RealNetworks, Inc. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan (Amended and Restated Effective as of June 25, 2007)

Contract Categories: Human Resources - Bonus & Incentive Agreements
EX-10.1 2 exhibit1.htm EX-10.1 EX-10.1

 

Exhibit 10.1

RealNetworks, Inc.

2005 Stock Incentive Plan

(Amended and Restated Effective as of June 25, 2007)

 

 

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1. PURPOSE OF THE PLAN

Purpose.  The purpose of the RealNetworks, Inc 2005 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), as amended and restated, is to assist RealNetworks, Inc., a Washington corporation (the “Company”), and its subsidiaries in attracting and retaining selected individuals to serve as employees, directors, consultants and/or advisors of the Company who are expected to contribute to the Company’s success and to achieve long-term objectives which will inure to the benefit of all shareholders of the Company through the additional incentives inherent in the Awards hereunder.

   

2. DEFINITIONS

2.1.  “Award” shall mean any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Performance Award, Other Share-Based Award or any other right, interest or option relating to Shares or other property (including cash) granted pursuant to the provisions of the Plan.

 

2.2.  “Award Agreement” shall mean any written agreement, contract or other instrument or document, including through an electronic medium, evidencing any Award granted by the Committee hereunder.

 

2.3.  “Board” shall mean the board of directors of the Company.

 

2.4.  “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

2.5.  “Committee” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board, consisting of no fewer than two Directors, each of whom is (i) a “Non-Employee Director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, (ii) an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, and (iii) an “independent director” for purpose of the rules and regulations of the NASDAQ Stock Market.

 

2.6.  “Covered Employee” shall mean a “covered employee” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

2.7.  “Director” shall mean a non-employee member of the Board.

 

2.8.  “Employee” shall mean any employee of the Company or any Subsidiary and any prospective employee conditioned upon, and effective not earlier than, such person’s becoming an employee of the Company or any Subsidiary. Solely for purposes of the Plan, an Employee shall also mean any consultant or advisor who provides services to the Company or any Subsidiary, so long as such person (i) renders bona fide services that are not in connection with the offer and sale of the Company’s securities in a capital-raising transaction and (ii) does not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities.

 

2.9.  “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

2.10.  “Fair Market Value” shall mean, with respect to any property other than Shares, the market value of such property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Committee. The Fair Market Value of Shares as of any date shall be the per Share closing price of the Shares as reported on the NASDAQ Stock Market on that date (or if there was no reported price on such date, on the last preceding date on which the price was reported); if the Company is not then listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market but is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the Fair Market Value of the Shares shall be the per Share closing price of the Shares as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on that date (or if there was no reported price on such date, on the last preceding date on which the price was reported); or, if the Company is not then listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market or the New York Stock Exchange, the Fair Market Value of Shares shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion using appropriate criteria.

 

2.11.  “Freestanding Stock Appreciation Right” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.

 

2.12.  “Limitations” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10.5.

 

2.13.  “Option” shall mean any right granted to a Participant under the Plan allowing such Participant to purchase Shares at such price or prices and during such period or periods as the Committee shall determine.

 

2.14.  “Other Share-Based Award” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1.

 

2.15.  “Participant” shall mean an Employee or Director who is selected by the Committee to receive an Award under the Plan.

 

2.16.  “Payee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13.1.

 

2.17.  “Performance Award” shall mean any Award of Performance Shares or Performance Units granted pursuant to Article 9.

 

2.18.  “Performance Period” shall mean that period established by the Committee at the time any Performance Award is granted or at any time thereafter during which any performance goals specified by the Committee with respect to such Award are to be measured.

 

2.19.  “Performance Share” shall mean any grant pursuant to Article 9 of a unit valued by reference to a designated number of Shares, which value may be paid to the Participant by delivery of such property as the Committee shall determine, including cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, upon achievement of such performance goals during the Performance Period as the Committee shall establish at the time of such grant or thereafter.

 

2.20.  “Performance Unit” shall mean any grant pursuant to Section 9 of a unit valued by reference to a designated amount of property (including cash) other than Shares, which value may be paid to the Participant by delivery of such property as the Committee shall determine, including cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, upon achievement of such performance goals during the Performance Period as the Committee shall establish at the time of such grant or thereafter.

 

2.21.  “Permitted Assignee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.3.

 

2.22.  “Prior Plans” shall mean, collectively, the Company’s 1996 Stock Option Plan, the Company’s 2000 Stock Option Plan, the Company’s 2002 Director Stock Option Plan and the Company’s Director Compensation Stock Plan.

 

2.23.  “Restricted Stock” shall mean any Share issued with the restriction that the holder may not sell, transfer, pledge or assign such Share and with such other restrictions as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may impose (including any restriction on the right to vote such Share and the right to receive any dividends), which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such time or times, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee may deem appropriate.

 

2.24.  “Restriction Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.

 

2.25.  “Restricted Stock Award” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.

 

2.26. “Shares” shall mean the shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share.

 

2.27. “Stock Appreciation Right” shall mean the right granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 6.

 

2.28. “Subsidiary” shall mean any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if, at the time of the granting of the Award, each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in the chain.

 

2.29. “Substitute Awards” shall mean Awards granted or Shares issued by the Company in assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for, awards previously granted, or the right or obligation to make future awards, by a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines.

 

2.30. “Tandem Stock Appreciation Right” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.

   

3. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

3.1 Number of Shares.  

(a) Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12.2, a total of 14,685,043 Shares shall be authorized for grant under the Plan, plus up to 314,957 Shares remaining available for grant under the Company’s Director Compensation Stock Plan on the effective date of the amendment and restatement of the Plan, up to an aggregate maximum of 15,000,000 Shares authorized for grant under the Plan. Any Shares that are subject to Awards of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights or Tandem Stock Appreciation Rights shall be counted against this limit as one (1) Share for every one (1) Share granted. Any Shares that are subject to Awards other than Options, Stock Appreciation Rights or Tandem Stock Appreciation Rights shall be counted against this limit as two and two-tenths (2.2) Shares for every one (1) Share granted.

 

(b) If any Shares subject to an Award or to an award under the Prior Plans are forfeited or expire, or any Award or award under the Prior Plans is settled for cash, the Shares subject to such Award or to such award under the Prior Plans shall, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration or cash settlement or non-issuance, again be available for Awards under the Plan, subject to Section 3.1(d) below. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the following Shares shall not be added to the Shares authorized for grant under paragraph (a) of this Section: (i) Shares tendered by the Participant or withheld by the Company in payment of the purchase price of an Option, (ii) Shares tendered by the Participant or withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to an Award, and (iii) Shares subject to a Stock Appreciation Right that are not issued in connection with the stock settlement of the Stock Appreciation Right on exercise thereof.

 

(c) Substitute Awards may be issued under the Plan and such Substitute Awards shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan or authorized for grant to a Participant in any calendar year. Additionally, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by shareholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan; provided that Awards using such available shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not Employees or Directors prior to such acquisition or combination.

 

(d) Any Shares that again become available for grant pursuant to this Article shall be added back as one (1) Share if such Shares were subject to Options or Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan or options or stock appreciation rights granted under the Prior Plans, and as two and two-tenths (2.2) Shares if such Shares were subject to Awards other than Options or Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan.

 

3.2.  Character of Shares.  Any Shares issued hereunder may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued shares or shares purchased in the open market or otherwise.

   

4. ELIGIBILITY AND ADMINISTRATION

4.1.  Eligibility.  Any Employee or Director shall be eligible to be selected as a Participant.

 

4.2.  Administration.  (a) The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee shall have full power and authority, subject to the provisions of the Plan and subject to such orders or resolutions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as may from time to time be adopted by the Board, to: (i) select the Employees and Directors to whom Awards may from time to time be granted hereunder; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, to be granted to each Participant hereunder; (iii) determine the number of Shares to be covered by each Award granted hereunder; (iv) determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, of any Award granted hereunder; (v) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances Awards may be settled in cash, Shares or other property, subject to Section 8.1; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award made under the Plan shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the Participant; (vii) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances any Award shall be canceled or suspended; (viii) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement entered into under or in connection with the Plan, including any Award Agreement; (ix) correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or any Award in the manner and to the extent that the Committee shall deem desirable to carry it into effect; (x) establish such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; and (xi) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for administration of the Plan.

 

(b) Decisions of the Committee shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons or entities, including the Company, any Participant, and any Subsidiary. A majority of the members of the Committee may determine its actions and fix the time and place of its meetings. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else to the contrary in the Plan, any action or determination by the Committee specifically affecting or relating to an Award to a Director shall require the prior approval of the Board.

 

(c) To the extent not inconsistent with applicable law, including Section 162(m) of the Code, or the rules and regulations of the NASDAQ Stock Market, the Committee may delegate to (i) a committee of one or more directors of the Company any of the authority of the Committee under the Plan, including the right to grant, cancel or suspend Awards and (ii) to the extent permitted by law, to one or more executive officers or a committee of executive officers the right to grant Awards to Employees who are not Directors or executive officers of the Company and the authority to take action on behalf of the Committee pursuant to the Plan to cancel or suspend Awards to Employees who are not Directors or executive officers of the Company.

5. OPTIONS

   

5.1.  Grant of Options.  Options may be granted hereunder to Participants either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. Any Option shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Article and to such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall deem desirable.

 

5.2.  Award Agreements.  All Options granted pursuant to this Article shall be evidenced by a written Award Agreement in such form and containing such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine which are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan. The terms of Options need not be the same with respect to each Participant. Granting of an Option pursuant to the Plan shall impose no obligation on the recipient to exercise such Option. Any individual who is granted an Option pursuant to this Article may hold more than one Option granted pursuant to the Plan at the same time.

 

5.3.  Option Price.  Other than in connection with Substitute Awards, the option price per each Share purchasable under any Option granted pursuant to this Article shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such Share on the date of grant of such Option. Other than pursuant to Section 12.2, the Committee shall not without the approval of the Company’s shareholders (a) lower the option price per Share of an Option after it is granted, (b) cancel an Option in exchange for cash or another Award (other than in connection with Substitute Awards), and (c) take any other action with respect to an Option that would be treated as a repricing under the rules and regulations of the NASDAQ Stock Market.

 

5.4.  Option Term.  The term of each Option shall be fixed by the Committee in its sole discretion; provided that no Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of seven (7) years from the date the Option is granted, except in the event of death or disability.

 

5.5.  Exercise of Options.  Vested Options granted under the Plan shall be exercised by the Participant or by a Permitted Assignee thereof (or by the Participant’s executors, administrators, guardian or legal representative, as may be provided in an Award Agreement) as to all or part of the Shares covered thereby, by the giving of notice of exercise to the Company or its designated agent, specifying the number of Shares to be purchased, accompanied by payment of the full purchase price for the Shares being purchased. Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, full payment of such purchase price shall be made at the time of exercise and shall be made (a) in cash or cash equivalents (including certified check or bank check or wire transfer of immediately available funds), (b) by tendering previously acquired Shares (either actually or by attestation, valued at their then Fair Market Value), (c) with the consent of the Committee, by delivery of other consideration (including, where permitted by law and the Committee, other Awards) having a Fair Market Value on the exercise date equal to the total purchase price, (d) with the consent of the Committee, by withholding Shares otherwise issuable in connection with the exercise of the Option, (e) through any other method specified in an Award Agreement, or (f) any combination of any of the foregoing. The notice of exercise, accompanied by such payment, shall be delivered to the Company at its principal business office or such other office as the Committee may from time to time direct, and shall be in such form, containing such further provisions consistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee may from time to time prescribe. In no event may any Option granted hereunder be exercised for a fraction of a Share. No adjustment shall be made for cash dividends or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date of such issuance.

 

5.6.  Form of Settlement.  In its sole discretion, the Committee may provide, at the time of grant, that the Shares to be issued upon an Option’s exercise shall be in the form of Restricted Stock or other similar securities, or may reserve the right so to provide after the time of grant.

 

5.7.  Incentive Stock Options.  The Committee may grant Options intended to qualify as “incentive stock options” as defined in Section 422 of the Code, to any employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, subject to the requirements of Section 422 of the Code. Notwithstanding anything in Section 3.1 to the contrary and solely for the purposes of determining whether Shares are available for the grant of “incentive stock options” under the Plan, the maximum aggregate number of Shares with respect to which “incentive stock options” may be granted under the Plan shall be 3,000,000 Shares. In addition and notwithstanding anything in this Section 5 to the contrary, if an incentive stock option is granted to a Participant who at the time such grant owns (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code) stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of its parent corporation or of any Subsidiary (i) the option price per Share under the incentive stock option shall be not less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of the incentive stock option and (ii) such incentive stock option shall expire and no longer be exercisable no later than 5 years from the date of grant.

   

6. STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

6.1.  Grant and Exercise.  The Committee may provide Stock Appreciation Rights (a) in conjunction with all or part of any Option granted under the Plan or at any subsequent time during the term of such Option (“Tandem Stock Appreciation Right”), (b) in conjunction with all or part of any Award (other than an Option) granted under the Plan or at any subsequent time during the term of such Award, or (c) without regard to any Option or other Award (a “Freestanding Stock Appreciation Right”), in each case upon such terms and conditions as the Committee may establish in its sole discretion.

 

6.2.  Terms and Conditions.  Stock Appreciation Rights shall be subject to such terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as shall be determined from time to time by the Committee, including the following:

 

(a) Upon the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, the holder shall have the right to receive the excess of (i) the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of exercise (or such other amount less than Fair Market Value) as the Committee shall so determine at any time during a specified period before the date of exercise) over (ii) the grant price of the right on the date of grant, or in the case of a Tandem Stock Appreciation Right granted on the date of grant of the related Option (subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code with respect to a Tandem Stock Appreciation Right granted subsequent to the related Option), as specified by the Committee in its sole discretion, which, except in the case of Substitute Awards or in connection with an adjustment provided in Section 12.2, shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of one Share on such date of grant of the right or the related Option, as the case may be.

 

(b) Upon the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, the Committee shall determine in its sole discretion whether payment shall be made in cash, in whole Shares or other property, or any combination thereof.

 

(c) Any Tandem Stock Appreciation Right may be granted at the same time as the related Option is granted or at any time thereafter before exercise or expiration of such Option.

 

(d) Any Tandem Stock Appreciation Right related to an Option may be exercised only when the related Option would be exercisable and the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the related Option exceeds the option price at which Shares can be acquired pursuant to the Option. In addition, if a Tandem Stock Appreciation Right exists with respect to less than the full number of Shares covered by a related Option, then an exercise or termination of such Option shall not reduce the number of Shares to which the Tandem Stock Appreciation Right applies until the number of Shares then exercisable under such Option equals the number of Shares to which the Tandem Stock Appreciation Right applies.

 

(e) Any Option related to a Tandem Stock Appreciation Right shall no longer be exercisable to the extent the Tandem Stock Appreciation Right has been exercised.

 

(f) The provisions of Stock Appreciation Rights need not be the same with respect to each recipient.

 

(g) The Committee may impose such other conditions or restrictions on the terms of exercise and the exercise price of any Stock Appreciation Right, as it shall deem appropriate, including providing that the exercise price of a Tandem Stock Appreciation Right may be less than the Fair Market Value on the date of grant if the Tandem Stock Appreciation Right is added to an Option following the date of the grant of the Option. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 6.2(g), but subject to Section 12.2, a Freestanding Stock Appreciation Right shall generally have the same terms and conditions as Options, including (i) an exercise price not less than Fair Market Value on the date of grant, and (ii) a term not greater than seven years.

 

(h) Without the approval of the Company’s shareholders, other than pursuant to Section 11 or Section 12.2, the Committee shall not (i) reduce the grant price of any Stock Appreciation Right after the date of grant (ii) cancel any Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award (other than in connection with Substitute Awards), and (iii) take any other action with respect to a Stock Appreciation Right that would be treated as a repricing under the rules and regulations of the NASDAQ Stock Market.

 

(i) The Committee may impose such terms and conditions on Stock Appreciation Rights granted in conjunction with any Award (other than an Option) as the Committee shall determine in its sole discretion.

 

7. RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS

7.1.  Grants.  Awards of Restricted Stock may be issued hereunder to Participants either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan (a “Restricted Stock Award”), and such Restricted Stock Awards shall also be available as a form of payment of Performance Awards and other earned cash-based incentive compensation. A Restricted Stock Award shall be subject to restrictions imposed by the Committee covering a period of time specified by the Committee (the “Restriction Period”). The Committee has absolute discretion to determine whether any consideration (other than services) is to be received by the Company or any Subsidiary as a condition precedent to the issuance of Restricted Stock.

 

7.2.  Award Agreements.  The terms of any Restricted Stock Award granted under the Plan shall be set forth in a written Award Agreement which shall contain provisions determined by the Committee and not inconsistent with the Plan. The terms of Restricted Stock Awards need not be the same with respect to each Participant. The Committee may, in its sole discretion and subject to the limitations imposed under Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations thereunder in the case of a Restricted Stock Award intended to comply with the performance-based exception under Code Section 162(m), waive the forfeiture period and any other conditions set forth in any Award Agreement subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall deem appropriate.

 

7.3.  Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock.  Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, beginning on the date of grant of the Restricted Stock Award and subject to execution of the Award Agreement, the Participant shall become a shareholder of the Company with respect to all Shares subject to the Award Agreement and shall have all of the rights of a shareholder, including the right to vote such Shares and the right to receive distributions made with respect to such Shares; provided, however, that any Shares or any other property (other than cash) distributed as a dividend or otherwise with respect to any Restricted Stock as to which the restrictions have not yet lapsed shall be subject to the same restrictions as such Restricted Stock.

   

8. OTHER SHARE-BASED AWARDS

8.1.  Grants.  Other Awards of Shares and other Awards that are valued in whole or in part by reference to, or are otherwise based on, Shares or other property (collectively “Other Share-Based Awards”) may be granted hereunder to Participants, in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. Other Share-Based Awards shall also be available as a form of payment of other Awards granted under the Plan and other earned cash-based compensation (including Directors’ fees).

 

8.2.  Award Agreements.  The terms of Other Share-Based Award granted under the Plan shall be set forth in a written Award Agreement, or in a sub-plan forming part of the Plan, which shall contain provisions determined by the Committee and not inconsistent with the Plan. The terms of such Awards need not be the same with respect to each Participant.

 

8.3.  Payment.  Except as provided in an Award Agreement, Other Share-Based Awards may be paid in cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, in the sole discretion of the Committee at the time of payment. Other Share-Based Awards may be paid in a lump sum or in installments or, in accordance with procedures established by the Committee, on a deferred basis subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

   

9. PERFORMANCE AWARDS

9.1.  Grants.  Performance Awards in the form of Performance Shares or Performance Units, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, may be granted hereunder to Participants, for no consideration or for such minimum consideration as may be required by applicable law, either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. The performance goals to be achieved for each Performance Period shall be conclusively determined by the Committee and may be based upon the criteria set forth in Section 10.2.

 

9.2.  Award Agreements.  The terms of any Performance Award granted under the Plan shall be set forth in a written Award Agreement which shall contain provisions determined by the Committee and not inconsistent with the Plan. The terms of Performance Awards need not be the same with respect to each Participant.

 

9.3.  Terms and Conditions.  The performance criteria to be achieved during any Performance Period and the length of the Performance Period shall be determined by the Committee upon the grant of each Performance Award. The amount of the Award to be distributed shall be conclusively determined by the Committee.

 

9.4.  Payment.  Except as provided in Article 11 or as may be provided in an Award Agreement, Performance Awards will be distributed only after the end of the relevant Performance Period. Performance Awards may be paid in cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, in the sole discretion of the Committee at the time of payment. Performance Awards may be paid in a lump sum or in installments following the close of the Performance Period or, in accordance with procedures established by the Committee, on a deferred basis subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

   

10. CODE SECTION 162(m) PROVISIONS

10.1.  Covered Employees.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, if the Committee determines at the time a Restricted Stock Award, a Performance Award or an Other Share-Based Award is granted to a Participant who is, or is likely to be, as of the end of the tax year in which the Company would claim a tax deduction in connection with such Award, a Covered Employee, then the Committee may provide that this Article 10 is applicable to such Award.

 

10.2.  Performance Criteria.  If the Committee determines that a Restricted Stock Award, a Performance Award or an Other Share-Based Award is subject to this Article 10, the lapsing of restrictions thereon and the distribution of cash, Shares or other property pursuant thereto, as applicable, shall be subject to the achievement of one or more objective performance goals established by the Committee, which shall be based on the attainment of specified levels of one or any combination of the following: net revenue; revenue growth; pre-tax income before allocation of corporate overhead and bonus; earnings per share; net income; division, group or corporate financial goals; return on shareholders’ equity; total shareholder return; return on assets; attainment of strategic and operational initiatives; appreciation in and/or maintenance of the price of the Shares or any other publicly-traded securities of the Company; market share; gross profits; earnings before taxes, earnings before interest and taxes earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; economic value-added models; comparisons with various stock market indices; reductions in costs; cash flow, cash flow per share; return on invested capital; cash flow return on investment; and improvement in or attainment of expense levels on working capital levels of the Company or any Subsidiary, division, business segment or business unit of the Company for or within which the Participant is primarily employed. Such performance goals also may be based solely by reference to the Company’s performance or the performance of a Subsidiary, division, business segment or business unit of the Company, or based upon the relative performance of other companies or upon comparisons of any of the indicators of performance relative to other companies. The Committee may also exclude the impact of an event or occurrence which the Committee determines should appropriately be excluded, including (a) restructurings, discontinued operations, extraordinary items, and other unusual or non-recurring charges, (b) an event either not directly related to the operations of the Company or not within the reasonable control of the Company’s management, or (c) the cumulative effects of tax or accounting changes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Such performance goals shall be set by the Committee within the time period prescribed by, and shall otherwise comply with the requirements of, Section 162(m) of the Code, and the regulations thereunder.

 

10.3.  Adjustments.  Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan (other than Article 11), with respect to any Restricted Stock Award, Performance Award or Other Share-Based Award that is subject to this Section 10, the Committee may adjust downwards, but not upwards, the amount payable pursuant to such Award, and the Committee may not waive the achievement of the applicable performance goals, except in the case of the death or disability of the Participant or as otherwise determined by the Committee in special circumstances.

 

10.4.  Restrictions.  The Committee shall have the power to impose such other restrictions on Awards subject to this Article as it may deem necessary or appropriate to ensure that such Awards satisfy all requirements for “performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

10.5.  Limitations on Grants to Individual Participant.  Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12.2, no Participant may be granted (i) Options or Stock Appreciation Rights during any 12-month period with respect to more than 2,000,000 Shares or (ii) Restricted Stock, Performance Awards and/or Other Share-Based Awards that are denominated in Shares in any 12-month period with respect to more than 900,000 Shares (the “Limitations”). In addition to the foregoing, the maximum dollar value payable to any Participant in any 12-month period with respect to Performance Awards is $3,000,000. If an Award is cancelled, the cancelled Award shall continue to be counted toward the applicable Limitations.

   

11. CHANGE OF CONTROL PROVISIONS

11.1.  Impact of Change of Control.  The terms of any Award may provide in the Award Agreement evidencing the Award that, upon a “Change of Control” of the Company (as that term may be defined therein), (a) Options and Stock Appreciation Rights outstanding as of the date of the Change of Control immediately vest and become fully exercisable, (b) that Options and Stock Appreciation Rights outstanding as of the date of the Change of Control may be cancelled and terminated without payment therefor if the Fair Market Value of one Share as of the date of the Change of Control is less than the per Share Option exercise price or Stock Appreciation Right grant price, (c) restrictions and deferral limitations on Restricted Stock lapse and the Restricted Stock becomes free of all restrictions and limitations and becomes fully vested, (d) all Performance Awards shall be considered to be earned and payable (either in full or pro rata based on the portion of Performance Period completed as of the date of the Change of Control), and any deferral or other restriction shall lapse and such Performance Awards shall be immediately settled or distributed, (e) the restrictions and deferral limitations and other conditions applicable to any Other Share-Based Awards or any other Awards shall lapse, and such Other Share-Based Awards or such other Awards shall become free of all restrictions, limitations or conditions and become fully vested and transferable to the full extent of the original grant, and (f) such other additional benefits as the Committee deems appropriate shall apply, subject in each case to any terms and conditions contained in the Award Agreement evidencing such Award. For purposes of the Plan, a “Change of Control” shall mean an event described in an Award Agreement evidencing the Award or such other event as determined in the sole discretion of the Board. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Committee, in its discretion, may determine that, upon the occurrence of a Change of Control of the Company, each Option and Stock Appreciation Right outstanding shall terminate within a specified number of days after notice to the Participant, and/or that each Participant shall receive, with respect to each Share subject to such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, an amount equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of such Share immediately prior to the occurrence of such Change of Control over the exercise price per share of such Option and/or Stock Appreciation Right; such amount to be payable in cash, in one or more kinds of stock or property (including the stock or property, if any, payable in the transaction) or in a combination thereof, as the Committee, in its discretion, shall determine.

 

11.2.  Assumption Upon Change of Control.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if in the event of a Change of Control the successor company assumes or substitutes for an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Share of Restricted Stock or Other Share-Based Award, then each outstanding Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Share of Restricted Stock or Other Share-Based Award shall not be accelerated as described in Sections 11.1(a), (c) and (e). For the purposes of this Section 11.2, an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Share of Restricted Stock or Other Share-Based Award shall be considered assumed or substituted for if following the Change of Control the award confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award or Other Share-Based Award immediately prior to the Change of Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash or other securities or property) received in the transaction constituting a Change of Control by holders of Shares for each Share held on the effective date of such transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the transaction constituting a Change of Control is not solely common stock of the successor company, the Committee may, with the consent of the successor company, provide that the consideration to be received upon the exercise or vesting of an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award or Other Share-Based Award, for each Share subject thereto, will be solely common stock of the successor company substantially equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Shares in the transaction constituting a Change of Control. The determination of such substantial equality of value of consideration shall be made by the Committee in its sole discretion and its determination shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, on such terms and conditions as may be set forth in an Award Agreement, in the event of a termination of a Participant’s employment in such successor company within a specified time period following such Change in Control, each Award held by such Participant at the time of the Change in Control shall be accelerated as described in Sections 11.1(a), (c) and (e).

   

12. GENERALLY APPLICABLE PROVISIONS

12.1.  Amendment and Termination of the Plan.  The Board may, from time to time, alter, amend, suspend or terminate the Plan as it shall deem advisable, subject to any requirement for shareholder approval imposed by applicable law, including the rules and regulations of the NASDAQ Stock Market provided that the Board may not amend the Plan in any manner that would result in noncompliance with Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act; and further provided that the Board may not, without the approval of the Company’s shareholders, amend the Plan to (a) increase the number of Shares that may be the subject of Awards under the Plan (except for adjustments pursuant to Section 12.2), (b) expand the types of awards available under the Plan, (c) materially expand the class of persons eligible to participate in the Plan, (d) amend any provision of Section 5.3, (e) increase the maximum permissible term of any Option specified by Section 5.4 or the maximum permissible term of a Freestanding Stock Appreciation Right specified by Section 6.2(g), or (f) amend any provision of Section 10.4. The Board may not, without the approval of the Company’s shareholders, take any other action with respect to an Option or Stock Appreciation Right that would be treated as a repricing under the rules and regulations of the NASDAQ Stock Market, including a reduction of the exercise price of an Option or the grant price of a Stock Appreciation Right or the exchange of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right for cash or another Award. In addition, no amendments to, or termination of, the Plan shall in any way impair the rights of a Participant under any Award previously granted without such Participant’s consent.

 

12.2.  Adjustments.  In the event of any merger, reorganization, consolidation, recapitalization, dividend or distribution (whether in cash, shares or other property, other than a regular cash dividend), stock split, reverse stock split, spin-off or similar transaction or other change in corporate structure affecting the Shares or the value thereof, such adjustments and other substitutions shall be made to the Plan and to Awards as the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems equitable or appropriate taking into consideration the accounting and tax consequences, including such adjustments in the aggregate number, class and kind of securities that may be delivered under the Plan, the Limitations, the maximum number of Shares that may be issued as incentive stock options and, in the aggregate or to any one Participant, in the number, class, kind and option or exercise price of securities subject to outstanding Awards granted under the Plan and, in the aggregate or to any one Participant, in the number, class, kind and option or exercise price of securities subject to outstanding Awards granted under the Plan (including, if the Committee deems appropriate, the substitution of similar options to purchase the shares of, or other awards denominated in the shares of, another company) as the Committee may determine to be appropriate in its sole discretion; provided, however, that the number of Shares subject to any Award shall always be a whole number.

 

12.3.  Transferability of Awards.  Except as provided below, and except as otherwise authorized by the Committee in an Award Agreement, no Award and no Shares subject to Awards described in Article 8 that have not been issued or as to which any applicable restriction, performance or deferral period has not lapsed, may be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and such Award may be exercised during the life of the Participant only by the Participant or the Participant’s guardian or legal representative.

 

12.4.  Termination of Employment.  The Committee shall determine and set forth in each Award Agreement whether any Awards granted in such Award Agreement will continue to be exercisable, and the terms of such exercise, on and after the date that a Participant ceases to be employed by or to provide services to the Company or any Subsidiary (including as a Director), whether by reason of death, disability, voluntary or involuntary termination of employment or services, or otherwise. The date of termination of a Participant’s employment or services will be determined by the Committee, which determination will be final.

   

13. MISCELLANEOUS

13.1.  Tax Withholding.  The Company shall have the right to make all payments or distributions pursuant to the Plan to a Participant (or a Permitted Assignee thereof) (any such person, a “Payee”) net of any applicable federal, state and local taxes required to be paid or withheld as a result of (a) the grant of any Award, (b) the exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, (c) the delivery of Shares or cash, (d) the lapse of any restrictions in connection with any Award or (e) any other event occurring pursuant to the Plan. The Company or any Subsidiary shall have the right to withhold from wages or other amounts otherwise payable to such Payee such withholding taxes as may be required by law, or to otherwise require the Payee to pay such withholding taxes. If the Payee shall fail to make such tax payments as are required, the Company or its Subsidiaries shall, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to such Payee or to take such other action as may be necessary to satisfy such withholding obligations. The Committee shall be authorized to establish procedures for election by Participants to satisfy such obligation for the payment of such taxes by tendering previously acquired Shares (either actually or by attestation, valued at their then Fair Market Value), or by directing the Company to retain Shares (up to the Participant’s minimum required tax withholding rate or such other rate that will not trigger a negative accounting impact) otherwise deliverable in connection with the Award.

 

13.2.  Right of Discharge Reserved; Claims to Awards.  Nothing in the Plan nor the grant of an Award hereunder shall confer upon any Employee or Director the right to continue in the employment or service of the Company or any Subsidiary or affect any right that the Company or any Subsidiary may have to terminate the employment or service of (or to demote or to exclude from future Awards under the Plan) any such Employee or Director at any time for any reason. Except as specifically provided by the Committee, the Company shall not be liable for the loss of existing or potential profit from an Award granted in the event of termination of an employment or other relationship. No Employee or Participant shall have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Employees or Participants under the Plan.

 

13.3.  Prospective Recipient.  The prospective recipient of any Award under the Plan shall not, with respect to such Award, be deemed to have become a Participant, or to have any rights with respect to such Award, until and unless such recipient shall have executed an agreement or other instrument evidencing the Award and delivered a copy thereof to the Company, and otherwise complied with the then applicable terms and conditions of the Plan and the Award Agreement.

 

13.4.  Substitute Awards.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the terms of Substitute Awards may vary from the terms set forth in the Plan to the extent the Committee deems appropriate to conform, in whole or in part, to the provisions of the awards in substitution for which they are granted.

 

13.5.  Cancellation of Award.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, an Award Agreement may provide that the Award shall be canceled if the Participant, without the consent of the Company, while employed by the Company or any Subsidiary or after termination of such employment or service, engages in activity that violates any agreement between the Company or any Subsidiary and Participant, including any agreement not to compete with the Company, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement that if within the time period specified in the Agreement the Participant establishes a relationship with a competitor or engages in an activity referred to in the preceding sentence, the Participant will forfeit any gain realized on the vesting or exercise of the Award and must repay such gain to the Company.

 

13.6.  Stop Transfer Orders.  All certificates for Shares delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award shall be subject to such stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any stock exchange upon which the Shares are then listed, and any applicable federal or state securities law, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.

 

13.7.  Nature of Payments.  All Awards made pursuant to the Plan are in consideration of services performed or to be performed for the Company or any Subsidiary, division or business unit of the Company. Any income or gain realized pursuant to Awards under the Plan and any Stock Appreciation Rights constitute a special incentive payment to the Participant and shall not be taken into account, to the extent permissible under applicable law, as compensation for purposes of any of the employee benefit plans of the Company or any Subsidiary except as may be determined by the Committee or by the Board or board of directors of the applicable Subsidiary.

 

13.8.  Other Plans.  Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Board from adopting other or additional compensation arrangements, subject to shareholder approval if such approval is required; and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

 

13.9.  Severability.  If any provision of the Plan shall be held unlawful or otherwise invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall (a) be deemed limited to the extent that such court of competent jurisdiction deems it lawful, valid and/or enforceable and as so limited shall remain in full force and effect, and (b) not affect any other provision of the Plan or part thereof, each of which shall remain in full force and effect. If the making of any payment or the provision of any other benefit required under the Plan shall be held unlawful or otherwise invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such unlawfulness, invalidity or unenforceability shall not prevent any other payment or benefit from being made or provided under the Plan, and if the making of any payment in full or the provision of any other benefit required under the Plan in full would be unlawful or otherwise invalid or unenforceable, then such unlawfulness, invalidity or unenforceability shall not prevent such payment or benefit from being made or provided in part, to the extent that it would not be unlawful, invalid or unenforceable, and the maximum payment or benefit that would not be unlawful, invalid or unenforceable shall be made or provided under the Plan.

 

13.10.  Construction.  As used in the Plan, the words “include” and “including,” and variations thereof, shall not be deemed to be terms of limitation, but rather shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.”

 

13.11.  Unfunded Status of the Plan.  The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant by the Company, nothing contained herein shall give any such Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company. In its sole discretion, the Committee may authorize the creation of trusts or other arrangements to meet the obligations created under the Plan to deliver the Shares or payments in lieu of or with respect to Awards hereunder; provided, however, that the existence of such trusts or other arrangements is consistent with the unfunded status of the Plan.

 

13.12.  Governing Law.  The Plan and all determinations made and actions taken thereunder, to the extent not otherwise governed by the Code or the laws of the United States, shall be governed by the laws of the State of Washington, without reference to principles of conflict of laws, and construed accordingly.

 

13.13.  Effective Date; Termination.  The amendment and restatement of the Plan shall be effective on the date of the approval of the Plan’s amendment and restatement by the holders of the shares entitled to vote at a duly constituted meeting of the shareholders of the Company. The amendment and restatement of the Plan shall be null and void and of no effect if the foregoing condition is not fulfilled. Awards may be granted under the Plan at any time and from time to time on or prior to the tenth anniversary of the effective date of the Plan, on which date the Plan will expire except as to Awards then outstanding under the Plan. Such outstanding Awards shall remain in effect until they have been exercised or terminated, or have expired.

 

13.14.  Foreign Employees.  Awards may be granted to Participants who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States, or both, on such terms and conditions different from those applicable to Awards to Employees employed in the United States as may, in the judgment of the Committee, be necessary or desirable in order to recognize differences in local law or tax policy. The Committee also may impose conditions on the exercise or vesting of Awards in order to minimize the Company’s obligation with respect to tax equalization for Employees on assignments outside their home country.

 

13.15.  Compliance with Section 409A of the Code.  This Plan is intended to comply and shall be administered in a manner that is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Code and shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with such intent. To the extent that an Award or the payment, settlement or deferral thereof is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Award shall be granted, paid, settled or deferred in a manner that will comply with Section 409A of the Code, including regulations or other guidance issued with respect thereto, except as otherwise determined by the Committee. Any provision of this Plan that would cause the grant of an Award or the payment, settlement or deferral thereof to fail to satisfy Section 409A of the Code shall be amended to comply with Section 409A of the Code on a timely basis, which may be made on a retroactive basis, in accordance with regulations and other guidance issued under Section 409A of the Code.

 

13.16.  Captions.  The captions in the Plan are for convenience of reference only, and are not intended to narrow, limit or affect the substance or interpretation of the provisions contained herein

 

13.17.  Conditions to Issuance of Shares.  The granting of Awards and the issuance of Shares under the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be necessary or appropriate. Shares (or if applicable, cash or other property) shall not be issued pursuant to an Award unless, as determined by the Company, the issuance and delivery of the Shares (or if applicable, cash or other property) complies with all such laws, rules, regulations and approvals.