Exhibit 10.1


 


VALMONT 1996 STOCK PLAN


 


SECTION 1


 


NAME AND PURPOSE


 


1.1           Name.  The
name of the plan shall be the Valmont 1996 Stock Plan (the “Plan”).


 


1.2.          Purpose of Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to
foster and promote the long-term financial success of the Company and increase
stockholder value by (a) motivating superior performance by means of stock
incentives, (b) encouraging and providing for the acquisition of an ownership
interest in the Company by Employees and (c) enabling the Company to
attract and retain the services of a management team responsible for the
long-term financial success of the Company.


 


SECTION 2


 


DEFINITIONS


 


2.1           Definitions. 
Whenever used herein, the following terms shall have the respective
meanings set forth below:


 


(a)                                  “Act” means the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.


 


(b)                                 “Award” means
any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Stock Bonus, or any
combination thereof, including Awards combining two or more types of Awards in
a single grant.


 


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


 


(d)                                 “Code” means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.


 


(e)                                  “Committee”
means the Compensation Committee of the Board, which shall consist of two or
more members, each of whom shall be “disinterested persons” within the meaning
of Rule 16b-3 as promulgated under the Act.


 


(f)                                    “Company” means
Valmont Industries, Inc., a Delaware corporation (and any successor
thereto) and its Subsidiaries.


 


(g)                                 “Director Award”
means an award of Stock and an annual Award of a Nonstatutory Stock Option
granted to each Eligible Director pursuant to Section 7.1 without any
action by the Board or the Committee.


 

















 


(h)                                 “Eligible
Director” means a person who is serving as a member of the Board and who is not
an Employee.


 


(i)                                     “Employee”
means any employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.


 


(j)                                     “Fair Market
Value” means, on any date, the average of the high and low sales prices of the
Stock as reported on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated
Quotation system (or on such other recognized market or quotation system on
which the trading prices of the Stock are traded or quoted at the relevant
time) on such date.  In the event that
there are no Stock transactions reported on such system (or such other system)
on such date, Fair Market Value shall mean the average of the high and low sale
prices on the immediately preceding date on which Stock transactions were so
reported.


 


(k)                                  “Option” means
the right to purchase Stock at a stated price for a specified period of time.
For purposes of the Plan, an Option may be either (i) an Incentive Stock
Option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code or (ii) a
Nonstatutory Stock Option.


 


(l)                                     “Participant”
means any Employee designated by the Committee to participate in the Plan.


 


(m)                               “Plan” means
the Valmont 1996 Stock Plan, as in effect from time to time.


 


(n)                                 “Restricted
Stock” shall mean a share of Stock granted to a Participant subject to such
restrictions as the Committee may determine.


 


(o)                                 “Stock” means the
Common Stock of the Company, par value $1.00 per share.


 


(p)                                 “Stock
Appreciation Right” means the right, subject to such terms and conditions as
the Committee may determine, to receive an amount in cash or Stock, as
determined by the Committee, equal to the excess of (i) the Fair Market
Value, as of the date such Stock Appreciation Right is exercised, of the number
shares of Stock covered by the Stock Appreciation Right being exercised over (ii) the
aggregate exercise price of such Stock Appreciation Right.


 


(q)                                 “Stock Bonus”
means the grant of Stock as compensation from the Company, which may be in lieu
of cash salary or


 


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bonuses otherwise payable to
the Participant or in addition to such cash compensation.


 


(r)                                    “Subsidiary”
means any corporation or partnership in which the Company owns, directly or
indirectly, 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of
stock of such corporation or of the capital interest or profits interest of such
partnership.


 


2.2           Gender and Number. 
Except when otherwise indicated by the context, words in the masculine
gender used in the Plan shall include the feminine gender, the singular shall
include the plural, and the plural shall include the singular.


 


SECTION 3


 


ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION


 


Except as otherwise provided
in Section 7.1, the only persons eligible to participate in the Plan shall
be those Employees selected by the Committee as Participants.


 


SECTION 4


 


POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE


 


4.1           Power to Grant. 
The Committee shall determine the Participants to whom Awards shall be
granted, the type or types of Awards to be granted, and the terms and
conditions of any and all such Awards. The Committee may establish different
terms and conditions for different types of Awards, for different Participants
receiving the same type of Awards, and for the same Participant for each Award
such Participant may receive, whether or not granted at different times.


 


4.2           Administration. 
The Committee shall be responsible for the administration of the Plan.
The Committee, by majority action thereof, is authorized to prescribe, amend,
and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, to provide for
conditions deemed necessary or advisable to protect the interests of the
Company, and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for the
administration and interpretation of the Plan in order to carry out its
provisions and purposes. Determinations, interpretations, or other actions made
or taken by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan shall be
final, binding, and conclusive for all purposes and upon all persons.
Notwithstanding anything else contained in the Plan to the contrary, neither
the Committee nor the Board shall have any discretion regarding whether an
Eligible Director receives a


 


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Director Award pursuant to Section 7.1
or regarding the terms of any such Director Award, including, without
limitation, the number of shares subject to any such Director Award.


 


SECTION 5


 


STOCK SUBJECT TO PLAN


 


5.1           Number. 
Subject to the provisions of Section 5.3, the number of shares of
Stock subject to Awards (including Director Awards) under the Plan may not
exceed 800,000 shares of Stock. The shares to be delivered under the Plan may
consist, in whole or in part, of treasury Stock or authorized but unissued
Stock, not reserved for any other purpose. The maximum number of shares of
Stock with respect to which Awards may be granted to any one Employee under the
Plan is 40% of the aggregate number of shares of Stock available for Awards
under Section 5.1.


 


5.2           Cancelled, Terminated or Forfeited Awards.  Any shares of Stock subject to an Award which
for any reason are cancelled, terminated or otherwise settled without the
issuance of any Stock shall again be available for Awards under the Plan.


 


5.3           Adjustment in Capitalization. In the event of any
Stock dividend or Stock split, recapitalization (including, without limitation,
the payment of an extraordinary dividend), merger, consolidation, combination,
spin-off, distribution of assets to stockholders, exchange of shares, or other
similar corporate change, (i) the aggregate number of shares of Stock
available for Awards under Section 5.1 and (ii) the number of shares
and exercise price with respect to Options and the number, prices and dollar
value of other Awards, may be appropriately adjusted by the Committee, whose
determination shall be conclusive. If, pursuant to the preceding sentence, an
adjustment is made to the number of shares of Stock authorized for issuance
under the Plan, a corresponding adjustment shall be made with respect to
Director Awards granted pursuant to Section 7.1.


 


SECTION 6


 


STOCK OPTIONS


 


6.1           Grant of Options. 
Options may be granted to Participants at such time or times as shall be
determined by the Committee.  Options
granted under the Plan may be of two types: (i) Incentive Stock Options
and (ii) Nonstatutory Stock Options. The Committee shall have complete
discretion in determining the number of Options, if any, to be granted to a
Participant. Each Option shall be evidenced by an Option agreement that shall
specify the type of Option granted, the exercise price, the


 


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duration of the Option, the number of shares
of Stock to which the Option pertains, the exercisability (if any) of the
Option in the event of death, retirement, disability or termination of
employment, and such other terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan
as the Committee shall determine.


 


6.2           Option Price. 
Nonstatutory Stock Options and Incentive Stock Options granted pursuant
to the Plan shall have an exercise price which is not less than the Fair Market
Value on the date the Option is granted.


 


6.3           Exercise of Options.  Options awarded to a Participant under the
Plan shall be exercisable at such times and shall be subject to such
restrictions and conditions as the Committee may impose, subject to the
Committee’s right to accelerate the exercisability of such Option in its
discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Option shall be exercisable for
more than ten years after the date on which it is granted.


 


6.4           Payment.  The
Committee shall establish procedures governing the exercise of Options, which
shall require that written notice of exercise be given and that the Option
price be paid in full in cash or cash equivalents, including by personal check,
at the time of exercise or pursuant to any arrangement that the Committee shall
approve. The Committee may, in its discretion, permit a Participant to make
payment (i) in Stock already owned by the Participant valued at its Fair
Market Value on the date of exercise (if such Stock has been owned by the
Participant for at least six months) or (ii) by electing to have the
Company retain Stock which would otherwise be issued on exercise of the Option,
valued at its Fair Market Value on the date of exercise. As soon as practicable
after receipt of a written exercise notice and full payment  of the exercise price, the Company shall
deliver to the Participant a certificate or certificates representing the
acquired shares of Stock.


 


6.5           Incentive Stock Options.  Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the
contrary, no term of this Plan relating to Incentive Stock Options shall be
interpreted, amended or altered, nor shall any discretion or authority granted
under the Plan be so exercised, so as to disqualify the Plan under Section 422
of the Code, or, without the consent of any Participant affected thereby, to
cause any Incentive Stock Option previously granted to fail to qualify for the
Federal income tax treatment afforded under Section 421 of the Code.  In furtherance of the foregoing, (i) the
aggregate Fair Market Value of shares of Stock (determined at the time of grant
of each Option) with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable
for the first time by an Employee during any calendar year shall not exceed
$100,000 or such other amount as may be required by the Code, (ii) an
Incentive Stock Option may not be exercised more than three months following


 


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termination of employment (except as the
Committee may otherwise determine in the event of death or disability), and (iii) if
the Employee receiving an Incentive Stock Option owns Stock possessing more
than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of Stock of the
Company, the exercise price of the Option shall be at least 110% of Fair Market
Value and the Option shall not be exercisable after the expiration of five
years from the date of grant.


 


6.6           Replacement
Options.  The Committee may grant a
replacement option (a “Replacement Option”) to any Employee who exercises all
or part of an option granted under this Plan using Qualifying Stock (as herein
defined) as payment for the purchase price. 
A Replacement Option shall grant to the Employee the right to purchase,
at the Fair Market Value as of the date of said exercise and grant, the number
of shares of stock equal to the sum of the number of whole shares (i) used
by the Employee in payment of the purchase price for the option which was
exercised and (ii) used by the Employee in connection with applicable
withholding taxes on such transaction.  A
Replacement Option may not be exercised for six months following the date of
grant, and shall expire on the same date as the option which it replaces.  Qualifying Stock is stock which has been
owned by the Employee for at least six months prior to the date of exercise and
has not been used in a stock-for-stock swap transaction within the preceding
six months.


 


SECTION 7


 


DIRECTOR AWARDS


 


7.1           Amount of Award.  Each Eligible Director shall receive a
non-discretionary Award of 1,000 shares of stock each year; such Award shall be
made annually on the date of and following completion of the Company’s annual
stockholders’ meeting (commencing with the 1996 annual stockholders’ meeting).
Each Eligible Director shall be issued a common stock certificate for such
number of shares. Termination of the director’s services for any reason other
than (i) death, (ii) retirement from the Board at mandatory
retirement age, or (iii) resignation or failure to stand for re-election,
in any such case with the prior approval of the Board, will result in
forfeiture of the Stock. If the Stock is forfeited, the director shall return
the number of forfeited shares of Stock, or equivalent value, to the Company.
The number of shares of Stock awarded to an Eligible Director annually shall be
appropriately adjusted in the event of any stock changes as described in Section 5.3.
In addition, each Eligible Director shall receive a non-discretionary Award of
a Nonqualified Stock Option for 2,000 shares of Stock exercisable at the Fair
Market Value of the Company’s common stock on the


 


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date of grant; such Award shall be made annually on the date of and
following completion of the Company’s annual stockholders’ meeting (commencing
with the 1996 annual stockholders’ meeting). The number of nonqualified options
awarded to a director shall be appropriately adjusted in the event of any stock
changes as described in Section 5.3.


 


7.2           No Other Awards.  An Eligible Director shall not receive any
other Award under the Plan.


 


SECTION 8


 


STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS


 


8.1           SAR’s In Tandem
with Options.  Stock Appreciation
Rights may be granted to Participants in tandem with any Option granted under
the Plan, either at or after the time of the grant of such Option, subject to
such terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as
the Committee shall determine. Each Stock Appreciation Right shall only be
exercisable to the extent that the corresponding Option is exercisable, and
shall terminate upon termination or exercise of the corresponding Option.  Upon the exercise of any Stock Appreciation
Right, the corresponding Option shall terminate.


 


8.2           Other Stock
Appreciation Rights.  Stock
Appreciation Rights may also be granted to Participants separately from any
Option, subject to such terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the
provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall determine.


 


SECTION 9


 


RESTRICTED STOCK


 


9.1           Grant of
Restricted Stock.  The Committee may
grant Restricted Stock to Participants at such times and in such amounts, and
subject to such other terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as it
shall determine.  Each grant of
Restricted Stock shall be subject to such restrictions, which may relate to
continued employment with the Company, performance of the Company, or other
restrictions, as the Committee may determine. Each grant of Restricted Stock
shall be evidenced by a written agreement setting forth the terms of such
Award.


 


9.2           Removal of
Restrictions.  The Committee may
accelerate or waive such restrictions in whole or in part at any time in its
discretion.


 


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SECTION 10


 


STOCK BONUSES


 


10.1  Grant of Stock Bonuses.  The Committee may grant a Stock Bonus to a
Participant at such times and in such amounts, and subject to such other terms
and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan, as it shall determine.


 


SECTION 11


 


AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, AND TERMINATION OF PLAN


 


11.1         General.  The Board may from time to time amend, modify
or terminate any or all of the provisions of the Plan, subject to the
provisions of this Section 11.1. 
The Board may not change the Plan in a manner which would prevent
outstanding Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan from being Incentive
Stock Options without the consent of the optionees concerned. Furthermore, the
Board may not make any amendment which would (i) materially modify the
requirements for participation in the Plan, (ii) increase the number of
shares of Stock subject to Awards under the Plan pursuant to Section 5.1, (iii) materially
increase the benefits accruing to Participants under the Plan, or (iv) make
any other amendments which would cause the Plan not to comply with Rule 16b-3
under the Act, in each case without the approval of the Company’s
stockholders.  No amendment or
modification shall affect the rights of any Employee with respect to a
previously granted Award, nor shall any amendment or modification affect the
rights of any Eligible Director pursuant to a previously granted Director
Award.


 


11.2         Termination of Plan.  No further Options shall be granted under the
Plan subsequent to December 31, 2005, or such earlier date as may be
determined by the Board.


 


SECTION 12


 


MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS


 


12.1         Nontransferability
of Awards.  No Awards granted under
the Plan may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or
hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and
distribution.  All rights with respect to
Awards granted to a Participant under the Plan shall be exercisable during the
Participant’s lifetime only by such


 


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Participant and all rights with respect to any Director Awards granted
to an Eligible Director shall be exercisable during the Director’s lifetime
only by such Eligible Director.


 


12.2         Beneficiary
Designation.  Each Participant under
the Plan may from time to time name any beneficiary or beneficiaries (who may
be named contingent or successively) to whom any benefit under the Plan is to
be paid or by whom any right under the Plan is to be exercised in case of his
death. Each designation will revoke all prior designations by the same
Participant shall be in a form prescribed by the Committee, and will be
effective only when filed in writing with the Company.  In the absence of any such designation,
Awards outstanding at death may be exercised by the Participant’s surviving
spouse, if any, or otherwise by his estate.


 


12.3         No  Guarantee of Employment or Participation.  Nothing in the Plan shall interfere with or
limit in any way the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate any
Participant’s employment at any time, nor confer upon any Participant any right
to continue in the employ of the Company or any Subsidiary. No Employee shall
have a right to be selected as a Participant, or, having been so selected, to
receive any future Awards.


 


12.4         Tax Withholding.  The Company shall have the power to withhold,
or require a Participant or Eligible Director to remit to the Company, an
amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, and local withholding tax
requirements on any Award under the Plan, and the Company may defer issuance of
Stock until such requirements are satisfied. The Committee may, in its
discretion, permit a Participant to elect, subject to such conditions as the
Committee shall impose, (i) to have shares of Stock otherwise issuable
under the Plan withheld by the Company or (ii) to deliver to the Company
previously acquired shares of Stock, in each case having a Fair Market Value
sufficient to satisfy all or part of the Participant’s estimated total federal,
state and local tax obligation associated with the transaction.


 


12.5         Change of Control.  On the date of a Change of Control, all
outstanding options and stock appreciation rights shall become immediately
exercisable and all restrictions with respect to Restricted Stock shall
lapse.  “Change of Control” shall mean:


 


(i)                                    The acquisition
(other than from the Company) by any person, entity or “group”, within the
meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Act (excluding
any acquisition or holding by (i) the Company or its subsidiaries, (ii) any
employee benefit plan of the Company or its subsidiaries which acquires
beneficial ownership of voting securities of the Company and (iii) Robert
B. Daugherty, his successors and assigns and any


 


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tax-exempt entity established by him) of beneficial ownership (within
the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Act) of 50% or more of
either the then outstanding shares of common stock or the combined voting power
of the Company’s then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally
in the election of directors; or


 


(ii)                                 Individuals
who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (as of the date hereof the “Incumbent
Board”) 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 the election by the Company’s stockholders,
was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising
the Incumbent Board shall be, for purposes of this Plan, considered as though
such person were a member of the Incumbent Board; or


 


(iii)                              Approval by the
stockholders of the Company of a reorganization, merger or consolidation, in
each case, with respect to which persons who were the stockholders of the
Company immediately prior to such reorganization, merger or consolidation do
not, immediately thereafter, own more than 50% of the combined voting power
entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the reorganized,
merged or consolidated company’s then outstanding voting securities, or a
liquidation or dissolution of the Company or of the sale of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Company.


 


12.6         Company Intent.  The Company intends that the Plan comply in
all respects with Rule 16b-3 under the Act, and any ambiguities or
inconsistencies in the construction of the Plan shall be interpreted to give
effect to such intention.


 


12.7         Requirements of
Law.  The granting of Awards and the
issuance of shares of Stock shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and
regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or securities
exchanges as may be required.


 


12.8         Effective Date.  The Plan shall be effective upon its adoption
by the Board subject to approval by the Company’s stockholders at the 1996
annual stockholders’ meeting.


 


12.9         Governing Law.  The Plan, and all agreements hereunder, shall
be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of
Delaware.


 


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