MINDEN BANCORP, INC. AMENDED AND RESTATED 2003 STOCK OPTION PLAN ARTICLE I ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PLAN

Minden Bancorp, Inc. (the “Corporation”) hereby amends and restates its 2003 Stock Option Plan (as amended and restated, the “Plan”) upon the terms and conditions hereinafter stated, with the amendment and restatement effective as of December 9, 2008.  The Plan is being amended and restated in order to comply with Section 409A of the Code, as defined herein.

The purpose of this Plan is to improve the growth and profitability of the Corporation and its Subsidiary Companies by providing Employees and Non-Employee Directors with a proprietary interest in the Corporation as an incentive to contribute to the success of the MHC, the Corporation and its Subsidiary Companies, and rewarding Employees and Non-Employee Directors for outstanding performance.  All Incentive Stock Options issued under this Plan are intended to comply with the requirements of Section 422 of the Code and the regulations thereunder, and all provisions hereunder shall be read, interpreted and applied with that purpose in mind.  Each recipient of an Option hereunder is advised to consult with his or her personal tax advisor with respect to the tax cons equences under federal, state, local and other tax laws of the receipt and/or exercise of an Option hereunder.

 

The following words and phrases when used in this Plan with an initial capital letter, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, shall have the meanings set forth below.  Wherever appropriate, the masculine pronouns shall include the feminine pronouns and the singular shall include the plural.

3.01           “Bank” means MBL Bank (formerly known as Minden Building and Loan Association), the wholly owned subsidiary of the Corporation.

3.02           “Beneficiary” means the person or persons designated by an Optionee to receive any benefits payable under the Plan in the event of such Optionee’s death.  Such person or persons shall be designated in writing on forms provided for this purpose by the Committee and may be changed from time to time by similar written notice to the Committee.  In the absence of a written designation, the Beneficiary shall be the Optionee’s surviving spouse, if any, or if none, his estate.

3.03           “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

3.04           “Change in Control” shall mean a change in ownership of the Corporation or the Bank, a change in the effective control of the Corporation or the Bank, or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets or the Corporation or the Bank, in each case as provided under Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder.

3.05           “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

3.06           “Committee” means a committee of two or more directors appointed by the Board pursuant to Article IV hereof, each of whom shall be (i) a Non-Employee Director as defined in Rule 16b-3(b)(3)(i) of the Exchange Act or any successor thereto, and (ii) an outside director within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code or any successor thereto.

3.07           “Common Stock” means shares of the common stock, $.01 par value per share, of the Corporation.

3.08           “Director” means a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company or any successors thereto, including Non-Employee Directors as well as Officer and Employees serving as Directors.

3.09           “Disability” means the Optionee (i) is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, or (ii) is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Corporation or the Bank (or wo uld have received such benefits for at least three months if he had been eligible to participate in such plan).

3.10           “Effective Date” means the day upon which the Board originally adopted this Plan.

3.11           “Employee” means any person who is employed by the MHC, the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company, or is an Officer of the MHC, the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company, but not including directors who are not also Officers of or otherwise employed by the MHC, the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company.

3.12           “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

3.13           “Exercise Price” means the price at which a share of Common Stock may be purchased by an Optionee pursuant to an Option.

3.15           “Incentive Stock Option” means any Option granted under this Plan which the Board intends (at the time it is granted) to be an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code or any successor thereto.

3.16           “MHC” means Minden Mutual Holding Company, the parent mutual holding company of the Corporation.

3.17           “Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board of the MHC, the Corporation or any Subsidiary Company or any successor thereto who is not an Officer or Employee of the MHC, the Corporation or any Subsidiary Company.

3.18           “Non-Qualified Option” means any Option granted under this Plan which is not an Incentive Stock Option.

3.19           “Offering” means the offering of Common Stock to the public during 2002 in connection with the conversion of the Bank from the mutual to the stock form of organization, the establishment of the MHC and the issuance of the capital stock of the Bank to the Corporation.

3.20           “Officer” means an Employee whose position in the MHC, the Corporation or Subsidiary Company is that of a corporate officer, as determined by the Board.

3.21           “OTS” means the Office of Thrift Supervision.

3.22           “Option” means a right granted under this Plan to purchase Common Stock.

3.23           “Optionee” means an Employee or Non-Employee Director or former Employee or Non-Employee Director to whom an Option is granted under the Plan.

3.24           “Retirement” means a termination of employment which constitutes a “retirement” at the “normal retirement age” or later under the MBL Bank 401(k) Plan or such other qualified pension benefit plan maintained by the MHC, the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company as may be designated by the Board or the Committee, or, if no such plan is applicable, which would constitute “retirement” under the Corporation’s pension benefit plan, if such individual were a participant in that plan.  With respect to Non-Employee Directors, retirement means retirement from service on the Board of Directors of the Corporat ion or a Subsidiary Company or any successors thereto at the normal applicable retirement age.

 

3.25           “Subsidiary Companies” means those subsidiaries of the MHC and the Corporation, including the Bank, which meet the definition of “subsidiary corporations” set forth in Section 424(f) of the Code, at the time of granting of the Option in question.

4.01           Duties of the Committee.  The Plan shall be administered and interpreted by the Committee, as appointed from time to time by the Board pursuant to Section 4.02.  The Committee shall have the authority to adopt, amend and rescind such rules, regulations and procedures as, in its opinion, may be advisable in the administration of the Plan, including, without limitation, rules, regulations and procedures which (i) address matters regarding the satisfaction of an Optionee’s tax withholding obligation pursuant to Section 12.02 hereof, (ii) to the extent permissible by applicable law and regulation, include arrangements to facilitate the Optionee’s ability to borrow funds for payment of the exercise or purchase price of an Option, if applicable, from securities brokers and dealers, and (iii) subject to any legal or regulatory restrictions or limitations,  include arrangements which provide for the payment of some or all of such exercise or purchase price by delivery of previously owned shares of Common Stock or other property and/or by withholding some of the shares of Common Stock which are being acquired.  The interpretation and construction by the Committee of any provisions of the Plan, any rule, regulation or procedure adopted by it pursuant thereto or of any Option shall be final and binding in the absence of action by the Board.

4.02           Appointment and Operation of the Committee.  The members of the Committee shall be appointed by, and will serve at the pleasure of, the Board.  The Board from time to time may remove members from, or add members to, the Committee, provided the Committee shall continue to consist of two or more members of the Board, each of whom shall be a Non-Employee Director, as defined in Rule 16b-3(b)(3)(i) of the Exchange Act or any successor thereto.  In addition, each member of the Committee shall be a n “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and regulations thereunder at such times as is required under such regulations.  The Committee shall act by vote or written consent of a majority of its members.  Subject to the express provisions and limitations of the Plan, the Committee may adopt such rules, regulations and procedures as it deems appropriate for the conduct of its affairs.  It may appoint one of its members to be chairman and any person, whether or not a member, to be its secretary or agent.  The Committee shall report its actions and decisions to the Board at appropriate times but in no event less than one time per calendar year.

4.03           Revocation for Misconduct.  The Board or the Committee may by resolution immediately revoke, rescind and terminate any Option, or portion thereof, to the extent not yet vested, previously granted or awarded under this Plan to an Employee who is discharged from the employ of the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company for cause, which, for purposes hereof, shall mean termination because of the Employee’s personal dishonesty, incompetence, willful misconduct, breach of fiduciary duty involving personal profit, i ntentional failure to perform stated duties, willful violation of any law, rule, or regulation (other than traffic violations or similar offenses) or final cease-and-desist order.  Options granted to a Non-Employee Director who is removed for cause pursuant to the MHC’s Charter or Bylaws, the Corporation’s Charter or Bylaws or the Bank’s Charter or Bylaws or the constituent documents of such other Subsidiary Company on whose board he serves shall terminate as of the effective date of such removal.

 

4.04           Limitation on Liability.  Neither the members of the Board nor any member of the Committee shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan, any rule, regulation or procedure adopted by it pursuant thereto or any Options granted under it.  If a member of the Board or the Committee is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of anything done or not done by him in such capacity under or with respect to the Plan, the Corporation shall, subject to the requirements of applicable laws and regulations, indemnify such member against all liabilities and expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the MHC, the Corporation and its Subsidiary Companies and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.

4.05           Compliance with Laws and Regulations.  All Options granted hereunder shall be subject to all applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations and to such approvals by any government or regulatory agency as may be required.  The Corporation shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificates for shares of Common Stock prior to the completion of any registration or qualification of or obtaining of consents or approvals with respect to such shares under any federal or state law or any rule or regulation of any government body, which the Corporation shall, in its sole discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable.  Moreover, no Option may be exercised if such exercise would be contrary to applicable laws and regulations.

4.06           Restrictions on Transfer.  The Corporation may place a legend upon any certificate representing shares acquired pursuant to an Option granted hereunder noting that the transfer of such shares may be restricted by applicable laws and regulations.

4.07           No Deferral of Compensation Under Section 409A of the Code. All Options granted under the Plan are designed to not constitute a deferral of compensation for purposes of Section 409A of the Code.  Notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan to the contrary, all of the terms and conditions of any Options granted under this Plan shall be designed to satisfy the exemption for stock options set forth in the regulations issued under Section 409A of the Code.  Both this Plan and the terms of all Options granted hereunder shall be interpreted in a manner that requires compliance with all of the requirements of the exemption for stock options set forth in the regulations issued under Section 409A of the Code.  No Optionee shall be permitted to defer the recognition of income beyond the exercise date of a Non-Qualified Option or beyond the date that the Common Stock received upon the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option is sold.

 

Options may be granted to such Employees or Non-Employee Directors of the MHC, the Corporation and its Subsidiary Companies as may be designated from time to time by the Board or the Committee.  Options may not be granted to individuals who are not Employees or Non-Employee Directors of either the MHC, the Corporation or its Subsidiary Companies.  Non-Employee Directors shall be eligible to receive only Non-Qualified Options.

6.01           Option Shares.  The aggregate number of shares of Common Stock which may be issued pursuant to this Plan, subject to adjustment as provided in Article IX, shall be 65,464.  None of such shares shall be the subject of more than one Option at any time, but if an Option as to any shares is surrendered before exercise, or expires or terminates for any reason without having been exercised in full, or for any other reason ceases to be exercisable, the number of shares covered thereby shall again become avail able for grant under the Plan as if no Options had been previously granted with respect to such shares.  During the time this Plan remains in effect, the aggregate grants of Options to each Employee and each Non-Employee Director shall not exceed 25% and 5% of the shares of Common Stock available under the Plan, respectively.  Options granted to Non-Employee  Directors in the aggregate may not exceed 30% of the number of shares available under this Plan.

6.02           Source of Shares.  The shares of Common Stock issued under the Plan may be authorized but unissued shares, treasury shares or shares purchased by the Corporation on the open market or from private sources for use under the Plan.

Each Option granted hereunder shall be on the following terms and conditions:

8.01           Stock Option Agreement.  The proper Officers on behalf of the Corporation and each Optionee shall execute a Stock Option Agreement which shall set forth the total number of shares of Common Stock to which it pertains, the exercise price, whether it is a Non-Qualified Option or an Incentive Stock Option, and such other terms, conditions, restrictions and privileges as the Board or the Committee in each instance shall deem appropriate, provided they are not inconsistent with the terms, conditions and provisions of this Plan.  Each Optionee shall receive a copy of his executed Stock Option Agreement.  Any Option granted with the intention that it will be an Incentive Stock Option but which fails to satisfy a requirement for Incentive Stock Options shall continue to be valid and shall be treated as a Non-Qualified Option.

8.02           Option Exercise Price.

(a)              Incentive Stock Options.  The per share price at which the subject Common Stock may be purchased upon exercise of an Incentive Stock Option shall be no less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock at the time such Incentive Stock Option is granted, except as provided in Section 8.09(b).

(b)              Non-Qualified Options.  The per share price at which the subject Common Stock may be purchased upon exercise of a Non-Qualified Option shall be no less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock at the time such Non-Qualified Option is granted.

8.03           Vesting and Exercise of Options.

(a)              General Rules.  Incentive Stock Options and Non-Qualified Options granted hereunder shall become vested and exercisable at the rate of 20% per year over five years, commencing one year from the date of grant and an additional 20% shall vest on each successive anniversary of the date the Option was granted, and the right to exercise shall be cumulative.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as provided in Section 8.03(b) hereof, no vesting shall occur on or after an Employee’s employm ent or service as a Non-Employee Director with the MHC, the Corporation or any of the Subsidiary Companies is terminated.  In determining the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which Options are vested and/or exercisable, fractional shares will be rounded down to the nearest whole number, provided that such fractional shares shall be aggregated and deemed vested on the final date of vesting.

(b)              Accelerated Vesting.  Unless the Board or the Committee shall specifically state otherwise at the time an Option is granted, all Options granted under this Plan shall become vested and exercisable in full (i) on the date an Optionee terminates his employment with the MHC, the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company or service as a Non-Employee Director because of his death or Disability or (ii) as of the effective date of a Change in Control.  All Options hereunder shall become immediately vest ed and exercisable in full on the date an Optionee terminates his employment with the MHC, the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company due to Retirement if as of the date of such Retirement (i) such treatment is either authorized or is not prohibited by applicable laws and regulations, or (ii) an amendment to the Plan providing for such treatment has been approved by the shareholders of the Corporation at a meeting of shareholders held more than one year after the consummation of the Offering.

 

(a)           General Rule.  Except as provided in Sections 8.04(b) and 8.09, each Option or portion thereof granted to Employees shall be exercisable at any time on or after it vests and becomes exercisable until the earlier of (i) ten (10) years after its date of grant or (ii) one (1) year after the date on which the Optionee ceases to be employed by the MHC, the Corporation and all Subsidiary Companies, unless the Board of Directors or the Committee in its discretion decides at the time of grant or thereafter to extend such period of exercise to a period not exceeding five (5) years.  In the event an Incentive Stock Option is not exercised within 90 days of the effective date of termination of Optionee’s status as an Employee, the tax treatment accorded Incentive Stock Options by the Code may not be available. In addition, the accelerated vesting of Incentive Stock Options provided by Section 8.03(b) may result in all or a portion of such Incentive Stock Options no longer qualifying as Incentive Stock Options.

 

Except as provided in Section 8.04(b), each Option or portion thereof granted to a Non-Employee Director shall be exercisable at any time on or after it vests and becomes exercisable until the earlier of (i) ten (10) years after its date of grant or (ii) three (3) years after the date on which the Non-Employee Director ceases to serve as a director of the MHC, the Corporation and all Subsidiary Companies, unless the Board or the Committee in its discretion decides at the time of grant or thereafter to extend such period of exercise upon termination of service to a period not exceeding five (5) years.

 
 

(b)           Exception for Termination Due to Disability, Retirement, Change in Control or Death. Unless the Board or the Committee shall specifically state otherwise at the time an Option is granted: (i) if an Employee terminates his employment with the MHC, the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company as a result of Disability or Retirement without having fully exercised his Options, the Employee shall have the right, during the three (3) year period following his termination due to Disability or Retirement, to exercise such Options, and (ii) if a Non-Employee Director terminates his service as a director with the MHC, the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company as a result of Disability or Retirement without having fully exercised his Options, the Non-Employee Director shall have the right, during the three (3) year period following his termination due to Disability or Retirement, to exercise such Options.

Subject to the provisions of Article IX hereof, unless the Board or the Committee shall specifically state otherwise at the time an Option is granted, if an Employee or Non-Employee Director terminates his employment or service with the MHC, the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company following a Change in Control without having fully exercised his Options, the Optionee shall have the right to exercise such Options during the remainder of the original ten (10) year term (or five (5) year term for options subject to Section 8.09(b) hereof) of the Option from the date of grant.

 

 

If an Optionee dies while in the employ or service of the MHC, the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company or terminates employment or service with the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company as a result of Disability or Retirement and dies without having fully exercised his Options, the executors, administrators, legatees or distributees of his estate shall have the right, during the one (1) year period following his death, to exercise such Options.

In no event, however, shall any Option be exercisable more than ten (10) years (or five (5) years for options subject to Section 8.09(b) hereof) from the date it was granted.

8.05           Nonassignability.  Options shall not be transferable by an Optionee except by will or the laws of descent or distribution, and during an Optionee’s lifetime shall be exercisable only by such Optionee or the Optionee’s guardian or legal representative.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, or any other provision of this Plan, an Optionee who holds Non-Qualified Options may transfer such Options to his immediate family or to a duly established trust for the benefit of one or more of these individua ls.   For purposes hereof, “immediate family” includes but is not necessarily limited to the Optionee’s spouse, children (including step children), parents, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  Options so transferred may thereafter be transferred only to the Optionee who originally received the grant or to an individual or trust to whom the Optionee could have initially transferred the Option pursuant to this Section 8.05.  Options which are transferred pursuant to this Section 8.05 shall be exercisable by the transferee according to the same terms and conditions as applied to the Optionee.

8.06           Manner of Exercise.  Options may be exercised in part or in whole and at one time or from time to time.  The procedures for exercise shall be set forth in the written Stock Option Agreement provided for in Section 8.01 above.

8.07           Payment for Shares.  Payment in full of the purchase price for shares of Common Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise of any Option shall be made to the Corporation upon exercise of the Option.  All shares sold under the Plan shall be fully paid and nonassessable.  Payment for shares may be made by the Optionee (i) in cash or by check, (ii) by delivery of a properly executed exercise notice, together with irrevocable instructions to a broker to sell a sufficient number of the shares and th en to properly deliver to the Corporation the amount of sale proceeds to pay the exercise price, all in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, or (iii) at the discretion of the Board or the Committee, by delivering shares of Common Stock (including shares acquired pursuant to the previous exercise of an Option) equal in fair market value to the purchase price of the shares to be acquired pursuant to the Option, by withholding some of the shares of Common Stock which are being purchased upon exercise of an Option, or any combination of the foregoing.  With respect to subclause (iii) hereof, the shares of Common Stock delivered to pay the purchase price must have either been (x) purchased in open market transactions or (y) issued by the Corporation pursuant to a plan thereof more than six months prior to the exercise date of the Option (or one year in the case of previously exercised Incentive Stock Options).

8.08           Voting and Dividend Rights.  No Optionee shall have any voting or dividend rights or other rights of a shareholder in respect of any shares of Common Stock covered by an Option prior to the time that his name is recorded on the Corporation’s shareholder ledger as the holder of record of such shares acquired pursuant to an exercise of an Option.

 

8.09           Additional Terms Applicable to Incentive Stock Options.  All Options issued under the Plan as Incentive Stock Options will be subject, in addition to the terms detailed in Sections 8.01 to 8.08 above, to those contained in this Section 8.09.

  (a)           Amount Limitation.  Notwithstanding any contrary provisions contained elsewhere in this Plan and as long as required by Section 422 of the Code, the aggregate Fair Market Value, determined as of the time an Incentive Stock Option is granted, of the Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by the Optionee during any calendar year, under this Plan and stock options that satisfy the requirements of Section 422 of the Code under any other stock option plans maintained by the Corporation (or any parent or Subsidiary Company), shall not exceed $100,000.

  (b)           Limitation on Ten Percent Stockholders.  The price at which shares of Common Stock may be purchased upon exercise of an Incentive Stock Option granted to an individual who, at the time such Incentive Stock Option is granted, owns, directly or indirectly, more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock issued to shareholders of the Corporation or any Subsidiary Company, shall be no less than one hundred and ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of the Common Stock of the Corporation at the time of grant, and such Incentive Stock Option shall by its terms not be exercisable after the earlier of the date determined under Section 8.04 or the expiration of five (5) years from the date such Incentive Stock Option is granted.

 

  (c)           Notice of Disposition; Withholding; Escrow.  An Optionee shall immediately notify the Corporation in writing of any sale, transfer, assignment or other disposition (or action constituting a disqualifying disposition within the meaning of Section 421 of the Code) of any shares of Common Stock acquired through exercise of an Incentive Stock Option, within two (2) years after the grant of such Incentive Stock Option or within one (1) year after the acquisition of such shares, setting forth the date and manner of disposition, the number of shares disposed of and the price at which such shares were disposed of.  The Corporation shall be entitled to withhold from any compensation or other payments then or thereafter due to the Optionee such amounts as may be necessary to satisfy any withholding requirements of federal or state law or regulation and, further, to collect from the Optionee any additional amounts which may be required for such purpose.  The Committee may, in its discretion, require shares of Common Stock acquired by an Optionee upon exercise of an Incentive Stock Option to be held in an escrow arrangement for the purpose of enabling compliance with the provisions of this Section 8.09(c).

9.01           General Adjustments.  The aggregate number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under this Plan, the number of shares to which any Option relates, the maximum number of shares that can be covered by Options to each Employee, each Non-Employee Director and Non-Employee Directors as a group and the exercise price per share of Common Stock under any Option shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the total number of outstanding shares of Common Stock issued subsequent to the Eff ective Date of this Plan resulting from a split, subdivision or consolidation of shares or any other capital adjustment, the payment of a stock dividend, or other increase or decrease in such shares effected without receipt or payment of consideration by the Corporation.

9.02           Adjustments for Mergers and Other Corporate Transactions.  If, upon a merger, consolidation, reorganization, liquidation, recapitalization or the like of the Corporation, the shares of the Corporation’s Common Stock shall be exchanged for other securities of the Corporation or of another corporation, each Option shall be converted, subject to the conditions herein stated, into the right to purchase or acquire such number of shares of Common Stock or amount of other securities of the Corporation or such oth er corporation as were exchangeable for the number of shares of Common Stock of the Corporation which such Optionee would have been entitled to purchase or acquire except for such action, and appropriate adjustments shall be made to the per share exercise price of outstanding Options, provided that in each case the number of shares or other securities subject to the substituted or assumed stock options and the exercise price thereof shall be determined in a manner that satisfies the requirements of Treasury Regulation §1.424-1 and the regulations issued under Section 409A of the Code so that the substituted or assumed option is not deemed to be a modification of the outstanding Options.  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary herein, the term of any Option granted hereunder and the property which the Optionee shall receive upon the exercise or termination thereof shall be subject to and be governed by the provisions regarding the treatment of any such Options set forth in a definitive a greement with respect to any of the aforementioned transactions entered into by the Corporation to the extent any such Option remains outstanding and unexercised upon consummation of the transactions contemplated by such definitive agreement.

The Board may, by resolution, at any time terminate or amend the Plan with respect to any shares of Common Stock as to which Options have not been granted, subject to regulations of the OTS and any required shareholder approval or any shareholder approval which the Board may deem to be advisable for any reason, such as for the purpose of obtaining or retaining any statutory or regulatory benefits under tax, securities or other laws or satisfying any applicable stock exchange listing requirements.  The Board may not, without the consent of the holder of an Option, alter or impair any Option previously granted or awarded under this Plan except as provided by Article IX hereof or except as specifically authorized herein.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, in no event shall the Board of Directors without shareholder approval amend the Plan nor shall the Board of Directors or the Committee amend an Option in any manner that effectively allows the repricing of any Option previously granted under the Plan either through a reduction in the Exercise Price or through the cancellation and regrant of a new Option in exchange for the cancelled Option (except as permitted pursuant to Article IX in connection with a change in the Corporation’s capitalization).

 

Neither the Plan nor the grant of any Options hereunder nor any action taken by the Committee or the Board in connection with the Plan shall create any right on the part of any Employee or Non-Employee Director of the MHC, the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company to continue in such capacity.

12.01         Tax Withholding.   The Corporation may withhold from any cash payment made under this Plan sufficient amounts to cover any applicable withholding and employment taxes, and if the amount of such cash payment is insufficient, the Corporation may require the Optionee to pay to the Corporation the amount required to be withheld as a condition to delivering the shares acquired pursuant to an Option.  The Corporation also may withhold or collect amounts with respect to a disqualifying disposition of shares of Comm on Stock acquired pursuant to exercise of an Incentive Stock Option, as provided in Section 8.09(c).

12.02         Methods of Tax Withholding.  The Board or the Committee is authorized to adopt rules, regulations or procedures which provide for the satisfaction of an Optionee’s tax withholding obligation by the retention of shares of Common Stock to which the Employee would otherwise be entitled pursuant to an Option and/or by the Optionee’s delivery of previously owned shares of Common Stock or other property.

13.01         Effective Date of the Plan.  This Plan as originally adopted became effective on the Effective Date, and Options may be granted hereunder no earlier than the date this Plan was approved by shareholders and no later than the termination of the Plan.  The amendment and restatement of this Plan was adopted effective as of the date set forth in Article I above.

13.02         Term of Plan.  Unless sooner terminated, this Plan shall remain in effect for a period of ten (10) years ending on the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date.  Termination of the Plan shall not affect any Options previously granted and such Options shall remain valid and in effect until they have been fully exercised or earned, are surrendered or by their terms or the terms hereof expire or are forfeited.

The shareholders of the Corporation approved this Plan as originally adopted at a meeting of shareholders of the Corporation held within twelve (12) months following the Effective Date in order to meet the requirements of (i) Section 422 of the Code and regulations thereunder, (ii) Section 162(m) of the Code and regulations thereunder and (iii) the regulations of the Office of Thrift Supervision.

 

15.01         Governing Law.  To the extent not governed by federal law, this Plan shall be construed under the laws of the State of Louisiana.

15.02         Pronouns.  Wherever appropriate, the masculine pronoun shall include the feminine pronoun, and the singular shall include the plural.