for the first time in the same calendar year, such limitation shall be applied on the basis of the order in which such Options are granted.
8.2 10% Stockholders. If an individual owns more than 10% of the total voting power of all classes of the Companys stock, then the exercise price per share of an Incentive Stock Option shall not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the Grant Date and the Option term shall not exceed five years. The determination of 10% ownership shall be made in accordance with Section 422 of the Code.
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8.3 Eligible Employees. Individuals who are not employees of the Company or one of its parent corporations or subsidiary corporations may not be granted Incentive Stock Options. For purposes of this Section 8.3, parent corporation and subsidiary corporation shall have the meanings attributed to those terms for purposes of Section 422 of the Code.
8.4 Term. The term of an Incentive Stock Option shall not exceed 10 years.
8.5 Exercisability. To qualify for Incentive Stock Option tax treatment, an Option designated as an Incentive Stock Option must be exercised within three months after termination of employment for reasons other than death, except that, in the case of termination of employment due to Disability, such Option must be exercised within one year after such termination. Disability shall be deemed to have occurred on the first day after the Company has furnished its opinion of Disability to the Plan Administrator. Employment shall not be deemed to continue beyond the first 90 days of a leave of absence unless the Participants reemployment rights are guaranteed by statute or contract.
8.6 Taxation of Incentive Stock Options. In order to obtain certain tax benefits afforded to Incentive Stock Options under Section 422 of the Code, the Participant must hold the shares issued upon the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option for two years after the Grant Date of the Incentive Stock Option and one year from the date of exercise. A Participant may be subject to the alternative minimum tax at the time of exercise of an Incentive Stock Option. The Plan Administrator may require a Participant to give the Company prompt notice of any disposition of shares acquired by the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option prior to the expiration of such holding periods.
8.7 Promissory Notes. The amount of any promissory note delivered pursuant to Section 13 in connection with an Incentive Stock Option shall bear interest at a rate specified by the Plan Administrator but in no case less than the rate required to avoid imputation of interest (taking into account any exceptions to the imputed interest rules) for federal income tax purposes.
9. | Restricted Stock Awards. |
9.1 Grant of Stock Awards. The Plan Administrator is authorized to make Awards of Common Stock or Awards denominated in units of Common Stock on such terms and conditions and subject to such restrictions (which may be based on continuous service with the Company or the achievement of performance goals related to profits or loss, revenue or profit growth or loss reduction, profit or loss related return ratios, other balance sheet or income statement targets or ratios, market share, project completion, operational or productivity efficiency gains, cash flow, share price appreciation or total stockholder return, where such goals may be stated in absolute terms or relative to comparison companies), as the Plan Administrator shall determine, in its sole discretion, which terms, conditions and restrictions shall be set forth in the instrument evidencing the Award. To the extent an Award subject to performance goals is intended to be exempt under Section 162(m) of the Code, unless otherwise permitted in compliance with Section 162(m) of the Code, the Plan Administrator shall establish the performance goals (and any applicable performance award formula) applicable to the Award no later than the earlier of (a) the date ninety (90) days after the commencement of the applicable
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performance period or (b) the date on which is twenty five percent (25%) of the performance period has elapsed, and, in any event, at a time when the outcome of the performance goals remains substantially uncertain. The terms, conditions and restrictions that the Plan Administrator shall have the power to determine shall include, without limitation, the manner in which shares subject to Restricted Stock Awards are held during the periods they are subject to restrictions and the circumstances under which forfeiture of the Restricted Stock Award shall occur by reason of termination of the Participants employment or service relationship.
9.2 Issuance of Shares. Upon the satisfaction of any terms, conditions and restrictions prescribed in respect to a Restricted Stock Award, or upon the Participants release from any terms, conditions and restrictions of a Restricted Stock Award, as determined by the Plan Administrator, the Company shall release, as soon as practicable, to the Participant or, in the case of the Participants death, to the personal representative of the Participants estate or as the appropriate court directs, the appropriate number of shares of Common Stock.
9.3 Waiver of Restrictions. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Plan, the Plan Administrator may, in its sole discretion, waive the forfeiture period and any other terms, conditions or restrictions on any Restricted Stock Award under such circumstances and subject to such terms and conditions as the Plan Administrator shall deem appropriate; provided, however, that the Plan Administrator may not adjust performance goals for any Restricted Stock Award intended to be exempt under Section 162(m) of the Code for the year in which the Restricted Stock Award is settled in such a manner as would increase the amount otherwise payable to a Participant.
10. | Assignability. |
No Awards granted under the Plan or any interest therein may be assigned, pledged or transferred by the Participant other than by will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution, and, during the Participants lifetime, such Award may be exercised only by the Participant or a permitted assignee or transferee of the Participant (as provided below). Notwithstanding the foregoing, and to the extent permitted by Section 422 of the Code, the Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion, may permit such assignment, transfer and exercisability and may permit a Participant to designate a beneficiary who may exercise the Award or receive payment under the Award after the Participants death; provided, however, that any Award so assigned or transferred shall be subject to all the same terms and conditions contained in the instrument evidencing the Award.
11. | Adjustments. |
11.1 Adjustment 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 Companys 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
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adjustments in (i) the maximum number and kind of securities subject to the Plan as set forth in Sections 4.1; (ii) the maximum number and kind of securities that may be made subject to Awards to any individual as set forth in Section 4.2; and (iii) the number and kind of securities that are subject to any outstanding Award and the per share price of such securities, without any change in the aggregate price to be paid therefor. The determination by the Plan Administrator as to the terms of any of the foregoing adjustments shall be conclusive and binding.
11.2 | Corporate Transaction. |
(a) Options. 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 Participant (by the Company or any other person or entity involved in the Corporate Transaction), in exchange for the cancellation of the Options held by such Participant, 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 Participants, and the provisions of such assumption or substitution, and any adjustments made (i) to the number and kind of shares subject to the outstanding Options (or to the options in substitution therefor), (ii) to the exercise prices, and/or (iii) to the terms and conditions of the stock options, shall be binding on the Participants. Any such determination shall be made in the sole discretion of the Plan Administrator and shall be final, conclusive and binding on all Participants. 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 Participants, 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. 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.
(b) Restricted Stock Awards. Except as otherwise provided in the instrument that evidences the Award, in the event of a Corporate Transaction, the vesting of shares subject to Restricted Stock Awards shall accelerate, and the forfeiture provisions to which such shares are subject shall lapse, if and to the same extent that the vesting of outstanding Options accelerates in connection with the Corporate Transaction. If unvested Options are to be assumed, continued or substituted by a successor corporation without acceleration upon the occurrence of a Corporate Transaction, the forfeiture provisions to which such Restricted Stock Awards are subject will continue with respect to shares of the successor corporation that may be issued in exchange for such shares subject to Restricted Stock Awards.
11.3 Further Adjustment of Awards. Subject to Section 11.2, 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
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Plan Administrator, to take such further action as it determines to be necessary or advisable, and fair and equitable to Participants, with respect to Awards. 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, Awards 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 Participants, to certain categories of Participants or only to individual Participants. The Plan Administrator may take such action before or after granting Awards 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.
11.4 Limitations. The grant of Awards will in no way affect the Companys 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.
11.5 Fractional Shares. In the event of any adjustment in the number of shares covered by any Award, each such Award shall cover only the number of full shares resulting from such adjustment.
12. | Withholding. |
The Company may require the Participant to pay to the Company the amount of any taxes or social insurance contributions that the Company is required to withhold with respect to the grant, vesting or exercise of any Award. Subject to the Plan and applicable law, the Plan Administrator may, in its sole discretion, permit the Participant to satisfy withholding obligations, in whole or in part, (a) by paying cash, (b) by electing to have the Company withhold shares of Common Stock (up to the minimum required federal withholding rate), or (c) by transferring shares of Common Stock to the Company (already owned by the Participant for the period necessary to avoid a charge to the Companys 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 Award or from any cash amounts otherwise due or to become due from the Company to the Participant an amount equal to such taxes or social insurance contributions. The Company may also deduct from any Award any other amounts due from the Participant to the Company or a Subsidiary.
13. | Loans, Installment Payments and Loan Guarantees. |
Subject to compliance with applicable law, to assist a Participant in acquiring shares of Common Stock pursuant to an Award 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 Award, (a) the extension of a full-recourse loan to the Participant by the Company, (b) the payment by the Participant of the purchase price, if any, of the Common Stock in installments, or (c) the guarantee by the Company of a full-recourse loan obtained by the Participant from a third party. Subject to the foregoing, the terms of any loans, installment payments or loan guarantees, including the interest rate and terms of repayment, will be subject to the Plan Administrators discretion. 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.
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14. | Repurchase Rights; Escrow. |
14.1 Repurchase Rights. The Plan Administrator shall have the discretion to authorize the issuance of unvested shares of Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of an Option. In the event of termination of the Participants employment or services, all shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of an Option which are unvested at the time of cessation of employment or services shall be subject to repurchase at the exercise price paid for such shares. The terms and conditions upon which such repurchase right shall be exercisable (including the period and procedure for exercise) shall be established by the Plan Administrator and set forth in the agreement evidencing such right.
All of the Companys outstanding repurchase rights under this Section 14.1 are assignable by the Company at any time and shall remain in full force and effect in the event of a Corporate Transaction; provided that if the vesting of Options is accelerated pursuant to Section 11.2, the repurchase rights under this Section 14.1 shall terminate and all shares subject to such terminated rights shall immediately vest in full.
The Plan Administrator shall have the discretionary authority, exercisable either before or after the Participants cessation of employment or services, to cancel the Companys outstanding repurchase rights with respect to one or more shares purchased or purchasable by the Participant under an Option and thereby accelerate the vesting of such shares in whole or in part at any time.
14.2 Escrow. To ensure that shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to an Award that are subject to any repurchase or forfeiture right and/or security for any promissory note will be available for repurchase or forfeiture, the Plan Administrator may require the Participant to deposit the certificate or certificates evidencing such shares with an agent designated by the Plan Administrator under the terms and conditions of escrow and security agreements approved by the Plan Administrator. If the Plan Administrator does not require such deposit as a condition of exercise of an Option or grant of a Stock Award, the Plan Administrator reserves the right at any time to require the Participant to so deposit the certificate or certificates in escrow. The Company shall bear the expenses of the escrow. The Company, at its discretion, may in lieu of issuing a stock certificate for such shares, make a book entry credit in the Companys stock ledger to evidence the issuance of such shares. As soon as practicable after the expiration of any repurchase or forfeiture rights, and after full repayment of any promissory note secured by the shares in escrow, the agent shall deliver to the Participant the shares no longer subject to such restrictions and no longer security for any promissory note.
In the event shares held in escrow are subject to the Companys exercise of a repurchase or forfeiture right, the notices required to be given to the Participant shall be given to the agent and any payment required to be given to the Participant shall be given to the agent. Within 30 days after payment by the Company, the agent shall deliver the shares which the Company has purchased to the Company and shall deliver the payment received from the Company to the Participant.
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In the event of any stock dividend, stock split or consolidation of shares or any like capital adjustment of any of the outstanding securities of the Company, any and all new, substituted or additional securities or other property to which the Participant is entitled by reason of ownership of shares acquired upon exercise of an Option or grant of a Stock Award shall be subject to any repurchase or forfeiture rights, and/or security for any promissory note with the same force and effect as the shares subject to such repurchase or forfeiture rights and/or security interest immediately before such event.
15. | Amendment and Termination of Plan. |
15.1 Amendment of Plan. The Plan may be amended only by the Board in such respects as it shall deem advisable; however, to the extent required for compliance with Section 422 of the Code or any applicable law or regulation, stockholder approval will be required for any amendment that will (a) increase the total number of shares available for issuance under the Plan, (b) modify the class of persons eligible to receive Options, or (c) otherwise require stockholder approval under any applicable law or regulation.
15.2 Termination of Plan. The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. The Plan will have no fixed expiration date; provided, however, that no Incentive Stock Options may be granted more than 10 years after the later of (a) the Plans adoption by the Board and (b) the adoption by the Board of any amendment to the Plan that constitutes the adoption of a new plan for purposes of Section 422 of the Code.
15.3 Consent of Participant. The amendment or termination of the Plan shall not, without the consent of the Participant, impair or diminish any rights or obligations under any Award theretofore granted under the Plan.
Any change or adjustment to an outstanding Incentive Stock Option shall not, without the consent of the Participant, be made in a manner so as to constitute a modification that would cause such Incentive Stock Option to fail to continue to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
16. | General. |
16.1 Evidence of Awards. Awards 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.
16.2 Continued Employment or Services; Rights in Awards. 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 Companys right to terminate the employment or services of any person.
16.3 Registration. The Company shall be under no obligation to any Participant to register for offering or resale or to qualify for exemption under the Securities Act, or to register or qualify under state securities 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.
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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.
Inability of the Company to obtain, from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, the authority deemed by the Companys 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.
As a condition to the exercise of an Award, the Company may require the Participant to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise or receipt that such shares are being purchased or received only for the Participants own account and without any present intention to sell or distribute such shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by any relevant provision of the aforementioned laws. At the option of the Company, a stop-transfer order against any such shares may be placed on the official stock books and records of the Company, and a legend indicating that such shares may not be pledged, sold or otherwise transferred, unless an opinion of counsel is provided (concurred in by counsel for the Company) stating that such transfer is not in violation of any applicable law or regulation, may be stamped on stock certificates to ensure exemption from registration. The Plan Administrator may also require such other action or agreement by the Participant as may from time to time be necessary to comply with the federal and state securities laws.
16.4 No Rights As A Stockholder. No Option or Stock Award denominated in units shall entitle the Participant 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 Award, free of all applicable restrictions.
16.5 Compliance With Laws And Regulations. No Shares of Common Stock shall be issued pursuant to an Award unless such issuance complies with all applicable laws and regulations. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Board, in its sole discretion, may bifurcate the Plan so as to restrict, limit or condition the use of any provision of the Plan to Participants who are officers or directors subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act without so restricting, limiting or conditioning the Plan with respect to other Participants.
Additionally, in interpreting and applying the provisions of the Plan, any Option granted as an Incentive Stock Option pursuant to the Plan shall, to the extent permitted by law, be construed as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
16.6 No Trust Or Fund. 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 Participant, and no Participant shall have any rights that are greater than those of a general unsecured creditor of the Company.
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16.7 Severability. 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 Administrators 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.
16.8 Participants 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 the PRC or other foreign countries in which the Company or its Subsidiaries may operate, to ensure the viability of the benefits from Awards granted to Participants employed in such countries and to meet the objectives of the Plan.
16.9 Choice Of Law. The Plan and all determinations made and actions taken pursuant hereto, to the extent not otherwise governed by the federal laws of the United States, shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to principles of conflicts of laws.
17. | Effective Date. |
The Plans effective date is the date on which it is adopted by the Board, so long as it is approved by the Companys stockholders at any time within 12 months of such adoption.
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