Exhibit 10.18

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED
 KKR REAL ESTATE FINANCE TRUST INC.
 2016 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

 

1.             Purpose.  The purpose of the Amended and Restated KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Inc. 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan is to provide a means through which the Company and other members of the Company Group may attract and retain key personnel and to provide a means whereby directors, officers, employees, consultants and advisors of the Company and other members of the Company Group, as well as directors, officers and employees of the Manager and its Affiliates who are providing services to the Company Group, 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 Group and aligning their interests with those of the Company’s stockholders.  The Plan was originally adopted on the Effective Date as the KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Inc. 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Original Plan”), and was amended and restated on November 17, 2016 by action of the Board in accordance with Section 13 of the Original Plan.

 

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

 

(a)         “Absolute Share Limit” has the meaning given such term in Section 5(b) of the Plan.

 

(b)         “Adjustment Event” has the meaning given such term in Section 12(a) of the Plan.

 

(c)         “Affiliate” means any Person that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company.  The term “control” (including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as applied to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting or other securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

(d)           “A&R Management Agreement” means the Second Amended and Restated Management Agreement, dated as of February 12, 2016, by and between the Company and the Manager, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

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

 

(f)          “Award Agreement” means the document or documents by which each Award (other than an Other Cash-Based Award) is evidenced, which may be in written or electronic form.

 

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

 











 

(h)         “Cause” means, as to any Participant, unless the applicable Award Agreement states otherwise, (i) “Cause”, as defined in any employment or consulting agreement between the Participant and the Service Recipient in effect at the time of such Termination, or (ii) in the absence of any such employment or consulting agreement (or the absence of any definition of “Cause” contained therein), the Participant’s (A) willful neglect in the performance of the Participant’s duties for the Service Recipient or willful or repeated failure or refusal to perform such duties; (B) engagement in conduct in connection with the Participant’s employment or service with the Service Recipient, which results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, material harm to the business or reputation of the Service Recipient or any other member of the Company Group; (C) conviction of, or plea of guilty or no contest to, (I) any felony; or (II) any other crime that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, material harm to the business or reputation of the Service Recipient or any other member of the Company Group; (D) material violation of the written policies of the Service Recipient, including, but not limited to, those relating to sexual harassment or the disclosure or misuse of confidential information, or those set forth in the manuals or statements of policy of the Service Recipient; (E) fraud or misappropriation, embezzlement or misuse of funds or property belonging to the Service Recipient or any other member of the Company Group; or (F) act of personal dishonesty that involves personal profit in connection with the Participant’s employment or service to the Service Recipient; provided, in any case, a Participant’s resignation after an event that would be grounds for a Termination for Cause will be treated as a Termination for Cause hereunder.

 

(i)          “Change in Control” means:

 

(i)            the acquisition (whether by purchase, merger, consolidation, combination or other similar transaction) by any Person of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of more than 50% (on a fully diluted basis) of either (A) the then outstanding shares of Common Stock, taking into account as outstanding for this purpose such Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or warrants, the conversion of convertible stock or debt, the exercise, exchange or conversion of any interests of any Subsidiary, and the exercise of any similar right to acquire such 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; provided, however, that for purposes of this 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; or (III) 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)           at any time following a Public Listing, during any period of twelve (12) 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;

 

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provided, however, that (ii) shall only apply following a Public Listing and provided, further 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; or

 

(iii)          the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company Group (taken as a whole) to any Person that is not an Affiliate of the Company;

 

except, in the case of clauses (i)-(iii), if the Change in Control results from a transaction between the Company and the Manager or an Affiliate of the Manager or from a termination of the A&R Management Agreement.

 

(j)          “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.

 

(k)         “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or any properly delegated subcommittee thereof or, if no such Compensation Committee or subcommittee thereof exists, the Board.

 

(l)          “Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (and any stock or other securities into which such Common Stock may be converted or into which it may be exchanged).

 

(m)        “Company” means KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Inc., a Maryland corporation, and any successor thereto.

 

(n)         “Company Group” means, collectively, the Company and any of their respective Subsidiaries.

 

(o)         “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.

 

(p)         “Designated Foreign Subsidiaries” means all members of the Company Group that are 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.

 

(q)         “Detrimental Activity” means any of the following: (i) unauthorized disclosure of any confidential or proprietary information of any member of the Company Group; (ii) any activity that would be grounds to terminate the Participant’s employment or service with the Service Recipient for Cause; or (iii) the breach of any noncompetition, nonsolicitation or other agreement containing restrictive covenants, with any member of the Company Group.

 

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(r)          “Disability” means, as to any Participant, unless the applicable Award Agreement states otherwise, (i) “Disability”, as defined in any employment or consulting agreement between the Participant and the Service Recipient in effect at the time of such Termination; or (ii) in the absence of any such employment or consulting agreement (or the absence of any definition of “Disability” contained therein), a condition entitling the Participant to receive benefits under a long-term disability plan of the Service Recipient or other member of Company Group in which such Participant is eligible to participate, 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 Disability exists shall be made by the Company (or designee) in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

(s)          “Effective Date” means February 12, 2016.

 

(t)          “Eligible Manager Employee” means any director, officer or employee of the Manager or any of its Affiliates that provides services to any member of the Company Group.

 

(u)         “Eligible Person” means any (i) individual employed by any member of the Company Group; 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 any member of the Company Group; or (iii) consultant, advisor or other service provider to any member of the Company Group, including Eligible Manager Employees, who may be offered securities registrable pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act, who, in the case of each of clauses (i) through (iii) above has entered into an Award Agreement or who has received written notification from the Committee or its designee that they have been selected to participate in the Plan.

 

(v)         “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.

 

(w)        “Exercise Price” has the meaning given such term in Section 7(b) of the Plan.

 

(x)         “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; provided, however, as to any Awards granted on or with a Date of Grant of the

 

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date of the pricing of the Company’s initial public offering, “Fair Market Value” shall be equal to the per share price at which the Common Stock is offered to the public in connection with such initial public offering.

 

(y)         “GAAP” has the meaning given such term in Section 7(d) of the Plan.

 

(z)         “Immediate Family Members” has the meaning given such term in Section 14(b) of the Plan.

 

(aa)       “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.

 

(bb)       “Indemnifiable Person” has the meaning given such term in Section 4(e) of the Plan.

 

(cc)         “Manager” means KKR Real Estate Finance Manager LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

(dd)       “NASDAQ” means The NASDAQ Global Market.

 

(ee)       “Negative Discretion” means the discretion authorized by the Plan to be applied by the Committee to eliminate or reduce the size of an Other Cash-Based Award that is a Performance Compensation Award consistent with Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

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

 

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

 

(hh)       “Operating Partnership” means KKR Real Estate Finance Holdings L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and the entity that the Company conducts its business through, together with any successor entity thereto.

 

(ii)         “OP Interest” means a limited partnership interest of the Operating Partnership, which are directly or indirectly convertible into, exchangeable for or redeemable for shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Partnership Agreement.

 

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

 

(kk)       “Option Period” has the meaning given such term in Section 7(c) of the Plan.

 

(ll)         “Other Cash-Based Award” means an Award granted under Section 10 of the Plan that is denominated in cash.

 

(mm)    “Other Equity-Based Award” means an Award that is not an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit or Performance Award, that is

 

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granted under Section 10 of the Plan and is payable by (i) delivery of Common Stock or other equity interests, including OP Interests, or (ii) reference to the value of Common Stock or other equity interests, including OP Interests.

 

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

 

(oo)       “Partnership Agreement” means the Limited Partnership Agreement of the Operating Partnership, as may be amended from time to time.

 

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

 

(qq)       “Performance Criteria” means the criterion or criteria that the Committee shall select for purposes of establishing the Performance Goals for a Performance Period with respect to any Performance Compensation Award under the Plan.

 

(rr)         “Performance Formula” means, for a Performance Period, the one or more objective formulae 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.

 

(ss)        “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.

 

(tt)         “Performance Period” means the one or more periods of time of not less than 12 months, 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.

 

(uu)       “Permitted Transferee” has the meaning given such term in Section 14(b) of the Plan.

 

(vv)       “Person” means any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act).

 

(ww)     “Plan” means this Amended and Restated KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Inc. 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as it may be amended from time to time.

 

(xx)       “Public Listing” means a listing or trading of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ.

 

(yy)       “Qualifying Director” means a person who is (i) with respect to actions intended to obtain an exemption from Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act pursuant to Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act; and (ii) with respect to actions intended to obtain the exception for performance-

 

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based compensation under 162(m) of the Code, an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

(zz)       “Restricted Period” means the period of time determined by the Committee during which an Award is subject to restrictions, including vesting conditions.

 

(aaa)    “Restricted Stock” means Common Stock, subject to certain specified restrictions (which may include, 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.

 

(bbb)    “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 (which may include, 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.

 

(ccc)     “SAR Period” has the meaning given such term in Section 8(c) of the Plan.

 

(ddd)    “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.

 

(eee)     “Service Recipient” means, with respect to a Participant holding a given Award, the member of the Company Group by which the original recipient of such Award is, or following a Termination was most recently, principally employed or to which such original recipient provides, or following a Termination was most recently providing, services, as applicable.

 

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

 

(ggg)     “Strike Price” has the meaning given such term in Section 8(b) of the Plan.

 

(hhh)    “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 such entity’s 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

 

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equivalents thereof) of which are that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination thereof).

 

(iii)        “Substitute Award” has the meaning given such term in Section 5(e) of the Plan.

 

(jjj)       “Sub-Plans” means any sub-plan to this Plan that has been adopted by the Board or the Committee for the purpose of permitting the offering of Awards to employees of certain Designated Foreign Subsidiaries or otherwise outside the United States of America, with each such sub-plan designed to comply with local laws applicable to offerings in such foreign jurisdictions.  Although any Sub-Plan may be designated a separate and independent plan from the Plan in order to comply with applicable local laws, the Absolute Share Limit and the other limits specified in Section 5(b) shall apply in the aggregate to the Plan and any Sub-Plan adopted hereunder.

 

(kkk)      “Termination” means the termination of a Participant’s employment or service, as applicable, with the Service Recipient; provided, however, that with respect to any Participant who is an employee of the Manager or its Affiliates, such Participant shall be deemed to undergo a Termination hereunder upon the first to occur of (i) a termination of the A&R Management Agreement; and (ii) a termination of such Participant’s employment or service, as applicable, with the Manager and its Affiliates.

 

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 (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date; provided, however, that such expiration 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) or necessary to obtain the exception for performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, as applicable, 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 that is intended to qualify for the exemptions provided by Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, as applicable, be an Qualifying Director.  However, the fact that a Committee member shall fail to qualify as an Qualifying 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 settled in, or exercised

 

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for, 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 settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited, or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances the delivery of cash, shares of 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 of 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, or Award granted under, the Plan; (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; (ix) adopt Sub-Plans; and (x) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan; and

 

(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 any member of the Company Group, 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 Non-Employee Directors.  Notwithstanding the foregoing in this Section 4(c), it is intended that any action under the Plan intended to qualify for the exemptions provided by Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, and/or the exceptions under Section 162(m) of the Code related to persons who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act and/or who are, or who are reasonably expected to be, “covered employees” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code, will be taken only by the Board or by a committee or subcommittee of two (2) or more Qualifying Directors.  However, the fact that any member of such committee or subcommittee shall fail to qualify as an Qualifying Director shall not invalidate any action that is otherwise valid under the Plan.

 

(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, including, without limitation, any member of the Company Group, any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of any Award, and any stockholder of the Company.

 

(e)         No member of the Board or the Committee or any employee or agent of any member of the Company Group (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

 

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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 with respect to the Plan or any Award hereunder 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, 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 organizational documents of any member of the Company Group.  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 organizational documents of any member of the Company Group, as a matter of law, under an individual indemnification agreement or contract or otherwise, or any other power that the Company may have to indemnify such Indemnifiable Persons or hold such Indemnifiable Persons 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 the 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.

 

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

 

(a)         The Committee may, from time to time, grant Awards to one or more Eligible Persons.

 

(b)         Awards granted under the Plan shall be subject to the following limitations:  (i) subject to Section 12 of the Plan, no more than 7.5% of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock on a fully-diluted basis (assuming, if applicable, the exercise of all outstanding Options and the conversion of all warrants and convertible securities into shares of Common Stock and any underwriter overallotment) immediately following a Public Listing (the “Absolute Share Limit”) shall be available for Awards under the Plan; (ii) subject to Section 12 of the Plan, grants of Options or SARs under the Plan in respect of no more than 30% of the Aggregate Share Limit may be made to any individual Participant during any single fiscal year of the Company (for this purpose, if a SAR is granted in tandem with an Option (such that the SAR expires with respect to the number of shares of Common Stock for which the Option is

 

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exercised), only the shares underlying the Option shall count against this limitation); (iii) subject to Section 12 of the Plan, no more than the number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Absolute Share Limit may be issued in the aggregate pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan; (iv) subject to Section 12 of the Plan, no more than 30% of the Aggregate Share Limit may be issued in respect of Performance Compensation Awards denominated in shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to Section 11 of the Plan to any individual Participant for a single fiscal year during a Performance Period (or with respect to each single fiscal year in the event a Performance Period extends beyond a single fiscal year), or in the event such share-denominated Performance Compensation Award is paid in cash, other securities, other Awards or other property, no more than the Fair Market Value of such shares of Common Stock on the last day of the Performance Period to which such Award relates; (v) 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 cash fees paid to such Non-Employee Director during the fiscal year, shall not exceed $1,000,000 in total value (calculating the value of any such Awards based on the grant date fair value of such Awards for financial reporting purposes); and (vi) the maximum amount that can be paid to any individual Participant for a single fiscal year during a Performance Period (or with respect to each single fiscal year in the event a Performance Period extends beyond a single fiscal year) pursuant to a Performance Compensation Award denominated in cash (described in Section 11(a) of the Plan) shall be $10,000,000. Other Equity-Based Awards that are OP Interests shall reduce the Absolute Share Limit on a one-for-one basis.

 

(c)         Other than with respect to Substitute Awards, to the extent that an Award expires or is canceled, forfeited, terminated, settled in cash, or otherwise is settled without delivery to the Participant of the full number of shares of Common Stock (or OP Interests, if applicable) to which the Award related, the undelivered shares (or OP Interests, if applicable) will again be available for grant.  Shares of Common Stock withheld in payment of the Exercise Price or Strike Price, or taxes relating to an Award and shares equal to the number of shares surrendered in payment of any Exercise Price or Strike Price, or taxes relating to an Award, shall be deemed to constitute shares not issued to the Participant and shall be deemed to again be available for Awards under the Plan; provided, however, that such shares shall not become available for issuance hereunder if either: (i) the applicable shares are withheld or surrendered following the termination of the Plan; or (ii) at the time the applicable shares are withheld or surrendered, it would constitute a material revision of the Plan subject to stockholder approval under any then-applicable rules of the national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed.

 

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

 

(e)         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

 

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Stock available for Awards of Incentive Stock Options under the Plan.  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 issuance under the Plan.

 

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

 

7.             Options.

 

(a)         General.  Each Option granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which agreement need not be the same for each Participant.  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 Group, 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 (“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 any member of the Company Group, the Exercise Price per share shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value per share on the Date of Grant.

 

(c)         Vesting and Expiration; Termination.

 

(i)            Options shall vest and become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates or upon such event or events as determined by the Committee; provided, however, that notwithstanding any such vesting dates or events, the Committee may in its sole discretion accelerate the vesting of any Options at any time and for any reason.

 

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Options shall expire upon a date determined by the Committee, not to exceed ten (10) years from the Date of Grant (the “Option Period”); provided, that if the Option Period (other than in the case of an Incentive Stock Option) would expire at a time when trading in the shares of Common Stock is prohibited by the Company’s insider trading policy (or Company-imposed “blackout period”), then the Option Period shall be automatically extended until the 30th day following the expiration of such prohibition.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Option Period exceed five (5) 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 any member of the Company Group.

 

(ii)           Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, whether in an Award Agreement or otherwise, in the event of: (A) a Participant’s Termination by the Service Recipient for Cause, all outstanding Options granted to such Participant shall immediately terminate and expire; (B) a Participant’s Termination due to death or Disability, 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); and (C) a Participant’s Termination for any other reason, 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 issued 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, employment and any other applicable 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 issuance of such shares to the Company); provided, that such shares of Common Stock are not subject to any pledge or other security interest and have been held by the Participant for not less than six (6) months (or such other period as established from time to time by the Committee in order to avoid adverse accounting treatment applying generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) or); 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 issuable 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 issuable in respect of an Option that is

 

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needed to pay the Exercise Price.  Any fractional shares of Common Stock shall be settled in cash.

 

(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 (i) two (2) years after the Date of Grant of the Incentive Stock Option or (ii) one (1) 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, as it may be amended from time to time, 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)         General.  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.

 

(b)         Strike Price.  Except as otherwise provided by the Committee in the case of Substitute Awards, the strike price (“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; Termination.

 

(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 in such manner and on such date or dates or upon such event or events as determined by the Committee; provided, however, that notwithstanding any such vesting dates or events, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the vesting of any SAR at any time and for any reason. SARs shall expire upon a date determined by the

 

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Committee, not to exceed ten (10) years from the Date of Grant (the “SAR Period”); provided, that if the SAR Period would expire at a time when trading in the shares of Common Stock is prohibited by the Company’s insider trading policy (or Company-imposed “blackout period”), then the SAR Period shall be automatically extended until the 30th day following the expiration of such prohibition.

 

(ii)           Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, whether in an Award Agreement or otherwise, in the event of: (A) a Participant’s Termination by the Service Recipient for Cause, all outstanding SARs granted to such Participant shall immediately terminate and expire; (B) a Participant’s Termination due to death or Disability, 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); and (C) a Participant’s Termination for any other reason, 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 is being exercised multiplied by the excess of the Fair Market Value of one (1) 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, employment and any other applicable 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.  Any fractional shares of Common Stock shall be settled in cash.

 

9.             Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units.

 

(a)         General.  Each grant of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.  Each Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit so granted 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 share(s) 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 issued 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

 

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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, a Participant generally shall have the rights and privileges of a stockholder as to shares of 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 fifteen (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.  A Participant shall have no rights or privileges as a stockholder as to Restricted Stock Units.

 

(c)         Vesting; Termination.

 

(i)            Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall vest, and any applicable Restricted Period shall lapse, in such manner and on such date or dates or upon such event or events as determined by the Committee; provided, however, that, notwithstanding any such dates or events, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the vesting of any Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit or the lapsing of any applicable Restricted Period at any time and for any reason.

 

(ii)           Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, whether in an Award Agreement or otherwise, in the event of a Participant’s Termination for any reason prior to the time that such Participant’s Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units, as applicable, have vested, (A) all vesting with respect to such Participant’s Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units, as applicable, shall cease and (B) unvested shares of Restricted Stock and unvested Restricted Stock Units, as applicable, shall be forfeited to the Company by the Participant for no consideration as of the date of such Termination.

 

(d)         Issuance 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 issue to the Participant, or his or her beneficiary, 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 forfeited and with respect to which the Restricted Period has expired (rounded down to the nearest full share).

 

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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, in 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 or otherwise, upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any outstanding Restricted Stock Units, the Company shall issue to the Participant or his or her beneficiary, without charge, one (1) 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 (A) pay cash or part cash and part shares of Common Stock in lieu of issuing only shares of Common Stock in respect of such Restricted Stock Units; or (B) defer the issuance of shares of Common Stock (or cash or part cash and part shares of 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 issuing shares of Common Stock in respect of such Restricted Stock Units, the amount of such payment shall be equal to the Fair Market Value per share 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, in 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, in 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 date on which the Restricted Period lapses with respect to such Restricted Stock Units, and, if such Restricted Stock Units are forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such dividend equivalent payments (or interest thereon, if applicable).

 

(e)         Legends on Restricted Stock.  Each certificate, if any, or book entry representing Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan, if any, shall bear a legend or book entry notation 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 shares of Common Stock:

 

TRANSFER OF THIS CERTIFICATE AND THE SHARES REPRESENTED HEREBY IS RESTRICTED PURSUANT TO THE TERMS OF THE KKR REAL ESTATE FINANCE TRUST INC. 2016 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN AND A RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT BETWEEN KKR REAL ESTATE FINANCE TRUST INC. AND PARTICIPANT.  A COPY OF SUCH PLAN AND AWARD AGREEMENT IS ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF KKR REAL ESTATE FINANCE TRUST INC.

 

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10.          Other Equity-Based Awards and Other Cash-Based Awards.  The Committee may grant Other Equity-Based Awards and Other Cash-Based Awards under the Plan to Eligible Persons, alone or in tandem with other Awards, in such amounts and dependent on such conditions as the Committee shall from time to time in its sole discretion determine.  Each Other Equity-Based Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement; provided, however, in the case of an Other Equity-Based Award payable by delivery of OP Interests, such Award must also satisfy the requirements of the Partnership Agreement.  Each Other Cash-Based Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by such form as the Committee may determine from time to time.  Each Other Equity-Based Award or Other Cash-Based Award, as applicable, so granted shall be subject to such conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement or other form evidencing such Award, including, without limitation, those set forth in Section 14(c) of the Plan.

 

11.          Performance Compensation Awards.

 

(a)         General.  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 intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.    Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, if the Company determines that a Participant who has been granted an Award designated as a Performance Compensation Award is not (or is no longer) a “covered employee” (within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code), the terms and conditions of such Award may be modified without regard to any restrictions or limitations set forth in this Section 11 (but subject otherwise to the provisions of Section 13 of the Plan).

 

(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 type(s) of Performance Compensation Awards to be issued, the Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goal(s), the kind(s) and/or level(s) of the Performance Goal(s) that is (are) to apply and the Performance Formula(e).  Within the first ninety (90) days of a Performance Period (or, within any other maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code), the Committee shall, with regard to the Performance Compensation Awards to be issued for such Performance Period, exercise its discretion with respect to each of the matters enumerated in the immediately preceding sentence and record the same in writing.

 

(c)         Performance Criteria.  The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goal(s) may be based on the attainment of specific levels of performance of the Company (and/or one or more members of the Company Group, divisions or operational and/or business units, product lines, brands, business segments, administrative departments, or any combination of the foregoing) and shall be limited to the following, which may be determined in accordance with GAAP on a non-GAAP basis: (i) net earnings, net income (before or after taxes) or consolidated net income; (ii) basic or diluted earnings per share (before or after taxes); (iii) net revenue or net revenue growth; (iv) gross revenue or gross revenue growth, gross profit or gross profit growth; (v) net operating profit (before or after taxes); (vi) return measures (including, but not limited to, return on investment, assets, capital, employed capital, invested capital, equity, or sales); (vii) cash flow measures (including, but not limited to, operating cash

 

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flow, free cash flow, or cash flow return on capital), which may but are not required to be measured on a per share basis; (viii) actual or adjusted earnings before or after interest, taxes, depreciation and/or amortization (including EBIT and EBITDA); (ix) gross or net operating margins; (x) productivity ratios; (xi) share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total stockholder return); (xii) expense targets or cost reduction goals, general and administrative expense savings; (xiii) operating efficiency; (xiv) objective measures of customer/client satisfaction; (xv) working capital targets; (xvi) measures of economic value added or other ‘value creation’ metrics; (xvii) enterprise value; (xviii) sales; (xix) stockholder return; (xx) customer/client retention; (xxi) competitive market metrics; (xxii) employee retention; (xxiii) objective measures of personal targets, goals or completion of projects (including but not limited to succession and hiring projects, completion of specific acquisitions, dispositions, reorganizations or other corporate transactions or capital-raising transactions, expansions of specific business operations and meeting divisional or project budgets); (xxiv) comparisons of continuing operations to other operations; (xxv) market share; (xxvi) cost of capital, debt leverage year-end cash position or book value; (xxvii) strategic objectives; or (xxviii) any combination of the foregoing.  Any one or more of the Performance Criteria may be stated as a percentage of another Performance Criteria, or used on an absolute or relative basis to measure the performance of the Company and/or one or more members of the Company Group as a whole or any divisions or operational and/or business units, product lines, brands, business segments or administrative departments of the Company and/or one or more members of the Company Group or any combination thereof, as the Committee may deem appropriate, or any of the above Performance Criteria may be compared to the performance of a selected group of comparison companies, or a published or special index that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, or as compared to various stock market indices.  The Committee also has the authority to provide for accelerated vesting of any Award based on the achievement of Performance Goals pursuant to the Performance Criteria specified in this paragraph.  To the extent required under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee shall, within the first ninety (90) days of a Performance Period (or, within any other maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code), define in an objective fashion the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for such Performance Period.

 

(d)         Modification of Performance Goal(s).  In the event that applicable tax and/or securities laws change to permit Committee discretion to alter the governing Performance Criteria without obtaining stockholder approval of such alterations, the Committee shall have sole discretion to make such alterations without obtaining stockholder approval.  Unless otherwise determined by the Committee at the time a Performance Compensation Award is granted, the Committee shall, during the first ninety (90) days of a Performance Period (or, within any other maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code), or at any time thereafter to the extent the exercise of such authority at such time would not cause the Performance Compensation Awards granted to any Participant for such Performance Period to fail to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, specify adjustments or modifications to be made to the calculation of a Performance Goal for such Performance Period, based on and in order to appropriately reflect the following events: (i) asset write-downs; (ii) litigation or claim judgments or settlements; (iii) the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or regulatory rules affecting reported results; (iv) any reorganization and restructuring programs; (v) acquisitions or divestitures; (vi) any other specific, unusual or nonrecurring events, or objectively determinable category thereof; (vii)

 

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foreign exchange gains and losses; (viii) discontinued operations and nonrecurring charges; and (ix) a change in the Company’s fiscal year.

 

(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.

 

(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 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.

 

(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 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 and, in so doing, may apply Negative Discretion.

 

(iv)          Use of Negative Discretion.  In determining the actual amount of an individual Participant’s Performance Compensation Award for a Performance Period, if such Performance Compensation Award is an Other Cash-Based Award, the Committee may reduce or eliminate the amount of the Performance Compensation Award earned under the Performance Formula in the Performance Period through the use of Negative Discretion.  Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, the Committee shall not have the discretion to: (A) grant or provide payment in respect of Performance Compensation Awards for a Performance Period if the Performance Goals for such Performance Period have not been attained; or (B) increase a Performance Compensation Award above the applicable limitations set forth in Section 5 of the Plan.

 

(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.  Any Performance Compensation Award that has been deferred shall not (between the date as of which the Award is deferred and the payment date) increase (i) with respect to a Performance Compensation Award that is payable in cash, by a measuring factor for each fiscal year greater than a reasonable rate of interest set by the Committee or (ii) with respect to a Performance Compensation Award that is payable in shares of Common Stock, by an amount greater than the appreciation of a share of Common Stock from the date such Award is deferred to the payment date.  Any Performance Compensation Award that is deferred and is otherwise payable in shares of Common Stock shall be credited (during the period

 

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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.  Notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan to the contrary, the following provisions shall apply to all Awards granted hereunder (other than Other Cash-Based Awards):

 

(a)         General.  In the event of (i) 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 that affects the shares of Common Stock (including a Change in Control), or (ii) unusual or nonrecurring events affecting the Company, including changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations or other requirements, that the Committee determines, in its sole discretion, could result in substantial dilution or enlargement of the rights intended to be granted to, or available for, Participants (any event in (i) or (ii), an “Adjustment Event”), the Committee shall, in respect of any such Adjustment Event, make such proportionate substitution or adjustment, if any, as it deems equitable, to any or all of (A) the Absolute Share Limit, or any other limit applicable under the Plan with respect to the number of Awards which may be granted hereunder, (B) 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 issued in respect of Awards or with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan or any Sub-Plan, and (C) the terms of any outstanding Award, including, without limitation, (I) 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, (II) the Exercise Price or Strike Price with respect to any Award, or (III) any applicable performance measures (including, without limitation, Performance Criteria and Performance Goals); provided, 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 under this Section 12 shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes.

 

(b)         Adjustment Events.  Without limiting the foregoing, except as may otherwise be provided in an Award Agreement, in connection with any Adjustment Event, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide for any one or more of the following:

 

(i)            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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(ii)           subject to any limitations or reductions as may be necessary to comply with Section 409A of the Code, cancelling any one or more outstanding Awards and causing to be paid to the holders of such Awards that are vested as of such cancellation (including, without limitation, any Awards that would vest as a result of the occurrence of such event but for such cancellation or for which vesting is accelerated by the Committee in connection with such event), the value of such Awards, if any, as determined by the Committee (which value, 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 (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), or, in the case of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Other Equity-Based Awards that are not vested as of such cancellation, a cash payment or equity subject to deferred vesting and delivery consistent with the vesting restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Other Equity-Based Awards prior to cancellation, or the underlying shares in respect thereof.

 

Payments to holders pursuant to clause (ii) above shall be made in cash or, in the sole discretion of the Committee, in the form of such other consideration necessary for a Participant to receive property, cash, or securities (or combination thereof) as such Participant would have been entitled to receive upon the occurrence of the transaction if the Participant had been, immediately prior to such transaction, the holder of the number of shares of Common Stock covered by the Award at such time (less any applicable Exercise Price or Strike Price).

 

(c)         Other Requirements.  Prior to any payment or adjustment contemplated under this Section 12, the Committee may require a Participant to (i) represent and warrant as to the unencumbered title to his or her Awards, (ii) bear such Participant’s pro rata share of any post-closing indemnity obligations, and be subject to the same post-closing purchase price adjustments, escrow terms, offset rights, holdback terms, and similar conditions as the other holders of Common Stock, subject to any limitations or reductions as may be necessary to comply with Section 409A of the Code, and (iii) deliver customary transfer documentation as reasonably determined by the Committee.

 

(d)         Fractional Shares.  Any adjustment provided under this Section 12 may provide for elimination of any fractional share that might otherwise become subject to an Award.

 

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, discontinuance 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

 

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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) or for changes in GAAP to new accounting standards; (ii) it would materially increase the number of securities which may be issued under the Plan (except for increases pursuant to Section 5 or 12 of the Plan) or (iii) 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); provided, that, other than pursuant to Section 12, 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; 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 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 payment that is greater than the intrinsic value (if any) of the cancelled Option or SAR 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.

 

14.          General.

 

(a)         Award Agreements.  Each Award under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which shall be delivered to the Participant to whom such Award was granted 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 or Termination 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, 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 such Participant to whom such Award was granted during the Participant’s lifetime, or, if permissible under applicable law, by the Participant’s legal guardian or representative.  No Award may be assigned,

 

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alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant (unless such transfer is specifically required pursuant to a domestic relations order or by applicable law) 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 any 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) a beneficiary to whom donations are eligible to be treated as “charitable contributions” for federal income tax purposes (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 clause (ii) above 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) neither the Committee nor the Company shall 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 a Participant’s Termination 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 may, in its sole discretion, provide a Participant as part of an Award with dividends, dividend equivalents, or similar payments in respect of Awards, payable in cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities, other Awards or other property, on a current or deferred basis, on such terms and conditions as

 

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may be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, including, without limitation, payment directly to the Participant, withholding of such amounts by the Company subject to vesting of the Award or reinvestment in additional shares of Common Stock, Restricted Stock or other Awards; provided, that no dividends, dividend equivalents or other similar payments shall be payable in respect of outstanding (i) Options or SARs; or (ii) unearned Performance Compensation Awards or other unearned Awards subject to performance conditions (other than, or in addition to, the passage of time) (although dividends, dividend equivalents or other similar payments may be accumulated in respect of unearned Awards and paid within fifteen (15) days after such Awards are earned and become payable or distributable).

 

(d)         Tax Withholding.

 

(i)            A Participant shall be required to pay to the Service Recipient or any other member of the Company Group, and the Service Recipient or any other member of the Company Group shall have the right and is hereby authorized to withhold, from any cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property issuable or deliverable under any Award or from any compensation or other amounts owing to a Participant, the amount (in cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property) of any required withholding or any other applicable 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 or any other applicable taxes.

 

(ii)           Without limiting the generality of clause (i) above, the Committee may (but is not obligated to), in its sole discretion, permit a Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the foregoing withholding liability by (A) the delivery of shares of Common Stock (which are not subject to any pledge or other security interest) that have been held by the Participant for not less than six (6) months (or such other period as established from time to time by the Committee in order to avoid adverse accounting treatment applying GAAP) 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, provided that with respect to shares withheld pursuant to clause (B), the number of such shares may not have a Fair Market Value greater than the minimum required statutory withholding liability.

 

(e)         Data Protection.  By participating in the Plan or accepting any rights granted under it, each Participant consents to the collection and processing of personal data relating to the Participant so that the Company and its Affiliates can fulfill their obligations and exercise their rights under the Plan and generally administer and manage the Plan.  This data will include, but may not be limited to, data about participation in the Plan and shares offered or received, purchased, or sold under the Plan from time to time and other appropriate financial and other data (such as the date on which the Awards were granted) about the Participant and his or her participation in the Plan.

 

(f)          No Claim to Awards; No Rights to Continued Employment; Waiver.  No employee of the Company or any other member of the Company Group, or other person, shall

 

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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 Service Recipient or any other member of the Company Group, nor shall it be construed as giving any Participant any rights to continued service on the Board.  The Service Recipient or any other member of the Company Group 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 Service Recipient and/or any member of the Company Group and the Participant, whether any such agreement is executed before, on or after the Date of Grant.

 

(g)         International Participants.  With respect to Participants who reside or work outside of the United States of America and who are not (and who are not expected to be) “covered employees” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, amend the terms of the Plan and create or amend Sub-Plans or amend 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 any other member of the Company Group.

 

(h)         Designation and Change of Beneficiary.  Each Participant may file with the Committee a written designation of one or more Persons as the beneficiary(ies) who shall be entitled to receive the amounts payable with respect to an Award, if any, due under the Plan upon his or her 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 Committee.  The last such designation received by the Committee shall be controlling; provided, however, that no designation, or change or revocation thereof, shall be effective unless received by the Committee 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 spouse or, if the Participant is unmarried at the time of death, his or her estate.

 

(i)          Termination.  Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, 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 one Service Recipient to employment or service with another Service Recipient (or vice-versa) shall be considered a Termination; and (ii) if a Participant undergoes a Termination of employment, but such

 

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Participant continues to provide services to the Company Group in a non-employee capacity, such change in status shall not be considered a Termination for purposes of the Plan.  Further, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, in the event that any Service Recipient ceases to be a member of the Company Group (by reason of sale, divestiture, spin-off or other similar transaction), unless a Participant’s employment or service is transferred to another entity that would constitute a Service Recipient immediately following such transaction, such Participant shall be deemed to have suffered a Termination hereunder as of the date of the consummation of such transaction.

 

(j)          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 such Person.

 

(k)         Government and Other Regulations.

 

(i)            The obligation of the Company to settle Awards in shares of 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 (if the Company has requested such an opinion), 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 other member of the Company Group issued 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, 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 other member of the Company Group issued under the Plan to make appropriate reference to such restrictions or may cause such Common Stock or other securities of the Company or any other member of the Company Group issued 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

 

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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 and/or blockage and/or other market considerations would make the Company’s acquisition of shares of Common Stock from the public markets, the Company’s issuance of Common Stock to the Participant, the Participant’s acquisition of Common Stock from the Company and/or the Participant’s sale 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, subject to any limitations or reductions as may be necessary to comply with Section 409A of the Code, (A) pay to the Participant an amount equal to the excess of (I) 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 issued, as applicable), over (II) the aggregate Exercise Price or Strike Price (in the case of an Option or SAR, respectively) or any amount payable as a condition of issuance 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, or (B) in the case of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Other Equity-Based Awards, provide the Participant with a cash payment or equity subject to deferred vesting and delivery consistent with the vesting restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Other Equity-Based Awards, or the underlying shares in respect thereof.

 

(l)          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 (10) 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.

 

(m)        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.

 

(n)         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

 

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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 equity awards otherwise than under the Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases.

 

(o)         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 other member of the Company Group, 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 be obligated to 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 service providers under general law.

 

(p)         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 public accountant of the Company or any other member of the Company Group 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.

 

(q)         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 or as required by applicable law.

 

(r)          Governing Law.  The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Maryland applicable to contracts made and performed wholly within the State of Maryland, without giving effect to the conflict of laws provisions thereof.  EACH PARTICIPANT WHO ACCEPTS AN AWARD IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY SUIT, ACTION, OR OTHER PROCEEDING INSTITUTED BY OR AGAINST SUCH PARTICIPANT IN RESPECT OF HIS OR HER RIGHTS OR OBLIGATIONS HEREUNDER.

 

(s)          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 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.

 

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(t)          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.

 

(u)         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 (including any taxes and penalties under Section 409A of the Code), and neither the Service Recipient nor any other member of the Company Group shall have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise hold such Participant (or any beneficiary) harmless from any or all of such taxes or penalties.  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 a separate payment.

 

(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 and which would otherwise be payable upon the Participant’s “separation from service” (as defined in Section 409A of the Code) shall be made to such Participant prior to the date that is six (6) months after the date of such Participant’s “separation from service” or, if earlier, the date of the Participant’s death.  Following any applicable six (6) 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 an Award Agreement or otherwise, 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 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.

 

(v)         Clawback/Repayment.  All Awards shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment to the extent necessary to comply with (A) any clawback, forfeiture or

 

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other similar policy adopted by the Board or Committee and as in effect from time to time, and (B) applicable law.  Further, to the extent that the Participant receives any amount in excess of the amount that the Participant should otherwise 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), the Participant shall be required to repay any such excess amount to the Company.

 

(w)        Detrimental Activity.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if a Participant has engaged in any Detrimental Activity, as determined by the Committee, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide for one or more of the following:

 

(i)            cancel any or all of such Participant’s outstanding Awards; or

 

(ii)           require such Participant to forfeit any gain realized on the vesting or exercise of Awards, and to repay any such gain to promptly to the Company.

 

(x)         Right of Offset.  The Company will have the right to offset against its obligation to deliver shares of Common Stock (or other property or cash) under the Plan or any Award Agreement any outstanding amounts (including, without limitation, travel and entertainment or advance account balances, loans, repayment obligations under any Awards, or amounts repayable to the Company pursuant to tax equalization, housing, automobile or other employee programs) that the Participant then owes to the Company or any other member of the Company Group, as applicable, and any amounts the Committee otherwise deems appropriate pursuant to any tax equalization policy or agreement.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Award is “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Committee will have no right to offset against its obligation to deliver shares of Common Stock (or other property or cash) under the Plan or any Award Agreement if such offset could subject the Participant to the additional tax imposed under Section 409A of the Code in respect of an outstanding Award.

 

(y)           Expenses; Gender; Titles and Headings.  The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company Group.  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.

 

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