C&D TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 2011 STOCK OPTION PLAN
Exhibit 10.1
C&D TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
2011 STOCK OPTION PLAN
1. Purpose.
The purpose of the Plan is to assist the Company in attracting, retaining, motivating, and rewarding certain key employees, officers, directors, and consultants of the Company and other members of the Company Group, and promoting the creation of long-term value for stockholders of the Company by closely aligning the interests of such individuals with those of such stockholders. The Plan authorizes the award of Options to Eligible Persons to encourage such persons to expend their maximum efforts in the creation of stockholder value.
2. Definitions.
For purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below:
(a) “Award” means any Option granted under the Plan.
(b) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(c) “Cause” means, in the absence of an employment agreement between a Participant and the Employer otherwise defining Cause, (i) a Participant’s conviction of or indictment for any crime (whether or not involving the Company or any other member of the Company Group) (A) constituting a felony or (B) that has, or could reasonably be expected to result in, an adverse impact on the performance of the Participant’s duties to the Employer, or otherwise has, or could reasonably be expected to result in, an adverse impact to the business or reputation of the Company or any other member of the Company Group; (ii) conduct of the Participant, in connection with his or her employment, that has, or could reasonably be expected to result in, material injury to the business or reputation of the Company or any other member of the Company Group; (iii) any material violation of the policies of the Company or any other member of the Company Group, including, but not limited to those relating to sexual harassment, the disclosure or misuse of confidential information, or those set forth in the manuals or statements of policy of the Company or any other member of the Company Group; or (v) willful neglect in the performance of the Participant’s duties for the Employer or willful or repeated failure or refusal to perform such duties; provided, however, that if, subsequent to the Participant’s voluntary Termination for any reason or involuntary Termination by the Company or any other member of the Company Group without Cause, it is discovered that the Participant’s employment could have been terminated for Cause, such Participant’s employment shall be deemed to have been terminated for Cause. In the event there is an employment agreement between a Participant and the Employer defining Cause, “Cause” shall have the meaning provided in such agreement, and a Termination by the Employer for Cause hereunder shall not be deemed to have occurred unless all applicable notice and cure periods in such employment agreement are complied with.
(d) “Change in Control” means:
(i) a change in ownership or control of the Company effected through a transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Stock to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) whereby any “person” (as defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act) or any two or more persons deemed to be one “person” (as used in Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act), other than Angelo, Gordon & Co., L.P. or any of its affiliates, the Company, or any other member of the Company Group, or an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any other member of the Company Group, directly or indirectly acquire “beneficial ownership” (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition;
(ii) the date upon which individuals who, as of the Effective Date, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the date hereof whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then constituting the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a person other than the Board; or
(iii) the sale or disposition, in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to any “person” (as defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act) or to any two or more persons deemed to be one “person” (as used in Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) other than any other member of the Company Group.
(e) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, including regulations thereunder and successor provisions and regulations thereto.
(f) “Committee” means the Board or such other committee appointed by the Board consisting of two or more individuals.
(g) “Company” means C&D Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
(h) “Company Group” means the Company, together with any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company.
(i) “Disability” means, in the absence of any employment agreement between a Participant and the Employer otherwise defining Disability, the permanent and total disability of such Participant within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code. In the event there is an employment agreement between a Participant and the Employer defining Disability, “Disability” shall have the meaning provided in such agreement.
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(j) “Disqualifying Disposition” means any disposition (including any sale) of Stock acquired upon the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option made within the period that ends either (i) two years after the date the Participant was granted the Incentive Stock Option or (ii) one year after the date the Participant acquired Stock by exercising the Incentive Stock Option.
(k) “Effective Date” means January 26, 2011.
(l) “Eligible Person” means (i) each employee of the Company or any other member of the Company Group, including each such person who may also be a director of the Company and/or any other member of the Company Group; (ii) each non-employee director of the Company and/or any other member of the Company Group; (iii) each other person who provides substantial services to the Company and/or any other member of the Company Group and who is designated as eligible by the Committee; and (iv) any person who has been offered employment or service by the Company or any other member of the Company Group; provided, that such prospective service provider may not receive any payment or exercise any right relating to an Award until such person has commenced employment or service with the Company or any other member of the Company Group. An employee on an approved leave of absence may be considered as still in the employ of the Company or any applicable member of the Company Group for purposes of eligibility for participation in the Plan.
(m) “Employer” means either the Company or any other member of the Company Group by which the Participant is principally employed or to which the Participant provides services, as applicable (in each case determined without regard to any transfer of an Award).
(n) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, including rules thereunder and successor provisions and rules thereto.
(o) “Expiration Date” means the date upon which the term of an Option expires, as determined under Section 5(b) hereof.
(p) “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date when the Stock is listed on one or more national securities exchanges, the closing price reported on the principal national securities exchange on which such Stock is listed and traded on the date of determination. If the Stock is not listed on an exchange, “Fair Market Value” shall mean the amount determined by the Board in good faith, based upon a third-party valuation, to be the fair market value per share of Stock.
(q) “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
(r) “Incumbent Board” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(e)(ii) hereof.
(s) “Nonqualified Stock Option” means an Option not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
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(t) “Option” means a conditional right, granted to a Participant under Section 5 hereof, to purchase Stock at a specified price during specified time periods. Certain Options granted under the Plan are intended to qualify as Incentive Stock Options.
(u) “Option Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing the terms and conditions of an individual Option grant.
(v) “Participant” means an Eligible Person who has been granted an Award under the Plan, or if applicable, such other person or entity who holds an Award.
(w) “Plan” means this C&D Technologies, Inc. 2011 Stock Option Plan.
(x) “Qualified Member” means a member of the Committee who is a “Non-Employee Director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 and an “outside director” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation 1.162-27(c) under Code Section 162(m).
(y) “Qualifying Committee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(b) hereof.
(z) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, including rules thereunder and successor provisions and rules thereto.
(aa) “Stock” means the Company’s Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, and such other securities as may be substituted for such stock pursuant to Section 6 hereof.
(bb) “Termination” means the termination of a Participant’s employment or service, as applicable, with the Employer; provided, however, that, if so determined by the Committee at the time of any change in status in relation to the Employer (e.g., a Participant ceases to be an employee and begins providing services as a consultant, or vice versa), such change in status will not be deemed to be a Termination hereunder. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, in the event that any Employer ceases to be a member of the Company Group (by reason of sale, divesture, spin-off or other similar transaction), unless a Participant’s employment or service is transferred to another entity that would constitute an Employer immediately following such transaction, such Participant shall be deemed to have suffered a Termination hereunder as of the date of the consummation of such transaction.
3. Administration.
(a) Authority of the Committee. Except as otherwise provided below, the Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee shall have full and final authority, in each case subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, to (i) select Eligible Persons to become Participants; (ii) grant Awards; (iii) determine the type, number of shares of Stock subject to, and other terms and conditions of, and all other matters relating to, Awards; (iv) prescribe Option Agreements (which need not be identical for each Participant) and rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan; (v) construe and interpret the Plan and Option Agreements and correct defects, supply omissions, or reconcile inconsistencies therein; (vi) suspend the right to exercise Awards during any period that the Committee deems appropriate to comply with applicable securities laws, and thereafter extend the exercise period
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of an Award by an equivalent period of time; and (vii) make all other decisions and determinations as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. Any action of the Committee shall be final, conclusive, and binding on all persons, including, without limitation, the Company, any other member of the Company Group, Eligible Persons, Participants, and beneficiaries of Participants.
(b) Manner of Exercise of Committee Authority. At any time that a member of the Committee is not a Qualified Member, (i) any action of the Committee relating to an Award intended by the Committee to qualify as “performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code may be taken by a subcommittee, designated by the Committee or the Board, composed solely of two or more Qualified Members (a “Qualifying Committee”); and (ii) any action relating to an Award granted or to be granted to a Participant who is then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act in respect of the Company may be taken either by such a Qualifying Committee, or by the Committee but with each such member who is not a Qualified Member abstaining or recusing himself or herself from such action; provided, that upon such abstention or recusal, the Committee remains composed of two or more Qualified Members. Any action authorized by such a Qualifying Committee or by the Committee upon the abstention or recusal of such non-Qualified Member(s) shall be deemed to be the action of the Committee for purposes of the Plan. The express grant of any specific power to the Committee, and the taking of any action by the Committee, shall not be construed as limiting any power or authority of the Committee.
(c) Delegation. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Committee may delegate to officers or employees of the Company or any other member of the Company Group, or committees thereof, the authority, subject to such terms as the Committee shall determine, to perform such functions, including but not limited to administrative functions, as the Committee may determine appropriate. The Committee may appoint agents to assist it in administering the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, any Award granted under the Plan to any person or entity who is not an employee of the Company or any other member of the Company Group (including any non-employee director of the Company or any other member of the Company Group) or to any person who is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act shall be expressly approved by the Committee or Qualifying Committee in accordance with subsection (b) above.
4. Shares Available Under the Plan.
(a) Number of Shares Available for Delivery. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 6 hereof, the total number of shares of Stock reserved and available for delivery in connection with Awards under the Plan shall be 52,989,895 all of which may be issued or transferred upon exercise or settlement of Incentive Stock Options. Shares of Stock delivered under the Plan shall consist of authorized and unissued shares or previously issued shares of Stock reacquired by the Company on the open market or by private purchase.
(b) Share Counting Rules. The Committee may adopt reasonable counting procedures to ensure appropriate counting, avoid double counting (as, for example, in the case of tandem or substitute awards) and make adjustments if the number of shares of Stock actually delivered differs from the number of shares previously counted in connection with an Award. To
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the extent that an Award expires or is canceled, forfeited, settled in cash, or otherwise terminated without a delivery to the Participant of the full number of shares to which the Award related, the undelivered shares will again be available for grant. Shares withheld in payment of the exercise price or taxes relating to an Award and shares equal to the number surrendered in payment of any exercise price or taxes relating to an Award shall be deemed to constitute shares not delivered to the Participant and shall be deemed to again be available for Awards under the Plan; provided, however, that such shares shall not become available for issuance hereunder if either (i) the applicable shares are withheld or surrendered following the termination of the Plan, or (ii) at the time the applicable shares are withheld or surrendered, it would constitute a material revision of the Plan subject to stockholder approval under any then-applicable rules of the national securities exchange on which the Stock is listed.
(c) 162(m) Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, during any time that the Company is subject to Section 162(m) of the Code, the maximum number of shares of Stock with respect to which Options may be granted to any individual in any one year shall not exceed the maximum number of shares of Stock available for issue hereunder, as such number may change from time to time.
5. Options.
(a) General. Options may be granted to Eligible Persons in such form and having such terms and conditions as the Committee shall deem appropriate; provided, however, that Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to Eligible Persons who are employed by the Employer. The provisions of separate Options shall be set forth in an Option Agreement, which agreements need not be identical.
(b) Term. The term of each Option shall be set by the Committee at the time of grant; provided, however, that no Option granted hereunder shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date it was granted.
(c) Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of Stock for each Option shall be set by the Committee at the time of grant; provided, however, that if an Option is intended (i) to not be considered “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, (ii) to qualify as “performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and regulations thereunder, or (iii) to be an Incentive Stock Option, in each case, the applicable exercise price shall not be less than the Fair Market Value, subject to subsection (h) below in the case of any Incentive Stock Option.
(d) Payment for Stock. Payment for shares of Stock acquired pursuant to Options granted hereunder shall be made in full, upon exercise of the Options, (i) in immediately available funds in United States dollars, or by certified or bank cashier’s check; (ii) by delivery of a notice of “net exercise” to the Company, pursuant to which the Participant shall receive the number of shares of Stock underlying the Options so exercised reduced by the number of shares of Stock equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Options divided by the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise; (iii) by delivery of shares of Stock having a value equal to the exercise price; provided, such shares have been held by the Participant for more than six (6) months prior to such delivery; or (iv) by any other means approved by the Committee. Anything herein to the
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contrary notwithstanding, if the Committee determines that any form of payment available hereunder would be in violation of Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, such form of payment shall not be available.
(e) Vesting. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of grant, provided a Participant has not undergone a Termination, Options granted to a Participant who is not a non-employee director of the Company and/or any other member of the Company Group as of any date of grant shall vest and become exercisable as to twenty-five percent (25%) of such Options the second anniversary of the date of grant, and as to the additional seventy-five percent (75%) of such Options on fourth anniversary of the date of grant occurring thereafter, and Options granted to a Participant who is a non-employee director of the Company and/or any other member of the Company Group as of any date of grant shall vest and become exercisable as to thirty-three and one-third percent (33 1/3%) of such Options on each of the first, second, and third anniversaries of the date of grant; provided, however, that upon any Termination (i) by the Employer other than for Cause, or (ii) by reason of a Participant’s death or Disability, in each case, following the occurrence of a Change in Control, any of such Options that are unvested as of the date of such Termination shall immediately vest as of such Termination. In addition, notwithstanding any vesting dates described above or otherwise set forth in an Option Agreement, the Committee may in its sole discretion accelerate the vesting of any Option, which acceleration shall not affect the terms and conditions of any such Option other than with respect to vesting. Unless otherwise specifically determined by the Committee, the vesting of an Option shall occur only while the Participant is employed or rendering services to the Employer, and all vesting shall cease upon a Participant’s Termination with the Employer for any reason. If an Option is exercisable in installments, such installments or portions thereof which become exercisable shall remain exercisable until the Option expires.
(f) Transferability of Options. An Option shall not be transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and shall be exercisable during the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Nonqualified Stock Options shall be transferable to the extent provided in the Option Agreement or otherwise determined by the Committee.
(g) Termination of Employment or Service. Except as may otherwise be provided by the Committee in the Option Agreement:
(i) In the event of a Participant’s Termination with the Employer prior to the Expiration Date for any reason other than (A) by the Employer for Cause, or (B) by reason of the Participant’s death or Disability, (1) all vesting with respect to such Participant’s Options shall cease, (2) all of such Participant’s unvested Options shall expire as of the date of such Termination, and (3) all of such Participant’s vested Options shall remain exercisable until the earlier of the Expiration Date and the date that is ninety (90) days after the date of such Termination.
(ii) In the event of a Participant’s Termination with the Employer prior to the Expiration Date by reason of such Participant’s death or Disability, (A) all vesting with respect to such Participant’s Options shall cease, (B) all of such Participant’s unvested Options shall expire as of the date of such Termination, and (C) all of such
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Participant’s vested Options shall expire on the earlier of the Expiration Date and the date that is twelve (12) months after the date of such Termination due to death or Disability of the Participant. In the event of a Participant’s death, such Participant’s Options shall remain exercisable by the person or persons to whom a Participant’s rights under the Options pass by will or the applicable laws of descent and distribution until their expiration, but only to the extent the Options were vested by such Participant at the time of such Termination due to death.
(iii) In the event of a Participant’s Termination with the Employer prior to the Expiration Date by the Employer for Cause, all of such Participant’s Options (whether or not vested) shall immediately expire as of the date of such Termination.
(h) Special Provisions Applicable to Incentive Stock Options.
(i) No Incentive Stock Option may be granted to any Participant who, at the time the option is granted, owns directly, or indirectly within the meaning of Section 424(d) of the Code, stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of any parent or subsidiary thereof, unless such Incentive Stock Option (A) has an exercise price of at least one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value on the date of the grant of such Option and (B) cannot be exercised more than five (5) years after the date it is granted.
(ii) To the extent the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the date of grant) of Stock for which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and any other member of the Company Group) exceeds $100,000, such excess Incentive Stock Options shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options.
(iii) Each Participant who receives an Incentive Stock Option must agree to notify the Company in writing immediately after the Participant makes a Disqualifying Disposition of any Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option.
6. Adjustment for Recapitalization, Merger, etc.
(a) Capitalization Adjustments. The aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be granted or purchased pursuant to Awards (as set forth in Section 4 hereof), the number of shares of Stock covered by each outstanding Award, and/or the price per share thereof in each such Award shall be equitably and proportionally adjusted or substituted, as determined by the Committee, as to the number, price, or kind of a share of Stock or other consideration subject to such Awards (i) in the event of changes in the outstanding Stock or in the capital structure of the Company by reason of stock dividends, stock splits, reverse stock splits, recapitalizations, reorganizations, mergers, consolidations, combinations, exchanges, or other relevant changes in capitalization occurring after the date of grant of any such Award (including any Corporate Event, as defined below); (ii) in connection with any extraordinary dividend declared and paid in respect of shares of Stock, whether payable in the form of cash, stock, or any other form of
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consideration; or (iii) in the event of any change in applicable laws or circumstances that results in or could result in, in either case, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, any substantial dilution or enlargement of the rights intended to be granted to, or available for, Participants in the Plan.
(b) Corporate Events. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as may otherwise be provided in an Award agreement, in connection with (i) a merger or consolidation involving the Company in which the Company is not the surviving corporation; (ii) a merger or consolidation involving the Company in which the Company is the surviving corporation but the holders of shares of Stock receive securities of another corporation and/or other property, including cash; (iii) a Change in Control; or (iv) the reorganization or liquidation of the Company (each, a “Corporate Event”), the Committee may, in its discretion, provide for any one or more of the following:
(1) that such Awards be assumed or substituted in connection with such Corporate Event, in which case, the Awards shall be subject to the adjustment set forth in subsection (a) above, and to the extent such Awards are Performance Awards or other Awards that vest subject to the achievement of performance criteria, such Performance Objectives or similar performance criteria shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the Corporate Event;
(2) that the vesting of any Awards shall be accelerated, subject to the consummation of such Corporate Event; and
(3) that any or all vested and/or unvested Awards be cancelled as of the consummation of such Corporate Event, and that Participants holding vested Awards (including any Awards that would vest upon the Corporate Event but for such cancellation) so cancelled will receive a payment in respect of cancellation of their Awards based on the amount of the per-share consideration being paid for the Stock in connection with such Corporate Event less the applicable exercise price; provided, however, that holders of Awards shall only be entitled to consideration in respect of cancellation of such Awards if the per-share consideration less the applicable exercise price is greater than zero (and to the extent the per-share consideration is less than or equal to the applicable exercise price, such Awards shall be cancelled for no consideration).
Payments to holders pursuant to clause (3) above shall be made in cash or, in the sole discretion of the Committee, in the form of such other consideration necessary for a Participant to receive property, cash, or securities (or combination thereof) as such Participant would have been entitled to receive upon the occurrence of the transaction if the Participant had been, immediately prior to such transaction, the holder of the number of shares of Stock covered by the Award at such time (less any applicable exercise price). In addition, in connection with any Corporate Event, prior to any payment or adjustment contemplated under this subsection (b), the Committee may require a Participant to (i) represent and warrant as to the unencumbered title to his Awards, (ii) bear such Participant’s pro rata share of any post-closing indemnity obligations, and be subject to the same post-closing purchase price adjustments, escrow terms, offset rights, holdback terms, and similar conditions as the other holders of Stock; and (iii) deliver customary transfer documentation as reasonably determined by the Committee.
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(c) Fractional Shares. Any adjustment provided under this Section 6 may provide for the elimination of any fractional share that might otherwise become subject to an Award.
7. Use of Proceeds.
The proceeds received from the sale of Stock pursuant to the Plan shall be used for general corporate purposes.
8. Rights and Privileges as a Stockholder.
Except as otherwise specifically provided in the Plan, no person shall be entitled to the rights and privileges of stock ownership in respect of shares of Stock that are subject to Awards hereunder until such shares have been issued to that person.
9. Employment or Service Rights.
No individual shall have any claim or right to be granted an Award under the Plan or, having been selected for the grant of an Award, to be selected for a grant of any other Award. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any individual any right to be retained in the employ or service of the Company or any other member of the Company Group.
10. Compliance With Laws.
The obligation of the Company to deliver Stock upon vesting and/or exercise of any Award shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by governmental agencies as may be required. Notwithstanding any terms or conditions of any Award to the contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to offer to sell or to sell, and shall be prohibited from offering to sell or selling any shares of Stock pursuant to an Award unless such shares have been properly registered for sale with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act or unless the Company has received an opinion of counsel, satisfactory to the Company, that such shares may be offered or sold without such registration pursuant to an available exemption therefrom and the terms and conditions of such exemption have been fully complied with. The Company shall be under no obligation to register for sale or resale under the Securities Act any of the shares of Stock to be offered or sold under the Plan or any shares of Stock issued upon exercise or settlement of Awards. If the shares of Stock offered for sale or sold under the Plan are offered or sold pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act, the Company may restrict the transfer of such shares and may legend the Stock certificates representing such shares in such manner as it deems advisable to ensure the availability of any such exemption.
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11. Withholding Obligations.
As a condition to the vesting and/or exercise of any Award, the Committee may require that a Participant satisfy, through deduction or withholding from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the Participant, or through such other arrangements as are satisfactory to the Committee, the minimum amount of all federal, state, and local income and other taxes of any kind required or permitted to be withheld in connection with such vesting and/or exercise. The Committee, in its discretion, may permit shares of Stock to be used to satisfy tax withholding requirements, and such shares shall be valued at their Fair Market Value as of the settlement date of the Award; provided, however, that the aggregate Fair Market Value of the number of shares of Stock that may be used to satisfy tax withholding requirements may not exceed the minimum statutorily required withholding amount with respect to such Award.
12. Amendment of the Plan or Awards.
(a) Amendment of Plan. The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend the Plan; provided, however, that the Board shall not, without stockholder approval, make any amendment to the Plan that requires stockholder approval pursuant to applicable law or the applicable rules of the national securities exchange on which the Stock is principally listed.
(b) Amendment of Awards. The Board or the Committee, at any time, and from time to time, may amend the terms of any one or more Awards; provided, however, that the rights under any Award shall not be impaired by any such amendment unless the Participant consents in writing (it being understood that no action taken by the Board or the Committee that is expressly permitted under the Plan, including, without limitation, any actions described in Section 6 hereof, shall constitute an amendment of an Award for such purpose). Notwithstanding the foregoing, subject to the limitations of applicable law, if any, and without an affected Participant’s consent, the Board or the Committee may amend the terms of any one or more Awards if necessary to bring the Award into compliance with Section 409A of the Code and Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder, including without limitation any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued or amended after the Effective Date.
(c) No Repricing of Awards without Stockholder Approval. Notwithstanding subsection (a) or (b) above, or any other provision of the Plan, repricing of Awards shall not be permitted without stockholder approval. For this purpose, a “repricing” means any of the following (or any other action that has the same effect as any of the following): (i) changing the terms of an Award to lower its exercise price (other than on account of capital adjustments resulting from share splits, etc., as described in Section 6(a)); (ii) any other action that is treated as “repricing” under generally accepted accounting principals; and (iii) repurchasing for cash or canceling an Award in exchange for another Award at a time when its exercise price is greater than the Fair Market Value of the underlying Stock, unless the cancellation and exchange occurs in connection with an event set forth in Section 6(b).
13. Termination or Suspension of the Plan.
The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. Unless sooner terminated, the Plan shall terminate on the day before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the date the Plan is adopted by the Board. No Awards may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after it is terminated.
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14. Effective Date of the Plan.
The Plan is effective as of the Effective Date.
15. Miscellaneous.
(a) Certificates. Stock acquired pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan may be evidenced in such a manner as the Committee shall determine. If certificates representing Stock are registered in the name of the Participant, the Committee may require that such certificates bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Stock, that the Company retain physical possession of the certificates, and that the Participant deliver a stock power to the Company, endorsed in blank, relating to the Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may determine, in its sole discretion, that the Stock shall be held in book entry form rather than delivered to the Participant pending the release of any applicable restrictions.
(b) Clawback/Recoupment Policy. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, all Awards granted under the Plan shall be and remain subject to any incentive compensation clawback or recoupment policy currently in effect or as may be adopted by the Board, and in each case, as may be amended from time to time. Any such policy adoption or amendment shall in no event require the prior consent of any Participant.
(c) Participants Outside of the United States. The Committee may modify the terms of any Award under the Plan made to or held by a Participant who is then a resident or primarily employed outside of the United States in any manner deemed by the Committee to be necessary or appropriate in order that such Award shall conform to laws, regulations, and customs of the country in which the Participant is then a resident or primarily employed, or so that the value and other benefits of the Award to the Participant, as affected by foreign tax laws and other restrictions applicable as a result of the Participant’s residence or employment abroad, shall be comparable to the value of such Award to a Participant who is a resident or primarily employed in the United States. An Award may be modified under this Section 15(c) in a manner that is inconsistent with the express terms of the Plan, so long as such modifications will not contravene any applicable law or regulation or result in actual liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act for the Participant whose Award is modified. Additionally, the Committee may adopt such procedures and sub-plans as are necessary or appropriate to permit participation in the Plan by Eligible Persons who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States.
(d) No Liability of Committee Members. No member of the Committee shall be personally liable by reason of any contract or other instrument executed by such member or on his behalf in his capacity as a member of the Committee or for any mistake of judgment made in good faith, and the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each member of the Committee and each other employee, officer, or director of the Company to whom any duty or power relating to the administration or interpretation of the Plan may be allocated or delegated, against all costs and expenses (including counsel fees) and liabilities (including sums paid in
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settlement of a claim) arising out of any act or omission to act in connection with the Plan unless arising out of such person’s own fraud or willful misconduct; provided, however, that approval of the Board shall be required for the payment of any amount in settlement of a claim against any such person. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company’s certificate or articles of incorporation or by-laws, each as may be amended from time to time, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.
(e) Payments Following Accidents or Illness. If the Committee shall find that any person to whom any amount is payable under the Plan is unable to care for his affairs because of illness or accident, or is a minor, or has died, then any payment due to such person or his estate (unless a prior claim therefor has been made by a duly appointed legal representative) may, if the Committee so directs the Company, be paid to his spouse, child, relative, an institution maintaining or having custody of such person, or any other person deemed by the Committee to be a proper recipient on behalf of such person otherwise entitled to payment. Any such payment shall be a complete discharge of the liability of the Committee and the Company therefor.
(f) Governing Law. The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware without reference to the principles of conflicts of laws thereof.
(g) Funding. No provision of the Plan shall require the Company, for the purpose of satisfying any obligations under the Plan, to purchase assets or place any assets in a trust or other entity to which contributions are made or otherwise to segregate any assets, nor shall the Company maintain separate bank accounts, books, records, or other evidence of the existence of a segregated or separately maintained or administered fund for such purposes. Participants shall have no rights under the Plan other than as unsecured general creditors of the Company, except that insofar as they may have become entitled to payment of additional compensation by performance of services, they shall have the same rights as other employees under general law.
(h) Reliance on Reports. Each member of the Committee and each member of the Board shall be fully justified in relying, acting or failing to act, and shall not be liable for having so relied, acted, or failed to act in good faith, upon any report made by the independent public accountant of the Company or any other member of the Company Group and upon any other information furnished in connection with the Plan by any person or persons other than such member.
(i) Titles and Headings. The titles and headings of the sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only, and in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control.
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