The Wendys Company 2020 Omnibus Award Plan

EX-10.1 2 d917468dex101.htm EX-10.1 EX-10.1

Exhibit 10.1

THE WENDY’S COMPANY

2020 OMNIBUS AWARD PLAN

1. Purpose. The purpose of The Wendy’s Company 2020 Omnibus Award Plan is to provide a means through which the Company and its Affiliates may attract and retain key personnel and to provide a means whereby directors, officers, employees, consultants and advisors (and prospective directors, officers, employees, consultants and advisors) of the Company and its Affiliates can acquire and maintain an equity interest in the Company, or be paid incentive compensation, including incentive compensation measured by reference to the value of Common Stock, thereby strengthening their commitment to the welfare of the Company and its Affiliates and aligning their interests with those of the Company’s stockholders. This Plan document is an omnibus document which includes, in addition to the Plan, separate sub-plans (“Sub Plans”) that permit offerings of grants to employees of certain Designated Foreign Subsidiaries. Offerings under the Sub Plans may be made in particular locations outside the United States of America and shall comply with local laws applicable to offerings in such foreign jurisdictions. The Plan shall be a separate and independent plan from the Sub Plans, but the total number of shares of Common Stock authorized to be issued under the Plan applies in the aggregate to both the Plan and the Sub Plans.

2. Definitions. The following definitions shall be applicable throughout the Plan.

(a) “Absolute Share Limit” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(b) of the Plan.

(b) “Affiliate” means (i) any person or entity that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company and/or (ii) to the extent provided by the Committee, any person or entity in which the Company has a significant interest. The term “control” (including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as applied to any person or entity, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such person or entity, whether through the ownership of voting or other securities, by contract or otherwise.

(c) “Award” means, individually or collectively, any Incentive Stock Option, Nonqualified Stock Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Other Stock-Based Award and Performance Compensation Award granted under the Plan.

(d) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(e) “Cause” means, in the case of a particular Award, unless the applicable Award agreement states otherwise (i) the Company or an Affiliate having “cause” to terminate a Participant’s employment or service, as defined in any employment or consulting agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate in effect at the time of such termination, or (ii) in the absence of any such employment or consulting agreement (or in the absence of any definition of “Cause” contained therein), (A) the Participant has failed to reasonably perform his or her duties to the Company or an Affiliate, or has failed to follow the lawful instructions of the Board or his or her direct superiors, in each case other than as a result of his or her incapacity due to physical or mental illness or injury, that could reasonably be expected to result in harm (whether financially, reputationally or otherwise) to the Company or an Affiliate, (B) the Participant has engaged or is about to engage in conduct harmful (whether financially, reputationally or otherwise) to the Company or an Affiliate, (C) the Participant having been convicted of, or plead guilty or no contest to, a felony or any crime involving as a material element fraud or dishonesty, (D) the willful misconduct or gross neglect of the Participant that could reasonably be expected to result in harm (whether financially, reputationally or otherwise) to the Company or an Affiliate, (E) the willful violation by the Participant of the Company’s written policies that could reasonably be expected to result in harm (whether financially, reputationally or otherwise) to the Company or an Affiliate, (F) the Participant’s fraud or misappropriation, embezzlement or misuse of funds or property belonging to the Company or an Affiliate (other than good faith expense account disputes), (G) the Participant’s act of personal dishonesty which involves personal profit in connection with the Participant’s employment or service with the Company or an Affiliate, or (H) the willful breach by the Participant of fiduciary duty owed to the Company or an Affiliate; provided, however, that the Participant shall be provided a 10-day period to cure any of the events or occurrences described in clause (A) above, to the extent capable of cure during such 10-day period. Any determination of whether Cause exists shall be made by the Committee in its sole discretion.


(f) “Change in Control” shall, in the case of a particular Award, unless the applicable Award agreement states otherwise, be deemed to occur upon:

(i) the acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act (a “Person”)) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 50% or more (on a fully diluted basis) of either (A) the then outstanding shares of Stock of the Company, taking into account as outstanding for this purpose such Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or warrants, the conversion of convertible stock or debt, and the exercise of any similar right to acquire such Stock (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or (B) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of the Plan, the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (I) any acquisition by the Company or any Affiliate, (II) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Affiliate, (III) any acquisition which complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of subsection (v) of this Section 2(f), or (IV) in respect of an Award held by a particular Participant, any acquisition by the Participant or any group of persons including the Participant (or any entity controlled by the Participant or any group of persons including the Participant);

(ii) during any period of twenty-four months, individuals who, at 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 date hereof, whose election or nomination for election was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds 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, that no individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened election contest, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-12 of Regulation 14A promulgated under the Exchange Act, with respect to directors or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any person other than the Board shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Director;

(iii) the approval by the shareholders of the Company of a plan of complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company;

(iv) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company; or

(v) the consummation of a reorganization, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company that requires the approval of the Company’s stockholders, whether for such transaction or the issuance of securities in such transaction (a “Business Combination”), unless immediately following such Business Combination: (A) more than 50% of the total voting power of (x) the entity resulting from such Business Combination (the “Surviving Company”), or (y) if applicable, the ultimate parent entity that directly or indirectly has beneficial ownership of sufficient voting securities eligible to elect a majority of the board of directors (or the analogous governing body) of the Surviving Company (the “Parent Company”), is represented by the Outstanding Company Voting Securities that were outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination (or, if applicable, is represented by shares into which the Outstanding 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 the Outstanding Company Voting Securities among the holders thereof immediately prior to the Business Combination, (B) no Person (other than any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Surviving Company or the Parent Company) 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 members of the board of directors (or the analogous governing body) of the Parent Company (or, if there is no Parent Company, the Surviving Company) and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors (or the analogous governing body) of the Parent Company (or, if there is no Parent Company, the Surviving Company) following the consummation of the Business Combination were Board members at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such Business Combination.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) the acquisition of any portion of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors by Nelson Peltz or Peter W. May or any Person Controlled By Nelson Peltz or Peter W. May shall in no event constitute a Change in Control and (y) the merger, consolidation or sale of assets of the Company or any Affiliate with or to Nelson Peltz or Peter W. May or any Person Controlled By Nelson Peltz or Peter W. May shall in no event constitute a Change in Control. For purposes of the preceding sentence and Section 2(b) of the Plan, “Controlled By” means the direct or indirect possession of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of any Person (as defined in Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act), whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, including, without limitation, any investment fund, investment account or investment partnership whose investment manager, investment advisor or general partner is directly or indirectly Controlled By Nelson Peltz or Peter W. May, or with respect to which they individually or in the aggregate beneficially own 50% more of the outstanding economic or voting interests of such entity.

(g) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor thereto. Reference in the Plan to any section of the Code shall be deemed to include any regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, regulations or guidance.

(h) “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or subcommittee thereof if required with respect to actions taken to comply with Section 16 of the Exchange Act in respect of Awards or, if no such Compensation Committee or subcommittee thereof exists, the Board.

(i) “Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.10 per share, of the Company (and any stock or other securities into which such common stock may be converted or into which it may be exchanged).

(j) “Company” means The Wendy’s Company, a Delaware corporation, and any successor thereto.

(k) “Date of Grant” means the date on which the granting of an Award is authorized, or such other date as may be specified in such authorization.

(l) “Detrimental Activity” means any of the following: (i) unauthorized disclosure of any confidential or proprietary information of the Company or its Affiliates, (ii) any activity that would be grounds to terminate the Participant’s employment or service with the Company or an Affiliate for Cause, (iii) whether in writing or orally, maligning, denigrating or disparaging the Company, its Affiliates or their respective predecessors and successors, or any of the current or former directors, officers, employees, shareholders, partners, members, agents or representatives of any of the foregoing, with respect to any of their respective past or present activities, or otherwise publishing (whether in writing or orally) statements that tend to portray any of the aforementioned persons or entities in an unfavorable light, or (iv) the breach of any noncompetition, nonsolicitation or other agreement containing restrictive covenants with the Company or its Affiliates. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, nothing in the Plan or in an Award agreement prevents a Participant from providing information to governmental authorities regarding possible legal violations or otherwise testifying or participating in any investigation or proceeding by any governmental authorities regarding possible legal violations, and for the purpose of clarity a Participant is not prohibited from providing information voluntarily to the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 21F of the Exchange Act.

(m) “Designated Foreign Subsidiaries” means all Affiliates organized under the laws of any jurisdiction or country other than the United States of America that may be designated by the Board or the Committee from time to time.

(n) “Disability” means, unless in the case of a particular Award the applicable Award agreement states otherwise, the Company or an Affiliate having Cause to terminate a Participant’s employment or service on account of “disability,” as defined in any then-existing employment, consulting or other similar agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate or, in the absence of such an employment, consulting or other similar agreement, a condition entitling the Participant to receive benefits under a long-term disability plan of the Company or an Affiliate or, in the absence of such a plan, the complete and permanent inability of the Participant by reason of illness or accident to perform the duties of the occupation at which the Participant was employed or served when such disability commenced. Any determination of whether a Disability exists shall be made by the Committee in its sole discretion.

(o) “Effective Date” means the date on which the stockholders of the Company approve the Plan.

(p) “Eligible Director” means a person who is (i) a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act and (ii) an “independent director” under the rules of Nasdaq or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, or a person meeting any similar requirement under any successor rules or regulations.

 

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(q) “Eligible Person” means any (i) individual employed by the Company or an Affiliate; provided, however, that no such employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement shall be an Eligible Person unless and to the extent that such eligibility is set forth in such collective bargaining agreement or in an agreement or instrument relating thereto, (ii) director or officer of the Company or an Affiliate, (iii) consultant or advisor to the Company or an Affiliate who may be offered securities registrable pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act, or (iv) any prospective employees, directors, officers, consultants or advisors who have accepted offers of employment or consultancy from the Company or its Affiliates (and who would satisfy the provisions of clauses (i) through (iii) above once he or she begins employment with or providing services to the Company or its Affiliates) who, in the case of each of clauses (i) through (iv) above, has entered into an Award agreement or who has received written notification from the Committee or its designee that he or she has been selected to participate in the Plan. Solely for purposes of this Section 2(q), “Affiliate” shall be limited to (1) a Subsidiary, (2) any parent corporation of the Company within the meaning of Section 424(e) of the Code (“Parent”), (3) any corporation, association or other business entity of which 50% or more of the combined voting power of such entity’s outstanding securities is directly or indirectly controlled by the Company or any Subsidiary or Parent, (4) any corporation, association or other business entity which directly or indirectly controls 50% or more of the combined voting power of the outstanding securities of the Company and (5) any other entity in which the Company or any Subsidiary or Parent has a material equity interest and which is designated as an “Affiliate” by the Committee.

(r) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any successor thereto. Reference in the Plan to any section of (or rule promulgated under) the Exchange Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section or rule, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, rules, regulations or guidance.

(s) “Exercise Price” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(b) of the Plan.

(t) “Fair Market Value” means, on a given date, (i) if the Common Stock is listed on a national securities exchange, the closing sales price of the Common Stock reported on the primary exchange on which the Common Stock is listed and traded on such date, or, if there are no such sales on that date, then on the last preceding date on which such sales were reported, (ii) if the Common Stock is not listed on any national securities exchange but is quoted in an inter-dealer quotation system on a last sale basis, the average between the closing bid price and ask price reported on such date, or, if there is no such sale on that date, then on the last preceding date on which a sale was reported, or (iii) if the Common Stock is not listed on a national securities exchange or quoted in an inter-dealer quotation system on a last sale basis, the amount determined by the Committee in good faith to be the fair market value of the Common Stock.

(u) “Good Reason” means, in the case of a particular Award, unless the applicable Award agreement states otherwise, (i) the Participant having “good reason” to terminate the Participant’s employment or service, as defined in any employment or consulting agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate in effect at the time of such termination or (ii) in the absence of any such employment or consulting agreement (or in the absence of any definition of “good reason” contained therein), the occurrence of any of the following without the Participant’s express written consent: (A) a material reduction in the Participant’s base salary or target annual bonus opportunity from that in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control, other than a reduction that is a part of and consistent with a reduction in compensation of similarly situated employees of the Company, or (B) requiring the Participant to relocate the Participant’s principal place of employment or service to a location that would result in an increase by more than fifty (50) miles in the Participant’s one-way commute from the Participant’s then-current principal residence; provided, however, that any event described in clause (A) or (B) shall not constitute Good Reason unless the Participant has given the Company prior written notice of such event within thirty (30) days after the Participant becomes aware or should have become aware of such event, and the Company has not cured such event (if capable of cure) within thirty (30) days following receipt of such notice.

(v) “Immediate Family Members” has the meaning set forth in Section 14(b) of the Plan.

(w) “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option which is designated by the Committee as an incentive stock option as described in Section 422 of the Code and otherwise meets the requirements set forth in the Plan.

(x) “Indemnifiable Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(e) of the Plan.

 

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(y) “Nasdaq” means the Nasdaq Stock Market.

(z) “Nonqualified Stock Option” means an Option which is not designated by the Committee as an Incentive Stock Option.

(aa) “Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board who is not an employee of the Company or any Affiliate.

(bb) “Option” means an Award granted under Section 7 of the Plan.

(cc) “Option Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(c) of the Plan.

(dd) “Other Stock-Based Award” means an Award granted under Section 10 of the Plan.

(ee) “Participant” means an Eligible Person who has been selected by the Committee to participate in the Plan and to receive an Award pursuant to Section 6 of the Plan.

(ff) “Performance Compensation Award” means any Award designated by the Committee as a Performance Compensation Award pursuant to Section 11 of the Plan.

(gg) “Performance Criteria” means the criteria that the Committee selects for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal(s) for a Performance Period with respect to any Performance Compensation Award under the Plan.

(hh) “Performance Formula” means, for a Performance Period, the one or more objective formula or subjective criteria applied against the relevant Performance Goal to determine, with regard to the Performance Compensation Award of a particular Participant, whether all, some portion but less than all, or none of the Performance Compensation Award has been earned for the Performance Period.

(ii) “Performance Goals” means, for a Performance Period, the one or more goals established by the Committee for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria.

(jj) “Performance Period” means the one or more periods of time, as the Committee may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to, and the payment of, a Performance Compensation Award.

(kk) “Permitted Transferee” has the meaning set forth in Section 14(b) of the Plan.

(ll) “Person” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Change in Control”.

(mm) “Plan” means this The Wendy’s Company 2020 Omnibus Award Plan, as may be amended from time to time.

(nn) “Prior Plan” means The Wendy’s Company 2010 Omnibus Award Plan, as amended from time to time.

(oo) “Restricted Period” means the period of time determined by the Committee during which an Award is subject to restrictions or, as applicable, the period of time within which performance is measured for purposes of determining whether an Award has been earned.

(pp) “Restricted Stock” means Common Stock, subject to certain specified restrictions (including, without limitation, a requirement that the Participant remain continuously employed or provide continuous services for a specified period of time), granted under Section 9 of the Plan.

(qq) “Restricted Stock Unit” means an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver shares of Common Stock, cash, other securities or other property, subject to certain restrictions (including, without limitation, a requirement that the Participant remain continuously employed or provide continuous services for a specified period of time), granted under Section 9 of the Plan.

(rr) “Retirement” means the termination of a Participant’s employment or service by the Company (other than for Cause or due to death or Disability) or by the Participant upon or after becoming Retirement Eligible; provided, that in the case of a termination of employment or service by a Participant, the Participant has provided to the Company or its Subsidiaries six (6) months’ prior written notice (or such longer or shorter period of time as may be set forth in the applicable Award agreement) of such termination upon Retirement.

 

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(ss) “Retirement Eligible” means, unless in the case of a particular Award the applicable Award agreement states otherwise, the Participant is (A) at least fifty-five (55) years of age and (B) has at least ten (10) years of employment or service with the Company or its Subsidiaries.

(tt) “SAR Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 8(c) of the Plan.

(uu) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any successor thereto. Reference in the Plan to any section of (or rule promulgated under) the Securities Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section or rule, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, rules, regulations or guidance.

(vv) “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means an Award granted under Section 8 of the Plan.

(ww) “Strike Price” has the meaning set forth in Section 8(b) of the Plan.

(xx) “Subsidiary” means, with respect to any specified Person:

(i) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Company voting securities (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency and after giving effect to any voting agreement or stockholders’ agreement that effectively transfers voting power) is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof); and

(ii) any partnership (or any comparable foreign entity) (A) the sole general partner (or functional equivalent thereof) or the managing general partner of which is such Person or Subsidiary of such Person or (B) the only general partners (or functional equivalents thereof) of which are that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination thereof).

(yy) “Substitute Award” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(f) of the Plan.

(zz) “Sub Plans” has the meaning set forth in Section 1 of the Plan.

3. Effective Date; Duration. The Plan shall be effective as of the Effective Date. The expiration date of the Plan, on and after which date no Awards may be granted hereunder, shall be the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date unless earlier terminated by the Board; provided, however, that no Incentive Stock Options shall be granted after the tenth anniversary of the date on which the Plan was approved by the Board. Expiration or termination of the Plan shall not affect Awards then outstanding, and the terms and conditions of the Plan shall continue to apply to such Awards.

4. Administration.

(a) The Committee shall administer the Plan. To the extent required to comply with the provisions of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (if the Board is not acting as the Committee under the Plan), it is intended that each member of the Committee shall, at the time he or she takes any action with respect to an Award under the Plan, be an Eligible Director. However, the fact that a Committee member shall fail to qualify as an Eligible Director shall not invalidate any Award granted by the Committee that is otherwise validly granted under the Plan.

(b) Subject to the provisions of the Plan and applicable law, the Committee shall have the sole and plenary authority, in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by the Plan, to (i) designate Participants, (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant, (iii) determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights or other matters are to be calculated in connection with, Awards, (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award, (v) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances Awards may be accelerated, settled or exercised in cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities, other Awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited or suspended and the method or methods by which Awards may be accelerated, settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited or suspended, (vi) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances the delivery of cash, Common Stock, other securities, other Awards or other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the Participant or the Committee, (vii) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any defect in and/or supply any omission in the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to the Plan or any Award granted hereunder, (viii) establish, amend, suspend or waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Committee shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan, and (ix) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.

 

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(c) Except to the extent prohibited by applicable law or the applicable rules and regulations of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company are listed or traded, the Committee may allocate all or any portion of its responsibilities and powers to any one or more of its members and may delegate all or any part of its responsibilities and powers to any person or persons selected by it. Any such allocation or delegation may be revoked by the Committee at any time. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee may delegate to one or more officers of the Company or any Subsidiary the authority to act on behalf of the Committee with respect to any matter, right, obligation or election which is the responsibility of or which is allocated to the Committee herein, and which may be so delegated as a matter of law, except for grants of Awards to persons who are Non-Employee Directors or otherwise subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

(d) Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award or any documents evidencing Awards granted pursuant to the Plan shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all persons or entities, including, without limitation, the Company, any Affiliate, any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of any Award and any stockholder of the Company.

(e) No member of the Board, the Committee or any employee or agent of the Company to whom any responsibilities or powers have been delegated under Section 4(c) of the Plan (each such person, an “Indemnifiable Person”) shall be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or any determination made with respect to the Plan or any Award hereunder (unless constituting fraud or a willful criminal act or omission). Each Indemnifiable Person shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost, liability or expense (including attorneys’ fees) that may be imposed upon or incurred by such Indemnifiable Person in connection with or resulting from any action, suit or proceeding to which such Indemnifiable Person may be a party or in which such Indemnifiable Person may be involved by reason of any action taken or omitted to be taken or determination made under the Plan or any Award agreement and against and from any and all amounts paid by such Indemnifiable Person with the Company’s approval, in settlement thereof, or paid by such Indemnifiable Person in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding against such Indemnifiable Person, and the Company shall advance to such Indemnifiable Person any such expenses promptly upon written request (which request shall include an undertaking by the Indemnifiable Person to repay the amount of such advance if it shall ultimately be determined as provided below that the Indemnifiable Person is not entitled to be indemnified); provided, that the Company shall have the right, at its own expense, to assume and defend any such action, suit or proceeding and once the Company gives notice of its intent to assume the defense, the Company shall have sole control over such defense with counsel of the Company’s choice. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be available to an Indemnifiable Person to the extent that a final judgment or other final adjudication (in either case not subject to further appeal) binding upon such Indemnifiable Person determines that the acts or omissions or determinations of such Indemnifiable Person giving rise to the indemnification claim resulted from such Indemnifiable Person’s fraud or willful criminal act or omission or that such right of indemnification is otherwise prohibited by law or by the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of or otherwise supersede any other rights of indemnification to which such Indemnifiable Persons may be entitled under the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws, as a matter of law, under individual indemnification agreements or contracts or otherwise, or any other power that the Company may have to indemnify such Indemnifiable Persons or hold them harmless.

(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Plan, the Board may, in its sole discretion, at any time and from time to time, grant Awards and administer the Plan with respect to such Awards. Any such actions by the Board shall be subject to the applicable rules of Nasdaq or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted. In any such case, the Board shall have all the authority granted to the Committee under the Plan.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, Awards granted under the Plan (other than cash-based Awards) shall vest no earlier than the first anniversary of the date on which the Award is granted; provided, that the following Awards shall not be subject to the foregoing minimum vesting requirement: any (i) Substitute Awards, (ii) shares of Common Stock delivered in lieu of fully vested cash obligations, (iii) Awards to Non-Employee Directors that vest on the earlier of the one-year anniversary of the date of grant and the next annual meeting of stockholders which is at least 50 weeks after the immediately preceding year’s annual meeting, and (iv) any additional Awards the Committee may grant, up to a maximum of five percent (5%) of the Absolute Share Limit (subject to adjustment under Section 12 of the Plan); and, provided, further, that the foregoing restriction does not apply to the Committee’s discretion to provide for accelerated exercisability or vesting of any Award, including, but not limited to, in cases of Retirement, death, Disability or a Change in Control, in the applicable Award agreement or otherwise.

 

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5. Grant of Awards; Shares Subject to the Plan; Limitations.

(a) General. The Committee may, from time to time, grant Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Other Stock-Based Awards and/or Performance Compensation Awards to one or more Eligible Persons.

(b) Initial Share Reserve. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 5(c) and Section 12 of the Plan, 29,500,000 shares of Common Stock shall initially be available for all Awards under the Plan, less one (1) share for every one (1) share that was subject to an option or stock appreciation right granted after March 1, 2020 under the Prior Plan and 2.5 shares for every one (1) share that was subject to an award other than an option or stock appreciation right granted after March 1, 2020 under the Prior Plan (the “Absolute Share Limit”). Any shares of Common Stock that are subject to Options or SARs shall be counted against the Absolute Share Limit as one (1) share for every one (1) share granted, and any shares of Common Stock that are subject to Awards other than Options or SARs shall be counted against the Absolute Share Limit as 2.5 shares for every one (1) share granted. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12 of the Plan, no more than 20,000,000 shares of Common Stock in the aggregate may be issued under the Plan in connection with Incentive Stock Options. Following the Effective Date, no awards may be granted under the Prior Plan.

(c) Permitted Addbacks to Share Reserve. If (i) any shares of Common Stock subject to an Award are forfeited, an Award expires or an Award is settled for cash (in whole or in part) or (ii) after March 1, 2020 any shares of Common Stock subject to an Award under the Prior Plan are forfeited, an award under the Prior Plan expires or is settled for cash (in whole or in part), then in each such case the shares of Common Stock subject to such Award or award under the Prior Plan shall, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration or cash settlement, be added to the Absolute Share Limit. In the event that withholding tax liabilities arising from an Award other than an Option or SAR or, after March 1, 2020, an award other than an option or stock appreciation right under the Prior Plan are satisfied by the tendering of shares of Common Stock (either actually or by attestation) or by the withholding of shares of Common Stock by the Company, the shares of Common Stock so tendered or withheld shall be added to the Absolute Share Limit; provided, however, that shares that again become available for issuance under the Plan pursuant to this Section 5(c) shall not increase the number of shares that may be granted under the Plan in connection with Incentive Stock Options. Any shares of Common Stock that again become available for Awards under the Plan pursuant to this Section 5(c) shall be added as (i) one (1) share for every one (1) share subject to Options or SARs granted under the Plan or options or stock appreciation rights granted under the Prior Plan, and (ii) as 2.5 shares for every one (1) share subject to Awards other than Options or SARs granted under the Plan or awards other than options or stock appreciation rights granted under the Prior Plan.

(d) No Recycling of Options or SARs. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the following shares of Common Stock shall not be added to the shares authorized for grant under Section 5(b) of the Plan: (i) shares tendered by the Participant or withheld by the Company in payment of the exercise price of an Option or, after March 1, 2020, an option under the Prior Plan, (ii) shares tendered by the Participant or withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to Options or SARs or, after March 1, 2020, options or stock appreciation rights under the Prior Plan, (iii) shares subject to a SAR or, after March 1, 2020, a stock appreciation right under the Prior Plan that are not issued in connection with its stock settlement on exercise thereof, and (iv) shares reacquired by the Company on the open market or otherwise using cash proceeds from the exercise of Options or, after March 1, 2020, options under the Prior Plan.

(e) Source of Shares. Shares of Common Stock delivered by the Company in settlement of Awards may be authorized and unissued shares, shares held in the treasury of the Company, shares acquired or purchased on the open market, by private purchase or otherwise or by a combination of the foregoing.

(f) Substitute Awards. Awards may, in the sole discretion of the Committee, be granted under the Plan in assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by an entity directly or indirectly acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines (“Substitute Awards”). Substitute Awards shall not be counted against the Absolute Share Limit; provided, that Substitute Awards issued in connection with the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding options intended to qualify as “incentive stock options” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code shall be counted against the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock available for Awards of Incentive Stock Options under the Plan.

 

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Subject to applicable stock exchange requirements, available shares under a stockholder approved plan of an entity directly or indirectly acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines (as appropriately adjusted to reflect the acquisition or combination transaction) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the number of shares of Common Stock available for delivery under the Plan.

(g) Director Limit. The maximum number of shares of Common Stock subject to Awards granted during a single fiscal year to any Non-Employee Director, taken together with any annual cash retainer and/or meeting fees paid to such Non-Employee Director during the fiscal year, shall not exceed $1,000,000 in total value (with the value of such equity Awards based on their grant date fair value for financial reporting purposes, and not including any approved expense reimbursements).

6. Eligibility. Participation in the Plan shall be limited to Eligible Persons.

7. Options.

(a) Generally. Each Option granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award agreement. Each Option so granted shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 7 and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award agreement. All Options granted under the Plan shall be Nonqualified Stock Options unless the applicable Award agreement expressly states that the Option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option. Incentive Stock Options shall be granted only to Eligible Persons who are employees of the Company or its Affiliates, and no Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any Eligible Person who is ineligible to receive an Incentive Stock Option under the Code. No Option shall be treated as an Incentive Stock Option unless the Plan has been approved by the stockholders of the Company in a manner intended to comply with the stockholder approval requirements of Section 422(b)(1) of the Code, provided, that any Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall not fail to be effective solely on account of a failure to obtain such approval, but rather such Option shall be treated as a Nonqualified Stock Option unless and until such approval is obtained. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, the terms and conditions of such grant shall be subject to and comply with such rules as may be prescribed by Section 422 of the Code. If for any reason an Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option (or any portion thereof) shall not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, then, to the extent of such nonqualification, such Option or portion thereof shall be regarded as a Nonqualified Stock Option appropriately granted under the Plan.

(b) Exercise Price. Except as otherwise provided by the Committee in the case of Substitute Awards, the exercise price (the “Exercise Price”) per share of Common Stock for each Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such share (determined as of the Date of Grant); provided, however, that in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to an employee who, at the time of the grant of such Option, owns stock representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Affiliate, the Exercise Price per share shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of such share on the Date of Grant.

(c) Vesting and Expiration.

(i) Options shall vest and become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates determined by the Committee and shall expire after such period, not to exceed ten years, as may be determined by the Committee (the “Option Period”); provided, however, that in no event shall the Option Period exceed five years from the Date of Grant in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant who on the Date of Grant owns stock representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Affiliate.

(ii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, in the event of (A) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service by the Company other than for Cause (and other than due to death or Disability) or by the Participant for Good Reason, in each case within 12 months following a Change in Control, or (B) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service due to death or Disability, each outstanding Option granted to such Participant shall become fully vested and immediately exercisable as of the date of such termination of employment or service; provided, that in the event the vesting or exercisability of any Option would otherwise be subject to the achievement of performance conditions, the portion of any such Option that shall become fully vested and immediately exercisable shall be based on (x) actual performance through the date of termination as determined by the Committee or (y) if the Committee determines that measurement of actual performance cannot be reasonably assessed, the assumed achievement of target performance as determined by the Committee, in each case prorated based on the time elapsed from the Date of Grant to the date of termination of employment or service.

 

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(iii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, in the event of (A) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service by the Company for Cause, all outstanding Options granted to such Participant shall immediately terminate and expire, (B) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service due to death or Disability, after taking into account any accelerated vesting under the preceding clause (ii), each outstanding unvested Option granted to such Participant shall immediately terminate and expire, and each outstanding vested Option shall remain exercisable for one (1) year thereafter (but in no event beyond the expiration of the Option Period), (C) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service due to Retirement, each outstanding unvested Option granted to such Participant shall immediately terminate and expire, and each outstanding vested Option shall remain exercisable for such period of time as may set forth in the applicable Award agreement (but in no event beyond the expiration of the Option Period) and (D) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service for any other reason, after taking into account any accelerated vesting under the preceding clause (ii), each outstanding unvested Option granted to such Participant shall immediately terminate and expire, and each outstanding vested Option shall remain exercisable for ninety (90) days thereafter (but in no event beyond the expiration of the Option Period).

(d) Method of Exercise and Form of Payment. No shares of Common Stock shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of an Option until payment in full of the Exercise Price therefor is received by the Company and the Participant has paid to the Company an amount equal to any Federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and employment taxes required to be withheld. Options which have become exercisable may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company (or telephonic instructions to the extent provided by the Committee) in accordance with the terms of the Option accompanied by payment of the Exercise Price. The Exercise Price shall be payable (i) in cash, check, cash equivalent and/or shares of Common Stock valued at the Fair Market Value at the time the Option is exercised (including, pursuant to procedures approved by the Committee, by means of attestation of ownership of a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock in lieu of actual delivery of such shares to the Company); provided, that such shares of Common Stock are not subject to any pledge or other security interest, or (ii) by such other method as the Committee may permit in its sole discretion, including, without limitation: (A) in other property having a fair market value on the date of exercise equal to the Exercise Price, (B) if there is a public market for the shares of Common Stock at such time, by means of a broker-assisted “cashless exercise” pursuant to which the Company is delivered (including telephonically to the extent permitted by the Committee) a copy of irrevocable instructions to a stockbroker to sell the shares of Common Stock otherwise deliverable upon the exercise of the Option and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount equal to the Exercise Price or (C) a “net exercise” procedure effected by withholding the minimum number of shares of Common Stock otherwise deliverable in respect of an Option that are needed to pay the Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes.

(e) Notification upon Disqualifying Disposition of an Incentive Stock Option. Each Participant awarded an Incentive Stock Option under the Plan shall notify the Company in writing immediately after the date he or she makes a disqualifying disposition of any Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Incentive Stock Option. A disqualifying disposition is any disposition (including, without limitation, any sale) of such Common Stock before the later of (A) two years after the Date of Grant of the Incentive Stock Option or (B) one year after the date of exercise of the Incentive Stock Option. The Company may, if determined by the Committee and in accordance with procedures established by the Committee, retain possession, as agent for the applicable Participant, of any Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option until the end of the period described in the preceding sentence, subject to complying with any instructions from such Participant as to the sale of such Common Stock.

(f) Compliance With Laws, etc. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall a Participant be permitted to exercise an Option in a manner which the Committee determines would violate the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or any other applicable law or the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or the applicable rules and regulations of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company are listed or traded.

8. Stock Appreciation Rights.

(a) Generally. Each SAR granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award agreement. Each SAR so granted shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 8, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award agreement. Any Option granted under the Plan may include tandem SARs. The Committee also may award SARs to Eligible Persons independent of any Option.

 

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(b) Strike Price. Except as otherwise provided by the Committee in the case of Substitute Awards, the strike price (the “Strike Price”) per share of Common Stock for each SAR shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such share (determined as of the Date of Grant). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a SAR granted in tandem with (or in substitution for) an Option previously granted shall have a Strike Price equal to the Exercise Price of the corresponding Option.

(c) Vesting and Expiration.

(i) A SAR granted in connection with an Option shall become exercisable and shall expire according to the same vesting schedule and expiration provisions as the corresponding Option. A SAR granted independent of an Option shall vest and become exercisable and shall expire in such manner and on such date or dates determined by the Committee and shall expire after such period, not to exceed ten years, as may be determined by the Committee (the “SAR Period”).

(ii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, in the event of (A) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service by the Company other than for Cause (and other than due to death or Disability) or by the Participant for Good Reason, in each case within 12 months following a Change in Control, or (B) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service due to death or Disability, each outstanding SAR granted to such Participant shall become fully vested and immediately exercisable as of the date of such termination of employment or service; provided, that in the event the vesting or exercisability of any SAR would otherwise be subject to the achievement of performance conditions, the portion of any such SAR that shall become fully vested and immediately exercisable shall be based on (x) actual performance through the date of termination as determined by the Committee or (y) if the Committee determines that measurement of actual performance cannot be reasonably assessed, the assumed achievement of target performance as determined by the Committee, in each case prorated based on the time elapsed from the Date of Grant to the date of termination of employment or service.

(iii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, in the event of (A) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service by the Company for Cause, all outstanding SARs granted to such Participant shall immediately terminate and expire, (B) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service due to death or Disability, after taking into account any accelerated vesting under the preceding clause (ii), each outstanding unvested SAR granted to such Participant shall immediately terminate and expire, and each outstanding vested SAR shall remain exercisable for one (1) year thereafter (but in no event beyond the expiration of the SAR Period), (C) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service due to Retirement, each outstanding unvested SAR granted to such Participant shall immediately terminate and expire, and each outstanding vested SAR shall remain exercisable for such period of time as may be set forth in the applicable Award agreement (but in no event beyond the expiration of the SAR Period) and (D) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service for any other reason, after taking into account any accelerated vesting under the preceding clause (ii), each outstanding unvested SAR granted to such Participant shall immediately terminate and expire, and each outstanding vested SAR shall remain exercisable for ninety (90) days thereafter (but in no event beyond the expiration of the SAR Period).

(d) Method of Exercise. SARs which have become exercisable may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Award, specifying the number of SARs to be exercised and the date on which such SARs were awarded.

(e) Payment. Upon the exercise of a SAR, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the number of shares subject to the SAR that are being exercised multiplied by the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock on the exercise date over the Strike Price, less an amount equal to any Federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and employment taxes required to be withheld. The Company shall pay such amount in cash, in shares of Common Stock valued at Fair Market Value, or any combination thereof, as determined by the Committee.

(f) Substitution of SARs for Nonqualified Stock Options. The Committee shall have the authority in its sole discretion to substitute, without the consent of the affected Participant or any holder or beneficiary of SARs, SARs settled in shares of Common Stock (or SARs settled in shares or cash in the sole discretion of the Committee) for outstanding Nonqualified Stock Options, provided, that (i) the substitution shall not otherwise result in a modification of the terms of any such Nonqualified Stock Option, (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the substituted SARs shall be the same as the number of shares of Common Stock underlying such Nonqualified Stock Options and (iii) the Strike Price of the substituted SARs shall be equal to the Exercise Price of such Nonqualified Stock Options; provided, however, that if, in the opinion of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, the foregoing provision creates adverse accounting consequences for the Company, such provision shall be considered null and void.

 

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9. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units.

(a) Generally. Each grant of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall be evidenced by an Award agreement. Each Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit grant shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 9, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award agreement.

(b) Stock Certificates and Book Entry; Escrow or Similar Arrangement. Upon the grant of Restricted Stock, the Committee shall cause a stock certificate registered in the name of the Participant to be issued or shall cause shares of Common Stock to be registered in the name of the Participant and held in book-entry form subject to the Company’s directions and, if the Committee determines that the Restricted Stock shall be held by the Company or in escrow rather than delivered to the Participant pending the release of the applicable restrictions, the Committee may require the Participant to additionally execute and deliver to the Company (i) an escrow agreement satisfactory to the Committee, if applicable, and (ii) the appropriate stock power (endorsed in blank) with respect to the Restricted Stock covered by such agreement. If a Participant shall fail to execute and deliver (in a manner permitted under Section 14(a) of the Plan or as otherwise determined by the Committee) an agreement evidencing an Award of Restricted Stock and, if applicable, an escrow agreement and blank stock power within the amount of time specified by the Committee, the Award shall be null and void. Subject to the restrictions set forth in this Section 9 and the applicable Award agreement, the Participant generally shall have the rights and privileges of a stockholder as to such Restricted Stock, including, without limitation, the right to vote such Restricted Stock (provided, that if the lapsing of restrictions with respect to any grant of Restricted Stock is contingent on satisfaction of performance conditions (other than or in addition to the passage of time), any dividends payable on such shares of Restricted Stock shall be held by the Company and delivered (without interest) to the Participant within 15 days following the date on which the restrictions on such Restricted Stock lapse (and the right to any such accumulated dividends shall be forfeited upon the forfeiture of the Restricted Stock to which such dividends relate)). To the extent shares of Restricted Stock are forfeited, any stock certificates issued to the Participant evidencing such shares shall be returned to the Company, and all rights of the Participant to such shares and as a stockholder with respect thereto shall terminate without further obligation on the part of the Company.

(c) Vesting; Acceleration of Lapse of Restrictions.

(i) The Restricted Period with respect to Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall lapse in such manner and on such date or dates determined by the Committee, and the Committee shall determine the treatment of the unvested portion of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units upon termination of employment or service of the Participant granted the applicable Award.

(ii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, in the event of (A) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service by the Company other than for Cause (and other than due to death or Disability) or by the Participant for Good Reason, in each case within 12 months following a Change in Control, or (B) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service due to death or Disability, outstanding Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units granted to such Participant shall become fully vested and the restrictions thereon shall immediately lapse as of the date of such termination of employment or service; provided, that in the event the vesting or lapse of restrictions of any Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units would otherwise be subject to the achievement of performance conditions, the portion of any such Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units that shall become fully vested and free from such restrictions shall be based on (x) actual performance through the date of termination as determined by the Committee or (y) if the Committee determines that measurement of actual performance cannot be reasonably assessed, the assumed achievement of target performance as determined by the Committee, in each case prorated based on the time elapsed from the Date of Grant to the date of termination of employment or service.

(d) Delivery of Restricted Stock and Settlement of Restricted Stock Units.

(i) Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any shares of Restricted Stock, the restrictions set forth in the applicable Award agreement shall be of no further force or effect with respect to such shares, except as set forth in the applicable Award agreement. If an escrow arrangement is used, upon such expiration, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, without charge, the stock certificate (or, if applicable, a notice evidencing a book entry notation) evidencing the shares of Restricted Stock which have not then been

 

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forfeited and with respect to which the Restricted Period has expired (rounded down to the nearest full share). Dividends, if any, that may have been withheld by the Committee and attributable to any particular share of Restricted Stock shall be distributed to the Participant in cash or, at the sole discretion of the Committee, in shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value (on the date of distribution) equal to the amount of such dividends, upon the release of restrictions on such share and, if such share is forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such dividends.

(ii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award agreement, upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any outstanding Restricted Stock Units, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, without charge, one share of Common Stock (or other securities or other property, as applicable) for each such outstanding Restricted Stock Unit; provided, however, that the Committee may, in its sole discretion, elect to (i) pay cash or part cash and part Common Stock in lieu of delivering only shares of Common Stock in respect of such Restricted Stock Units or (ii) defer the delivery of Common Stock (or the delivery of cash or part cash and part Common Stock, as the case may be) beyond the expiration of the Restricted Period if such extension would not cause adverse tax consequences under Section 409A of the Code. If a cash payment is made in lieu of delivering shares of Common Stock, the amount of such payment shall be equal to the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock as of the date on which the Restricted Period lapsed with respect to such Restricted Stock Units. To the extent provided in an Award agreement, the holder of outstanding Restricted Stock Units shall be entitled to be credited with dividend equivalent payments (upon the payment by the Company of dividends on shares of Common Stock) either in cash or, at the sole discretion of the Committee, in shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends (and interest may, at the sole discretion of the Committee, be credited on the amount of cash dividend equivalents at a rate and subject to such terms as determined by the Committee), which accumulated dividend equivalents (and interest thereon, if applicable) shall be payable at the same time as the underlying Restricted Stock Units are settled following the release of restrictions on such Restricted Stock Units and, if such Restricted Stock Units are forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such dividend equivalent payments.

(e) Legends on Restricted Stock. Each certificate representing Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan, if any, shall bear a legend substantially in the form of the following, in addition to any other information the Company deems appropriate, until the lapse of all restrictions with respect to such Restricted Stock:

TRANSFER OF THIS CERTIFICATE AND THE SHARES REPRESENTED HEREBY IS RESTRICTED PURSUANT TO THE TERMS OF THE WENDY’S COMPANY 2020 OMNIBUS AWARD PLAN AND A RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE WENDY’S COMPANY AND PARTICIPANT. A COPY OF SUCH PLAN AND AWARD AGREEMENT IS ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF THE WENDY’S COMPANY.

10. Other Stock-Based Awards.

(a) Generally. The Committee may issue unrestricted Common Stock, rights to receive grants of Awards at a future date, or other Awards denominated in Common Stock (including, without limitation, performance shares or performance units) under the Plan to Eligible Persons, alone or in tandem with other Awards, in such amounts as the Committee shall from time to time in its sole discretion determine. Each Other Stock-Based Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award agreement. Each Other Stock-Based Award so granted shall be subject to such conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award agreement.

(b) Vesting; Acceleration of Lapse of Restrictions. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, in the event of (A) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service by the Company other than for Cause (and other than due to death or Disability), or by the Participant for Good Reason, in each case within 12 months following a Change in Control, or (B) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service due to death or Disability, outstanding Other Stock-Based Awards granted to such Participant shall become fully vested and the restrictions thereon shall immediately lapse as of the date of such termination of employment or service; provided, that in the event the vesting or lapse of restrictions of any Other Stock-Based Awards would otherwise be subject to the achievement of performance conditions, the portion of any such Other Stock-Based Awards that shall become fully vested and free from such restrictions shall be based on (x) actual performance through the date of termination as determined by the Committee, or (y) if the Committee determines that measurement of actual performance cannot be reasonably assessed, the assumed achievement of target performance as determined by the Committee, in each case prorated based on the time elapsed from the Date of Grant to the date of termination of employment or service.

 

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11. Performance Compensation Awards.

(a) Generally. The Committee shall have the authority, at or before the time of grant of any Award, to designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award. The Committee shall also have the authority to make an Award of a cash incentive to any Participant and designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award.

(b) Discretion of Committee with Respect to Performance Compensation Awards. With regard to a particular Performance Period, the Committee shall have sole discretion to select the length of such Performance Period, the types of Performance Compensation Awards to be issued, the Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goals, the kinds and/or levels of the Performance Goals that are to apply and the Performance Formula.

(c) Performance Criteria. The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goals may be based on the attainment of specific levels of performance of the Company (and/or one or more of its Affiliates, divisions or operational and/or business units, product lines, brands, business segments, administrative departments, or any combination of the foregoing) or the attainment of one or more individual goals and may include, without limitation: (i) earnings; (ii) income; (iii) cash flows; (iv) earnings per share, as adjusted for any stock split, stock dividend or other recapitalization; (v) revenues; (vi) profits; (vii) return measures (including, without limitation, return on investment, assets, revenues, capital, employed capital, invested capital, equity or sales); (viii) expense or expenditure targets or savings; (ix) operating margins; (x) total stockholder return or other stock price performance metrics; (xi) other balance sheet, statement of operations or statement of cash flows metrics; (xii) systemwide sales or revenues; (xiii) same-restaurant sales; (xiv) average unit volumes; (xv) new restaurant development, including restaurant openings, closings and commitments; (xvi) restaurant reimaging or remodeling; (xvii) customer counts, acquisition, retention or satisfaction; (xviii) productivity, efficiency or other operations measures; (xix) measures of economic value added or similar metrics; (xx) market share; (xxi) brand recognition or acceptance; (xxii) franchisee performance, satisfaction, retention or recruitment; (xxiii) cost of capital, borrowing levels, leverage ratios or credit ratings; (xxiv) measures of supply chain management, performance or related initiatives; (xxv) employee satisfaction, retention or recruitment; (xxvi) environmental, social or governance measures or other corporate social responsibility initiatives; (xxvii) strategic initiatives, including, without limitation, acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, refranchising transactions, reorganizations, recapitalizations, restructurings, financings, debt or equity issuances or repurchases or other corporate transactions, daypart expansion, international expansion, digital initiatives, product roll-outs and innovation and other strategic transactions; (xxviii) any combination of the foregoing; or (xxix) any other objective or subjective criteria that the Committee, in its sole discretion, determines to be appropriate. The term “Performance Criteria” shall include any derivations of the Performance Criteria listed above (e.g., “income” shall include pre-tax income, net income, adjusted net income, operating income, etc.). Any one or more of the Performance Criteria may be stated as a percentage of another Performance Criteria, used on an absolute or relative basis or compared to the past or current performance of the Company, a selected group of comparison companies, a published or special index or various stock market indices as the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate. Performance Criteria that are financial metrics may be determined in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) or financial metrics that are based on, or able to be derived from GAAP, and may be adjusted when established or at any time thereafter to include or exclude any items otherwise includable or excludable under GAAP. The Committee also has the authority to provide for accelerated vesting of any Award based on the achievement of Performance Goals established by the Committee.

(d) Modification of Performance Goals. If the Committee determines that a change in the business, operations, corporate structure or capital structure of the Company, or the manner in which the Company conducts its business, or other events or circumstances render the Performance Goals unsuitable, the Committee may modify the applicable levels of achievement, in whole or in part, as the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate. Performance Goals may be adjusted for items not originally contemplated in establishing the applicable levels of achievement, including, without limitation, discontinued operations, foreign exchange gains and losses, extraordinary gains and losses, the effect of changes in accounting standards or principles, acquisitions or divestitures, changes in tax rules or regulations, capital transactions, restructuring, nonrecurring gains or losses or other unusual or significant items. Performance Criteria may vary from Award to Award, and from Participant to Participant, and may be established on a stand-alone basis, in tandem or in the alternative.

(e) Payment of Performance Compensation Awards.

(i) Condition to Receipt of Payment. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award agreement, a Participant must be employed by the Company on the last day of a Performance Period to be eligible for payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award for such Performance Period.

 

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(ii) Limitation. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award agreement, a Participant shall be eligible to receive payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award only to the extent that: (A) the Performance Goals for such period are achieved; and (B) all or some of the portion of such Participant’s Performance Compensation Award has been earned for the Performance Period based on the application of the Performance Formula to such achieved Performance Goals; provided, however, that in the event of (x) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service by the Company other than for Cause (and other than due to death or Disability) or by the Participant for Good Reason, in each case within 12 months following a Change in Control, or (y) the termination of a Participant’s employment or service due to death or Disability, the Participant shall receive payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award based on (1) actual performance through the date of termination as determined by the Committee or (2) if the Committee determines that measurement of actual performance cannot be reasonably assessed, the assumed achievement of target performance as determined by the Committee, in each case prorated based on the time elapsed from the date of grant to the date of termination of employment or service.

(iii) Certification. Following the completion of a Performance Period, the Committee shall review and certify in writing whether, and to what extent, the Performance Goals for the Performance Period have been achieved and, if so, calculate and certify in writing that amount of the Performance Compensation Awards earned for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Formula. The Committee shall then determine the amount of each Participant’s Performance Compensation Award actually payable for the Performance Period.

(iv) Use of Discretion. In determining the actual amount of an individual Participant’s Performance Compensation Award for a Performance Period, the Committee reserves discretion to reduce or eliminate the amount of the Performance Compensation Award earned under the Performance Formula in the Performance Period. The Committee also reserves discretion to grant or provide payment in respect of Performance Compensation Awards for a Performance Period even if the Performance Goals for such Performance Period have not been attained.

(f) Timing of Award Payments. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award agreement, Performance Compensation Awards granted for a Performance Period shall be paid to Participants as soon as administratively practicable following completion of the certifications required by this Section 11. Unless otherwise provided in an Award agreement, any Performance Compensation Award that is deferred and is otherwise payable in shares of Common Stock shall be credited (during the period between the date as of which the Award is deferred and the payment date) with dividend equivalents (in a manner consistent with the methodology set forth in the last sentence of Section 9(d)(ii) of the Plan).

12. Changes in Capital Structure and Similar Events. In the event of (a) any dividend (other than regular cash dividends) or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, split-off, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to acquire shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) that affects the shares of Common Stock, or (b) unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) affecting the Company, any Affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any Affiliate, or changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations or other requirements of any governmental body or securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system, accounting principles or law, such that in either case an adjustment is determined by the Committee in its sole discretion to be necessary or appropriate, then the Committee shall make any such adjustments in such manner as it may deem equitable, including, without limitation, any or all of the following:

(i) adjusting any or all of (A) the number of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) which may be delivered in respect of Awards or with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan and (B) the terms of any outstanding Award, including, without limitation, (1) the number of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) subject to outstanding Awards or to which outstanding Awards relate, (2) the Exercise Price or Strike Price with respect to any Award or (3) any applicable performance measures (including, without limitation, Performance Criteria and Performance Goals);

(ii) providing for a substitution or assumption of Awards (or awards of an acquiring company), accelerating the exercisability of, lapse of restrictions on, or termination of, Awards or providing for a period of time (which shall not be required to be more than ten (10) days) for Participants to exercise outstanding Awards prior to the occurrence of such event (and any such Award not so exercised shall terminate upon the occurrence of such event); and

 

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(iii) cancelling any one or more outstanding Awards and causing to be paid to the holders thereof, in cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property, or any combination thereof, the value of such Awards, if any, as determined by the Committee (which if applicable may be based upon the price per share of Common Stock received or to be received by other stockholders of the Company in such event), including, without limitation, in the case of an outstanding Option or SAR, a cash payment in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value (as of a date specified by the Committee) of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Option or SAR over the aggregate Exercise Price or Strike Price of such Option or SAR, respectively (it being understood that, in such event, any Option or SAR having a per share Exercise Price or Strike Price equal to, or in excess of, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock subject thereto may be canceled and terminated without any payment or consideration therefor);

provided, however, that in the case of any “equity restructuring” (within the meaning of the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor pronouncement thereto)), the Committee shall make an equitable or proportionate adjustment to outstanding Awards to reflect such equity restructuring. Any adjustment in Incentive Stock Options under this Section 12 (other than any cancellation of Incentive Stock Options) shall be made only to the extent not constituting a “modification” within the meaning of Section 424(h)(3) of the Code, and any adjustments under this Section 12 shall be made in a manner which does not adversely affect the exemption provided pursuant to Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act. Any such adjustment shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes.

13. Amendments and Termination.

(a) Amendment and Termination of the Plan. The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided, that no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation or termination shall be made without stockholder approval if (i) such approval is necessary to comply with any regulatory requirement applicable to the Plan (including, without limitation, as necessary to comply with any rules or regulations of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company may be listed or quoted), (ii) it would materially increase the benefits accruing to Participants under the Plan, (iii) it would materially increase the number of securities which may be issued under the Plan (except for increases pursuant to Section 5 or Section 12 of the Plan), or (iv) it would materially modify the requirements for participation in the Plan; provided, further, that any such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant or any holder or beneficiary of any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant, holder or beneficiary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no amendment shall be made to the last proviso of Section 13(b) of the Plan without stockholder approval.

(b) Amendment of Award Agreements. The Committee may, to the extent consistent with the terms of any applicable Award agreement, waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate, any Award theretofore granted or the associated Award agreement, prospectively or retroactively (including after a Participant’s termination of employment or service with the Company); provided, that any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant with respect to any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant; and provided, further, that without stockholder approval, except as otherwise permitted under Section 12 of the Plan, (i) no amendment or modification may reduce the Exercise Price of any Option or the Strike Price of any SAR, (ii) the Committee may not cancel any underwater outstanding Option or SAR and replace it with a new Option or SAR (with a lower Exercise Price or Strike Price, as the case may be) or other Award or cash (or otherwise cause the Award to fail to qualify for equity accounting treatment) and (iii) the Committee may not take any other action which is considered a “repricing” for purposes of the stockholder approval rules of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company are listed or quoted. An Option or SAR will be deemed to be “underwater” at any time when the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock covered by such Award is less than the applicable Exercise Price or Strike Price.

 

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14. General.

(a) Award Agreements. Each Award under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award agreement, which shall be delivered to the Participant and shall specify the terms and conditions of the Award and any rules applicable thereto, including, without limitation, the effect on such Award of the death, Disability, Retirement or termination of employment or service of a Participant, or of such other events as may be determined by the Committee. For purposes of the Plan, an Award agreement may be in any such form (written or electronic) as determined by the Committee (including, without limitation, a Board or Committee resolution, an employment agreement or letter, a notice, a certificate or a letter) evidencing the Award. The Committee need not require an Award agreement to be signed by the Participant or a duly authorized representative of the Company.

(b) Nontransferability.

(i) Each Award shall be exercisable only by a Participant during the Participant’s lifetime, or, if permissible under applicable law, by the Participant’s legal guardian or representative. No Award may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or an Affiliate; provided, that the designation of a beneficiary shall not constitute an assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance.

(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, permit Awards (other than Incentive Stock Options) to be transferred by a Participant, without consideration, subject to such rules as the Committee may adopt consistent with any applicable Award agreement to preserve the purposes of the Plan, to: (A) any person who is a “family member” of the Participant, as such term is used in the instructions to Form S-8 under the Securities Act or any successor form of registration statement promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (collectively, the “Immediate Family Members”); (B) a trust solely for the benefit of the Participant and his or her Immediate Family Members; (C) a partnership or limited liability company whose only partners or stockholders are the Participant and his or her Immediate Family Members; or (D) any other transferee as may be approved either (1) by the Board or the Committee in its sole discretion, or (2) as provided in the applicable Award agreement;

(each transferee described in clauses (A), (B), (C) and (D) above is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Transferee”); provided, that the Participant gives the Committee advance written notice describing the terms and conditions of the proposed transfer and the Committee notifies the Participant in writing that such a transfer would comply with the requirements of the Plan.

(iii) The terms of any Award transferred in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to the Permitted Transferee, and any reference in the Plan, or in any applicable Award agreement, to a Participant shall be deemed to refer to the Permitted Transferee, except that (A) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to transfer any Award, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; (B) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to exercise any transferred Option unless there shall be in effect a registration statement on an appropriate form covering the shares of Common Stock to be acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Option if the Committee determines, consistent with any applicable Award agreement, that such a registration statement is necessary or appropriate; (C) the Committee or the Company shall not be required to provide any notice to a Permitted Transferee, whether or not such notice is or would otherwise have been required to be given to the Participant under the Plan or otherwise; and (D) the consequences of the termination of the Participant’s employment by, or services to, the Company or an Affiliate under the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award agreement shall continue to be applied with respect to the Participant, including, without limitation, that an Option shall be exercisable by the Permitted Transferee only to the extent, and for the periods, specified in the Plan and the applicable Award agreement.

(c) Dividends and Dividend Equivalents. The Committee in its sole discretion may provide a Participant as part of an Award with dividends or dividend equivalents, payable in cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities, other Awards or other property or may provide for reinvestment in additional shares of Common Stock, Restricted Stock or other Awards; provided, that no dividend equivalents shall be payable in respect of outstanding Options or SARs. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, to the extent an Award provides for or includes a right to dividends or dividend equivalents, such dividends or dividend equivalents shall remain subject to any vesting requirements to the same extent as the applicable Award (although dividends and dividend equivalents may be accumulated during such period) and may only be paid if such vesting requirements are satisfied.

 

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(d) Tax Withholding.

(i) A Participant shall be required to pay to the Company or any Affiliate, and the Company or any Affiliate shall have the right and is hereby authorized to withhold, from any cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property deliverable under any Award or from any compensation or other amounts owing to a Participant, the amount (in cash, Common Stock, other securities or other property) of any required withholding taxes in respect of an Award, its exercise, or any payment or transfer under an Award or under the Plan and to take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Committee or the Company to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding and taxes.

(ii) Without limiting the generality of clause (i) above, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, permit a Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the foregoing withholding liability (up to the highest marginal rate) by (A) the delivery of shares of Common Stock (which are not subject to any pledge or other security interest) owned by the Participant having a Fair Market Value equal to such withholding liability or (B) having the Company withhold from the number of shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable or deliverable pursuant to the exercise or settlement of the Award a number of shares with a Fair Market Value equal to such withholding liability.

(e) No Claim to Awards; No Rights to Continued Employment; Waiver. No employee of the Company or any Affiliate or other person shall have any claim or right to be granted an Award under the Plan or, having been selected for the grant of an Award, to be selected for a grant of any other Award. There is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants or holders or beneficiaries of Awards. The terms and conditions of Awards and the Committee’s determinations and interpretations with respect thereto need not be the same with respect to each Participant and may be made selectively among Participants, whether or not such Participants are similarly situated. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any Participant any right to be retained in the employ or service of the Company or an Affiliate, nor shall it be construed as giving any Participant any rights to continued service on the Board. The Company or any of its Affiliates may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment or discontinue any consulting relationship, free from any liability or any claim under the Plan, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or any Award agreement. By accepting an Award under the Plan, a Participant shall thereby be deemed to have waived any claim to continued exercise or vesting of an Award or to damages or severance entitlement related to non-continuation of the Award beyond the period provided under the Plan or any Award agreement, except to the extent of any provision to the contrary in any written employment contract or other agreement between the Company and its Affiliates and the Participant, whether any such agreement is executed before, on or after the Date of Grant.

(f) International Participants. With respect to Participants who reside or work outside of the United States of America, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, amend the terms of the Plan or Sub-Plans or outstanding Awards with respect to such Participants in order to conform such terms with the requirements of local law or to obtain more favorable tax or other treatment for a Participant, the Company or its Affiliates.

(g) Designation and Change of Beneficiary. Each Participant may file with the Company a written designation of one or more persons as the beneficiary or beneficiaries who shall be entitled to receive the amounts payable with respect to an Award, if any, due under the Plan upon the Participant’s death. A Participant may, from time to time, revoke or change his or her beneficiary designation without the consent of any prior beneficiary by filing a new designation with the Company. The last such designation received by the Company shall be controlling; provided, however, that no designation, or change or revocation thereof, shall be effective unless received by the Company prior to the Participant’s death, and in no event shall it be effective as of a date prior to such receipt. If no beneficiary designation is filed by a Participant, the beneficiary shall be deemed to be his or her estate.

(h) Termination of Employment. Except as otherwise provided in an Award agreement or an employment, severance, consulting, letter or other agreement with a Participant, unless determined otherwise by the Committee at any point following such event: (i) neither a temporary absence from employment or service due to illness, vacation or leave of absence (including, without limitation, a call to active duty for military service through a Reserve or National Guard unit) nor a transfer from employment or service with the Company to employment or service with an Affiliate (or vice-versa) shall be considered a termination of employment or service of such Participant with the Company or an Affiliate; and (ii) if a Participant’s employment with the Company and its Affiliates terminates, but such Participant continues to provide services to the Company and its Affiliates in a non-employee capacity, such change in status shall not be considered a termination of employment or service of such Participant with the Company or an Affiliate for purposes of the Plan.

 

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(i) No Rights as a Stockholder. Except as otherwise specifically provided in the Plan or any Award agreement, no person shall be entitled to the privileges of ownership in respect of shares of Common Stock which are subject to Awards hereunder until such shares have been issued or delivered to that person.

(j) Government and Other Regulations.

(i) The obligation of the Company to settle Awards in Common Stock or other consideration shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules and regulations, and to such approvals by governmental agencies as may be required. Notwithstanding any terms or conditions of any Award to the contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to offer to sell or to sell, and shall be prohibited from offering to sell or selling, any shares of Common Stock pursuant to an Award unless such shares have been properly registered for sale pursuant to the Securities Act with the Securities and Exchange Commission or unless the Company has received an opinion of counsel, satisfactory to the Company, that such shares may be offered or sold without such registration pursuant to an available exemption therefrom and the terms and conditions of such exemption have been fully complied with. The Company shall be under no obligation to register for sale under the Securities Act any of the shares of Common Stock to be offered or sold under the Plan. The Committee shall have the authority to provide that all shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan, the applicable Award agreement, the Federal securities laws, or the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the securities of the Company are listed or quoted and any other applicable Federal, state, local or non-U.S. laws, rules, regulations and other requirements, and, without limiting the generality of Section 9 of the Plan, the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on certificates representing shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan to make appropriate reference to such restrictions or may cause such shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan in book-entry form to be held subject to the Company’s instructions or subject to appropriate stop-transfer orders. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, the Committee reserves the right to add any additional terms or provisions to any Award granted under the Plan that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or advisable in order that such Award complies with the legal requirements of any governmental entity to whose jurisdiction the Award is subject.

(ii) The Committee may cancel an Award or any portion thereof if it determines, in its sole discretion, that legal or contractual restrictions or other market considerations would make the Company’s acquisition of shares of Common Stock from the public markets, the Company’s issuance of shares of Common Stock to the Participant, the Participant’s acquisition of shares of Common Stock from the Company and/or the Participant’s sale of shares of Common Stock to the public markets, illegal, impracticable or inadvisable. If the Committee determines to cancel all or any portion of an Award in accordance with the foregoing, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the excess of (A) the aggregate Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Award or portion thereof canceled (determined as of the applicable exercise date, or the date that the shares would have been vested or delivered, as applicable), over (B) the aggregate Exercise Price or Strike Price (in the case of an Option or SAR, respectively) or any amount payable as a condition of delivery of shares of Common Stock (in the case of any other Award). Such amount shall be delivered to the Participant as soon as practicable following the cancellation of such Award or portion thereof.

(k) No Section 83(b) Elections Without Consent of Company. No election under Section 83(b) of the Code or under a similar provision of law may be made unless expressly permitted by the terms of the applicable Award agreement or by action of the Committee in writing prior to the making of such election. If a Participant, in connection with the acquisition of shares of Common Stock under the Plan or otherwise, is expressly permitted to make such election and the Participant makes the election, the Participant shall notify the Company of such election within ten days of filing notice of the election with the Internal Revenue Service or other governmental authority, in addition to any filing and notification required pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code or other applicable provision.

 

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(l) Payments to Persons Other Than Participants. If the Committee shall find that any person to whom any amount is payable under the Plan is unable to care for his or her affairs because of illness or accident, or is a minor, or has died, then any payment due to such person or his or her estate (unless a prior claim therefor has been made by a duly appointed legal representative) may, if the Committee so directs the Company, be paid to his or her spouse, child, relative, an institution maintaining or having custody of such person, or any other person deemed by the Committee to be a proper recipient on behalf of such person otherwise entitled to payment. Any such payment shall be a complete discharge of the liability of the Committee and the Company therefor.

(m) Nonexclusivity of the Plan. Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor the submission of the Plan to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of stock options otherwise than under the Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases.

(n) No Trust or Fund Created. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any Affiliate, on the one hand, and a Participant or other person or entity, on the other hand. No provision of the Plan or any Award shall require the Company, for the purpose of satisfying any obligations under the Plan, to purchase assets or place any assets in a trust or other entity to which contributions are made or otherwise to segregate any assets, nor shall the Company maintain separate bank accounts, books, records or other evidence of the existence of a segregated or separately maintained or administered fund for such purposes. Participants shall have no rights under the Plan other than as unsecured general creditors of the Company, except that insofar as they may have become entitled to payment of additional compensation by performance of services, they shall have the same rights as other employees under general law.

(o) Reliance on Reports. Each member of the Committee and each member of the Board shall be fully justified in acting or failing to act, as the case may be, and shall not be liable for having so acted or failed to act in good faith, in reliance upon any report made by the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company and its Affiliates and/or any other information furnished in connection with the Plan by any agent of the Company or the Committee or the Board, other than himself or herself.

(p) Relationship to Other Benefits. No payment under the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, profit sharing, group insurance or other benefit plan of the Company except as otherwise specifically provided in such other plan.

(q) Governing Law. The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts made and performed wholly within the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the conflict of laws provisions thereof.

(r) Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any Award or Award agreement is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any person or entity or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be construed or deemed stricken as to such jurisdiction, person or entity or Award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.

(s) Obligations Binding on Successors. The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be binding upon any successor corporation or organization resulting from the merger, consolidation or other reorganization of the Company, or upon any successor corporation or organization succeeding to substantially all of the assets and business of the Company.

(t) Section 409A of the Code.

(i) Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, it is intended that the provisions of the Plan comply with Section 409A of the Code, and all provisions of the Plan shall be construed and interpreted in a manner consistent with the requirements for avoiding taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code. Each Participant is solely responsible and liable for the satisfaction of all taxes and penalties that may be imposed on or in respect of such Participant in connection with the Plan or any other plan maintained by the Company (including any taxes and penalties under Section 409A of the Code), and neither the Company nor any Affiliate shall have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise hold such Participant (or any beneficiary) harmless from any or all of such taxes or penalties.

 

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With respect to any Award that is considered “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code, references in the Plan to “termination of employment” (and substantially similar phrases) shall mean “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, each of the payments that may be made in respect of any Award granted under the Plan is designated as separate payments.

(ii) Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, if a Participant is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, no payments in respect of any Awards that are “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be made to such Participant prior to the date that is six months after the date of such Participant’s “separation from service” (as defined in Section 409A of the Code) or, if earlier, the Participant’s date of death. Following any applicable six-month delay, all such delayed payments will be paid in a single lump sum on the earliest date permitted under Section 409A of the Code that is also a business day.

(iii) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, in the event that the timing of payments in respect of any Award (that would otherwise be considered “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code) would be accelerated upon the occurrence of (A) a Change in Control, no such acceleration shall be permitted unless the event giving rise to the Change in Control satisfies the definition of a change in the ownership or effective control of a corporation, or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of a corporation pursuant to Section 409A of the Code and any Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder or (B) a Disability, no such acceleration shall be permitted unless the Disability also satisfies the definition of “Disability” pursuant to Section 409A of the Code and any Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.

(u) Clawback/Forfeiture.

(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in the event of a material restatement of the Company’s issued financial statements, the Committee shall review the facts and circumstances underlying the restatement (including, without limitation, any potential wrongdoing by the Participant and whether the restatement was the result of negligence or intentional or gross misconduct) and may, in the Committee’s sole discretion, direct the Company to recover (A) all or a portion of the Awards (which may be accomplished by the Company’s cancellation of the Awards), (B) the shares of Common Stock issued upon the vesting, exercise or settlement of the Awards or (C) any gain realized on the vesting, exercise or settlement of the Awards or the subsequent sale of shares of Common Stock acquired upon the vesting, exercise or settlement of the Awards, in each case with respect to any fiscal year in which the Company’s financial results are negatively impacted by such restatement. If the Committee directs the Company to recover any such amount from the Participant, then the Participant agrees to and shall be required to repay any such amount to the Company within thirty (30) days after the Company demands repayment.

(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, an Award agreement may provide that the Committee may, in its sole discretion, cancel such Award if the Participant, without the consent of the Company, while employed by or providing services to the Company or any Affiliate or after termination of such employment or service, violates a non-competition, non-solicitation or non-disclosure covenant or agreement or otherwise has engaged in or engages in Detrimental Activity that is in conflict with or adverse to the interest of the Company or any Affiliate, including fraud or conduct contributing to any financial restatements or irregularities, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. The Committee may also provide in an Award agreement that if the Participant otherwise has engaged in or engages in any activity referred to in the preceding sentence, the Participant will forfeit any gain realized on the vesting or exercise of such Award, and must repay the gain to the Company. The Committee may also provide in an Award agreement that if the Participant receives any amount in excess of what the Participant should have received under the terms of the Award for any reason (including, without limitation, by reason of a financial restatement, mistake in calculations or other administrative error), then the Participant shall be required to repay any such excess amount to the Company.

(iii) Without limiting the provisions of clauses (i) or (ii) above, any Award issued under the Plan will be subject to any clawback or forfeiture policy approved by the Board or the Committee that is communicated to the Participant or that is consistent with applicable law, whether such Award was granted before or after the effective date of any such clawback or forfeiture policy.

 

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(v) No Fractional Shares. No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, other Awards or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of fractional shares or whether such fractional shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.

(w) Expenses; Gender; Titles and Headings. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Affiliates. Masculine pronouns and other words of masculine gender shall refer to both men and women. The titles and headings of the sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only, and in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings shall control.

*   *   *

As adopted by the Board of Directors of The Wendy’s Company on April 1, 2020.

As approved by the stockholders of The Wendy’s Company on May 27, 2020.

 

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