Company: AAOI
Filing Date: 2025-02-28
Form Type: PRE 14A
Source: 0001104659-25-019126
Chunk: 107

Company: APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS, INC.
Filing Date: 2025-02-28
Form: PRE 14A
Chunk 107
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 purposes of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision.

“ Nonqualified Stock Option ,” “ Nonstatutory Stock Option ,” or “ NSO ” means an Option that does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.

“ Option ” means a right to purchase Common Stock granted under Section 7 of the Plan. Options are either Incentive Stock Options or Nonstatutory Stock Options.

“ Outside Director ” means a member of the Board who is not an employee of the Company or any Related Company.

“ Parent Company ” means a company or other entity which as a result of a Company Transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

“ Participant ” means any Eligible Person to whom an Award is granted.

“ Performance Metrics ” means performance objectives measuring achievement in earnings (including earnings per share or net earnings); earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; total stockholder return; return on equity or average stockholder’s equity; return on assets, investment, or capital employed; stock price; margin (including gross margin); income (before or after taxes); operating income; operating income after taxes; pre-tax profit; operating cash flow; sales or revenue targets; increases in revenue or product revenue; expenses and cost reduction goals; improvement in or attainment of working capital levels; economic value added (or an equivalent metric); market share; cash flow; cash flow per share; share price performance; debt reduction; customer satisfaction; stockholders’ equity; capital expenditures; debt levels; operating profit or net operating profit; workforce diversity; growth of net income or operating income; billings; financing; regulatory milestones; stockholder liquidity; corporate governance and compliance; environmental or climate impact; social good impact; intellectual property; personnel matters; progress of internal research; progress of partnered programs; partner satisfaction; budget management; partner or collaborator achievements; internal controls, including those related to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; investor relations, analysts and communication; implementation or completion of projects or processes; employee retention; strategic partnerships or transactions (including in-licensing and out-licensing of intellectual property); establishing relationships with respect to the marketing, distribution and sale of the Company’s products; supply chain achievements; co-development, co-marketing, profit sharing, joint venture or other similar arrangements; individual performance goals; corporate