Option Agreement dated February 23, 2021 between Genco Shipping & Trading Limited and Robert Hughes
Exhibit 10.69
THIS OPTION WILL BE VOID IF NOT EXERCISED PRIOR TO
5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON FEBRUARY 23, 2027
OPTION TO PURCHASE
9,623 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF
GENCO SHIPPING & TRADING LIMITED
PURSUANT TO THE GENCO SHIPPING & TRADING LIMITED 2015 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
GRANT DATE: February 23, 2021
This certifies that, for value received, Robert E. Hughes (the “Holder”), is entitled to purchase from Genco Shipping & Trading Limited, a Marshall Islands corporation (the “Company”), subject to the terms and conditions hereof and the Plan, at any time before 5:00 p.m., New York time, on February 23, 2027, the number of fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock set forth above at the Exercise Price (as defined herein). The Exercise Price and the number and kind of shares purchasable hereunder are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 3.1 of this Option Agreement. The initial Exercise Price shall be $9.91. In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the Plan, the terms of this Agreement shall control.
Definitions
Terms and Exercise of option
Other Provisions relating to rights of holders of options
possession of this Option shall have any right to receive any cash dividends, stock dividends, allotments or rights or other distributions paid, allotted or distributed or distributable to the holders of Common Stock prior to, or for which the relevant record date preceded, the date of the exercise of this Option. No provision hereof and no mere enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder shall give rise to any liability of such holder for the Exercise Price hereunder or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.
Section 3.6Equitable Best Net.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Agreement, in the event that any payment or benefit received or to be received by the Holder (including, but not limited to, any payment or benefit received in connection with a change in control of the Company or the termination of the Holder’s employment, whether pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any other plan, program, arrangement or agreement) (all such payments and benefits, together, the “Total Payments”) would be subject (in whole or part), to any excise tax imposed under Section 4999 of the Code, or any successor provision thereto (the “Excise Tax”), then, after taking into account any reduction in the Total Payments provided by reason of Section 280G of the Code in such other plan, program, arrangement or agreement, the Company will reduce the Total Payments to the extent necessary so that no portion of the Total Payments is subject to the Excise Tax (but in no event to less than zero); provided, however, that the Total Payments will only be reduced if (i) the net amount of such Total Payments, as so reduced (and after subtracting the net amount of federal, state, municipal and local income taxes on such reduced Total Payments and after taking into account the phase out of itemized deductions and personal exemptions attributable to such reduced Total Payments), is greater than or equal to (ii) the net amount of such Total Payments without such reduction (but after subtracting the net amount of federal, state, municipal and local income taxes on such Total Payments and the amount of Excise Tax to which the Holder would be subject in respect of such unreduced Total Payments and after taking into account the phase out of itemized deductions and personal exemptions attributable to such unreduced Total Payments).
(b)In the case of a reduction in the Total Payments, the Total Payments will be reduced in the following order: (i) payments that are payable in cash that are valued at full value under Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24(a) will be reduced (if necessary, to zero), with amounts that are payable last reduced first; (ii) payments and benefits due in respect of any equity valued at full value under Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24(a), with the highest values reduced first (as such values are determined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24) will next be reduced; (iii) payments that are payable in cash that are
valued at less than full value under Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24, with amounts that are payable last reduced first, will next be reduced; (iv) payments and benefits due in respect of any equity valued at less than full value under Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24, with the highest values reduced first (as such values are determined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24) will next be reduced; and (v) all other non-cash benefits not otherwise described in clauses (ii) or (iv) will be next reduced pro-rata. Any reductions made pursuant to each of clauses (i)-(v) above will be made in the following manner: first, a pro-rata reduction of cash payments and payments and benefits due in respect of any equity not subject to Section 409A, and second, a pro-rata reduction of cash payments and payments and benefits due in respect of any equity subject to Section 409A as deferred compensation.
(c)For purposes of determining whether and the extent to which the Total Payments will be subject to the Excise Tax: (i) no portion of the Total Payments the receipt or enjoyment of which the Holder shall have waived at such time and in such manner as not to constitute a “payment” within the meaning of Section 280G(b) of the Code will be taken into account; (ii) no portion of the Total Payments will be taken into account which, in the opinion of tax counsel (“Tax Counsel”) selected by the accounting firm which was, immediately prior to the change in control, the Company’s independent auditor (the “Auditor”), does not constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code (including, but not limited to, by reason of Section 280G(b)(4)(A) of the Code) and, in calculating the Excise Tax, no portion of such Total Payments will be taken into account which, in the opinion of Tax Counsel, constitutes reasonable compensation for services actually rendered, within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(4)(B) of the Code, in excess of the “base amount” (as set forth in Section 280G(b)(3) of the Code) that is allocable to such reasonable compensation; and (iii) the value of any non-cash benefit or any deferred payment or benefit included in the Total Payments will be determined by the Auditor in accordance with the principles of Sections 280G(d)(3) and (4) of the Code. All determinations required by this Section 3.6 will be at the expense of the Company.
Miscellaneous Provisions
if to the Company, to:
Genco Shipping & Trading Limited
299 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10171
Attention: Chairman of the Board
with copies (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10036
Attention: Thomas E. Molner
if to Holder, at its address as appears on the books of the Company maintained for such purpose or as specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 4.2.
[Signature Page Follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Agreement to be duly executed by its duly authorized officer, and the Participant has hereunto signed this Agreement on his own behalf, thereby representing that he has carefully read and understands this Agreement and the Plan as of the day and year first written above.
GENCO SHIPPING & TRADING LIMITED
By:/s/ Apostolos Zafolias
Name:Apostolos Zafolias
Title:Chief Financial Officer
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/s/ Robert E. Hughes | |
ROBERT E. HUGHES |