Amended and Restated 2004 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

 

Assertio Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) proposes to grant options for purchase of the Company’s common stock (the “Common Stock”) to eligible employees of the Company and its Participating Subsidiaries (as hereinafter defined) pursuant to this Amended and Restated 2004 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (this “Plan”).  For the purposes of this Plan, “Parent Corporation” and “Subsidiary” shall have the same meanings as “parent corporation” and “subsidiary corporation” in Sections 424(e) and 424(f), respectively, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).  “Participating Subsidiaries” are Parent Corporations or Subsidiaries that the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) designates from time to time as corporations that shall participate in this Plan.  The Company intends this Plan to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code (including any amendments to or replacements of such Section), and this Plan shall be so construed.  Any term not expressly defined in this Plan but defined for purposes of Section 423 of the Code shall have the same definition herein.

 

 

The total number of shares of Common Stock reserved and available for issuance pursuant to this Plan shall be 3,000,000 (the “Share Limit”), subject to adjustments effected in accordance with Section 15 of this Plan. Shares issued under this Plan may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued shares or treasury shares reacquired in private transactions or open market purchases, but all shares issued under this Plan shall be counted against the Share Limit.

 

 

The purpose of this Plan is to provide eligible employees of the Company and Participating Subsidiaries with a convenient means of acquiring an equity interest in the Company through payroll deductions, to enhance such employees’ sense of participation in the affairs of the Company and Participating Subsidiaries, and to provide an incentive for continued employment.  For the purposes of this Plan, “employee” shall mean any individual who is an employee of the Company or a Participating Subsidiary. Whether an individual qualifies as an employee shall be determined by the Committee (as hereinafter defined), in its sole discretion. The Committee shall be guided by the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-7 and Section 3401(c) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, with the intent that the Plan cover all “employees” within the meaning of those provisions other than those who are not eligible to participate in the Plan, provided, however, that any determinations regarding whether an individual is an “employee” shall be prospective only, unless otherwise determined by the Committee. Unless the Committee makes a contrary determination, the employees of the Company shall, for all purposes of this Plan, be those individuals who are carried as employees of the Company or a Participating Subsidiary for regular payroll purposes or are on a leave of absence for not more than 90 days. Any inquiries regarding eligibility to participate in the Plan shall be directed to the Committee, whose decision shall be final.

 

 

This Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Committee”).  Subject to the provisions of this Plan and the limitations of Section 423 of the Code or any successor provision in the Code, all questions of interpretation or application of this Plan shall be determined by the Committee and its decisions shall be final and binding upon all participants.  Members of the Committee shall receive no compensation for their services in connection with the administration of this Plan, other than standard fees as established from time to time

by the Board for services rendered by Board members serving on Board committees.  All expenses incurred in connection with the administration of this Plan shall be paid by the Company.

 

 

Any employee of the Company or the Participating Subsidiaries is eligible to participate in an Offering Period (as hereinafter defined) under this Plan except the following:

 

a)             employees who are not employed by the Company or a Participating Subsidiary prior to the beginning of such Offering Period or prior to such other time period as specified by the Committee;

 

b)             employees who are customarily employed for twenty (20) hours or less per week;

 

c)              employees who are customarily employed for five (5) months or less in a calendar year;

 

d)             employees who, together with any other person whose stock would be attributed to such employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code, own stock or hold options to purchase stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or any of its Participating Subsidiaries or who, as a result of being granted an option under this Plan with respect to such Offering Period, would own stock or hold options to purchase stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or any of its Participating Subsidiaries;

 

e)              individuals who provide services to the Company or any of its Participating Subsidiaries as independent contractors who are reclassified as common law employees for any reason except for federal income and employment tax purposes; and

 

f)               employees who reside in countries for whom such employees’ participation in the Plan would result in a violation under any corporate or securities laws of such country of residence.

 

 

The offering periods of this Plan (each, an “Offering Period”) shall be of twenty-four (24) months duration commencing on December 1 and June 1 of each year (or at such time or times as may be determined by the Committee).  Each Offering Period shall consist of four (4) six (6) month purchase periods (individually, a “Purchase Period”) during which payroll deductions of the participants are accumulated under this Plan.  The first business day of each Offering Period is referred to as the “Offering Date.”  The last business day of each Purchase Period is referred to as the “Purchase Date.”

 

Notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph, beginning with the Offering Period commencing on June 1, 2012, each Offering Period shall be of six (6) months duration commencing on December 1 and June 1 of each year (or at such time or times as may be determined by the Committee).  Each Offering Period shall consist of a six (6) month Purchase Period during which payroll deductions of the participants are accumulated under this Plan.

 

For clarity, eligible employees who are participants under the Plan in any Offering Period that commenced on or before December 1, 2011, if the provisions of Section 12(c) regarding enrollment in a subsequent Offering Period apply, any eligible employee will be enrolled in a subsequent six (6) month Offering Period.

The Committee shall have the power to change the Offering Dates, the Purchase Dates and the duration of Offering Periods or Purchase Periods without shareholder approval if such change is announced prior to the relevant Offering Period or prior to such other time period as specified by the Committee.

 

 

Eligible employees may become participants in an Offering Period under this Plan on the Offering Date, after satisfying the eligibility requirements, by delivering a subscription agreement to the Company prior to such Offering Date, or such other time period as specified by the Committee.  An eligible employee who does not deliver a subscription agreement to the Company after becoming eligible to participate in an Offering Period shall not participate in that Offering Period or any subsequent Offering Period unless such employee enrolls in this Plan by filing a subscription agreement with the Company prior to such Offering Period, or such other time period as specified by the Committee.  Once an employee becomes a participant in an Offering Period by filing a subscription agreement, such employee shall automatically participate in the Offering Period commencing immediately following the last day of the prior Offering Period unless the employee withdraws or is deemed to withdraw from this Plan or terminates further participation in the Offering Period as set forth in Section 12 below.  Such participant is not required to file any additional subscription agreement in order to continue participation in this Plan.

 

 

Enrollment by an eligible employee in this Plan with respect to an Offering Period shall constitute the grant (as of the Offering Date) by the Company to such employee of an option to purchase on the Purchase Date up to that number of shares of Common Stock determined by a fraction, the numerator of which is the amount accumulated in such employee’s payroll deduction account during such Purchase Period and the denominator of which is the lower of (i) eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the Offering Date (but in no event less than the par value of a share of Common Stock), or (ii) eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the Purchase Date (but in no event less than the par value of a share of Common Stock), provided, however, that the number of shares of Common Stock subject to any option granted pursuant to this Plan shall not exceed the lesser of (x) the maximum number of shares set by the Committee pursuant to Section 11(c) below with respect to the applicable Purchase Date, or (y) the maximum number of shares which may be purchased pursuant to Section 11(b) below with respect to the applicable Purchase Date.  The fair market value of a share of Common Stock shall be determined as provided in Section 9 below.

 

 

The purchase price per share at which a share of Common Stock shall be sold in any Offering Period shall be eighty-five percent (85%) of the lesser of:

 

a)             the fair market value on the Offering Date; or

 

b)             the fair market value on the Purchase Date.

 

For the purposes of this Plan, the term “fair market value” means, as of any date, the value of a share of the Common Stock determined as follows:

 

a)             If the Common Stock is traded on any established stock exchange or quoted on a national market system, fair market value shall be the closing sales price for the Common Stock as quoted on that stock exchange or system for the date the value is to be determined (the “Value Date”) as reported by such stock exchange or national market system, or, if not reported by such stock exchange or national market system, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or a similar publication.  If no sales are reported as having occurred on the Value Date, fair market value shall be that closing sales price for the last preceding trading day on which sales of Common Stock are reported as having occurred.  If no sales are reported as having occurred during the five trading days before the Value Date, Fair Market Value shall be the closing bid for Common Stock on the Value Date.  If the Common Stock is listed on multiple exchanges or systems, fair market value shall be based on sales or bid prices on the primary exchange or system on which the Common Stock is traded or quoted;

 

b)             If the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported on any established stock exchange or quoted on a national market system, fair market value shall be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices on the Value Date.  If no prices are quoted for the Value Date, fair market value shall be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices on the last preceding trading day on which any bid and asked prices were quoted; or

 

c)              If the Common Stock is not traded on any established stock exchange or quoted on a national market system and are not quoted by a recognized securities dealer, the Board or Committee will determine fair market value in good faith.  The Board or Committee will consider the following factors, and any others it considers significant, in determining fair market value: (i) the price at which other securities of the Company have been issued to purchasers other than employees, directors, or consultants, (ii) the Company’s shareholder’s equity, prospective earning power, dividend-paying capacity, and non-operating assets, if any, and (iii) any other relevant factors, including the economic outlook for the Company and the Company’s industry, the Company’s position in that industry, the Company’s goodwill and other intellectual property, and the values of securities of other businesses in the same industry.

 

 

a)             The purchase price of the shares is accumulated by regular payroll deductions made during each Offering Period.  The deductions are made as a percentage of the participant’s compensation in one percent (1%) increments, not less than one percent (1%), nor greater than fifteen percent (15%), or such lower limit set by the Committee.  Compensation shall mean all regular straight-time gross earnings, and shall not include payments for overtime, shift premium, incentive compensation or payments, bonuses, commissions or other compensation.  Payroll deductions shall commence on the first payday of the Offering Period and shall continue to the end of the Offering Period unless sooner altered or terminated as provided in this Plan.

 

b)             A participant may increase or decrease the rate of payroll deductions during an Offering Period by filing with the Company a new authorization for payroll deductions, in which case the new rate shall become effective for the next payroll period commencing after the Company’s timely receipt of the authorization and shall continue for the remainder of the Offering Period unless changed as described below.  Such change in the rate of payroll deductions may be made at any time during an Offering Period, but not more than one (1) change may be made effective during any Purchase Period.  A participant may increase or decrease the rate of payroll deductions for any subsequent Offering Period by filing with the Company a new authorization for payroll deductions prior to the beginning of such Offering Period, or such other time period as specified by the Committee.

 

c)              A participant may reduce his or her payroll deduction percentage to zero during an Offering Period by filing with the Company a request for cessation of payroll deductions.  Such reduction shall be effective beginning with the next payroll period after the Company’s timely receipt of the request and no further payroll deductions shall be made for the duration of the Offering Period.  Payroll deductions credited to the participant’s account prior to the effective date of the request shall be used to purchase shares of Common Stock of the Company in accordance with Section (e) below.  A participant may not resume making payroll deductions during the Offering Period in which he or she reduced his or her payroll deductions to zero.

 

d)             All payroll deductions made for a participant are credited to his or her account under this Plan and are deposited with the general funds of the Company.  No interest accrues on the payroll deductions.  All payroll deductions received or held by the Company may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate such payroll deductions.

 

e)              On each Purchase Date, for so long as this Plan remains in effect and provided that the participant has not submitted a signed and completed withdrawal form before that date, which notifies the Company that the participant wishes to withdraw from that Offering Period under this Plan and have all payroll deductions accumulated in the account maintained on behalf of the participant, as of that date returned to the participant, the Company shall apply the funds then in the participant’s account to the purchase of whole shares of Common Stock reserved under the option granted to such participant with respect to the Offering Period to the extent that such option is exercisable on the Purchase Date.  The purchase price per share shall be as specified in Section 9 of this Plan.  Any cash remaining in a participant’s account after such purchase of shares shall be refunded to such participant in cash, without interest, provided, however, that any amount remaining in such participant’s account on a Purchase Date which is less than the amount necessary to purchase a full share of Common Stock shall be carried forward, without interest, into the next Purchase Period or Offering Period, as the case may be.  In the event that this Plan has been oversubscribed, all funds not used to purchase shares on the Purchase Date shall be returned to the participant, without interest.  No Common Stock shall be purchased on a Purchase Date on behalf of any employee whose participation in this Plan has terminated prior to such Purchase Date.

 

f)               As soon as practicable after the Purchase Date, the Company shall issue shares for the participant’s benefit representing the shares purchased upon exercise of his or her option.

 

g)              During a participant’s lifetime, his or her option to purchase shares hereunder is exercisable only by him or her.  The participant shall have no interest or voting rights in shares covered by his or her option until such option has been exercised.

 

 

a)    No participant shall be entitled to purchase stock under this Plan at a rate which, when aggregated with his or her rights to purchase stock under all other employee stock purchase plans of the Company or any Subsidiary, exceeds $25,000 in fair market value, determined as of the Offering Date (or such other limit as may be imposed by the Code) for each calendar year in which the employee participates in this Plan.  The Company shall automatically suspend the payroll deductions of any participant as necessary to enforce such limit provided that when the Company automatically resumes such payroll deductions, the Company must apply the rate in effect immediately prior to such suspension.

 

b)             No participant shall be entitled to purchase more than 3,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Maximum Share Amount”) on any single Purchase Date.  Prior to the commencement of any Offering Period or prior to such time period as specified by the Committee, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, set a new Maximum Share Amount.  If a new Maximum Share Amount is set, then all participants must be notified of such Maximum Share Amount prior to the commencement of the next Offering Period. The Maximum Share Amount shall continue to apply with respect to all succeeding Purchase Dates and Offering Periods unless revised by the Committee as set forth above.

 

c)              If the number of shares to be purchased on a Purchase Date by all employees participating in this Plan exceeds the number of shares then available for issuance under this Plan, then the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the remaining shares in as uniform a manner as shall be reasonably practicable or as the Committee shall determine to be equitable.  In such event, the Company shall give written notice of such reduction of the number of shares to be purchased under a participant’s option to each participant affected.

 

d)             Any payroll deductions accumulated in a participant’s account which are not used to purchase stock due to the limitations in this Section 11 shall be returned to the participant as soon as practicable after the end of the applicable Purchase Period, without interest.

 

 

a)             Each participant may withdraw from an Offering Period under this Plan by signing and delivering to the Company a written notice to that effect on a form provided for such purpose.  Such withdrawal may be elected at any time prior to the end of an Offering Period, or such other time period as specified by the Committee.

 

b)             Upon withdrawal from this Plan, the accumulated payroll deductions shall be returned to the withdrawn participant, without interest, and his or her interest in this Plan shall terminate.  In the event a participant voluntarily elects to withdraw from this Plan, he or she may not resume his or her participation in this Plan during the same Offering Period, but he or she may participate in any Offering Period under this Plan which commences on a date subsequent to such withdrawal by filing a new authorization for payroll deductions in the same manner as set forth in Section 7 above for initial participation in this Plan.

 

c)              If the fair market value on the first day of the current Offering Period in which a participant is enrolled is higher than the fair market value on the first day of any subsequent Offering Period, the Company shall automatically enroll such participant in the subsequent Offering Period.  Any funds accumulated in a participant’s account prior to the first day of such subsequent Offering Period shall be applied to the purchase of shares on the Purchase Date immediately prior to the first day of such subsequent Offering Period, if any.

 

 

Termination of a participant’s employment for any reason, including retirement, death or the failure of a participant to remain an eligible employee of the Company or of a Participating Subsidiary, shall immediately terminate his or her participation in this Plan.  In such event, the payroll deductions credited to the participant’s account shall be returned to him or her or, in the case of his or her death, to his or her legal representative, without interest.  For purposes of this Section 13, an employee shall not be deemed to have terminated employment or failed to remain in the continuous employ of the Company or of a Participating Subsidiary in the case of sick leave, military leave, or any other leave of absence approved by the Committee, provided, however that such leave is for a period of not more than ninety (90) days or reemployment upon the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or statute.

 

 

In the event a participant’s interest in this Plan is terminated by withdrawal, termination of employment or otherwise, or in the event this Plan is terminated by the Board, the Company shall deliver to the participant all payroll deductions credited to such participant’s account.  No interest shall accrue on the payroll deductions of a participant in this Plan.

 

 

a)             Subject to any required action by the shareholders of the Company, the number and type of shares of Common Stock covered by each option under this Plan which has not yet been exercised and the number and type of shares of Common Stock which have been authorized for issuance under this Plan but have not yet been placed under option (collectively, the “Reserves”), as well as the price per share of Common Stock covered by each option under this Plan which has not yet been exercised, shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued

and outstanding shares of Common Stock resulting from a stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification of the Common Stock or any other increase or decrease in the number of issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock effected without receipt of any consideration by the Company, provided, however, that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been “effected without receipt of consideration.”  Such adjustment shall be made by the Committee, whose determination shall be final, binding and conclusive.  Except as expressly provided herein, no issue by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of shares of Common Stock subject to an option.

 

b)             In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Offering Period will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed action, unless otherwise provided by the Board.  In the event of a Change in Control (as defined in the Company’s Amended and Restated 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan), the Board shall shorten the Offering Period then in progress by setting a new Purchase Date (the “New Purchase Date”) prior to the closing date of the Change in Control.  The Board shall notify each participant in writing, at least ten (10) days prior to the New Purchase Date, that the Purchase Date for his or her option has been changed to the New Purchase Date and that his or her option will be exercised automatically on the New Purchase Date, unless prior to such date he or she has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 12.

 

c)              The Committee may, if it so determines in the exercise of its sole discretion, also make provision for adjusting the Reserves, as well as the price per share of Common Stock covered by each outstanding option, in the event that the Company effects one or more reorganizations, recapitalizations, rights offerings or other increases or reductions of shares of its outstanding Common Stock, or in the event of the Company being consolidated with or merged into any other corporation.

 

 

Neither payroll deductions credited to a participant’s account nor any rights with regard to the exercise of an option or to receive shares under this Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of in any way (other than by the laws of descent and distribution or as provided in Section 23 below) by the participant.  Any such attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposition shall be void and without effect.

 

 

Individual accounts shall be maintained for each participant in this Plan.  Each participant shall receive, as soon as practicable after the end of each Purchase Period, a report of his or her account setting forth the total payroll deductions accumulated, the number of shares purchased, the per share price thereof and the remaining cash balance, if any, carried forward to the next Purchase Period or Offering Period, as the case may be.

 

 

Each participant shall notify the Company in writing if the participant disposes of any of the shares purchased in any Offering Period pursuant to this Plan if such disposition occurs within two (2) years from the Offering Date or within one (1) year from the Purchase Date on which such shares were purchased (the “Notice Period”).  The Company may, at any time during the Notice Period, place a legend or legends on any certificate representing shares acquired pursuant to this Plan requesting the Company’s transfer agent to notify the Company of any transfer of the shares.  The obligation of the participant to provide such notice shall continue notwithstanding the placement of any such legend on the certificates.

 

 

Neither this Plan nor the grant of any option hereunder shall confer any right on any employee to remain in the employ of the Company or any Participating Subsidiary, or restrict the right of the Company or any Participating Subsidiary to terminate such employee’s employment.

 

 

All eligible employees shall have equal rights and privileges with respect to this Plan so that this Plan qualifies as an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423 or any successor provision of the Code and the related regulations.  Any provision of this Plan which is inconsistent with Section 423 or any successor provision of the Code shall, without further act or amendment by the Company, the Committee or the Board, be reformed to comply with the requirements of Section 423.  This Section 20 shall take precedence over all other provisions in this Plan.

 

 

All notices or other communications by a participant to the Company under or in connection with this Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.

 

 

This Plan shall be approved by the shareholders of the Company, in any manner permitted by applicable corporate law, within twelve (12) months after the date this Plan is adopted by the Board.  No purchase of shares pursuant to this Plan shall occur prior to such shareholder approval.  This Plan shall continue until the earliest to occur of (a) termination of this Plan by the Board (which termination may be effected by the Board at any time), or (b) issuance of all of the shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under this Plan.

 

 

a)             A participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any shares and cash, if any, from the participant’s account under this Plan in the event of such participant’s death subsequent to the end of a Purchase Period but prior to delivery to him of such shares and cash.  The participant shall deliver along with such designation a written acknowledgment of the participant’s spouse, if any, consenting to the designation.  In addition, a participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any cash from the participant’s account under this Plan in the event of such participant’s death prior to a Purchase Date.

 

b)             Such designation of beneficiary may be changed by the participant at any time by written notice.  The participant shall deliver along with such designation a written acknowledgment of the participant’s spouse, if any, consenting to the designation.  In the event of the death of a participant and in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under this Plan who is living at the time of such participant’s death, the Company shall deliver such shares or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the participant, or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company), the Company, in its discretion, may deliver such shares or cash to the spouse or to any one or more dependents or relatives of the participant, or if no spouse, dependent or relative is known to the Company, then to such other person as the Company may designate.

 

 

Shares shall not be issued with respect to an option unless the exercise of such option and the issuance and delivery of such shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all applicable provisions of law, domestic or foreign,

including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the shares may then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.

 

 

The Plan shall be governed by the substantive laws (excluding the conflict of laws rules) of the State of Delaware.

 

 

The Board may at any time amend, terminate or extend the term of this Plan; provided, however, that:  (i) any such termination cannot affect options previously granted under this Plan; (ii) no amendment may make any change in an option previously granted which would adversely affect the right of any participant, nor may any amendment be made without approval of the shareholders of the Company obtained in accordance with Section 22 above within twelve (12) months of the adoption of such amendment if such amendment would:

 

a)             increase the number of shares that may be issued under this Plan; or

 

b)             change the designation of the employees (or class of employees) eligible for participation in this Plan.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may make such amendments to the Plan as the Board determines to be advisable, if the continuation of the Plan or any Offering Period would result in financial accounting treatment for the Plan that is different from the financial accounting treatment in effect on the date this Plan is adopted by the Board.

 

Adopted by the Board on:  March 19, 2004

Approved by the shareholders on:  May 27, 2004

Effective date of this Plan:  May 27, 2004

Amended by the Board on:  March 22, 2007, March 25, 2010, March 22, 2012, May 15, 2012, February 19, 2014 and February 12, 2016

The Plan was further amended effective August 15, 2018 in connection with the Company’s name change and reincorporation.