1997 STOCK OPTION PLAN OF CHATHAM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
EX-10.06 7 d68374exv10w06.htm EX-10.06 exv10w06
Exhibit 10.06
1997 STOCK OPTION PLAN
OF
CHATHAM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
OF
CHATHAM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
1. PURPOSES OF THE PLAN. This stock option plan (the Plan) is intended to provide an incentive to key employees (including directors and officers who are key employees) and to consultants and directors who are not employees of CHATHAM TECHNOLOGIES, INC., a Delaware corporation (the Company), or any of its Subsidiaries (as defined in Paragraph 19), and to offer an additional inducement in obtaining the services of such persons. The Plan provides for the grant of incentive stock options (ISOs) within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code) and nonqualified stock options which do not qualify as ISOs (NQSOs). The Company makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the qualification of any option as an incentive stock option under the Code.
2. STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN. Subject to the provisions of Paragraph 12, the aggregate number of shares of Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value per share, of the Company (Common Stock) for which options may be granted under the Plan shall not exceed 150,000. Such shares of Common Stock shall consist of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock. Subject to the provisions of Paragraph 13, any shares of Common Stock subject to an option which for any reason expires, is canceled or is terminated unexercised or which ceases for any reason to be exercisable, shall again become available for the granting of options under the Plan. The Company shall at all times during the term of the Plan reserve and keep available such number of shares of Common Stock as will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.
3. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN. The Plan shall be administered by the Board of Directors of the Company (the Board of Directors) or a committee of the Board of Directors (collectively, the Committee). Except as otherwise provided by the Board of Directors, the By-laws of the Company or applicable law, a majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum, and the acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, and any acts approved in writing by all members without a meeting, shall be the acts of the Committee.
Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have the authority, in its sole discretion, to determine: the key employees, consultants and Non-Employee Directors (as defined in Paragraph 19) who shall be granted options; the type of option to be granted to a key employee; the times when an option shall be granted; the number of shares of Common Stock to be subject to each option; the term of each option; the date each option shall become exercisable; whether an option shall be exercisable in whole, in part or in installments and, if in installments, the number of shares of Common Stock to be subject to each installment, whether the installments shall be cumulative, the date each installment shall become exercisable and the term of each installment; whether to accelerate the date of exercise of any option or installment; whether shares of Common Stock may be issued upon the exercise of an option as partly paid and, if so, the dates when future installments of the exercise price shall become due and the amounts of such installments; the exercise price of each option; the form of payment of the exercise price; whether to restrict the sale or other disposition of the shares of Common Stock acquired upon the exercise of an option and, if so, whether and under what conditions to waive any such restriction; whether and under what conditions to subject all or a portion of the grant or exercise of an option or the shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an option to the fulfillment of certain restrictions or contingencies as specified in the contract referred to in Paragraph 11 hereof (the Contract), including without limitation, restrictions or contingencies relating to entering into a covenant not to compete with the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or a Parent (as defined in Paragraph 19), to financial objectives for the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or a Parent, a division of any of the foregoing, a product line or other category, and/or to the period of continued employment of the optionee with the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or a Parent, and to determine whether such restrictions or contingencies have been met; whether an optionee is Disabled (as defined in Paragraph 19); the amount, if any, necessary to satisfy the obligation of the Company, a Subsidiary or Parent to withhold taxes or other amounts; the fair market value of a share of Common Stock; to construe the respective Contracts and the Plan; with the consent of the optionee, to cancel or modify an option, provided, that the modified provision is permitted to be included in an option granted
under the Plan on the date of the modification, and further, provided, that in the case of a modification (within the meaning of Section 424(h) of the Code) of an ISO, such option as modified would be permitted to be granted on the date of such modification under the terms of the Plan; to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan; and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for administering the Plan. Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to the Plan, any option granted under the Plan or any Contract shall be determined unilaterally by the Committee in its sole discretion. The determinations of the Committee on the matters referred to in this Paragraph 3 shall be conclusive and binding on the parties. No member or former member of the Committee shall be liable for any action, failure to act or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan, any Contract or any option hereunder.
4. ELIGIBILITY. The Committee may from time to time, in its sole discretion, consistent with the purposes of the Plan, grant options to (a) key employees (including officers and directors who are key employees) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) consultants to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (c) Non-Employee Directors. In no event, however, may any consultant or Non-Employee Director participate in the Plan if such participation is (a) prohibited, or (b) restricted (either absolutely or subject to various securities requirements, whether legal or administrative, being complied with), in the jurisdiction in which such consultant or Non-Employee Director is resident under the relevant securities laws of that jurisdiction. Provided Always That in the case of (b) above, the relevant consultants or Non-Employee Directors participation in the Plan may be effected at the absolute discretion of the Committee if compliance with the relevant securities requirements of the jurisdiction in which such consultant or Non-Employee Director is resident is not impractical (having regard to the nature of those requirements) and would not involve undue expense. Such options granted shall cover such number of shares of Common Stock as the Committee may determine, in its sole discretion, as set forth in the applicable Contract; provided, however, that the aggregate market value (determined at the time the option is granted in accordance with Paragraph 5) of the shares of Common Stock for which any eligible employee may be granted ISOs under the Plan or any other plan of the Company, or of a Parent or a Subsidiary of the Company, which are exercisable for the first time by such optionee during any calendar year shall not exceed $100,000. Such ISO limitation shall be applied by taking ISOs into account in the order in which they were granted. Any option granted in excess of such ISO limitation amount shall be treated as a NQSO to the extent of such excess.
5. EXERCISE PRICE. The exercise price of the shares of Common Stock under each option shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion, as set forth in the applicable Contract; provided, however, that the exercise price of an ISO shall not be less than the fair market value of the Common Stock subject to such option on the date of grant; and further, provided, that if, at the time an ISO is granted, the optionee owns (or is deemed to own under Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company, of any of its Subsidiaries or of a Parent, the exercise price of such ISO shall not be less than 110% of the fair market value of the Common Stock subject to such ISO on the date of grant. In no event may the exercise price be less than the par value of a share.
The fair market value of a share of Common Stock on any day shall be (a) if the principal market for the Common Stock is a national securities exchange, the average of the highest and lowest sales prices per share of Common Stock on such day as reported by such exchange or on a composite tape reflecting transactions on such exchange, (b) if the principal market for the Common Stock is not a national securities exchange and the Common Stock is quoted on The Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq), and (i) if actual sales price information is available with respect to the Common Stock, the average of the highest and lowest sales prices per share of Common Stock on such day on Nasdaq, or (ii) if such information is not available, the average of the highest bid and lowest asked prices per share of Common Stock on such day on Nasdaq, or (c) if the principal market for the Common Stock is not a national securities exchange and the Common Stock is not quoted on Nasdaq, the average of the highest bid and lowest asked prices per share of Common Stock on such day as reported on the OTC Bulletin Board Service or by National Quotation Bureau, Incorporated or a comparable service; provided, however, that if clauses (a), (b) and (c) of this Paragraph are all inapplicable, or if no trades have been made or no quotes are available for such day, the fair market value of the Common Stock shall be determined by the Board of Directors or the Committee by any method consistent with applicable regulations adopted by the Treasury Department relating to stock options.
6. TERM. The term of each option granted pursuant to the Plan shall be such term as is established by the Committee, in its sole discretion, as set forth in the applicable Contract; provided, however, that the term of
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each ISO granted pursuant to the Plan shall be for a period not exceeding 10 years from the date of grant thereof; and further, provided, that if, at the time an ISO is granted, the optionee owns (or is deemed to own under Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company, of any of its Subsidiaries or of a Parent, the term of the ISO shall be for a period not exceeding five years from the date of grant. Options shall be subject to earlier termination as hereinafter provided.
7. EXERCISE. An option (or any part or installment thereof), to the extent then exercisable, shall be exercised by giving written notice to the Company at its principal office stating which option is being exercised, specifying the number of shares of Common Stock as to which such option is being exercised and accompanied by payment in full of the aggregate exercise price therefor (or the amount due on exercise if the applicable Contract permits installment payments) in cash or by certified check equal to the aggregate exercise price of all options being exercised, or with any combination of cash, certified check or shares of Common Stock having such value. The Company shall not be required to issue any shares of Common Stock pursuant to any such option until all required payments, including any required withholding, have been made.
A person entitled to receive Common Stock upon the exercise of an option shall not have the rights of a stockholder with respect to such shares of Common Stock until the date of allotment of such shares.
In no case may a fraction of a share of Common Stock be purchased or issued under the Plan.
8. TERMINATION OF RELATIONSHIP. Except as may otherwise be expressly provided in the applicable Contract, an optionee whose relationship with the Company, its Parent and Subsidiaries as an employee or a consultant has terminated for any reason (other than as a result of the death or Disability of the optionee) may exercise his options, to the extent exercisable on the date of such termination, at any time within three months after the date of termination, but not thereafter and in no event after the date the option would otherwise have expired; provided, however, that if such relationship is terminated either (a) for Cause (as defined in Paragraph 19), or (b) without the consent of the Company, such option shall terminate immediately. Except as may otherwise be expressly provided in the applicable Contract, options granted under the Plan to an employee or consultant shall not be affected by any change in the status of the optionee so long as the optionee continues to be an employee of, or a consultant to, the Company, or any of the Subsidiaries or a Parent (regardless of having changed from one to the other or having been transferred from one corporation to another).
For the purposes of the Plan, an employment relationship shall be deemed to exist between an individual and the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or a Parent if, at the time of the determination, the individual was an employee of such corporation for purposes of Section 422(a) of the Code. As a result, an individual on military, sick leave or other bona fide leave of absence shall continue to be considered an employee for purposes of the Plan during such leave if the period of the leave does not exceed 90 days, or, if longer, so long as the individuals right to reemployment with the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or a Parent is guaranteed either by statute or by contract. If the period of leave exceeds 90 days and the individuals right to reemployment is not guaranteed by statute or by contract, the employment relationship shall be deemed to have terminated on the 91st day of such leave.
Except as may otherwise be expressly provided in the applicable Contract, an optionee whose relationship with the Company as a Non-Employee Director ceases for any reason (other than as a result of his death or Disability) may exercise his options, to the extent exercisable on the date of such termination, at any time within three months after the date of termination, but not thereafter and in no event after the date the option would otherwise have expired; provided, however, that if such relationship is terminated for Cause, such option shall terminate immediately. Except as may otherwise be expressly provided in the applicable Contract, options granted to a Non-Employee Director shall not be affected by the optionee becoming an employee of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or a Parent.
Nothing in the Plan or in any option granted under the Plan shall confer on any optionee any right to continue in the employ of, or as a consultant to, the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or a Parent, or as a director of the Company, or interfere in any way with any right of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or a Parent to terminate the optionees relationship at any time for any reason whatsoever without liability to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or a Parent.
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9. DEATH OR DISABILITY OF AN OPTIONEE. Except as may otherwise be expressly provided in the applicable Contract, if an optionee dies (a) while he is an employee of, or consultant to, the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or a Parent, (b) within three months after the termination of such relationship (unless such termination was for Cause or without the consent of the Company) or (c) within one year following the termination of such relationship by reason of his Disability, the options that were granted to him as an employee or consultant may be exercised, to the extent exercisable on the date of his death, by his Legal Representative (as defined in Paragraph 19) at any time within one year after death, but not thereafter and in no event after the date the option would otherwise have expired.
Except as may otherwise be expressly provided in the applicable Contract, any optionee whose relationship as an employee of, or consultant to, the Company, its Parent and Subsidiaries has terminated by reason of such optionees Disability may exercise the options that were granted to him as an employee or consultant, to the extent exercisable upon the effective date of such termination, at any time within one year after such date, but not thereafter and in no event after the date the option would otherwise have expired.
Except as may otherwise be expressly provided in the applicable Contract, any optionee whose relationship as a Non-Employee Director ceases as a result of his death or Disability may exercise the options that were granted to him as a Non-Employee Director, to the extent exercisable on the date of such termination, at any time within one year after the date of termination, but not thereafter and in no event after the date the option would otherwise have expired. In the case of the death of the Non-Employee Director, the option may be exercised by his Legal Representative.
10. COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES LAWS. The Committee may require, in its sole discretion, as a condition to the exercise of any option that either (a) a Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), with respect to the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon such exercise shall be effective and current at the time of exercise, or (b) there is an exemption from registration under the Securities Act for the issuance of the shares of Common Stock upon such exercise. Nothing herein shall be construed as requiring the Company to register shares subject to any option under the Securities Act or to keep any Registration Statement effective or current.
The Committee may require, in its sole discretion, as a condition to the receipt of an option or the exercise of any option that the optionee execute and deliver to the Company his representations and warranties, in form, substance and scope satisfactory to the Committee, which the Committee determines are necessary or convenient to facilitate the perfection of an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, applicable state securities laws or other legal requirement, including without limitation that (a) the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon the exercise of the option are being acquired by the optionee for his own account, for investment only and not with a view to the resale or distribution thereof, and (b) any subsequent resale or distribution of shares of Common Stock by such optionee will be made only pursuant to (i) a Registration Statement under the Securities Act which is effective and current with respect to the shares of Common Stock being sold, or (ii) a specific exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, but in claiming such exemption, the optionee shall prior to any offer of sale or sale of such shares of Common Stock provide the Company with a favorable written opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Company, in form, substance and scope satisfactory to the Company, as to the applicability of such exemption to the proposed sale or distribution.
In addition, if at any time the Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion, that the listing or qualification of the shares of Common Stock subject to any option on any securities exchange, Nasdaq or under any applicable law, or the consent or approval of any governmental agency or regulatory body, is necessary or desirable as a condition to, or in connection with, the granting of an option or the issuing of shares of Common Stock thereunder, such option may not be granted and such option may not be exercised in whole or in part unless such listing, qualification, consent or approval shall have been effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Committee.
11. CONTRACTS. Each option shall be evidenced by an appropriate Contract which shall be duly executed by the Company and the optionee, and shall contain such terms, provisions and conditions not inconsistent herewith as may be determined by the Committee. The terms of each option and Contract need not be identical.
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12. ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, in the event of:
(a) a stock dividend, recapitalization, merger or consolidation in which the Company is the surviving corporation, or a spin-off, split-up, combination or exchange of shares or the like which results in a change in the number or kind of shares of Common Stock which is outstanding immediately prior to such event, the Committee shall appropriately adjust the aggregate number and kind of shares subject to the Plan, the aggregate number and kind of shares subject to each outstanding option and the exercise price thereof. Such adjustments shall be conclusive and binding on all parties and may provide for the elimination of fractional shares which might otherwise be subject to options without payment therefor.
(b) the liquidation or dissolution of the Company, or a merger to which the Company is a party whether or not it is the surviving corporation or a consolidation or a sale by the Company of all or substantially all of its assets, then, except as set forth below, the options granted hereunder which are outstanding or unvested as of the date of such event, shall continue to be outstanding and the optionee shall be entitled to receive an option to acquire the type and amount of consideration which he would have been entitled to receive if he had exercised the options granted hereunder immediately prior to the transaction and actually owned the shares of common stock subject to such option. The exercise price of the resultant option shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion such that the aggregate exercise price payable with respect to the resultant option shall be equal to the aggregate exercise price payable with respect to the option granted under the Plan.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have the right, by written notice, provided to an optionee sent no later than 15 days prior to the proposed liquidation, dissolution, merger or other transaction, to advise the optionee that upon consummation of the transaction all options granted to any optionee under the Plan shall terminate and be void, in which event, the optionee shall have right to exercise all options then currently exercisable in accordance with the terms of the applicable option Contract within 10 days after the date of the notice from the Company.
13. AMENDMENTS AND TERMINATION OF THE PLAN. The Plan was adopted by the Board of Directors on August 13, 1997. No ISO may be granted under the Plan after August 12, 2007: The Board of Directors, without further approval of the Companys stockholders, may at any time suspend or terminate the Plan, in whole or in part, or amend it from time to time in such respects as it may deem advisable, including, without limitation, in order that ISOs granted hereunder meet the requirements for incentive stock options under the Code, to comply with any change in applicable law, regulations, rulings or interpretations of any administrative agency; provided, however, that no amendment shall be effective without the requisite prior or subsequent stockholder approval which would (a) except as contemplated in Paragraph 12, increase the maximum number of shares of Common Stock for which options may be granted under the Plan, (b) change the eligibility requirements to receive options hereunder or (c) make any other change for which applicable law requires stockholder approval. No termination, suspension or amendment of the Plan shall, without the consent of the optionee, adversely affect his rights under any option granted under the Plan. The power of the Committee to construe and administer any option granted under the Plan prior to the termination or suspension of the Plan nevertheless shall continue after such termination or during such suspension.
14. NON-TRANSFERABILITY. No option granted under the Plan shall be transferable otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and options may be exercised, during the lifetime of the optionee, only by the optionee or his Legal Representatives. Except to the extent provided above, options may not be assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated or disposed of in any way (whether by operation of law or otherwise) and shall not be subject to execution, attachment or similar process, and any such attempted assignment, transfer, pledge, hypothecation or disposition shall be null and void ab initio and of no force or effect.
15. WITHHOLDING TAXES. The Company, a Subsidiary or Parent may withhold cash, in an amount equal to the amount which the Committee determines is necessary to satisfy the obligation of the Company, a Subsidiary or Parent to withhold Federal, state and local income taxes or other amounts incurred by reason of the grant, vesting, exercise or disposition of an option, or the disposition of the underlying shares of Common Stock.
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Alternatively, the Company may require the holder to pay to the Company such amount, in cash, promptly upon demand.
16. LEGENDS; PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. The Company may endorse such legend or legends upon the certificates for shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of an option under the Plan and may issue such stop transfer instructions to its transfer agent in respect of such shares as it determines, in its discretion, to be necessary or appropriate to (a) prevent a violation of, or to perfect an exemption from, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws, (b) implement the provisions of the Plan or any agreement between the Company and the optionee with respect to such shares of Common Stock, or (c) permit the Company to determine the occurrence of a disqualifying disposition, as described in Section 421(b) of the Code, of the shares of Common Stock issued or transferred upon the exercise of an ISO granted under the Plan.
The Company shall pay all issuance taxes with respect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an option granted under the Plan, as well as all fees and expenses incurred by the Company in connection with such issuance.
17. USE OF PROCEEDS. The cash proceeds received upon the exercise of an option under the Plan shall be added to the general funds of the Company and used for such corporate purposes as the Board of Directors may determine.
18. SUBSTITUTIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS OF OPTIONS OF CERTAIN CONSTITUENT CORPORATIONS. Anything in this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, the Board of Directors may, without further approval by the stockholders, substitute new options for prior options of a Constituent Corporation (as defined in Paragraph 19) or assume the prior options of such Constituent Corporation.
19. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below:
(a) Cause shall mean (i) in the case of an employee or consultant, if there is a written employment or consulting agreement between the optionee and the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or a Parent which defines termination of such relationship for cause, cause as defined in such agreement, and (ii) in all other cases, cause as defined by applicable state law.
(b) Constituent Corporation shall mean any corporation which engages with the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or a Parent in a transaction to which Section 424(a) of the Code applies (or would apply if the option assumed or substituted were an ISO), or any Parent or any Subsidiary of such corporation.
(c) Disability shall mean a permanent and total disability within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.
(d) Legal Representative shall mean the executor, administrator or other person who at the time is entitled by law to exercise the rights of a deceased or incapacitated optionee with respect to an option granted under the Plan.
(e) Non-Employee Director shall mean a person who is a director of the Company, but is not an employee of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or a Parent.
(f) Parent shall have the same definition as parent corporation in Section 424(e) of the Code.
(g) Subsidiary shall have the same definition as subsidiary corporation in Section 424(f) of the Code.
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20. GOVERNING LAW; CONSTRUCTION. The Plan, the options and Contracts hereunder and all related matters shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to conflict of law provisions that would defer to the substantive laws of another jurisdiction.
Neither the Plan nor any Contract shall be construed or interpreted with any presumption against the Company by reason of the Company causing the Plan or Contract to be drafted. Whenever from the context it appears appropriate, any term stated in either the singular or plural shall include the singular and plural, and any term stated in the masculine, feminine or neuter gender shall include the masculine, feminine and neuter.
21. PARTIAL INVALIDITY. The invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of any provision in the Plan, any option or Contract shall not affect the validity, legality or enforceability of any other provision, all of which shall be valid, legal and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
22. STOCKHOLDER APPROVAL. The Plan shall be subject to approval by a majority of the votes present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote hereon at the next duly held meeting of the Companys stockholders at which a quorum is present. No options granted hereunder may be exercised prior to such approval; provided, however, that the date of grant of any option shall be determined as if the Plan had not been subject to such approval. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Plan is not approved by a vote of the stockholders of the Company on or before August 17, 1998, then the Plan and any options granted hereunder shall terminate.
23. OPTION EXCHANGE PROGRAM.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, upon approval of this amendment by the shareholders of Flextronics International Ltd. (Flextronics), the Board of Directors of Flextronics, the Compensation Committee of its board or any designee of its board or the committee may provide for, and Flextronics may implement, a one-time Option exchange offer, pursuant to which certain outstanding Options would, at the election of the holder of such Options be surrendered to Flextronics for cancellation, whereupon the surrendered Options shall terminate and have no legal effect whatsoever, in exchange for the grant of a lesser number of new Options, which new Options may have reduced exercise prices and different vesting and expiration periods from the surrendered Options; provided, however, that such offer shall be commenced within twelve months of the date of such shareholder approval. For the avoidance of doubt, the surrendering and cancellation of the Options shall not at any time, result in Flextronics acquiring, directly or indirectly, a right or interest in the surrendered Options.
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