SkyWest, Inc. 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan
Exhibit 10.1
SKYWEST INC.
2019 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
(AMENDED AND RESTATED EFFECTIVE MAY 7, 2024)
SkyWest, Inc. (the “Company”), a Utah corporation, hereby establishes and adopts the following SkyWest, Inc. amended and restated 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). This Plan amends and restates the SkyWest, Inc. 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Original 2019 Plan”) in its entirety effective as of May 7, 2024, which is the date on which this amendment and restatement of the Plan was approved by the stockholders of the Company (the “Restatement Effective Date”). The Original 2019 Plan was effective on May 7, 2019 (the “Original Effective Date”).
1. | PURPOSE OF THE PLAN |
The purpose of the Plan is to assist the Company and its Subsidiaries in attracting and retaining selected individuals to serve as employees, directors, consultants and/or advisors who are expected to contribute to the Company’s success and to achieve long-term objectives that will benefit stockholders 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, Restricted Stock Unit Award, Other Share-Based Award, Performance 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 agreement, contract or other instrument or document evidencing any Award hereunder, whether in writing or through an electronic medium.
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 entity that conducts the general administration of the Plan as provided in Article 11 hereof. With reference to the duties of the Committee under the Plan which have been delegated to one or more persons pursuant to Section 4.2(c) hereof, or which the Board has assumed, the term “Committee” shall refer to such person(s) unless the Committee or the Board has revoked such delegation or the Board has terminated the assumption of such duties. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, the Compensation Committee of the Board or a subcommittee thereof formed by the Compensation Committee to act as the Committee hereunder shall serve as the “Committee” and, unless otherwise determined by the Board, shall consist of no fewer than two Directors, each of whom is: (a) a “Non-Employee Director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act; and (b) an “independent director” for purpose of the rules of the applicable Securities Exchange on which the Shares are traded, to the extent required by such rules.
2.6.“Consultant” shall mean any consultant or advisor who is a natural person and who provides services to the Company or any Subsidiary, so long as such person: (a) renders bona fide services that are not in connection with the offer and sale of the Company’s securities in a capital-raising transaction; (b) does not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities; and (c) otherwise qualifies as a consultant under the applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission for registration of shares of stock on a Form S-8 registration statement.
2.7.“Director” shall mean a non-employee member of the Board.
2.8.“Dividend Equivalents” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.2.
2.9.“Employee” shall mean any employee of the Company or any Subsidiary.
2.10.“Equity Restructuring” means a nonreciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off or recapitalization through a large, nonrecurring cash dividend, that affects the number or kind of Shares (or other Company securities) or the price of a Share (or other Company securities) and causes a change in the per Share value of a Share underlying outstanding Awards.
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2.11.“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
2.12.“Fair Market Value” shall mean, with respect to Shares as of any date: (a) the closing price of the Shares as reported on the Securities Exchange on which the Shares are listed and traded on such date, or, if there is no closing price on that date, then on the last preceding date on which such a closing price was reported; (b) if the Shares are not listed on any Securities Exchange but are quoted in an inter-dealer quotation system on a last sale basis, the final ask price of the Shares reported on the inter-dealer quotation system for such date, or, if there is no such sale on such date, then on the last preceding date on which a sale was reported; or (c) if the Shares are neither listed on a Securities Exchange nor quoted on an inter-dealer quotation system on a last sale basis, the amount determined by the Committee to be the fair market value of the Shares as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. The Fair Market Value of any property other than Shares shall mean the market value of such property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Committee.
2.13.“Incentive Stock Option” shall mean an Option which when granted is intended to qualify as an incentive stock option for purposes of Section 422 of the Code.
2.14.“Non-Qualified Stock Option” shall mean an Option not intended or not qualifying as an Incentive Stock Option.
2.15.“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.
2.16.“Original 2019 Plan” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
2.17.“Other Share-Based Award” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1.
2.18.“Participant” shall mean an Employee, Director or Consultant who is selected by the Committee to receive an Award under the Plan.
2.19.“Payee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13.2.
2.20.“Performance Award” shall mean any Award of Performance Cash, Performance Shares or Performance Units granted pursuant to Article 9.
2.21.“Performance Cash” shall mean any cash incentives granted pursuant to Article 9 payable to the Participant upon the achievement of such performance goals as the Committee shall establish.
2.22.“Performance Period” shall mean the period established by the Committee during which any performance goals specified by the Committee with respect to a Performance Award are to be measured.
2.23.“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 upon achievement of such performance goals as the Committee shall establish.
2.24.“Performance Unit” shall mean any grant pursuant to Article 9 of a unit valued by reference to a designated amount of cash or property other than Shares, which value may be paid to the Participant upon achievement of such performance goals during the Performance Period as the Committee shall establish.
2.25.“Permitted Assignee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.3.
2.26.“Plan” shall mean this amended and restated SkyWest, Inc. 2019 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as set forth herein, and as subsequently amended from time to time.
2.27.“Prior Plan Award” shall mean an award granted under the Company’s 2010 Long-Term Incentive Plan.
2.28.“Restatement Effective Date” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.
2.29. “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
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impose, which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such time or times, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee may deem appropriate.
2.30.“Restricted Stock Award” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.
2.31.“Restricted Stock Unit” means an Award that represents an unfunded, unsecured right to receive, on the applicable settlement date, one Share or an amount in cash or other consideration as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion upon the satisfaction of vesting restrictions as the Committee may establish, which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such time or times, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee may deem appropriate.
2.32.“Restricted Stock Unit Award” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1.
2.33.“Securities Exchange” means the principal U.S. national securities exchange on which the Shares are listed and traded on the date in question. As of the date hereof, the applicable Securities Exchange is The NASDAQ Global Select Market.
2.34.“Shares” shall mean the shares of common stock, no par value, of the Company.
2.35.“Stock Appreciation Right” shall mean the right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 6.
2.36.“Subsidiary” shall mean any entity (other than the Company), whether domestic or foreign, in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Company if, at the relevant time each of the entities other than the last entity in the unbroken chain owns, at the time of the determination, securities or interests representing at least 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of securities or interests in one of the other entities in the chain.
2.37.“Substitute Awards” shall mean Awards granted or Shares issued by the Company in assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for: (i) awards previously granted by an entity (other than the Company or a Subsidiary) that is acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines; or (ii) the right or obligation of any entity acquired by the Company or acquired by any Subsidiary, or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines, to make future awards.
2.38.“Vesting Period” shall mean the period of time specified by the Committee during which vesting restrictions for an Award are applicable.
3.SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN
3.1Number of Shares.
(a)Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12.2, as of the Restatement Effective Date, such number of Shares shall be authorized for grant under the Plan as is equal to the sum of (i) 5,465,5251 Shares, plus (ii) any Shares covered by Prior Plan Awards that became available for grant under the Original 2019 Plan pursuant to Section 3.1(b) of the Original 2019 Plan prior to the Restatement Effective Date.2 Any Shares that are subject to Options or Stock Appreciation Rights granted on or after the Original Effective Date shall be counted against this limit as one (1) Share for every one (1) Share granted, and any Shares that are subject to Awards other than Options or Stock Appreciation Rights granted on or after the Original Effective Date shall be counted against this limit as one and sixty-five one-hundredths (1.65) Shares for every one (1) Share granted.
1 Represents the sum of (A) 4,167,525 Shares authorized for issuance under the Original 2019 Plan as of the Original Effective Date, plus (B) 1,298,000 newly authorized Shares approved by the Company’s stockholders on the Restatement Effective Date.
2 As of the Restatement Effective Date (i.e., the date of the Company’s Annual Stockholder Meeting in 2024 (May 7, 2024)), and subject to stockholder approval, there will be 3,898,000 shares available for the grant of new Awards (consisting of 2,600,000 shares that were available for the grant of new awards under the Plan as of December 31, 2023, plus 1,298,000 newly authorized shares approved by the Company’s stockholders on the Restatement Effective Date), less grants made under the Original 2019 Plan after December 31, 2023 and counted as provided in Section 3.1(a), subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 12.2 and Section 3.1(b).
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(b)If an Award or any Shares subject to an Award is forfeited, expires, or is settled for cash (in whole or in part), the Shares subject to such Award shall, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration or cash settlement, again be available for Awards under the Plan, in accordance with 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 Section 3.1(a): (i) Shares tendered by the Participant or withheld by the Company in payment of the purchase price of an Option, or to satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to an Award; (ii) Shares subject to a Stock Appreciation Right that are not issued in connection with its stock settlement on exercise thereof; and (iii) Shares reacquired by the Company on the open market or otherwise using cash proceeds from the exercise of Options. Any Shares of Restricted Stock forfeited by the Participant or repurchased by the Company under Section 7.3(d) hereof at the same price paid by the Participant so that such Shares are returned to the Company will again be available for Awards under the Plan, in accordance with Section 3.1(d) below. The payment of Dividend Equivalents in cash in conjunction with any outstanding Awards shall not be counted against the Shares available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3.1(b), no Shares may again be optioned, granted or awarded if such action would cause an Incentive Stock Option to fail to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code.
(c)Substitute Awards shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan (except that Shares acquired by exercise of substitute Incentive Stock Options will count against the maximum number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options under the Plan), nor shall Shares subject to a Substitute Award again be available for Awards under the Plan to the extent of any forfeiture, expiration or cash settlement as provided in paragraph (b) above. 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 stockholders 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 Section 3.1(a) of 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, Consultants or Directors prior to such acquisition or combination.
(d)Any Shares that again become available for grant pursuant to Section 3.1(b) shall be added back as: (i) one (1) Share if such Shares were subject to Options or Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan; and (ii) as one and sixty-five one-hundredths (1.65) Shares if such Shares were subject to Awards other than Options or Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan.
(e)Solely for purposes of determining whether Shares are available for the grant of Incentive Stock Options under the Plan, the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan shall be 10,000,000 Shares, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12.2.
3.2.Character of Shares. Any Shares issued hereunder may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued shares, treasury shares or shares purchased in the open market or otherwise.
3.3Award Vesting Limitations. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, but subject to Section 11, Section 12.2 and the last sentence of this Section 3.3, Awards granted under the Plan shall vest no earlier than the first anniversary of the date the Award is granted and no Award Agreement shall reduce or eliminate the minimum vesting requirement; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the minimum vesting requirement of this Section 3.3 shall not apply to: (a) any Awards delivered in lieu of fully-vested cash-based Awards under the Plan (or other fully-vested cash awards or payments), (b) any Awards to Directors for which the vesting period runs from the date of one annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders to the next annual meeting of the Company’s stockholders which is at least fifty (50) weeks after the immediately preceding year’s annual meeting, or (c) any other Awards that result in the issuance of an aggregate of up to five percent (5%) of the number of Shares authorized for grant under the Plan as of the Restatement Effective Date. Nothing in this Section 3.3 precludes the Committee (or the Board, in the case of awards granted to Directors) from taking action, in its sole discretion, to accelerate the vesting of any Award in connection with or following a Participant’s death, disability, termination of service or the consummation of a Change in Control in the terms of an Award Agreement or otherwise.
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4.ELIGIBILITY AND ADMINISTRATION
4.1.Eligibility. Any Employee, Director or Consultant 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, Directors and Consultants to whom Awards may from time to time be granted hereunder; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Participant hereunder; (iii) determine the number of Shares (or dollar value) 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; (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) subject to Section 12.1, 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; (xi) determine whether any Award, other than an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, will have Dividend Equivalents; (xii) accelerate the vesting, payment and/or settlement of any Award; (xiii) amend any Award or Award Agreement, provided that the rights or obligations of the Participant of the Award that is the subject of any such Award Agreement are not impaired by such amendment in any material respect, unless the consent of the Participant is obtained or such amendment is otherwise permitted under Sections 11.1, 11.2, 12.1, 12.2, 13.5, 13.15 or the other terms of this Plan; and (xiv) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the 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, including fixing the time and place of its meetings. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action or determination by the Committee specifically affecting or relating to a Director shall require the prior approval of the Board.
(c)To the extent not inconsistent with applicable law, or the rules and regulations of the Securities Exchange on which the Shares are traded, the Board or the Committee may delegate to a committee of one or more directors of the Company or one or more officers of the Company any of the authority of the Committee under the Plan, including the right to grant, cancel or suspend Awards; provided, however, that in no event shall an officer of the Company be delegated the authority to grant Awards to, or amend Awards held by, the following individuals: (a) individuals who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, or (b) officers of the Company (or Directors) to whom authority to grant or amend Awards has been delegated hereunder. Any delegation hereunder shall be subject to the restrictions and limits that the Board or Committee specifies at the time of such delegation, and the Board or Committee, as applicable, may at any time rescind the authority so delegated or appoint a new delegatee. At all times, the delegatee appointed under this Section 4.2(c) shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of the Board or the Committee, as applicable, and the Board or the Committee may abolish any committee at any time and re-vest in itself any previously delegated authority.
4.3.Director Limit. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the Plan, the Board may establish compensation for non-employee Directors from time to time, subject to the limitations in the Plan. The Board will from time to time determine the terms, conditions and amounts of all such non-employee Director compensation in its discretion and pursuant to the exercise of its business judgment, taking into account such factors, circumstances and considerations as it shall deem relevant from time to time, provided that the sum of any cash compensation, or other compensation, and the value (determined as of the grant date in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, or any successor thereto) of Awards granted to a non-employee Director as compensation for services as a non-employee Director during any fiscal year of the Company may not exceed $500,000 (increased to $750,000 with respect to any non-employee Director serving as Chairman of the Board or Lead Independent Director or in the fiscal year of a non-employee Director's initial service as a non-employee Director) (with any compensation that is deferred counting towards this limit for the year in which the compensation is first earned, and not a later year of settlement). The Board may make exceptions to this limit for individual non-employee Directors in
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extraordinary circumstances, as the Board may determine in its discretion, provided that the non-employee Director receiving such additional compensation may not participate in the decision to award such compensation or in other contemporaneous compensation decisions involving non-employee Directors.
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 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 (including Section 3.3). The terms and conditions of Options need not be the same with respect to each Participant. Granting 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 one Share on the date of grant of such Option; provided, however, that in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant who, at the time of the grant, owns stock representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Subsidiary, the option price per share shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of grant.
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; provided, however, that the term of the Option shall not exceed five (5) years from the date the Option is granted in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant who, at the time of the grant, owns stock representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Subsidiary.
5.5.Exercise of Options.
(a)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 giving notice of exercise to the Company or its designated agent, specifying the number of Shares to be purchased. The notice of exercise shall be in such form, made in such manner, and shall comply with such other requirements consistent with the provisions of the Plan as the Committee may prescribe from time to time.
(b)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: (i) in cash or cash equivalents (including certified check or bank check or wire transfer of immediately available funds); (ii) by tendering previously acquired Shares (either actually or by attestation) with a fair market value on the date of delivery equal to the amount of the purchase price to be paid by the Participant; (iii) with the consent of the Committee, by delivery of other consideration having a fair market value on the exercise date equal to the total purchase price; (iv) with the consent of the Committee, by the withholding of Shares issuable upon exercise of such Options by the Company with a fair market value on the date of delivery equal to the amount of the purchase price to be paid by the Participant; (v) through any other method specified in an Award Agreement (including through delivery (including telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) of a notice that the Participant has placed a market sell order with a broker acceptable to the Company with respect to Shares then issuable upon exercise of such Options, and that the broker has been directed to deliver promptly to the Company funds sufficient to satisfy the applicable purchase price (provided that such amount is paid to the Company at such time as may be required by the Company)); or (vi) 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.
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(c)Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Award Agreement evidencing an Option may provide that if on the last day of the term of the Option the Fair Market Value of one Share exceeds the option price per Share, the Participant has not exercised the Option (or a tandem Stock Appreciation Right, if applicable) and the Option has not expired, the Option shall be deemed to have been exercised by the Participant on such day with payment made by withholding Shares otherwise issuable in connection with the exercise of the Option (subject to Section 13.2). In such event, the Company shall deliver to the Participant the number of Shares for which the Option was deemed exercised, less the number of Shares required to be withheld for the payment of the total purchase price and required withholding taxes; provided, however, any fractional Share shall be settled in cash.
5.6.Form of Settlement. In its sole discretion, the Committee may provide that the Shares to be issued upon an Option's exercise shall be in the form of Restricted Stock or other similar securities.
5.7.Incentive Stock Options. The Committee may grant Incentive Stock Options to any Employee of the Company or any of its present or future parent or subsidiary corporations, as defined in Sections 424(e) or (f) of the Code, respectively, and any other entities the employees of which are eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options under the Code. All Incentive Stock Options will be subject to and construed consistently with Section 422 of the Code. By accepting an Incentive Stock Option, the Participant agrees to give prompt notice to the Company of dispositions or other transfers (other than in connection with a Change in Control) of Shares acquired under the Option made within (a) two (2) years from the grant date of the Option or (b) one (1) year after the transfer of such Shares to the Participant, specifying the date of the disposition or other transfer and the amount the Participant realized, in cash, other property, assumption of indebtedness or other consideration, in such disposition or other transfer. Neither the Company nor the Committee will be liable to a Participant, or any other party, if an Incentive Stock Option fails or ceases to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code. Any Incentive Stock Option or portion thereof that fails to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code for any reason, including becoming exercisable with respect to Shares having a fair market value exceeding the $100,000 limitation under Treasury Regulation Section 1.422-4, will be a Non-Qualified Stock Option.
6.STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
6.1.Grant and Exercise. Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted hereunder to Participants either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan.
6.2.Terms and Conditions. Stock Appreciation Rights 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 (including Section 3.3), 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 amount less than such 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 Stock Appreciation Right.
(b)The Committee shall determine in its sole discretion whether payment on exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right shall be made in cash, in whole Shares or other property, or any combination thereof.
(c)The terms and conditions of Stock Appreciation Rights need not be the same with respect to each recipient.
(d)The Committee may impose such other terms and conditions on the exercise of any Stock Appreciation Right, as it shall deem appropriate. A Stock Appreciation Right shall: (i) have a grant price per Share of not less than the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of grant, except in the case of Substitute Awards or in connection with an adjustment provided in Section 12.2; and (ii) have a term not greater than seven (7) years.
(e)An Award Agreement evidencing a Stock Appreciation Right may provide that if on the last day of the term of a Stock Appreciation Right the Fair Market Value of one Share exceeds the grant price per Share of the Stock Appreciation Right, the Participant has not exercised the Stock Appreciation Right or the tandem Option (if applicable), and the Stock Appreciation Right has not expired, the Stock Appreciation Right shall be deemed to have been exercised by the Participant on such day. In such event, the Company shall make payment to the Participant in
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accordance with this Section, reduced by the number of Shares (or cash) required for withholding taxes (subject to Section 13.2). Any fractional Share shall be settled in cash.
7.RESTRICTED STOCK AND RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS
7.1.Grants. Awards of Restricted Stock and of Restricted Stock Units may be issued hereunder to Participants either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan (a “Restricted Stock Award” or “Restricted Stock Unit Award” respectively), and such Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Unit Awards shall also be available as a form of payment of Performance Awards and other earned cash-based incentive compensation. Subject to Section 3.3, each Restricted Stock Award and Restricted Stock Unit Award shall be subject to vesting restrictions imposed by the Committee during the applicable Vesting 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 Awards or Restricted Stock Unit Awards; provided that the consideration shall in all events equal or exceed the par value per Share.
7.2.Award Agreements. The terms of any Restricted Stock Award or Restricted Stock Unit Award granted under the Plan shall be set forth in an Award Agreement which shall contain provisions determined by the Committee and not inconsistent with the Plan, including whether any such Restricted Stock Unit Awards shall have Dividend Equivalents. The terms of Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Unit Awards need not be the same with respect to each Participant.
7.3.Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units.
(a)Unless otherwise provided in the applicable 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 stockholder of the Company with respect to all Shares subject to the Award Agreement and shall have all of the rights of a stockholder, including the right to vote such Shares and, subject to Section 7.3(c), the right to receive dividends and other distributions made with respect to such Shares.
(b)A Participant receiving a Restricted Stock Unit Award shall not possess voting rights or the right to receive any dividends or other distributions with respect to such Award. The applicable Award Agreement may, however, grant the Participant Dividend Equivalents with respect to Restricted Stock Units (which Dividend Equivalents shall be subject to the provisions of Section 8.2).
(c)Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, cash dividends with respect to any Restricted Stock Award and any other property (other than cash) distributed as a dividend or otherwise with respect to any Restricted Stock Award shall be subject to restrictions and risk of forfeiture to the same extent as the Restricted Stock with respect to which such cash, Shares or other property has been distributed and shall either (i) be paid at the time such restrictions and risk of forfeiture lapse or (ii) forfeited to the extent the underlying Restricted Stock is forfeited.
(d)Except as otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of the grant of a Restricted Stock Award or thereafter, (a) if no purchase price was paid by the Participant for the Restricted Stock, upon a termination of the Participant's employment or service relationship, the Participant's rights in unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions shall lapse and be forfeited, and such Restricted Stock shall be surrendered to the Company and cancelled without consideration, and (b) if a purchase price was paid by the Participant for the Restricted Stock, upon a termination of the Participant's employment or service relationship, the Company shall have the right to repurchase from the Participant the unvested Restricted Stock then subject to restrictions at a cash price per share equal to the price paid by the Participant for such Restricted Stock or such other amount as may be specified in the applicable Award Agreement.
7.4Issuance of Shares. Any Restricted Stock granted under the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Board may deem appropriate, including book-entry registration or issuance of a stock certificate or certificates, which certificate or certificates shall be held by the Company. Such certificate or certificates shall be registered in the name of the Participant and shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock.
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8.OTHER SHARE-BASED AWARDS; DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS
8.1.Grants of Other Share-Based Awards. 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 (“Other Share-Based Awards”), including deferred stock units, may be granted hereunder to Participants either alone or 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. Subject to Section 3.3, other Share-Based Awards shall be subject to such vesting restrictions as are imposed by the Committee during the applicable Vesting Period.
8.2.Dividend Equivalents. Subject to the provisions of the Plan and any Award Agreement, the recipient of an Award other than an Option or Stock Appreciation Right may, if so determined by the Committee, be entitled to receive amounts equivalent to cash, stock or other property dividends on Shares (“Dividend Equivalents”) with respect to the number of Shares covered by the Award, as determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion. The Committee may provide that the Dividend Equivalents (if any) shall be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Shares or otherwise reinvested and shall provide that the Dividend Equivalents are subject to the same vesting or performance conditions as the underlying Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends or Dividend Equivalents with respect to an Award that is subject to vesting that are based on dividends paid prior to the vesting of such Award shall only be paid out to the Participant to the extent that the vesting conditions are subsequently satisfied and the Award vests. For the avoidance of doubt, dividend or Dividend Equivalents may not be granted in connection with an Option or Stock Appreciation Rights.
8.3.Award Agreements. The terms of Other Share-Based Award and Dividend Equivalents granted under the Plan shall be set forth in an Award Agreement which shall contain provisions determined by the Committee and not inconsistent with the Plan, including whether any such Other Share-Based Awards shall have Dividend Equivalents (which Dividend Equivalents shall be subject to the provisions of Section 8.2). The terms of such Awards need not be the same with respect to each Participant.
8.3.Payment. Except as may be provided in an Award Agreement, Other Share-Based Awards and Dividend Equivalents may be paid in cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, in the sole discretion of the Committee.
9.PERFORMANCE AWARDS
9.1.Grants. Performance Awards in the form of Performance Cash, 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, without limitation, the criteria set forth in Section 10.1.
9.2.Award Agreements. The terms of any Performance Award granted under the Plan shall be set forth in an Award Agreement (or, if applicable, in a resolution duly adopted by the Committee) which shall contain provisions determined by the Committee and not inconsistent with the Plan (subject to Section 3.3), including whether such Awards shall have Dividend Equivalents (which Dividend Equivalents shall be subject to the provisions of Section 8.2). 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.
10.PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
10.1.Performance Criteria. If the Committee determines that the lapsing of restrictions on an Award 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, such performance goals may, without limitation,
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be based on the attainment of specified levels of one or any combination of the following: net sales; revenue; revenue growth or product revenue growth; operating income (before or after taxes); pre- or after-tax income or loss (before or after allocation of corporate overhead and bonus); earnings or loss per share; net income or loss (before or after taxes); return on equity; total stockholder return; return on assets or net assets; 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 or losses (including earnings or losses before taxes, before interest and taxes, or before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization); economic value-added models or equivalent metrics; comparisons with various stock market indices; reductions in costs; cash flow or cash flow per share (before or after dividends); return on capital (including return on total capital or return on invested capital); cash flow return on investment; improvement in or attainment of expense levels or working capital levels, including cash and accounts receivable; operating margin; gross margin; year-end cash; cash margin; debt reduction; stockholders equity; operating efficiencies; market share; customer satisfaction; customer growth; employee satisfaction; regulatory achievements (including submitting or filing applications or other documents with regulatory authorities or receiving approval of any such applications or other documents and passing pre-approval inspections (whether of the Company or the Company’s third-party manufacturer)); strategic partnerships or transactions; co-development, co-marketing, profit sharing, joint venture or other similar arrangements; financial ratios, including those measuring liquidity, activity, profitability or leverage; cost of capital or assets under management; financing and other capital raising transactions (including sales of the Company’s equity or debt securities; sales or licenses of the Company’s assets, including its intellectual property, whether in a particular jurisdiction or territory or globally; or through partnering transactions); cost per available seat mile; revenue per available seat mile; revenue or cost per revenue seat mile; percentage of flights completed on time; percentage of scheduled flights completed; lost passenger baggage per passenger or per seat mile; aircraft utilization; revenue per employee; and implementation, completion or attainment of measurable objectives with respect to commercialization, projects, service volume levels, acquisitions and divestitures; transactions; and recruiting and maintaining personnel. Such performance goals also may be based on 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 charges related to an event or occurrence which the Committee determines should appropriately be excluded, including: (a) restructurings, discontinued operations, extraordinary items, and other unusual, infrequently occurring 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 U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
11.CHANGE IN CONTROL PROVISIONS
11.1.Treatment of Awards Upon Non-Assumption in a Change in Control. Subject to Section 11.2 below, unless otherwise determined by the Committee and evidenced in an Award Agreement, in the event of a Change in Control of the Company, to the extent the successor company does not assume or substitute for an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit Award or Other Share-Based Award (or in the case of a Change in Control in which the Company is the ultimate parent corporation and does not continue the Award), then immediately prior to the Change in Control: (i) those Options and Stock Appreciation Rights outstanding as of the date of the Change in Control the vesting of which is solely time-based that are not assumed or substituted for (or continued) shall immediately vest and become fully exercisable; (ii) all restrictions, limitations and other conditions applicable to Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units outstanding as of the date of the Change in Control the vesting of which is solely time-based that are not assumed or substituted for (or continued)shall lapse and the Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall become free of all restrictions, limitations and conditions and become fully vested; (iii) the restrictions, other limitations and other conditions applicable to any Other Share-Based Awards or any other Award outstanding as of the date of the Change in Control the vesting of which is solely time-based that are not assumed or substituted for (or continued) shall lapse, and such Other Share-Based Awards or such other Awards shall become free of all restrictions, limitations and conditions and become fully vested and transferable to the full extent of the original grant; and (iv) with respect to any Award the vesting of which is solely or partly tied to performance objectives, all performance goals or other vesting criteria applicable to such Award will be deemed achieved as follows: (A) for any performance period that has not yet commenced as of the date of the Change in Control, at 100% of target levels; (B) for any performance period that has commenced but has not yet ended as of the date of the Change in Control, at the greater of (1) 100% of target levels or (2) actual performance relative to the target levels as measured as of the date of the Change in Control (if measurable), and (C) for any performance period that has ended prior to the date of the Change in Control, at actual performance relative to the target levels as measured as of the end of the performance period, and, in
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any case, all other terms and conditions will be deemed met and the resulting portion of the Award shall become free of all restrictions, limitations and conditions and become vested as to the portion of such Award determined in accordance with this clause (iv).
11.2.Treatment of Awards Upon Assumption or Substitution in a Change in Control. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, in the event of a Change in Control of the Company in which the successor company assumes or provides a substitute award for an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit Award, Other Share-Based Award or Dividend Equivalent Award (or in which the Company is the ultimate parent corporation and continues the Award), the automatic accelerated vesting of Awards as described in Section 11.1 upon a Change in Control shall not occur; provided that, if a Participant’s employment with such successor company (or the Company) or a subsidiary thereof terminates within 24 months following such Change in Control (or such other period set forth in the Award Agreement, including prior thereto if applicable) without “cause” or for “good reason” as defined in the Award Agreement or under other circumstances specified in the Award Agreement: (i) Options and Stock Appreciation Rights outstanding as of the date of such termination of employment will immediately vest, become fully exercisable, and may thereafter be exercised for 24 months (or such other longer period of time as is set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, but in no event beyond the original outside expiration date of such Award); (ii) the restrictions, limitations and other conditions applicable to Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units outstanding as of the date of such termination of employment shall lapse and the Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall become free of all restrictions, limitations and conditions and become fully vested; (iii) the restrictions, 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 and conditions and become fully vested and transferable to the full extent of the original grant; and (iv) with respect to any Award the vesting of which is solely or partly tied to performance objectives, all performance goals or other vesting criteria applicable to such Award will be deemed achieved as follows: (A) for any performance period that has not yet commenced as of the date of termination, at 100% of target levels; (B) for any performance period that has commenced but has not yet ended as of the date of termination, at the greater of (1) 100% of target levels or (2) actual performance relative to the target levels as measured as of the date of termination (if measurable), and (C) for any performance period that has ended prior to the date of termination, at actual performance relative to the target levels as measured as of the end of the performance period, and, in any case, all other terms and conditions will be deemed met and the resulting portion of the Award shall become free of all restrictions, limitations and conditions and become vested as to the portion of such Award determined in accordance with this clause (iv). For the purposes of this Section 11.2, an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit Award or Other Share-Based Award shall be considered assumed or substituted for if, following the Change in Control, the assumed or substituted award confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit Award or Other Share-Based Award immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash or other securities or property) received in the transaction constituting a Change in 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 in 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, Restricted Stock Unit 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 in 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.
11.3.Definition of Change in Control. For purposes of the Plan, unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, Change in Control means the occurrence of any one of the following events:
(a)During any twenty-four (24) month period, individuals who, as of the beginning of such period, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board, provided that any person becoming a director subsequent to the beginning of such period whose election or nomination for election was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors then on the Board (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which such person is named as a nominee for director, without written objection to such nomination) shall be an Incumbent Director; provided, however,
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that no individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to directors or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies by or on behalf of any person other than the Board shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Director;
(b)Any “person” (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act and as used in Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) is or becomes a “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities eligible to vote for the election of the Board (the “Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that the event described in this paragraph (b) shall not be deemed to be a Change in Control by virtue of any of the following acquisitions: (i) by the Company or any Subsidiary; (ii) by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Subsidiary; (iii) by any underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities; (iv) pursuant to a Non-Qualifying Transaction, as defined in paragraph (c); or (v) by any person of Company Voting Securities from the Company, if a majority of the Incumbent Directors approves in advance the acquisition of beneficial ownership of 50% or more of Company Voting Securities by such person;
(c)The consummation of a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that requires the approval of the Company’s stockholders, whether for such transaction or the issuance of securities in the transaction (a “Business Combination”), unless immediately following such Business Combination: (i) more than 50% of the total voting power of (A) the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (the “Surviving Corporation”), or (B) if applicable, the ultimate parent corporation that directly or indirectly has beneficial ownership of 100% of the voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Surviving Corporation (the “Parent Corporation”), is represented by Company Voting Securities that were outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination (or, if applicable, is represented by shares into which such Company Voting Securities were converted pursuant to such Business Combination), and such voting power among the holders thereof is in substantially the same proportion as the voting power of such Company Voting Securities among the holders thereof immediately prior to the Business Combination, (ii) no person (other than any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Surviving Corporation or the Parent Corporation), is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) and (iii) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) following the consummation of the Business Combination were Incumbent Directors at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such Business Combination (any Business Combination which satisfies all of the criteria specified in (i), (ii) and (iii) above shall be deemed to be a “Non-Qualifying Transaction”); or
(d)The stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or the consummation of a sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control shall not be deemed to occur solely because any person acquires beneficial ownership of 50% or more of the Company Voting Securities as a result of the acquisition of Company Voting Securities by the Company which reduces the number of Company Voting Securities outstanding; provided, that if after such acquisition by the Company such person becomes the beneficial owner of additional Company Voting Securities that increases the percentage of outstanding Company Voting Securities beneficially owned by such person, a Change in Control of the Company shall then occur.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control constitutes a payment event with respect to any Award (or portion of any Award) that provides for the deferral of compensation that is subject to Section 409A, to the extent required to avoid the imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A, the transaction or event shall only constitute a Change in Control for purposes of the payment timing of such Award if such transaction also constitutes a “change in control event,” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).
11.4.No Restriction on Company Rights. The existence of the Plan, any Award Agreement and the Awards granted hereunder shall not affect or restrict in any way the right or power of the Company or the stockholders of the Company to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of stock or of options, warrants or rights to purchase stock or of bonds, debentures, preferred or prior preference stocks whose rights are superior to or affect the Shares or the rights thereof or which are convertible into or exchangeable for Shares, or the dissolution or liquidation of
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the Company, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.
11.5.Administrative Convenience. In the event of any Change in Control or any transaction described in Section 12.2, including any Equity Restructuring, for reasons of administrative convenience, the Company, in its discretion, may refuse to permit the exercise of any Award during a period of up to thirty (30) days prior to the consummation of any such transaction.
12.GENERALLY APPLICABLE PROVISIONS
12.1.Amendment and Termination of the Plan; Prohibition on Repricing. The Board or the Committee may, from time to time, alter, amend, suspend or terminate the Plan as it shall deem advisable, subject to any requirement for stockholder approval imposed by applicable law, including the rules and regulations of the Securities Exchange on which the Shares are then traded. However, subject to Section 12.2 hereof, without approval of the Company’s stockholders given within twelve (12) months before or after the action by the Board or the Committee, no action of the Board or the Committee may, except as provided in Section 12.2, increase the limits imposed in Section 3.1 on the maximum number of Shares which may be issued under the Plan or the maximum number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to Incentive Stock Options under the Plan. Subject to Article 11 and Section 12.2 hereof, the Committee shall not, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, (a) authorize the amendment of any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right to reduce its price per share, or (b) cancel any Option or Stock Appreciation Right in exchange for cash or another Award when the Option or Stock Appreciation Right price per share exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares. Subject to Section 12.2 hereof, the Committee shall have the authority, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, to amend any outstanding Award to increase the price per share or to cancel and replace an Award with the grant of an Award having a price per share that is greater than or equal to the price per share of the original Award.
12.2.Adjustments.
(a)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 may be made to the Plan and to Awards as the Committee 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 maximum number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to Incentive Stock Options, and, in the aggregate, in the number, class, kind and exercise price or grant price (if applicable) 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; provided, however, that the number of Shares subject to any Award shall always be a whole number.
(b)In connection with any Equity Restructuring, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 12.2 or Article 11, the Committee will equitably adjust each outstanding Award as it deems appropriate to reflect the Equity Restructuring, which may include adjusting the number, class and kind of securities subject to each outstanding Award and/or the Award’s exercise price or grant price (if applicable), granting new Awards to Participants, and making a cash payment to Participants. The adjustments provided under this Section 12.2(b) will be nondiscretionary and final and binding on the affected Participant and the Company; provided that the Committee will determine whether an adjustment is equitable.
(c)In the event of any Change in Control, after giving effect to any accelerated vesting pursuant to Section 11.1 in the event Awards under the Plan are not assumed or substituted for as provided therein, the Committee, either by the terms of the Award or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event and either automatically or upon the Participant’s request, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Committee determines that such action is appropriate in order to (x) prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended by the Company to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award granted or issued under the Plan, or (y) to facilitate such transaction or event: (i) to provide for the cancellation of any such Award in exchange for either an amount of cash or other property with a value equal to the
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amount that could have been obtained upon the exercise or settlement of the vested portion of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights under the vested portion of such Award, as applicable; provided that, if the amount that could have been obtained upon the exercise or settlement of the vested portion of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights, in any case, is equal to or less than zero, then the Award may be terminated without payment; (ii) to provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and/or applicable exercise or purchase price, in all cases, as determined by the Committee; (iii) to make adjustments in the number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards and/or in the terms and conditions of (including the grant or exercise price), and the criteria included in, outstanding Awards; (iv) to replace such Award with other rights or property selected by the Committee; and/or (v) to provide that the Award will terminate and cannot be exercised or become payable after the applicable event.
12.3.Transferability of Awards. Except as provided below, no Award and no Shares 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. To the extent and under such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee, a Participant may assign or transfer an Award (each transferee thereof, a “Permitted Assignee”) to: (i) the Participant’s spouse, children or grandchildren (including any adopted and step children or grandchildren), parents, grandparents or siblings; (ii) to a trust for the benefit of one or more of the Participant or the persons referred to in clause (i); (iii) to a partnership, limited liability company or corporation in which the Participant or the persons referred to in clause (i) are the only partners, members or shareholders; or (iv) for charitable donations; provided that such transfer is not effectuated for any value or consideration and such Permitted Assignee shall be bound by and subject to all of the terms and conditions of the Plan and the Award Agreement relating to the transferred Award and shall execute an agreement satisfactory to the Company evidencing such obligations; and provided, further, that such Participant shall remain bound by the terms and conditions of the Plan. The Company shall cooperate with any Permitted Assignee and the Company’s transfer agent in effectuating any transfer permitted under this Section.
12.4.Termination of Employment or Services. The Committee shall determine and set forth in each Award Agreement whether any Awards granted in such Award Agreement will continue to be exercisable, continue to vest or be earned and the terms of such exercise, vesting or earning, 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.
12.5.Deferral. The Committee in its sole discretion shall be authorized to establish procedures pursuant to which the payment of any Award may be deferred.
12.6.Payment. The Committee shall determine the methods by which payments by any Participant with respect to any Awards granted under the Plan shall be made, including, without limitation: (a) in cash or cash equivalents (including certified check or bank check or wire transfer of immediately available funds), (b) Shares (including, in the case of payment of the exercise or purchase price of an Award, Shares issuable pursuant to the exercise or settlement of the Award) held for such period of time as may be required by the Committee in order to avoid adverse accounting consequences, in each case, having a fair market value on the date of delivery equal to the aggregate payments required, (c) through delivery (including telephonically to the extent permitted by the Company) of a written or electronic notice that the Participant has placed a market sell order with a broker acceptable to the Company with respect to Shares then-issuable upon exercise or vesting of an Award, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company in satisfaction of the aggregate payments required; provided, however, that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company upon settlement of such sale, (d) other form of legal consideration acceptable to the Committee, or (e) any combination of the foregoing. The Committee shall also determine the methods by which Shares shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant who is a Director or an “executive officer” of the Company within the meaning of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act shall be permitted to make payment with respect to any Awards granted under the Plan, or continue any extension of credit with respect to such payment with a loan from the Company or a loan arranged by the Company in violation of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act. In all events, valid consideration shall be paid for all
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Shares issued under the Plan, which consideration shall in all events equal or exceed the par value per Share.
13.MISCELLANEOUS
13.1.Award Agreements. Each Award Agreement shall either be: (a) in writing in a form approved by the Committee and executed by the Company by an officer duly authorized to act on its behalf; or (b) an electronic notice in a form approved by the Committee and recorded by the Company (or its designee) in an electronic recordkeeping system used for the purpose of tracking one or more types of Awards as the Committee may provide; in each case and if required by the Committee, the Award Agreement shall be executed or otherwise electronically accepted by the recipient of the Award in such form and manner as the Committee may require. The Committee may authorize any officer of the Company to execute any or all Award Agreements on behalf of the Company. The Award Agreement shall set forth the material terms and conditions of the Award as established by the Committee consistent with the provisions of the Plan.
13.2.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 any taxable event concerning a Payee arising in connection with any Award. The Company or any Subsidiary shall have the right to withhold or deduct 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. The Committee may in its sole discretion and in satisfaction of the foregoing requirement allow a Payee to satisfy such obligations by any payment means described in Section 12.6 hereof, including without limitation, by allowing such Payee to elect to have the Company or a Subsidiary withhold Shares otherwise issuable under an Award (or allow the surrender of Shares). Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the number of Shares which may be so delivered or retained shall be limited to the number of Shares which have a fair market value on the date of delivery or retention no greater than the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on such Payee’s minimum applicable statutory tax withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes or such other higher rates approved by the Committee (which rates shall in no event exceed the maximum individual statutory tax rate in the applicable jurisdiction at the time of such withholding (or such other rate as may be required to avoid the liability classification of the applicable award under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America)); provided, however, unless otherwise approved by the Committee, to the extent such Shares were acquired by the Payee from the Company as compensation, the Shares must have been held for the minimum period required by applicable accounting rules to avoid a charge to the Company’s earnings for financial reporting purposes; provided, further, that the number of Shares delivered or retained shall be rounded up to the nearest whole Share sufficient to cover the applicable tax withholding obligation to the extent rounding up to the nearest whole Share does not result in the liability classification of the applicable Award under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America, even if such rounding would cause the fair market value of the Shares tendered or withheld to exceed the minimum applicable statutory withholding rate. The Committee shall determine the fair market value of the Shares, consistent with applicable provisions of the Code, for tax withholding obligations due in connection with a broker-assisted cashless Option or Stock Appreciation Right exercise involving the sale of Shares to pay the Option or Stock Appreciation Right exercise price or any tax withholding obligation.
13.3.Right of Discharge Reserved; Claims to Awards. Nothing in the Plan nor the grant of an Award hereunder shall confer upon any Employee, Director or Consultant 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, Director or Consultant at any time for any reason “at will.” 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, Director or Consultant shall have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Employees, Directors or Consultants under the Plan.
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; Forfeiture of Gain; Claw-backs.
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(a)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 or providing services to the Company or any Subsidiary or after termination of such employment or service, violates a non-competition, non-solicitation or non-disclosure covenant or agreement or otherwise engages in activity that is in conflict with or adverse to the interest of the Company or any Subsidiary (including conduct contributing to any financial restatements or financial irregularities), 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 Award 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.
(b) If the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement of its financial statements due to the Company’s material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, then the Committee may, in its sole discretion (considering any factors the Committee deems appropriate), require a Participant to repay or forfeit to the Company that portion of time- and/or performance-based Awards that were granted, earned or vested during the Company’s three completed fiscal years immediately preceding the date the Company is required to prepare the accounting restatement, that the Committee determines was in excess of the amount that would have been granted, earned or vested during such period based on the restated results. In the case of time-based Awards, a recoupment may occur, in the Committee’s sole discretion, if the Committee concludes that the grant, earning and/or vesting of the Awards would not have been made, or would have been lower had they been based on the restated results, and it is possible to clearly compute the amount of such lesser award. The amount to be recouped shall be determined by the Committee in its sole and absolute discretion, and the form of such recoupment may be made, in the Committee’s sole and absolute discretion, through the forfeiture or cancellation of vested or unvested Awards, cash repayment or both. Any decision by the Committee that no recoupment shall occur because of difficulties of computation or otherwise shall not be reviewable. Further, all Awards (including, without limitation, any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by Participant upon any receipt or exercise of any Award or upon the receipt or resale of any Shares underlying the Award) shall be subject to the provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by the Company, including, without limitation, the Company’s Policy for Recovery of Erroneously Awarded Compensation, as and to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy or the Award Agreement. In addition, the Board may impose such other claw-back, recovery or recoupment provisions in an Award Agreement as the Board determines necessary or appropriate, including but not limited to a reacquisition right in respect of previously acquired shares of Common Stock or other cash or property upon the occurrence of Cause. No recovery of compensation under such a claw-back policy will be an event giving rise to a right to resign for “good reason” or “constructive termination” (or similar term) under any agreement with 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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), 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 constitutes 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 stockholder approval if such approval is required; and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.
13.9.Severability. The provisions of the Plan shall be deemed severable. 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 or by reason of change in a law or regulation, 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;
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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 Utah, without reference to principles of conflict of laws, and construed accordingly.
13.13.Effective Date of Plan; Termination of Plan. This amended and restated Plan shall be effective on the date of the approval of the Plan by the stockholders of the Company (the “Restatement Effective Date”). If the Plan is not approved by the Company’s stockholders, this amended and restated Plan will not become effective, no Awards will be granted under this amended and restated Plan and the Original 2019 Plan will continue in full force and effect in accordance with its terms. This amended and restated Plan will be submitted for the approval of the Company’s stockholders within twelve (12) months after the date of the Board’s adoption of this amended and restated Plan. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Incentive Stock Option shall be granted under this amended and restated Plan after the tenth (10th) anniversary of the date on which this amended and restated Plan is adopted by the Board.
13.14.Foreign Employees and Consultants. Awards may be granted to Participants who are foreign nationals or employed or providing services outside the United States, or both, on such terms and conditions different from those applicable to Awards to Employees or Consultants providing services 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 or Consultants on assignments outside their home country.
13.15.Compliance with Section 409A of the Code.
(a)The Company intends that all Awards be structured to comply with, or be exempt from, Section 409A, such that no adverse tax consequences, interest, or penalties under Section 409A apply. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, the Committee may, without a Participant’s consent, amend this Plan or Awards, adopt policies and procedures, or take any other actions (including amendments, policies, procedures and retroactive actions) as are necessary or appropriate to preserve the intended tax treatment of Awards, including any such actions intended to (A) exempt this Plan or any Award from Section 409A, or (B) comply with Section 409A, including regulations, guidance, compliance programs and other interpretative authority that may be issued after an Award’s grant date. The Company makes no representations or warranties as to an Award’s tax treatment under Section 409A or otherwise. The Company will have no obligation under this Section 13.15. otherwise to avoid the taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A with respect to any Award and will have no liability to any Participant or any other person if any Award, compensation or other benefits under the Plan are determined to constitute noncompliant “nonqualified deferred compensation” subject to taxes, penalties or interest under Section 409A.
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(b)If an Award constitutes “nonqualified deferred compensation” under Section 409A, any payment or settlement of such Award upon a termination of a Participant’s employment or service relationship will, to the extent necessary to avoid taxes under Section 409A, be made only upon the Participant’s “separation from service” (within the meaning of Section 409A), whether such “separation from service” occurs upon or after the termination of the Participant’s employment or service relationship. For purposes of this Plan or any Award Agreement relating to any such payments or benefits, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms means a “separation from service.”
(c) Notwithstanding any contrary provision in the Plan or any Award Agreement, any payment(s) of “nonqualified deferred compensation” required to be made under an Award to a “specified employee” (as defined under Section 409A and as the Committee determines) due to his or her “separation from service” will, to the extent necessary to avoid taxes under Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, be delayed for the six-month period immediately following such “separation from service” (or, if earlier, until the specified employee’s death) and will instead be paid (as set forth in the Award Agreement) on the day immediately following such six-month period or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter (without interest). Any payments of “nonqualified deferred compensation” under such Award payable more than six months following the Participant’s “separation from service” will be paid at the time or times the payments are otherwise scheduled to be made.
13.16No Registration Rights; No Right to Settle in Cash. The Company has no obligation to register with any governmental body or organization (including, without limitation, the SEC) any of: (a) the offer or issuance of any Award; (b) any Shares issuable upon the exercise of any Award; or (c) the sale of any Shares issued upon exercise of any Award, regardless of whether the Company in fact undertakes to register any of the foregoing. In particular, in the event that any of: (i) any offer or issuance of any Award; (ii) any Shares issuable upon exercise of any Award; or (iii) the sale of any Shares issued upon exercise of any Award are not registered with any governmental body or organization (including, without limitation, the SEC), the Company will not under any circumstance be required to settle its obligations, if any, under this Plan in cash.
13.17Captions. 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.
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