Exhibit 4.4

 

PIPER JAFFRAY COMPANIES
 2016 EMPLOYMENT INDUCEMENT AWARD PLAN

 

SECTION 1. Purpose

 

The purpose of the Plan is to promote the interests of the Company and its stockholders by giving the Company a competitive advantage in attracting personnel capable of assuring the future success of the Company and to provide such personnel with an appropriate and material inducement to become employees of the Company (including in connection with a corporate transaction).  All Awards under the Plan are intended to qualify as “employment inducement awards” within the meaning of Section 303A.08, or any successor provision, of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual.

 

SECTION 2. Definitions

 

As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below.

 

(a) “Affiliate” means any entity in which the Company has, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, a controlling interest or which has, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, a controlling interest in the Company, within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iii)(E).

 

(b) “Award” means any Stock Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Dividend Equivalent, Other Stock Grant or Other Stock-Based Award granted under the Plan.  All Awards are intended to qualify as employment inducement awards within the meaning of Section 303A.08, or any successor provision, of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual.

 

(c) “Award Agreement” means any written (including electronic) agreement, contract or other instrument or document evidencing any Award granted under the Plan. Each Award Agreement shall be subject to the applicable terms and conditions of the Plan and any other terms and conditions (not inconsistent with the Plan) determined by the Committee.

 

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

 

(e) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(f) “Change in Control” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.

 

(g) “Committee” means a committee of Directors designated by the Board to administer the Plan, which initially shall be the Compensation Committee of the Board. The Committee shall be comprised of not less than such number of Directors as shall be required to permit Awards granted under the Plan to qualify under Rule 16b-3, and each member of the Committee shall be an Outside Director.

 

(h) “Company” means Piper Jaffray Companies, a Delaware corporation.

 

(i) “Director” means a member of the Board, including any Outside Director.

 











 

(j) “Dividend Equivalent” means any right granted under Section 6(e) of the Plan.

 

(k) “Effective Date” means November 12, 2015.

 

(l) “Eligible Individual” means any employee (including any officer) or prospective employee of the Company or any Affiliate who is eligible to receive an employment inducement award within the meaning of Section 303A.08, or any successor provision, of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual.

 

(m)  “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

 

(n) “Exercise Price” has the meaning set forth in Section 6(a) of the Plan.

 

(o) “Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any property (including, without limitation, any Shares or other securities), the fair market value of such property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Committee in good faith and in a manner consistent with Code Section 409A. Notwithstanding the foregoing and except as otherwise provided by the Committee, the Fair Market Value of a Share as of a given date shall be the closing sales price for one Share on that date on the New York Stock Exchange or such other established securities market as may at the time be the principal market for the Shares, or if the Shares were not traded on such national securities market or exchange on such date, then on the next preceding date on which the Shares are traded, all as reported by such source as the Committee may select.

 

(p) “Non-Qualified Stock Option” means any Stock Option that is not designated as, or is not intended to qualify as, an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

 

(q) “Outside Director” means any Director who qualifies as a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 and as an “independent director” pursuant to the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange.

 

(r) “Participant” means an Eligible Individual designated to be granted an Award under the Plan.

 

(s) “Performance Goals” means any performance goals established by the Committee in connection with the grant of an Award.

 

(t) “Plan” means this Piper Jaffray Companies 2016 Employment Inducement Award Plan, as set forth herein and as hereinafter amended from time to time.

 

(u) “Restricted Stock” means any Share granted under Section 6(c) of the Plan.

 

(v) “Restricted Stock Unit” means any unit granted under Section 6(c) of the Plan evidencing the right to receive a Share (or a cash payment equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share) at some future date.

 

(w) “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3, as promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, as amended from time to time.

 

(x) “Share” or “Shares” means a share or shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company.

 

(y) “Stock Appreciation Right” means any right granted under Section 6(b) of the Plan.

 

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(z) “Stock Option” means a Non-Qualified Stock Option granted under Section 6(a) of the Plan.

 

SECTION 3. Administration

 

(a) Power and Authority of the Committee.  The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. Subject to the terms of the Plan and to applicable law, the Committee shall have full power and authority to:

 

(i) designate Participants;

 

(ii) determine whether and to what extent any type (or types) of Award is to be granted hereunder;

 

(iii) determine the number of Shares to be covered by (or the method by which payments or other rights are to be determined in connection with) each Award;

 

(iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award or Award Agreement;

 

(v) subject to Section 9 hereof, amend the terms and conditions of any Award or Award Agreement and accelerate the vesting and/or exercisability of any Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right or waive any restrictions relating to any Award; provided, however, that except for adjustments pursuant to Section 4(c) of the Plan, in no event may any Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right granted under this Plan be: (w) amended to decrease the Exercise Price or grant price thereof, (x) cancelled in conjunction with the grant of any new Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right with a lower Exercise Price or grant price, (y) cancelled in exchange for cash, the grant of any other form of Award or other property at a time when the Exercise Price of the Stock Option or the grant price of the Stock Appreciation Right is greater than the current Fair Market Value of a Share, or (z) otherwise subject to any action that would be treated, for accounting purposes, as a “repricing” of such Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right, unless such amendment, cancellation, repurchase or action is approved by the stockholders of the Company .

 

(vi) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances the exercise price of Awards may be paid in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited or suspended;

 

(vii) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards, other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award under the Plan shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the holder thereof or the Committee;

 

(viii) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement, including an Award Agreement, relating to the Plan;

 

(ix) adopt, alter, suspend, waive or repeal such rules, guidelines and practices and appoint such agents as it shall deem advisable or appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; and

 

(x) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.

 

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 Award Agreement shall be within the 

 

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sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all persons, including without limitation, the Company, its Affiliates, shareholders, Eligible Individuals and any holder or beneficiary of any Award.

 

(b) Action by the Committee; Delegation.  Except to the extent prohibited by applicable law or the applicable rules of a stock exchange, the Committee may delegate all or any part of its duties and powers under the Plan to one or more persons, including Directors or a committee of Directors, subject to such terms, conditions and limitations as the Committee may establish in its sole discretion; provided, however, that the Committee shall not delegate its powers and duties under the Plan with regard to officers or directors of the Company or any Affiliate who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act and provided, further, that any such delegation may be revoked by the Committee at any time.

 

(c) Power and Authority of the Board.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, except to the extent that the grant or exercise of such authority would cause any Award or transaction to become subject to (or lose an exemption under) the short-swing profit recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Board may, at any time and from time to time, without any further action of the Committee, exercise the powers and duties of the Committee under the Plan. To the extent that any permitted action taken by the Board conflicts with action taken by the Committee, the Board action shall control.

 

SECTION 4. Shares Available for Awards

 

(a) Shares Available.  Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(c) of the Plan, the aggregate number of Shares that may be the subject of outstanding Awards and issued under the Plan shall be 400,000.  Shares issuable under the Plan may be authorized but unissued Shares or Shares re-acquired and held in treasury.

 

(b) Accounting for Awards.  For purposes of this Section 4, if an Award entitles the holder thereof to receive or purchase Shares, the number of Shares covered by such Award or to which such Award relates shall be counted on the date of grant of such Award against the aggregate number of Shares available for granting Awards under the Plan. Any Shares that are used by a Participant as full or partial payment to the Company of the purchase price relating to an Award, or to satisfy applicable tax obligations relating to an Award, shall again be available for granting Awards under the Plan. In addition, if any Shares covered by an Award or to which an Award relates are not purchased or are forfeited, or if an Award otherwise terminates without delivery of any Shares, then the number of Shares counted against the aggregate number of Shares available under the Plan with respect to such Award, to the extent of any such failure to purchase, forfeiture or termination, shall again be available for granting Awards under the Plan.

 

(c) Adjustments.  In the event of any change in corporate capitalization (including, but not limited to, a change in the number of Shares outstanding), such as a stock split or a corporate transaction, such as any merger, consolidation, separation, including a spin-off, or other distribution of stock or property of the Company (including any extraordinary cash or stock dividend), any reorganization (whether or not such reorganization comes within the definition of such term in Section 368 of the Code) or any partial or complete liquidation of the Company, the Committee or Board shall make such substitution or adjustments in the aggregate number and kind of shares  reserved for issuance under the Plan, in the maximum limitation upon Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights and other Awards to be granted to any Participant, in the number, kind and Exercise Price of shares 

 

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subject to outstanding Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, in the number and kind of shares subject to other outstanding Awards granted under the Plan and/or such other equitable substitutions or adjustments as it may determine to be appropriate in its sole discretion (including, without limitation, the provision of an amount in cash in consideration for any such Awards); provided, however, that the number of shares subject to any Award shall always be a whole number. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in connection with any Disaffiliation of a subsidiary of the Company, the Committee shall have the authority to arrange for the assumption or replacement of Awards with new awards based on shares of the affected subsidiary or by an affiliate of an entity that controls the subsidiary following the Disaffiliation. For purposes hereof, “Disaffiliation” of a subsidiary shall mean the subsidiary’s ceasing to be a subsidiary of the Company for any reason (including, without limitation, as a result of a public offering, spin-off, sale or other distribution or transfer by the Company of the stock of the subsidiary). Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that any Award is otherwise considered to be deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code, any adjustment to such Award will comply with Section 409A of the Code (including current and future guidance issued by the Department of Treasury and/or the Internal Revenue Service).

 

SECTION 5. Eligibility

 

Any Eligible Individual shall be eligible to be designated a Participant. In determining which Eligible Individuals shall receive an Award and the terms of any Award, the Committee may take into account the nature of the services to be rendered by the respective Eligible Individuals, their potential contributions to the success of the Company or such other factors as the Committee, in its discretion, shall deem relevant.  Awards will only be granted to an Eligible Individual as a material inducement to such Eligible Individual to become an employee of the Company or one of its Affiliates (including in connection with a corporate transaction) or to be rehired by the Company or one of its Affiliates following a bona fide interruption of employment.  Any grant of an Award shall not become effective unless and until the Eligible Individual actually becomes an employee of the Company or one of its Affiliates.

 

SECTION 6. Awards

 

(a) Stock Options.  The Committee is hereby authorized to grant Stock Options (which may only be Non-Qualified Stock Options) to Eligible Individuals with the following terms and conditions and with such additional terms and conditions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as the Committee shall determine:

 

(i) Exercise Price.  The purchase price per Share purchasable under a Stock Option (the “Exercise Price”) shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, that such Exercise Price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of such Stock Option.

 

(ii) Option Term. The term of each Stock Option shall be fixed by the Committee at the time of grant, but in no event shall be more than 10 years from the date of grant.

 

(iii) Time and Method of Exercise. The Committee shall determine the time or times at which a Stock Option may be exercised in whole or in part and the method or methods by which, and the form or forms (including, without limitation, cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property, or any combination thereof, having a Fair Market Value on the exercise date equal to the

 

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applicable Exercise Price) in which payment of the Exercise Price with respect thereto may be made or deemed to have been made.

 

(b) Stock Appreciation Rights.  The Committee is hereby authorized to grant Stock Appreciation Rights to Eligible Individuals subject to the terms of the Plan. Each Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan shall confer on the holder upon exercise the right to receive, as determined by the Committee, cash in an amount equal to, or a number of Shares whose Fair Market Value is equal to, the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of exercise (or, if the Committee shall so determine in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 409A, at any time during a specified period not more than 30 days before or after the date of exercise) over (B) the per Share grant price of the Stock Appreciation Right as determined by the Committee, which grant price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of grant of the Stock Appreciation Right. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the grant price, term, methods of exercise, dates of exercise, methods of settlement and any other terms and conditions (including conditions or restrictions on the exercise thereof) of any Stock Appreciation Right shall be as determined by the Committee, provided that in no event shall the term of a Stock Appreciation Right be longer than ten years.

 

(c) Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units.  The Committee is hereby authorized to grant Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units to Eligible Individuals with the following terms and conditions and with such additional terms and conditions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as the Committee shall determine:

 

(i) Restrictions.  Shares of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to such restrictions as the Committee may impose (including, without limitation, limitations on transfer, forfeiture conditions, limitations on the right to vote a Share of Restricted Stock or the right to receive any dividend or other right or property with respect thereto), which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such time or times, in such installments or otherwise as the Committee may deem appropriate.

 

(ii) Stock Certificates; Delivery of Shares.

 

(A) Any Restricted Stock granted under the Plan shall be evidenced in such manner as the Committee may deem appropriate, including book-entry registration or issuance of one or more stock certificates. Any certificate issued in respect of Shares of Restricted Stock shall be registered in the name of such Participant and shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the applicable Award Agreement and possible forfeiture of such Shares of Restricted Stock. The Committee may require that the certificates evidencing such Shares be held in custody by the Company until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed and that, as a condition of any Award of Restricted Stock, the Participant shall have delivered a stock power, endorsed in blank, relating to the Shares covered by such Award.

 

(B) In the case of Restricted Stock Units, no Shares or other property shall be issued at the time such Awards are granted. Upon the lapse or waiver of restrictions and the restricted period relating to Restricted Stock Units (or at such later time as may be determined by the Committee), Shares or other cash or property shall be issued to the holder of the Restricted Stock Units, and any Shares issued shall be evidenced in such manner as the Committee may deem appropriate, including book-entry registration or issuance of one or more stock certificates.

 

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(iii) Forfeiture. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, upon a Participant’s termination of employment (as determined under criteria established by the Committee) during the  applicable restriction period, all applicable Shares of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units at such time subject to restriction shall be forfeited and reacquired by the Company; provided, however, that the Committee may, when it finds that a waiver would be in the best interest of the Company, waive in whole or in part any or all remaining restrictions with respect to Shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units.

 

(d) Performance Awards.  Any Award may be granted as a performance Award if the Committee establishes one or more measures of corporate, business unit or individual performance which must be attained, and the performance period over which the specified performance is to be attained, as a condition to the grant, vesting, exercisability, lapse of restrictions and/or settlement in cash or Shares of such Award. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Performance Goals to be achieved during any performance period, the length of any performance period, the amount of any performance Award granted, the amount of any payment or transfer to be made pursuant to any performance Award and any other terms and conditions of any performance Award shall be determined by the Committee.

 

(e) Dividend Equivalents.  The Committee is hereby authorized to grant Dividend Equivalents to Eligible Individuals under which the Participant shall be entitled to receive payments (in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property as determined in the discretion of the Committee) equivalent in value to the amount of cash dividends paid by the Company to holders of Shares with respect to a number of Shares determined by the Committee. Subject to the terms of the Plan, such Dividend Equivalents may have such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine, but no right to a Dividend Equivalent shall be contingent, directly or indirectly, upon the exercise of a Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right.

 

(f) Other Stock Grants.  The Committee is hereby authorized, subject to the terms of the Plan, to grant to Eligible Individuals Shares without restrictions thereon as are deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purpose of the Plan.

 

(g) Other Stock-Based Awards.  The Committee is hereby authorized to grant to Eligible Individuals, subject to the terms of the Plan, such other Awards that are denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to, Shares (including, without limitation, securities convertible into Shares), as are deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purpose of the Plan. Shares or other securities delivered pursuant to a purchase right granted under this Section 6(g) shall be purchased for such consideration, which may be paid by such method or methods and in such form or forms (including, without limitation, cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property or any combination thereof), as the Committee shall determine, the value of which consideration, as established by the Committee, shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such Shares or other securities as of the date such purchase right is granted.

 

(h) General.

 

(i) Consideration for Awards.  Awards may be granted for no cash consideration or for any cash or other consideration as determined by the Committee and required by applicable law.

 

(ii) Awards May Be Granted Separately or Together. Awards may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with or in substitution for any other 

 

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Award or any award granted under any plan of the Company or any Affiliate. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards or in addition to or in tandem with awards granted under any such other plan of the Company or any Affiliate may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards or awards.

 

(iii) Forms of Payment Under Awards. Subject to the terms of the Plan, payments or transfers to be made by the Company or an Affiliate upon the grant, exercise or settlement of an Award may be made in such form or forms as the Committee shall determine (including cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property or any combination thereof); provided, however, that such payments or transfers shall not be in the form of promissory notes. Such payments or transfers may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments or on a deferred basis, in each case in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Committee. Such rules and procedures may include, without limitation, provisions for the payment or crediting of reasonable interest on installment or deferred payments or the grant or crediting of Dividend Equivalents with respect to installment or deferred payments.

 

(iv) Limits on Transfer of Awards. No Award (other than Other Stock Grants) and no right under any such Award shall be transferable by a Participant otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and the Company shall not be required to recognize any attempted assignment of such rights by any Participant; provided, however, that, if so determined by the Committee, a Participant may, in the manner established by the Committee, designate a beneficiary or beneficiaries to exercise the rights of the Participant and receive any property distributable with respect to any Award upon the death of the Participant; and provided, further, that, if so determined by the Committee, a Participant may transfer a Non-Qualified Stock Option to any Family Member (as such term is defined in the General Instructions to Form S-8 (or successor to such Instructions or such Form)) at any time that such Participant holds such Stock Option, whether directly or indirectly or by means of a trust or partnership or otherwise, provided that the Participant may not receive any consideration for such transfer, the Family Member may not make any subsequent transfers other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and the Company receives written notice of such transfer. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, each Award or right under any such Award shall be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant or, if permissible under applicable law, by the Participant’s guardian or legal representative. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, no Award or right under any such Award may be pledged, alienated, attached or otherwise encumbered, and any purported pledge, alienation, attachment or other encumbrance thereof shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any Affiliate.

 

(v) Term of Awards.  Subject to Sections 6(a)(ii) and 6(b) of the Plan, the term of each Award shall be for such period as may be determined by the Committee.

 

(vi) Restrictions. All Shares or other securities delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award or the exercise thereof shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan, applicable federal or state securities laws and regulatory requirements, and the Committee may direct appropriate stop transfer orders and cause other legends to be placed on the certificates for such Shares or other securities to reflect such restrictions.

 

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SECTION 7. Change in Control

 

(a) Impact of Event.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, unless otherwise provided by the Committee in any Award Agreement, in the event of a Change in Control, the following provisions shall apply:

 

(i) Continuation, Assumption or Replacement of Awards.  In the event of a Change in Control that is a Corporate Transaction (as defined in Section 7(b)(iii) below), if the corporation  resulting from the Corporate Transaction (as described in Section 7(b)(iii) below and referred to as the “Surviving Entity”) agrees to continue, assume or replace Awards outstanding as of the date of the Corporate Transaction (with such adjustments as may be required by Section 4(c) above), then such Awards or replacements therefor shall remain outstanding and be governed by their respective terms, subject to Section 7(a)(iv) below. The Surviving Entity may elect to continue, assume or replace only some Awards or portions of Awards. For purposes of this Section 7(a)(i), an Award shall be considered assumed or replaced if, in connection with the Corporate Transaction and in a manner consistent with Code Section 409A, either (A) the contractual obligations represented by the Award are expressly assumed by the Surviving Entity with appropriate adjustments to the number and type of securities subject to the Award and the exercise price thereof that preserves the intrinsic value of the Award existing at the time of the Corporate Transaction, or (B) the Participant has received a comparable equity-based award that preserves the intrinsic value of the Award existing at the time of the Corporate Transaction and is subject to substantially similar terms and conditions as the Award.

 

(ii) Acceleration.  If and to the extent that outstanding Awards under the Plan are not continued, assumed or replaced in connection with a Corporate Transaction, then (A) all outstanding Stock Option and Stock Appreciation Rights Awards shall become fully exercisable for such period of time prior to the effective time of the Corporate Transaction as is deemed fair and equitable by the Committee, and shall terminate at the effective time of the Corporate Transaction, (B) all other forms of Awards then outstanding shall fully vest immediately prior to the effective time of the Corporate Transaction, and (C) any Performance Goals applicable to such other forms of Awards will be deemed to have been satisfied at the target level of performance specified in connection with the applicable Award. The Committee shall provide written notice of the period of accelerated exercisability of Stock Option and Stock Appreciation Rights Awards to all affected Participants, and any exercise of such accelerated Awards shall be effective only immediately before, and shall be conditioned upon, the consummation of the Corporate Transaction. If a Change in Control described in Section 7(b)(iv) below occurs, then unless the Committee provides otherwise at the time of the Change in Control, outstanding Awards shall be dealt with as provided in clauses (A) and (B) of this paragraph, with the consummation of the dissolution or liquidation being deemed the “effective time of the Corporate Transaction” for these purposes.

 

(iii) Payment for Awards.  If and to the extent that outstanding Awards under the Plan are not continued, assumed or replaced in connection with a Corporate Transaction, then the Committee may terminate some or all of such outstanding Awards, in whole or in part, at or immediately prior to the effective time of the Corporate Transaction in exchange for payments to the holders as provided in this Section 7(a)(iii). The Committee will not be required to treat all Awards similarly for purposes of this Section 7(a)(iii). The payment for any Award or portion thereof terminated shall be in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (A) the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Committee) of the consideration that would otherwise be received in the Corporate Transaction for the number of Shares subject to the Award or portion thereof being terminated, over (B) the aggregate exercise price (if any) for the Shares subject to such Award or portion thereof being terminated. If there is no excess, such 

 

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Award may be terminated without payment to the affected Participant. Payment of any amount under this Section 7(a)(iii) shall be made in such form, on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Committee determines in its discretion, which may or may not be the same as the form, terms and conditions applicable to payments to the Company’s shareholders in connection with the Corporate Transaction, and may, in the Committee’s discretion, include subjecting such payments to vesting conditions comparable to those of the Award surrendered, subjecting such payments to escrow or holdback terms comparable to those imposed upon the  Company’s shareholders under the Corporate Transaction, or calculating and paying the present value of payments that would otherwise be subject to escrow or holdback terms.

 

(iv) Termination After a Change in Control.  If, within 24 months after a Change in Control (A) described in Section 7(b)(i) or 7(b)(ii) below or (B) that is a Corporate Transaction and in connection with which outstanding Awards are continued, assumed or replaced as described in Section 7(a)(i), a Participant experiences an involuntary termination of employment for reasons other than Cause (as defined in Section 7(c) below), then (i) outstanding Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights issued to the Participant that are not yet fully exercisable shall immediately become exercisable in full and shall remain exercisable in accordance with their terms, (ii) all other forms of outstanding Awards issued to the Participant will become immediately fully vested and non-forfeitable; and (iii) any Performance Goals applicable to such other forms of Awards will be deemed to have been satisfied at the target level of performance specified in connection with the applicable Award.

 

(b) Definition of Change in Control.  For purposes of the Plan, and unless otherwise provided in an applicable Award Agreement, a “Change in Control” shall mean the happening of any of the following events:

 

(i) An acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (a “Person”) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of either (1) the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or (2) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); excluding, however, the following: (1) Any acquisition directly from the Company, other than an acquisition by virtue of the exercise of a conversion privilege unless the security being so converted was itself acquired directly from the Company, (2) Any acquisition by the Company, (3) Any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any entity controlled by the Company, or (4) Any acquisition pursuant to a transaction which complies with clauses (1), (2) and (3) of subsection (iii) of this Section 7(b); or

 

(ii) A change in the composition of the Board such that the individuals who, as of the Effective Date, constitute the Board (such Board shall be hereinafter referred to as the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, for purposes of this Section 7(b), that any individual who becomes a member of the Board subsequent to the Effective Date, whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of those individuals who are members of the Board and who were also members of the Incumbent Board (or deemed to be such pursuant to this proviso) shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board; but, provided, further, that any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened

 

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solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board shall not be so considered as a member of the Incumbent Board; or

 

(iii) Consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (“Corporate Transaction”); excluding, however, such a Corporate Transaction pursuant to which (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who are the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock  and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction will beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of, respectively, the outstanding shares of common stock, and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation resulting from such Corporate Transaction (including, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (2) no Person (other than the Company, any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or such corporation resulting from such Corporate Transaction) will beneficially own, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of, respectively, the outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation resulting from such Corporate Transaction or the combined voting power of the outstanding voting securities of such corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Corporate Transaction, and (3) individuals who were members of the Incumbent Board will constitute at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the corporation resulting from such Corporate Transaction; or

 

(iv) The approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

(c) Definition of Cause.  For purposes of this Section 7, “Cause” means what the term is defined to mean in a then-effective written agreement (including an Award Agreement) between a Participant and the Company or any Affiliate or, in the absence of any such then effective agreement or definition, means (i) a Participant’s continued failure to substantially perform his or her duties with the Company or an Affiliate after written demand for substantial performance is delivered to the Participant, (ii) a Participant’s conviction of a crime (including a misdemeanor) that, in the Company’s determination, impairs the Participant’s ability to perform his or her duties with the Company or an Affiliate, (iii) a Participant’s violation of any policy of the Company or an Affiliate that the Company deems material, (iv) a Participant’s violation of any securities law, rule or regulation that the Company deems material, (v) a Participant’s engagement in conduct that, in the Company’s determination, exposes the Company or an Affiliate to civil or regulatory liability or injury to their reputations, (vi) a Participant’s engagement in conduct that would subject the Participant to statutory disqualification pursuant to Section 15(b) of the Exchange Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder, or (vii) a Participant’s gross or willful misconduct, as determined by the Company.

 

SECTION 8. Income Tax Withholding

 

No later than the date as of which an amount first becomes includible in the gross income of a Participant for federal or foreign income tax purposes with respect to any Award under the Plan, the Participant shall pay to the Company, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Company regarding the payment of, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes of any kind required by law to be withheld with

 

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respect to such amount. The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be conditional on such payment or arrangements, and the Company and its Affiliates shall, to the extent permitted by law, be entitled to take such action and establish such procedures as it deems appropriate to withhold or collect all applicable payroll, withholding, income or other taxes from such Participant, including without limitation withholding applicable tax from Participant’s cash compensation paid by the Company or an Affiliate. In order to assist a Participant in paying all or a portion of the federal, state, local and foreign taxes to be withheld or collected upon exercise or receipt of (or the lapse of  restrictions relating to) an Award, the Committee, in its discretion and subject to such additional terms and conditions as it may adopt, may permit the Participant to satisfy such tax obligation by (i) electing to have the Company withhold a portion of the Shares or other property otherwise to be delivered upon exercise or receipt of (or the lapse of restrictions relating to) such Award with a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such taxes or (ii) delivering to the Company Shares or other property other than Shares issuable upon exercise or receipt of (or the lapse of restrictions relating to) such Award with a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such taxes, provided that, in either case, not more than the legally required minimum withholding may be settled with Shares to the extent such limitation is necessary to avoid an adverse accounting impact. Any such election must be made on or before the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is determined.

 

SECTION 9. Amendment and Termination

 

(a) Amendments to the Plan.  The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan at any time; provided, however, that, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, no amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation or termination shall be made that requires stockholder approval under the rules or regulations of the New York Stock Exchange, any other securities exchange or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. that are applicable to the Company.

 

(b) Amendments to Awards.  Subject to Section 3(a)(v), the Committee may waive any conditions of or rights of the Company under any outstanding Award, prospectively or retroactively. Except as otherwise provided herein or in an Award Agreement, the Committee may not amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate any outstanding Award, prospectively or retroactively, if such action would adversely affect the rights of the holder of such Award, without the consent of the Participant or holder or beneficiary thereof. The Committee may unilaterally amend any Award, and it will be conclusively presumed that such action will not adversely affect the rights of the holder of such Award, if such amendment is determined by the Committee to be necessary to cause the Award to comply with applicable laws, including Code Section 409A, stock exchange rules or any compensation recovery policy as provided in Section 10(p).

 

(c) Correction of Defects, Omissions and Inconsistencies.  The Committee may correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or any Award in the manner and to the extent it shall deem desirable to carry the Plan into effect.

 

SECTION 10. General Provisions

 

(a) No Rights to Awards.  No Eligible Individual or other person shall have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Eligible Individuals or holders or beneficiaries of Awards under the Plan. The terms and conditions of Awards need not be the same with respect to any Participant or with respect to different Participants.

 

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(b) Award Agreements.  No Participant will have rights under an Award granted to such Participant unless and until an Award Agreement shall have been duly executed on behalf of the Company and, if requested by the Company, signed by the Participant. In the event that any provision of an Award Agreement conflicts with or is inconsistent in any respect with the terms of the Plan as set forth herein or subsequently amended, the terms of the Plan shall control.

 

(c) No Rights of Stockholders.  Except with respect to Shares of Restricted Stock as to which the Participant has been granted the right to vote, neither a Participant nor the Participant’s legal  representative shall be, or have any of the rights and privileges of, a stockholder of the Company with respect to any Shares issuable to such Participant upon the exercise or payment of any Award, in whole or in part, unless and until such Shares have been issued in the name of such Participant or such Participant’s legal representative without restrictions thereto.

 

(d) No Limit on Other Compensation Plans or Arrangements.  Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Company or any Affiliate from adopting or continuing in effect other or additional compensation arrangements, and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

 

(e) No Right to Employment.  The Plan shall not constitute a contract of employment, and adoption of the Plan or the grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained as an employee of the Company or an Affiliate, nor shall it affect in any way the right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate such employment at any time, with or without cause. In addition, the Company or an Affiliate may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment free from any liability or any claim under the Plan or any Award, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in any Award Agreement.

 

(f) Governing Law.  The Plan and all Awards granted and actions taken thereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without reference to principles of conflict of laws thereof.

 

(g) Severability.  If any provision of the Plan or any Award is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction 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 applicable laws, or if it cannot be so construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the purpose or intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction or Award, and the remainder of the Plan or any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.

 

(h) Application to Participants Outside the United States.  In the event an Award is granted to a Participant who is employed or providing services outside the United States and who is not compensated from a payroll maintained in the United States, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, modify the provisions of the Plan as they pertain to such individual to comply with applicable foreign law.

 

(i) No Trust or Fund Created.  Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any Affiliate and an Eligible Individual or any other person. To the extent that any person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company or any Affiliate pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company or any Affiliate.

 

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(j) Other Benefits.  No compensation or benefit awarded to or realized by any Participant under the Plan shall be included for the purpose of computing such Participant’s compensation under any compensation-based retirement, disability, or similar plan of the Company unless required by law or otherwise provided by such other plan.

 

(k) No Fractional Shares.  No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine whether cash shall be paid in lieu of any fractional  Shares or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated or otherwise eliminated.

 

(l) Headings.  Headings are given to the Sections and subsections of the Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Plan or any provision thereof.

 

(m) Section 16 Compliance.  The Plan is intended to comply in all respects with Rule 16b-3 or any successor provision, as in effect from time to time, and in all events the Plan shall be construed in accordance with the requirements of Rule 16b-3. If any Plan provision does not comply with Rule 16b-3 as hereafter amended or interpreted, the provision shall be deemed inoperative. The Board, in its absolute discretion, may bifurcate the Plan so as to restrict, limit or condition the use of any provision of the Plan with respect to persons who are officers or directors subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act without so restricting, limiting or conditioning the Plan with respect to other Eligible Individuals.

 

(n) Conditions Precedent to Issuance of Shares.  Shares shall not be issued pursuant to the exercise or payment of the Exercise Price or purchase price relating to an Award unless such exercise or payment and the issuance and delivery of such Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, the requirements of any applicable stock exchange and the Delaware General Corporation Law. As a condition to the exercise or payment of the Exercise Price or purchase price relating to such Award, the Company may require that the person exercising or paying the Exercise Price or purchase price represent and warrant that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation and warranty is required by law.

 

(o) Conformance to Section 409A of the Code.  To the extent that any Award constitutes a deferral of compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code, the following provisions shall apply notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan:

 

(i) If such Award provides for a change in the time or form of payment of such Award upon a Change in Control of the Company, no Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred upon an event described in Section 7(b) of the Plan unless such event would also constitute a change in ownership or effective control of, or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of, the Company under Section 409A of the Code.

 

(ii) If any amount is payable under such Award upon a termination of employment or other service, a termination of employment or other service will be deemed to have occurred only at such time as the Participant has experienced a “separation from service” as such term is defined for purposes of Code Section 409A.

 

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(iii) If any amount shall be payable with respect to any such Award as a result of a Participant’s “separation from service” at such time as the Participant is a “specified employee,” then no payment shall be made, except as permitted under Code Section 409A, prior to the first day of the seventh (7th) calendar month beginning after the Participant’s separation from service (or the date of his or her earlier death). The Company may adopt a “specified employee identification policy” which specifies the identification date, the effective date of any change in the key employee group, compensation definition and other variables that are relevant in identifying specified employees, and  which may include an alternative method of identifying specified employees consistent with the regulations under Code Section 409A. In the absence of any such policy or policy provision, for purposes of the above, the “identification date” is each December 31st, and an employee who satisfies the above conditions will be considered to be a “specified employee” from April 1st following the identification date to March 31st of the following year, and the compensation and other variables, and special rules for corporate events and special rules relating to nonresident aliens, that is necessary in identifying specified employees will be determined and applied in accordance with the defaults specified in the regulations under Code Section 409A. Any Specified Employee Identification Policy will apply uniformly to all nonqualified deferred compensation plans subject to Code Section 409A that are maintained by the Company or an Affiliate.

 

To the extent the Committee elects to exercise its discretion to permit or require a Participant to defer receipt of cash or Shares that would otherwise be due to him or her under the Plan upon the vesting or settlement of any Award, such deferral shall occur in accordance with a written plan, rules or procedures adopted for that purpose by the Committee. Any such plan, rules or procedures will be intended to comply with the requirements of Code Section 409A, including those with respect to the time when a deferral election may be made, the period of the deferral and the events that would result in the payment of the deferred amount.

 

(p) Compensation Recovery Policy.  Awards and any compensation associated therewith may be made subject to forfeiture, recovery by the Company or other action pursuant to any compensation recovery policy adopted by the Board or the Committee at any time, including in response to the requirements of Section 10D of the Exchange Act and any implementing rules and regulations thereunder, or as otherwise required by law. Any Award Agreement evidencing an outstanding Award may be unilaterally amended by the Committee to comply with any such compensation recovery policy.

 

SECTION 11. Term of the Plan

 

The Plan will become effective on the Effective Date, and will terminate on the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date or any earlier date of discontinuation or termination established pursuant to Section 9 of the Plan. However, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in an applicable Award Agreement, any Award theretofore granted may extend beyond such date, and the authority of the Committee provided for hereunder with respect to the Plan and any Awards, and the authority of the Board to amend the Plan, shall extend beyond the termination of the Plan.

 

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