ex101.htm


Exhibit 10.1




 







 







 







 







 


 


 







 







 


NEWFIELD EXPLORATION COMPANY


2011 OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN


 


Effective May 5, 2011


As Amended and Restated May 2, 2013


 


 






  





  











  








TABLE OF CONTENTS


 



	  	  	  
	  	  	
  Page  



 




	
ARTICLE I

	
ESTABLISHMENT, PURPOSE AND DURATION

	
           1


	
1.1

	
Establishment

	
           1


	
1.2

	
Purpose of the Plan

	
           1


	
1.3

	
Duration of the Plan

	
           1


	  	  	  
	
ARTICLE II

	
DEFINITIONS

	
           1


	
2.1

	
Affiliate

	
           1


	
2.2

	
Award

	
           1


	
2.3

	
Award Agreement

	
           1


	
2.4

	
Board

	
           1


	
2.5

	
Change of Control

	
           1


	
2.6

	
Code

	
           2


	
2.7

	
Committee

	
           2


	
2.8

	
Company

	
           2


	
2.9

	
Corporate Change

	
           2


	
2.10

	
Covered Employee

	
           2


	
2.11

	
Director

	
           2


	
2.12

	
Disability

	
           2


	
2.13

	
Dividend Equivalent

	
           2


	
2.14

	
Effective Date

	
           2


	
2.15

	
Employee

	
           2


	
2.16

	
Exchange Act

	
           2


	
2.17

	
Fair Market Value

	
           2


	
2.18

	
Fiscal Year

	
           3


	
2.19

	
Full Value Award

	
           3


	
2.20

	
Holder

	
           3


	
2.21

	
Incumbent Director

	
           3


	
2.22

	
ISO

	
           3


	
2.23

	
Minimum Statutory Tax Withholding Obligation

	
           3


	
2.24

	
NSO

	
           3


	
2.25

	
Option

	
           3


	
2.26

	
Optionee

	
           3


	
2.27

	
Option Price

	
           3


	
2.28

	
Parent Corporation

	
           3


	
2.29

	
Performance-Based Compensation

	
           3


	
2.30

	
Performance Goals

	
           3


	
2.31

	
Performance Stock Award

	
           3


	
2.32

	
Performance Unit Award

	
           4


	
2.33

	
Period of Restriction

	
           4


	
2.34

	
Person

	
           4


	
2.35

	
Plan

	
           4


	
2.36

	
Restricted Stock

	
           4


	
2.37

	
Restricted Stock Award

	
           4


	
2.38

	
RSU

	
           4


	
2.39

	
RSU Award

	
           4


	
2.40

	
Section 409A

	
           4


	
2.41

	
Share

	
           4


	
2.42

	
Stock

	
           4


	
2.43

	
Subsidiary Corporation

	
           4


	
2.44

	
Substantial Risk of Forfeiture

	
           4


	
2.45

	
Ten Percent Stockholder

	
           4


	
2.46

	
Termination of Employment

	
           4


	
ARTICLE III

	
ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

	
           4


	
3.1

	
Eligibility

	
           4


	
3.2

	
Participation

	
           4





 


 




  





  











  






 


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ARTICLE IV

	
GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO AWARDS

	
           5


	
4.1

	
Authority to Grant Awards

	
           5


	
4.2

	
Dedicated Shares; Award Limitations

	
           5


	
4.3

	
Non-Transferability

	
           5


	
4.4

	
Requirements of Law

	
           6


	
4.5

	
Changes in the Company’s Capital Structure

	
           6


	
4.6

	
Election Under Section 83(b) of the Code

	
           7


	
4.7

	
Forfeiture for Cause

	
           8


	
4.8

	
Forfeiture Events

	
           8


	
4.9

	
Recoupment in Restatement Situations

	
           8


	
4.10

	
Award Agreements

	
           8


	
4.11

	
Amendments of Award Agreements; Repricing Prohibitions

	
           8


	
4.12

	
Rights as Stockholder

	
           8


	
4.13

	
Issuance of Shares of Stock

	
           8


	
4.14

	
Restrictions on Stock Received

	
           9


	
4.15

	
Compliance With Section 409A

	
           9


	
4.16

	
Source of Shares Deliverable Under Awards

	
           9


	
4.17

	
Date of Grant

	
           9


	  	  	  
	
ARTICLE V

	
OPTIONS

	
           9


	
5.1

	
Authority to Grant Options

	
           9


	
5.2

	
Type of Options Available

	
           9


	
5.3

	
Option Agreement

	
           9


	
5.4

	
Option Price

	
           9


	
5.5

	
Duration of Option

	
           9


	
5.6

	
Amount Exercisable

	
           9


	
5.7

	
Exercise of Option

	
           10


	
5.8

	
Notification of Disqualifying Disposition

	
           10


	
5.9

	
$100,000 Limitation on ISOs

	
           10


	  	  	  
	
ARTICLE VI

	
RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS

	
           10


	
6.1

	
Restricted Stock Awards

	
           10


	
6.2

	
Restricted Stock Award Agreement

	
           10


	
6.3

	
Holder’s Rights as Stockholder

	
           10


	  	  	  
	
ARTICLE VII

	
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARDS

	
           11


	
7.1

	
Authority to Grant RSU Awards

	
           11


	
7.2

	
RSU Award

	
           11


	
7.3

	
RSU Award Agreement

	
           11


	
7.4

	
No Dividend Equivalents

	
           11


	
7.5

	
Form of Payment Under RSU Award

	
           11


	
7.6

	
Time of Payment Under RSU Award

	
           11


	  	  	  
	
ARTICLE VIII

	
PERFORMANCE STOCK AWARDS AND PERFORMANCE UNIT AWARDS

	
           11


	
8.1

	
Authority to Grant Performance Stock Awards and Performance Unit Awards

	
           11


	
8.2

	
Performance Goals

	
           11


	
8.3

	
Time of Establishment of Performance Goals

	
           12


	
8.4

	
Written Agreement

	
           12


	
8.5

	
Form of Payment Under Performance Unit Award

	
           12


	
8.6

	
Time of Payment Under Performance Unit Award

	
           12


	
8.7

	
Holder’s Rights as Stockholder With Respect to a Performance Stock Award

	
           12


	
8.8

	
Increases Prohibited

	
           12


	
8.9

	
Stockholder Approval

	
           12


	
8.10

	
No Dividend Equivalents

	
           12


	
8.11

	
Dividends

	
           12


	  	  	  
	
ARTICLE IX

	
SUBSTITUTION AWARDS

	
           13





 


 




  





  











  






	  	  	  Page
	
ARTICLE X

	
ADMINISTRATION

	
           13


	
10.1

	
Awards

	
           13


	
10.2

	
Authority of the Committee

	
           13


	
10.3

	
Decisions Binding

	
           13


	
10.4

	
No Liability

	
           13


	  	  	  
	
ARTICLE XI

	
AMENDMENT OR TERMINATION OF PLAN

	
           14


	
11.1

	
Amendment, Modification, Suspension, and Termination

	
           14


	
11.2

	
Awards Previously Granted

	
           14


	  	  	  
	
ARTICLE XII

	
ACCELERATION OF VESTING FOR CERTAIN AWARDS UPON A CHANGE OF CONTROL

	
           14


	  	  	  
	
ARTICLE XIII

	
MISCELLANEOUS

	
           14


	
13.1

	
Unfunded Plan/No Establishment of a Trust Fund

	
           14


	
13.2

	
No Employment Obligation

	
           14


	
13.3

	
Tax Withholding

	
           14


	
13.4

	
Indemnification of the Committee

	
           15


	
13.5

	
Gender and Number

	
           15


	
13.6

	
Severability

	
           15


	
13.7

	
Headings

	
           15


	
13.8

	
Other Compensation Plans

	
           15


	
13.9

	
Retirement and Welfare Plans

	
           15


	
13.10

	
Other Awards

	
           16


	
13.11

	
Successors

	
           16


	
13.12

	
Law Limitations/Governmental Approvals

	
           16


	
13.13

	
Delivery of Title

	
           16


	
13.14

	
Inability to Obtain Authority

	
           16


	
13.15

	
Investment Representations

	
           16


	
13.16

	
Persons Residing Outside of the United States

	
           16


	
13.17

	
No Fractional Shares

	
           16


	
13.18

	
Governing Law

	
           16







 


 






  





  











  








NEWFIELD EXPLORATION COMPANY


2011 OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN


 


ARTICLE I


 


ESTABLISHMENT, PURPOSE AND DURATION


 


1.1  Establishment. The Company hereby establishes an incentive compensation plan, to be known as the “Newfield Exploration Company 2011 Omnibus Stock Plan”, as set forth in this document. The Plan permits the grant of Options, Restricted Stock, RSUs, Performance Stock Awards and Performance Unit Awards. The Plan shall become effective on the later of (a) the date the Plan is approved by the Board and (b) the date the Plan is approved by the stockholders of the Company (the “Effective Date”).


 


1.2 Purpose of the Plan. The Plan is intended to promote the long-term growth and profitability of the Company by providing certain directors, officers, and Employees of, the Company and its Affiliates with incentives to maximize stockholder value and to otherwise contribute to the success of the Company, thereby aligning the interests of such service providers with the interests of the Company’s stockholders.


 


1.3 Duration of the Plan. The Plan shall continue indefinitely until it is terminated pursuant to Section 11.1. No ISOs may be granted under the Plan on or after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date. The applicable provisions of the Plan will continue in effect with respect to an Award granted under the Plan for as long as such Award remains outstanding.


 


ARTICLE II


 


DEFINITIONS


 


The words and phrases defined in this Article shall have the meaning set out below throughout the Plan, unless the context in which any such word or phrase appears reasonably requires a broader, narrower or different meaning.


 


2.1  “Affiliate” means any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or association, trust or other entity or organization which, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company. For purposes of the preceding sentence, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any entity or organization, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power (a) to vote more than fifty percent (50%) of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of the controlled entity or organization, or (b) to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of the controlled entity or organization, whether through the ownership of voting securities or by contract or otherwise.


 


2.2 “Award” means, individually or collectively, a grant under the Plan of Options, Restricted Stock, RSUs, Performance Stock Awards and Performance Unit Awards, in each case subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan.


 


2.3 “Award Agreement” means a written agreement that sets forth the terms and conditions applicable to an Award granted under the Plan.


 


2.4 “Board” means the board of directors of the Company.


 


2.5 “Change of Control” means the occurrence of one of the following events:


 


(a) the Company is not the surviving Person in any merger, consolidation or other reorganization (or survives only as a subsidiary of another Person),


 


(b) the consummation of a merger or consolidation of the Company with another Person and as a result of such merger or consolidation less than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding voting securities of the surviving or resulting corporation will be issued in respect of the capital stock of the Company,


 


(c) the Company sells, leases or exchanges all or substantially all of its assets to any other Person,


 


(d) the Company is to be dissolved and liquidated,


 


(e) any Person, including a “group” as contemplated by Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, acquires or gains ownership or control (including the power to vote) of more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding shares of the Company’s voting stock (based upon voting power) or


 


(f) individuals who are Incumbent Directors cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board.


 




  





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Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of Article XII, (A) the definition of “Change of Control” shall not include clause (a) above or any merger, consolidation, reorganization, sale, lease, exchange, or similar transaction involving solely the Company and one or more Persons that were wholly owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company immediately prior to such event and (B) with respect to Restricted Stock Unit Awards, Performance Stock Unit Awards and any Award that is intended to comply with (rather than be exempt from) the requirements of Section 409A), an event listed above in this Section 2.5 shall not constitute a “Change of Control” unless the event is a “change in control event” within the meaning of Department of Treasury Regulation section 1.409A-3(i)(5).


 


2.6 “Code” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.


 


2.7 “Committee” means (a) in the case of an Award granted to a Director, the Board, and (b) in the case of any other Award granted under the Plan, a committee of at least two persons, who are members of the Compensation Committee of the Board and are appointed by the Compensation & Management Development Committee of the Board, or, to the extent it chooses to operate as the Committee, the Compensation & Management Development Committee of the Board. Each member of the Committee in respect of his or her participation in any decision with respect to an Award that is intended to satisfy the requirements of section 162(m) of the Code must satisfy the requirements of “outside director” status within the meaning of section 162(m) of the Code; provided, however, that the failure to satisfy such requirement shall not affect the validity of the action of any committee otherwise duly authorized and acting in the matter. For all purposes of the Plan, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company shall be deemed to be the “Committee” with respect to Awards granted by him or her pursuant to Section 4.1.


 


2.8 “Company” means Newfield Exploration Company, a Delaware corporation, or any successor (by reincorporation, merger or otherwise).


 


2.9 “Corporate Change” shall have the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 4.5(c).


 


2.10 “Covered Employee” means an Employee who is a “covered employee,” as defined in section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations or other guidance promulgated by the Internal Revenue Service under section 162(m) of the Code, or any successor statute.


 


2.11 “Director” means a director of the Company who is not an Employee.


 


2.12 “Disability” means as determined by the Committee in its discretion exercised in good faith, (a) in the case of an Award that is exempt from the application of the requirements of Section 409A, a physical or mental condition of the Holder that would entitle him to payment of disability income payments under the Company’s long-term disability insurance policy or plan for employees as then in effect; or in the event that the Holder is a Director or is not covered, for whatever reason, under the Company’s long-term disability insurance policy or plan for employees or in the event the Company does not maintain such a long-term disability insurance policy, “Disability” means a permanent and total disability as defined in section 22(e)(3) of the Code and (b) in the case of an Award that is not exempt from the application of the requirements of Section 409A, (i) the Holder is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, or (ii) the Holder is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Company. A determination of Disability may be made by a physician selected or approved by the Committee and, in this respect, the Holder shall submit to an examination by such physician upon request by the Committee.


 


2.13 “Dividend Equivalent” means a payment equivalent in amount to dividends paid to the Company’s stockholders.


 


2.14 “Effective Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 1.1.


 


2.15 “Employee” means a person employed by the Company or any Affiliate as a common law employee.


 


2.16 “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or any successor act, and the rules and regulations thereunder, as such laws, rules and regulations may be amended from time to time.


 


2.17 “Fair Market Value” of the Stock as of any particular date means,


 


(a) if the Stock is traded on a stock exchange,


 


(1) and if the Stock is traded on that date, the mean of the high and low sales prices of the Stock on that date; or


 


(2) and if the Stock is not traded on that date, the mean of the high and low sales prices of the Stock on the last trading date immediately preceding that date;


 




  





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as reported on the principal securities exchange on which the Stock is traded (or such other reporting service as is approved by the Compensation & Management Development Committee of the Board); or


 


(b) if the Stock is traded in the over-the-counter market,


 


(1) and if the Stock is traded on that date, the average between the high bid and low asked price on that date; or


 


(2) and if the Stock is not traded on that date, the average between the high bid and low asked price on the last trading date immediately preceding that date;


 


as reported in such over-the-counter market; provided, however, that (x) if the Stock is not so traded, or (y) if, in the discretion of the Committee, another means of determining the fair market value of a Share at such date shall be necessary or advisable, the Committee may provide for another method or means for determining such fair market value, which method or means shall comply with the requirements of a reasonable valuation method as described under Section 409A.


 


2.18 “Fiscal Year” means the Company’s fiscal year.


 


2.19 “Full Value Award” means an Award other than in the form of an ISO or NSO, and which is settled by the issuance of Shares.


 


2.20 “Holder” means a person who has been granted an Award or any person who is entitled to receive Shares or cash under an Award.


 


2.21 “Incumbent Director” means:


 


(a) a member of the Board on the Effective Date; or


 


(b) an individual:


 


(1) who becomes a member of the Board after the Effective Date;


 


(2) whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders is approved or recommended by a vote of at least two-thirds of the then serving Incumbent Directors (as defined herein); and


 


(3) whose initial assumption of service on the Board is not in connection with an actual or threatened election contest.


 


2.22 “ISO” means an Option that is intended to be an “incentive stock option” that satisfies the requirements of section 422 of the Code.


 


2.23 “Minimum Statutory Tax Withholding Obligation” means, with respect to an Award, the amount the Company or an Affiliate is required to withhold for federal, state, local and foreign taxes based upon the applicable minimum statutory withholding rates required by the relevant tax authorities.


 


2.24 “NSO” means an Option that is intended to be a “nonqualified stock option” that does not satisfy the requirements of section 422 of the Code.


 


2.25 “Option” means an option to purchase Stock granted pursuant to Article V.


 


2.26 “Optionee” means a person who has been granted an Option or any other person who is entitled to exercise an Option under the Plan.


 


2.27 “Option Price” has the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 5.4.


 


2.28 “Parent Corporation” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Company if, at the time of the action or transaction, each of the corporations other than the Company owns stock possessing 50 percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in the chain.


 


2.29 “Performance-Based Compensation” means compensation under an Award that is intended by the Committee to satisfy the requirements of section 162(m) of the Code for deductibility of remuneration paid to Covered Employees.


 


2.30 “Performance Goals” means one or more of the criteria described in Section 8.2 on which the performance goals applicable to an Award are based.


 


2.31 “Performance Stock Award” means an Award providing for an issuance of Stock that is designated as a performance stock award granted pursuant to Article VIII.


 




  





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2.32 “Performance Unit Award” means an Award providing designated as a performance unit award granted pursuant to Article VIII.


 


2.33 “Period of Restriction” means the period during which Restricted Stock is subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture (based on the passage of time, the achievement of performance goals, or upon the occurrence of other events as determined by the Committee, in its discretion), as provided in Article VI.


 


2.34 “Person” means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, trust, incorporated or unincorporated organization or association or other legal entity of any kind.


 


2.35 “Plan” means the Newfield Exploration Company 2011 Omnibus Stock Plan, as set forth in this document as it may be amended from time to time.


 


2.36 “Restricted Stock” means shares of restricted Stock issued or granted under the Plan pursuant to Article VI.


 


2.37 “Restricted Stock Award” means an authorization by the Committee to issue or transfer Restricted Stock to a Holder.


 


2.38 “RSU” means a restricted stock unit credited to a Holder’s ledger account maintained by the Company pursuant to Article VII.


 


2.39 “RSU Award” means an Award granted pursuant to Article VII.


 


2.40 “Section 409A” means section 409A of the Code and Department of Treasury rules and regulations issued thereunder.


 


2.41 “Share” means a share of Stock.


 


2.42 “Stock” means the common stock of the Company, $0.01 par value per share (or such other par value as may be designated by act of the Company’s stockholders).


 


2.43 “Subsidiary Corporation” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if, at the time of the action or transaction, each of the corporations other than the last corporation in an unbroken chain owns stock possessing 50 percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in the chain.


 


2.44 “Substantial Risk of Forfeiture” shall have the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 409A.


 


2.45 “Ten Percent Stockholder” means an individual who, at the time the Option is granted, owns stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock or series of the Company or of any Parent Corporation or Subsidiary Corporation. An individual shall be considered as owning the stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for his brothers and sisters (whether by the whole or half blood), spouse, ancestors and lineal descendants; and stock owned, directly or indirectly, by or for a corporation, partnership, estate or trust, shall be considered as being owned proportionately by or for its stockholders, partners or beneficiaries.


 


2.46 “Termination of Employment” means, in the case of an Award other than an ISO, the termination of the Award recipient’s employment relationship with the Company and all Affiliates. “Termination of Employment” means, in the case of an ISO, the termination of the Employee’s employment relationship with all of the Company, any Parent Corporation, any Subsidiary Corporation and any parent or subsidiary corporation (within the meaning of section 422(a)(2) of the Code) of any such corporation that issues or assumes an ISO in a transaction to which section 424(a) of the Code applies.


 


ARTICLE III


 


ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION


 


3.1  Eligibility. Except as otherwise specified in this Section 3.1, the persons who are eligible to receive Awards under the Plan, other than ISOs, are Employees and Directors. Only those persons who are, on the dates of grant, key employees of the Company or any Parent Corporation or Subsidiary Corporation are eligible for grants of ISOs under the Plan.


 


3.2 Participation. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee may, from time to time, select the eligible persons to whom Awards shall be granted and shall determine the nature and amount of each Award.






  





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ARTICLE IV


 


GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO AWARDS


 


4.1  Authority to Grant Awards. The Committee may grant Awards to those key Employees and other eligible persons as the Committee shall from time to time determine, under the terms and conditions of the Plan. Subject only to any applicable limitations set out in the Plan, the number of Shares or other value to be covered by any Award to be granted under the Plan shall be as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. The Chief Executive Officer of the Company is authorized to grant Awards (other than awards pursuant to Article VIII) as inducements to hire prospective Employees who will not be officers of the Company or any Affiliate and subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act but such awards shall not exceed an amount determined by the Committee. On an annual basis, the Committee also may delegate to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company the ability to grant Awards (other than Awards pursuant to Article VIII) to eligible persons who are not officers or Directors of the Company or any Affiliate and subject to the provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act.


 


4.2 Dedicated Shares; Award Limitations.


 


(a) The aggregate number of Shares with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan is 10,900,000 (the “Plan Share Limit”). The Shares that are available for issuance under the Plan may be issued pursuant to any form of Award authorized under the Plan.


 


(b) Shares that are issued under a Full Value Award shall be counted against the Plan Share Limit as 1.87 Shares for every one Share so issued. Shares that are issued under any form of Award other than a Full Value Award shall be counted against the Plan Share Limit as one Share for every one Share so issued.


 


(c) For purposes of this Section 4.2, Shares that are withheld from payment of an Award to satisfy tax obligations with respect to the Award, will be treated as Shares that have been issued under the Plan. If Shares are tendered in payment of an Option Price of an Option, such Shares will not increase the Plan Share Limit. If Shares are purchased by the Company using the cash proceeds received by the Company upon the exercise of Options, such Shares will not increase the Plan Share Limit.


 


(d) To the extent that an Option granted under the Plan is forfeited or expires unexercised, or is settled in cash in lieu of Shares, the number of Shares that were subject to such portion of the Option shall again become available for issuance under the Plan. To the extent that a Full Value Award is forfeited, lapses, expires, or is settled in cash in lieu of Shares, 1.87 multiplied by the number of Shares that were subject to such portion of the Full Value Award shall again become available for issuance under the Plan.


 


(e) The aggregate number of Shares with respect to which ISOs may be granted under the Plan is 2,500,000.


 


(f) The maximum number of Shares with respect to which Options may be granted to an Employee during a Fiscal Year is 500,000. The maximum number of Shares with respect to which Performance Stock Awards may be granted to an Employee during a Fiscal Year is 250,000. The maximum number of Shares with respect to which Performance Unit Awards payable in Shares may be granted to an Employee during a Fiscal Year is 250,000 . The maximum grant date value of cash with respect to which Performance Unit Awards payable in cash may be granted to an Employee during a Fiscal Year, determined as of the dates of grants of the Performance Unit Awards, is the equivalent value of 250,000 Shares. The limitations set forth in this Section 4.2(f) shall be applied in a manner that is consistent with the provisions of section 162(m) of the Code and the applicable Department of Treasury regulations and other Department of Treasury guidance issued with respect to section 162(m) of the Code.


 


(g) Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, the Committee shall not award to Employees more than 5% of the number of Shares subject to the Plan pursuant to Awards with a vesting schedule that provides for full vesting in less than (i) three years in the case of Awards that are not intended to constitute “performance-based” compensation for purposes of section 162(m) of the Code or (ii) one year after the date of grant in the case of Awards that are intended to constitute “performance-based” compensation under section 162(m) of the Code; provided, however, that Awards may vest earlier, as the Committee deems appropriate, upon death, Disability, retirement or an event which constitutes a Change of Control.


 


(h) Each of the foregoing numerical limits stated in this Section 4.2 shall be subject to adjustment in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.5.


 


4.3  Non-Transferability. Except as specified in the applicable Award Agreement or in a domestic relations court order, an Award shall not be transferable by the Holder (whether for consideration or otherwise) other than by will or under the laws of descent and distribution, and shall be exercisable, during the Holder’s lifetime, only by him or her. Any attempted assignment of an Award in violation of this Section 4.3 shall be null and void. In the discretion of the Committee, any attempt to transfer an Award other than under the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement may terminate the Award. No ISO granted under the Plan may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Further, all ISOs granted to an Employee under the Plan shall be exercisable during his or her lifetime only by the Employee, and after that time, by the Employee’s heirs or estate.


 




  





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4.4  Requirements of Law. The Company shall not be required to sell or issue any Shares under any Award if issuing those Shares would constitute or result in a violation by the Holder or the Company of any provision of any law, statute or regulation of any governmental authority. Specifically, in connection with any applicable statute or regulation relating to the registration of securities, upon exercise of any Option or pursuant to any other Award, the Company shall not be required to issue any Shares unless the Committee has received evidence satisfactory to it to the effect that the Holder will not transfer the Shares except in accordance with applicable law, including receipt of an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Company to the effect that any proposed transfer complies with applicable law. The determination by the Committee on this matter shall be final, binding and conclusive. The Company may, but shall in no event be obligated to, register any Shares covered by the Plan pursuant to applicable securities laws of any country or any political subdivision. In the event the Shares issuable on exercise of an Option or pursuant to any other Award are not registered, the Company may imprint on the certificate evidencing the Shares any legend that counsel for the Company considers necessary or advisable to comply with applicable law, or, should the Shares be represented by book or electronic entry rather than a certificate, the Company may take such steps to restrict transfer of the Shares as counsel for the Company considers necessary or advisable to comply with applicable law. The Company shall not be obligated to take any other affirmative action in order to cause or enable the exercise of an Option or any other Award, or the issuance of Shares pursuant thereto, to comply with any law or regulation of any governmental authority.


 


4.5 Changes in the Company’s Capital Structure.


 


(a) The existence of outstanding Awards shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Company or its stockholders to make or authorize any or all adjustments, recapitalizations, reorganizations or other changes in the Company’s capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of bonds, debentures, preferred or prior preference shares ahead of or affecting the Stock or Stock rights, the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.


 


(b) If the Company shall effect a subdivision or consolidation of Stock or other capital readjustment, the payment of a Stock dividend, or other increase or reduction of the number of shares of Stock outstanding, without receiving compensation therefor in money, services or property, then (1) the number, class or series and per share price of Stock subject to outstanding Options or other Awards under the Plan shall be appropriately adjusted (subject to the restriction in Sections 4.11 and 11.1 prohibiting repricing without stockholder approval) in such a manner as to entitle a Holder to receive upon exercise of an Option or other Award, for the same aggregate cash consideration, the equivalent total number and class or series of Stock the Holder would have received had the Holder exercised his or her Option or other Award in full immediately prior to the event requiring the adjustment, and (2) the number and class or series of Stock then reserved to be issued under the Plan shall be adjusted by substituting for the total number and class or series of Stock then reserved that number and class or series of Stock that would have been received by the owner of an equal number of outstanding shares of each class or series of Stock as the result of the event requiring the adjustment.


 


(c) If while unexercised Options or other Awards remain outstanding under the Plan (1) the Company shall not be the surviving entity in any merger, consolidation or other reorganization (or survives only as a subsidiary of an entity other than an entity that was wholly-owned by the Company immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or other reorganization), (2) the Company sells, leases or exchanges or agrees to sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all of its assets to any other person or entity (other than an entity wholly-owned by the Company), (3) the Company is to be dissolved or (4) the Company is a party to any other corporate transaction (as defined under section 424(a) of the Code and applicable Department of Treasury regulations) that is not described in clauses (1), (2) or (3) of this sentence (each such event is referred to herein as a “Corporate Change”), then, except as otherwise provided in Article XII, an Award Agreement or another agreement between the Holder and the Company (provided that such exceptions shall not apply in the case of a reincorporation merger or conversion), or as a result of the Committee’s effectuation of one or more of the alternatives described below, there shall be no acceleration of the time at which any Award then outstanding may be exercised, and no later than ten days after the approval by the stockholders of the Company of such Corporate Change, the Committee, acting in its sole and absolute discretion without the consent or approval of any Holder, shall act to effect one or more of the following alternatives, which may vary among individual Holders and which may vary among Awards held by any individual Holder (provided that, with respect to a reincorporation merger or conversion in which Holders of the Company’s ordinary shares will receive the a percentage of shares of the successor corporation, none of such alternatives shall apply and, without Committee action, each Award shall automatically convert into a similar award of the successor corporation exercisable for the same percentage of ordinary shares of the successor as the Award was exercisable for Shares:


 


(1) accelerate the time at which some or all of the Awards then outstanding may be exercised so that such Awards may be exercised in full for a limited period of time on or before a specified date (before or after such Corporate Change) fixed by the Committee, after which specified date all such Awards that remain unexercised and all rights of Holders thereunder shall terminate;






  





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(2) require the mandatory surrender to the Company by all or selected Holders of some or all of the then outstanding Awards held by such Holders (irrespective of whether such Awards are then exercisable under the provisions of the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement evidencing such Award) as of a date, before or after such Corporate Change, specified by the Committee, in which event the Committee shall thereupon cancel such Award and the Company shall pay to each such Holder an amount of cash per Share equal to the excess, if any, of the per Share price offered to stockholders of the Company in connection with such Corporate Change over the exercise prices under such Award for such Shares;


 


(3) with respect to all or selected Holders, have some or all of their then outstanding Awards (whether vested or unvested) assumed or have a new award of a similar nature substituted for some or all of their then outstanding Awards under the Plan (whether vested or unvested) by an entity which is a party to the transaction resulting in such Corporate Change and which is then employing such Holder or which is affiliated or associated with such Holder in the same or a substantially similar manner as the Company prior to the Corporate Change, or a parent or subsidiary of such entity, provided that (A) such assumption or substitution is on a basis where the excess of the aggregate fair market value of the Stock subject to the Award immediately after the assumption or substitution over the aggregate exercise price of such Stock is equal to the excess of the aggregate fair market value of all Stock subject to the Award immediately before such assumption or substitution over the aggregate exercise price of such Stock, and (B) the assumed rights under such existing Award or the substituted rights under such new Award, as the case may be, will have the same terms and conditions as the rights under the existing Award assumed or substituted for, as the case may be;


 


(4) provide that the number and class or series of Stock covered by an Award (whether vested or unvested) theretofore granted shall be adjusted so that such Award when exercised shall thereafter cover the number and class or series of Stock or other securities or property (including, without limitation, cash) to which the Holder would have been entitled pursuant to the terms of the agreement or plan relating to such Corporate Change if, immediately prior to such Corporate Change, the Holder had been the holder of record of the number of Shares then covered by such Award; or


 


(5) make such adjustments to Awards then outstanding as the Committee deems appropriate to reflect such Corporate Change (provided, however, that the Committee may determine in its sole and absolute discretion that no such adjustment is necessary).


 


In effecting one or more of the alternatives set out in paragraphs (3), (4) or (5) immediately above, and except as otherwise may be provided in an Award Agreement, the Committee, in its sole and absolute discretion and without the consent or approval of any Holder, may accelerate the time at which some or all Awards then outstanding may be exercised.


 


(d) In the event of changes in the outstanding Stock by reason of recapitalizations, reorganizations, mergers, consolidations, conversion, combinations, exchanges or other relevant changes in capitalization occurring after the date of the grant of any Award and not otherwise provided for by this Section 4.5, any outstanding Award and any Award Agreement evidencing such Award shall be subject to adjustment by the Committee in its sole and absolute discretion as to the number and price of Stock or other consideration subject to such Award. In the event of any such change in the outstanding Stock, the aggregate number of Shares available under the Plan may be appropriately adjusted by the Committee, whose determination shall be conclusive.


 


(e) After a merger of one or more corporations into the Company or after a consolidation of the Company and one or more corporations in which the Company shall be the surviving corporation, each Holder shall be entitled to have his Restricted Stock appropriately adjusted based on the manner in which the Shares were adjusted under the terms of the agreement of merger or consolidation.


 


(f) The issuance by the Company of stock of any class or series, or securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, stock of any class or series, for cash or property, or for labor or services either upon direct sale or upon the exercise of rights or warrants to subscribe for them, or upon conversion or exchange of stock or obligations of the Company convertible into, or exchangeable for, stock or other securities, shall not affect, and no adjustment by reason of such issuance shall be made with respect to, the number, class or series, or price of Shares then subject to outstanding Options or other Awards.


 


4.6 Election Under Section 83(b) of the Code. No Holder shall exercise the election permitted under section 83(b) of the Code with respect to any Award without the prior written approval of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company. Any Holder who makes an election under section 83(b) of the Code with respect to any Award without the prior written approval of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company may, in the discretion of the Committee, forfeit any or all Awards granted to him or her under the Plan.






  





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4.7  Forfeiture for Cause. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or an Award Agreement, if the Committee finds by a majority vote that a Holder, before or after his Termination of Employment or severance of affiliation relationship with the Company and all Affiliates, (a) committed fraud, embezzlement, theft, felony or an act of dishonesty in the course of his employment by or affiliation with the Company or an Affiliate which conduct damaged the Company or an Affiliate, (b) disclosed trade secrets of the Company or an Affiliate or (c) violated the terms of any non-competition, non-disclosure or similar agreement with respect to the Company or any Affiliate to which the Holder is a party, then as of the date the Committee makes its finding some or all Awards awarded to the Holder (including vested Awards that have been exercised, vested Awards that have not been exercised and Awards that have not yet vested), as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, and all net proceeds realized with respect to any such Awards, will be forfeited to the Company on such terms as determined by the Committee. The findings and decision of the Committee with respect to such matter, including those regarding the acts of the Holder and the damage done to the Company, will be final for all purposes. No decision of the Committee, however, will affect the finality of the discharge of the individual by the Company or an Affiliate or severance of the individual’s affiliation with the Company and all Affiliates.


 


4.8 Forfeiture Events. Without limiting the applicability of Section 4.7 or Section 4.9, the Committee may specify in an Award Agreement that the Holder’s rights, payments, and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture, or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Award. Such events may include, but shall not be limited to, Termination of Employment for cause, termination of the Holder’s provision of services to the Company or its Affiliates, violation of material policies of the Company and its Affiliates, breach of noncompetition, confidentiality, or other restrictive covenants that may apply to the Holder, or other conduct by the Holder that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company and its Affiliates.


 


4.9 Recoupment in Restatement Situations. Without limiting the applicability of Section 4.7 or Section 4.8, if the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to the material noncompliance of the Company with any financial reporting requirement under applicable securities laws, the current or former Holder who was a current or former executive officer of the Company shall forfeit and must repay to the Company any compensation awarded under the Plan to the extent specified in any of the Company’s recoupment policies established or amended (now or in the future) in compliance with the rules and standards of the Securities and Exchange Commission Committee under or in connection with Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.


 


4.10 Award Agreements. Each Award shall be embodied in a written Award Agreement that shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan. The Award Agreement shall be signed by an executive officer of the Company, other than the Holder, on behalf of the Company, and may be signed by the Holder to the extent required by the Committee. The Award Agreement may specify the effect of a Change of Control on the Award. The Award Agreement may contain any other provisions that the Committee in its discretion shall deem advisable which are not inconsistent with the terms and provisions of the Plan.


 


4.11  Amendments of Award Agreements; Repricing Prohibitions. The terms of any outstanding Award under the Plan may be amended from time to time by the Committee in its discretion in any manner that it deems appropriate and that is consistent with the terms of the Plan. However, no such amendment shall adversely affect in a material manner any right of a Holder without his or her written consent. The Committee may not, without stockholder approval, directly or indirectly lower the exercise price of a previously granted Option. Accordingly, except in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Company (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares) the terms of outstanding Awards may not be amended to reduce the exercise price of outstanding Options or to cancel Options in exchange for cash, other Awards or Options with an exercise price that is less than the exercise price of the original Options without stockholder approval.


 


4.12  Rights as Stockholder. A Holder shall not have any rights as a stockholder with respect to Stock covered by an Option, an RSU, or a Performance Unit, in each case, payable in Stock, until the date, if any, such Stock is issued by the Company; and, except as otherwise provided in Section 4.5, no adjustment for dividends, or otherwise, shall be made if the record date therefor is prior to the date of issuance of such Stock.


 


4.13  Issuance of Shares of Stock. Shares, when issued, may be represented by a certificate or by book or electronic entry.


 


4.14 Restrictions on Stock Received. The Committee may impose such conditions and/or restrictions on any Shares issued pursuant to an Award as it may deem advisable or desirable. These restrictions may include, but shall not be limited to, a requirement that the Holder hold the Shares for a specified period of time.






  





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4.15  Compliance With Section 409A. Awards shall be designed, granted and administered in such a manner that they are either exempt from the application of, or comply with, the requirements of Section 409A. The Plan and each Award Agreement under the Plan that is intended to comply the requirements of Section 409A shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with such intent. If the Committee determines that an Award, Award Agreement, payment, distribution, deferral election, transaction, or any other action or arrangement contemplated by the provisions of the Plan would, if undertaken, cause a Holder to become subject to additional taxes under Section 409A, then unless the Committee specifically provides otherwise, such Award, Award Agreement, payment, distribution, deferral election, transaction or other action or arrangement shall not be given effect to the extent it causes such result and the related provisions of the Plan and/or Award Agreement will be deemed modified, or, if necessary, suspended in order to comply with the requirements of Section 409A to the extent determined appropriate by the Committee, in each case without the consent of or notice to the Holder. The exercisability of an Option shall not be extended to the extent that such extension would subject the Holder to additional taxes under Section 409A.


 


4.16 Source of Shares Deliverable Under Awards. Any Shares delivered pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued shares of Stock or of treasury shares of Stock.


 


4.17 Date of Grant. The date on which an Option is granted shall be the date the Company completes the corporate action constituting an offer of stock for sale to a Holder under the terms and conditions of the Option; provided that such corporate action shall not be considered complete until the date on which the maximum number of Shares that can be purchased under the Option and the minimum Option price are fixed or determinable. If the corporate action contemplates an immediate offer of Stock for sale to a class of individuals, then the date of the granting of an Option is the time or date of that corporate action, if the offer is to be made immediately. If the corporate action contemplates a particular date on which the offer is to be made, then the date of grant is the contemplated date of the offer.


 


ARTICLE V


 


OPTIONS


 


5.1  Authority to Grant Options. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time, and from time to time, may grant Options under the Plan to eligible persons in such number and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine.


 


5.2 Type of Options Available. Options granted under the Plan may be NSOs or ISOs.


 


5.3 Option Agreement. Each Option grant under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify (a) whether the Option is intended to be an ISO or an NSO, (b) the Option Price, (c) the duration of the Option, (d) the number of Shares to which the Option pertains, (e) the exercise restrictions applicable to the Option and (f) such other provisions as the Committee shall determine that are not inconsistent with the terms and provisions of the Plan. Notwithstanding the designation of an Option as an ISO in the applicable Award Agreement for such Option, to the extent the limitations of Section 5.9 of the Plan are exceeded with respect to the Option, the portion of the Option in excess of the limitation shall be treated as a NSO. An Option granted under the Plan may not be granted with any Dividend Equivalents rights.


 


5.4 Option Price. The price at which Shares may be purchased under an Option (the “Option Price”) shall not be less than 100 percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date the Option is granted. However, in the case of a Ten Percent Stockholder, the Option Price for an ISO shall not be less than 110 percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date the ISO is granted. Subject to the limitations set forth in the preceding sentences of this Section 5.4, the Committee shall determine the Option Price for each grant of an Option under the Plan.


 


5.5 Duration of Option. An Option shall not be exercisable after the earlier of (i) the general term of the Option specified in the applicable Award Agreement (which shall not exceed ten years) or (ii) the period of time specified in the applicable Award Agreement that follows the Holder’s Termination of Employment or severance of affiliation relationship with the Company. Unless the applicable Award Agreement specifies a shorter term, in the case of an ISO granted to a Ten Percent Stockholder, the Option shall expire on the fifth anniversary of the date the Option is granted.


 


5.6 Amount Exercisable. Each Option may be exercised at the time, in the manner and subject to the conditions the Committee specifies in the Award Agreement in its sole discretion.






  





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5.7 Exercise of Option.


 


(a)  General Method of Exercise. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement, Options may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time by the delivery of written notice in the manner designated by the Committee stating (1) that the Holder wishes to exercise such Option on the date such notice is so delivered, (2) the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is to be exercised and (3) the address to which any certificate representing such Shares should be mailed or delivered. Except in the case of exercise by a third party broker as provided below, in order for the notice to be effective the notice must be accompanied by payment of the Option Price by any combination of the following: (a) cash, certified check, bank draft or postal or express money order for an amount equal to the Option Price under the Option, (b) an election to make a cashless exercise through a registered broker-dealer (if approved in advance by the Committee or an executive officer of the Company) or (c) any other form of payment which is acceptable to the Committee.


 


(b) Exercise Through Third-Party Broker. The Committee may permit a Holder to elect to pay the Option Price and any applicable tax withholding resulting from such exercise by authorizing a third-party broker to sell all or a portion of the Shares acquired upon exercise of the Option and remit to the Company a sufficient portion of the sale proceeds to pay the Option Price and any applicable tax withholding resulting from such exercise.


 


5.8  Notification of Disqualifying Disposition. If any Optionee shall make any disposition of Shares issued pursuant to the exercise of an ISO under the circumstances described in section 421(b) of the Code (relating to certain disqualifying dispositions), such Optionee shall notify the Company of such disposition within ten (10) days thereof.


 


5.9  $100,000 Limitation on ISOs. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of Stock with respect to which ISOs first become exercisable by a Holder in any calendar year exceeds $100,000, taking into account both Shares subject to ISOs under the Plan and Stock subject to ISOs under all other plans of the Company, such Options shall be treated as NSOs. For this purpose, the “Fair Market Value” of the Stock subject to Options shall be determined as of the date(s) the Options were awarded. In reducing the number of Options treated as ISOs to meet the $100,000 limit, the most recently granted Options shall be reduced first. To the extent a reduction of simultaneously granted Options is necessary to meet the $100,000 limit, the Committee may, in the manner and to the extent permitted by law, designate which Shares are to be treated as shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an ISO.


 


ARTICLE VI


 


RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS


 


6.1  Restricted Stock Awards. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time, and from time to time, may make Awards of Restricted Stock under the Plan to eligible persons in such number and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine. The amount of, the vesting and the transferability restrictions applicable to any Restricted Stock Award shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. If the Committee imposes vesting or transferability restrictions on a Holder’s rights with respect to Restricted Stock, the Committee may issue such instructions to the Company’s share transfer agent in connection therewith as it deems appropriate. The Committee may also cause the certificate for Shares issued pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award to be imprinted with any legend which counsel for the Company considers advisable with respect to the restrictions or, should the Shares be represented by book or electronic entry rather than a certificate, the Company may take such steps to restrict transfer of the Shares as counsel for the Company considers necessary or advisable to comply with applicable law.


 


6.2 Restricted Stock Award Agreement. Each Restricted Stock Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that contains any vesting, transferability restrictions and other provisions not inconsistent with the Plan as the Committee may specify.


 


6.3 Holder’s Rights as Stockholder. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, each recipient of a Restricted Stock Award shall have all the rights of a stockholder with respect to the shares of Restricted Stock included in the Restricted Stock Award during the Period of Restriction established for the Restricted Stock Award. Dividends paid with respect to Restricted Stock in cash or property other than Shares or rights to acquire Shares shall be paid to the recipient of the Restricted Stock Award currently. Dividends paid in Shares or rights to acquire Shares shall be added to and become a part of the Restricted Stock. During the Period of Restriction, certificates representing the Restricted Stock shall be registered in the Holder’s name and bear a restrictive legend to the effect that ownership of such Restricted Stock, and the enjoyment of all rights appurtenant thereto, are subject to the restrictions, terms, and conditions provided in the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement. Such certificates shall be deposited by the recipient with the Secretary of the Company or such other officer of the Company as may be designated by the Committee, together with all stock powers or other instruments of assignment as may be required by the Company, each endorsed in blank, which will permit transfer to the Company of all or any portion of the Restricted Stock which shall be forfeited in accordance with the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.






  





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ARTICLE VII


 


RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARDS


 


7.1  Authority to Grant RSU Awards. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time, and from time to time, may grant RSU Awards under the Plan to eligible persons in such amounts and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine. The amount of, the vesting and the transferability restrictions applicable to any RSU Award shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. The Committee shall maintain a bookkeeping ledger account which reflects the number of RSUs credited under the Plan for the benefit of a Holder.


 


7.2 RSU Award. An RSU Award shall be similar in nature to a Restricted Stock Award except that no Shares are actually transferred to the Holder until a later date specified in the applicable Award Agreement. Each RSU shall have a value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share.


 


7.3 RSU Award Agreement. Each RSU Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that contains any Substantial Risk of Forfeiture, transferability restrictions, form and time of payment provisions and other provisions not inconsistent with the Plan as the Committee may specify.


 


7.4 No Dividend Equivalents. An Award Agreement for an RSU Award shall not specify that the Holder shall be entitled to the payment of Dividend Equivalents under the Award.


 


7.5 Form of Payment Under RSU Award. Payment under an RSU Award shall be made in either cash or Shares as specified in the applicable Award Agreement.


 


7.6 Time of Payment Under RSU Award. A Holder’s payment under an RSU Award shall be made at such time as is specified in the applicable Award Agreement. The Award Agreement shall specify that the payment will be made (1) by a date that is no later than the date that is two and one-half (2 1/2) months after the end of the Fiscal Year in which the RSU Award payment is no longer subject to a Substantial Risk of Forfeiture or (2) at a time that is permissible under Section 409A.


 


ARTICLE VIII


 


PERFORMANCE STOCK AWARDS AND


PERFORMANCE UNIT AWARDS


 


8.1  Authority to Grant Performance Stock Awards and Performance Unit Awards. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time, and from time to time, may grant Performance Stock Awards and Performance Unit Awards under the Plan to eligible persons in such amounts and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine. The amount of, the vesting and the transferability restrictions applicable to any Performance Stock Award and Performance Unit Award shall be based upon the attainment of such Performance Goals as the Committee may determine; provided, however, that the performance period for any Performance Stock Award or Performance Unit Award shall not be less than one year. If the Compensation & Management Development Committee imposes vesting or transferability restrictions on a Holder’s rights with respect to Performance Stock Awards or Performance Unit Awards, the Compensation & Management Development Committee may issue such instructions to the Company’s share transfer agent in connection therewith as it deems appropriate. The Compensation & Management Development Committee may also cause the certificate for Shares issued pursuant to a Performance Stock Award or Performance Unit Award to be imprinted with any legend which counsel for the Company considers advisable with respect to the restrictions or, should the Shares be represented by book or electronic entry rather than a certificate, the Company may take such steps to restrict transfer of the Shares as counsel for the Company considers necessary or advisable to comply with applicable law.


 


8.2 Performance Goals. A Performance Goal must be objective such that a third party having knowledge of the relevant facts could determine whether the goal is met. Such a Performance Goal may be based on one or more business criteria that apply to the Holder, one or more business units of the Company, or the Company as a whole, with reference to one or more of the following: earnings per share, earnings per share growth, total shareholder return, economic value added, cash return on capitalization, increased revenue, revenue ratios (per employee or per customer), net income (before or after taxes), stock price, market share, return on equity, return on assets, return on capital, return on capital compared to cost of capital, return on capital employed, return on invested capital, return on investment, return on sales, operating or profit margins, shareholder value, net cash flow, operating income, earnings before or after interest, taxes, depreciation, depletion and amortization, cash flow, cash flow from operations, cost reductions or cost savings, cost ratios (per employee or per customer), expense control, sales, proceeds from dispositions, project completion time, budget goals, net cash flow before financing activities, customer growth, total capitalization, debt to total capitalization ratio, credit quality or debt ratings, dividend payout, dividend growth, reserve additions or revisions, economic value added from reserves, reserve replacement ratios, reserve replacement costs, finding and development costs, exploration successes, operational downtime, rig utilization, amount of oil and gas reserves, production volumes or safety results. Goals may also be based on performance relative to a peer group of companies. Unless otherwise stated, such a Performance Goal need not be based upon an increase or positive result under a particular business criterion and could include, for example, maintaining the status quo or limiting economic losses (measured, in each case, by reference to specific business criteria). Performance Goals may be determined by including or excluding, in the Compensation & Management Development Committee’s discretion, items that are determined to be extraordinary, unusual in nature, infrequent in occurrence, related to the disposal or acquisition of a segment of a business, or related to a change in accounting principal, in each case, based on Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 225-20, Income Statement, Extraordinary and Unusual Items, and FASB ASC 830-10, Foreign Currency Matters, Overall, or other applicable accounting rules, or consistent with Company accounting policies and practices in effect on the date the Performance Goal is established. In interpreting Plan provisions applicable to Performance Goals and Performance Stock Awards or Performance Unit Awards, it is intended that the Plan will conform with the standards of section 162(m) of the Code and Treasury Regulations § 1.162-27(e)(2)(i), and the Compensation & Management Development Committee in establishing such goals and interpreting the Plan shall be guided by such provisions. Prior to the payment of any compensation based on the achievement of Performance Goals, the Compensation & Management Development Committee must certify in writing that applicable Performance Goals and any of the material terms thereof were, in fact, satisfied. Subject to the foregoing provisions, the terms, conditions and limitations applicable to any Performance Stock or Performance Unit Awards made pursuant to the Plan shall be determined by the Compensation & Management Development Committee of the Board.




  





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8.3 Time of Establishment of Performance Goals. With respect to a Covered Employee, a Performance Goal for a particular Performance Stock Award or Performance Unit Award must be established by the Compensation & Management Development Committee of the Board prior to the earlier to occur of (a) 90 days after the commencement of the period of service to which the Performance Goal relates or (b) the lapse of 25 percent of the period of service, and in any event while the outcome is substantially uncertain.


 


8.4  Written Agreement. Each Performance Stock Award and Performance Unit Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that contains any vesting, transferability restrictions and other provisions not inconsistent with the Plan as the Compensation & Management Development Committee may specify.


 


8.5 Form of Payment Under Performance Unit Award. Payment under a Performance Unit Award shall be made in cash and/or Shares as specified in the Holder’s Award Agreement.


 


8.6 Time of Payment Under Performance Unit Award. A Holder’s payment under a Performance Unit Award shall be made at such time as is specified in the applicable Award Agreement. The Award Agreement shall specify that the payment will be made (a) by a date that is no later than the date that is two and one-half (2 1/2) months after the end of the calendar year in which the Performance Unit Award payment is no longer subject to a Substantial Risk of Forfeiture or (b) at a time that is permissible under section 409A of the Code.


 


8.7 Holder’s Rights as Stockholder With Respect to a Performance Stock Award. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreements, each Holder of a Performance Stock Award shall have all the rights of a stockholder with respect to the Shares issued to the Holder pursuant to the Award during any period in which such issued Shares are subject to forfeiture and restrictions on transfer, including without limitation, the right to vote such Shares.


 


8.8 Increases Prohibited. None of the Compensation & Management Development Committee, the Board or the Company may increase the amount of compensation payable under a Performance Stock Award or Performance Unit Award. If the time at which a Performance Stock Award or Performance Unit Award will vest or be paid is accelerated for any reason, the number of Shares subject to, or the amount payable under, the Performance Stock Award or Performance Unit Award shall be reduced pursuant to Department of Treasury Regulation § 1.162-27(e)(2)(iii) to reasonably reflect the time value of money.


 


8.9 Stockholder Approval. No payments of Stock or cash will be made to a Covered Employee pursuant to this Article VIII unless the stockholder approval requirements of Department of Treasury Regulation § 1.162-27(e)(4) are satisfied.


 


8.10 No Dividend Equivalents. An Award Agreement for a Performance Unit Award shall not specify that the Holder shall be entitled to the payment of Dividend Equivalents under the Award.


 


8.11  Dividends. In the case of a Performance Share Award, if the Holder shall be become entitled to the payment of dividends paid in Shares or rights to acquire Shares with respect to the Performance Shares, such dividends shall be added to and become a part of the Performance Share Award. Accordingly, such dividends will be subject to the satisfaction of the same performance conditions as apply to the Performance Shares.






  





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ARTICLE IX


 


SUBSTITUTION AWARDS


 


Awards may be granted under the Plan from time to time in substitution for stock options and other awards held by employees and directors of other entities who are about to become Employees or affiliated with the Company or any of its Affiliates, or whose employer or corporation with respect to which it provides services is about to become an Affiliate as the result of a merger or consolidation of the Company with another corporation, or the acquisition by the Company of substantially all the assets of another corporation, or the acquisition by the Company of at least fifty percent (50%) of the issued and outstanding stock of another corporation as the result of which such other corporation will become a subsidiary of the Company. The terms and conditions of the substitute Awards so granted may vary from the terms and conditions set forth in the Plan to such extent as the Board at the time of grant may deem appropriate to conform, in whole or in part, to the provisions of the award in substitution for which they are granted. The repricing prohibitions of Sections 4.11 and 11.1 shall apply to substitution awards granted pursuant to this Article IX.


 


ARTICLE X


 


ADMINISTRATION


 


10.1  Awards. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee or, in the absence of the Committee or in the case of awards issued to Directors, the Plan shall be administered by the Board. The members of the Committee (that is not itself the Board) shall serve at the discretion of the Board. The Committee shall have full and exclusive power and authority to administer the Plan and to take all actions that the Plan expressly contemplates or are necessary or appropriate in connection with the administration of the Plan with respect to Awards granted under the Plan.


 


10.2  Authority of the Committee. The Committee shall have full and exclusive power to interpret and apply the terms and provisions of the Plan and Awards made under the Plan, and to adopt such rules, regulations and guidelines for implementing the Plan as the Committee may deem necessary or proper, all of which powers shall be exercised in the best interests of the Company and in keeping with the objectives of the Plan. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the vote of a majority of those members present at any meeting shall decide any question brought before that meeting. Any decision or determination reduced to writing and signed by a majority of the members shall be as effective as if it had been made by a majority vote at a meeting properly called and held. All questions of interpretation and application of the Plan, or as to Awards granted under the Plan, shall be subject to the determination, which shall be final and binding, of a majority of the whole Committee. No member of the Committee shall be liable for any act or omission of any other member of the Committee or for any act or omission on his own part, including but not limited to the exercise of any power or discretion given to him under the Plan, except those resulting from his own gross negligence or willful misconduct. In carrying out its authority under the Plan, the Committee shall have full and final authority and discretion, including but not limited to the following rights, powers and authorities to (a) determine the persons to whom and the time or times at which Awards will be made; (b) determine the number and exercise price of Shares covered in each Award subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan (including, but not limited to, the provisions of Sections 4.11 and 11.1 which prohibit repricing without stockholder approval); (c) determine the terms, provisions and conditions of each Award, which need not be identical and need not match the default terms set forth in the Plan; (d) accelerate the time at which any outstanding Award will vest; (e) prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to administration of the Plan; and (f) make all other determinations and take all other actions deemed necessary, appropriate or advisable for the proper administration of the Plan.


 


The Committee may correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award to a Holder in the manner and to the extent the Committee deems necessary or desirable to further the Plan’s objectives. Further, the Committee shall make all other determinations that may be necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. As permitted by law and the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee may delegate its authority as identified in this Section 10.2. The Committee may employ attorneys, consultants, accountants, agents, and other persons, any of whom may be an Employee, and the Committee, the Company, and its officers and Board shall be entitled to rely upon the advice, opinions, or valuations of any such persons.


 


10.3 Decisions Binding. All determinations and decisions made by the Committee or the Board, as the case may be, pursuant to the provisions of the Plan and all related orders and resolutions of the Committee or the Board, as the case may be, shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Company, its stockholders, Holders and the estates and beneficiaries of Holders.


 


10.4 No Liability. Under no circumstances shall the Company, the Board or the Committee incur liability for any indirect, incidental, consequential or special damages (including lost profits) of any form incurred by any person, whether or not foreseeable and regardless of the form of the act in which such a claim may be brought, with respect to the Plan or the Company’s, the Committee’s or the Board’s roles in connection with the Plan.






  





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ARTICLE XI


 


AMENDMENT OR TERMINATION OF PLAN


 


11.1  Amendment, Modification, Suspension, and Termination. Subject to Section 11.2, the Board may, at any time and from time to time, alter, amend, modify, suspend, or terminate the Plan and the Committee may, at any time and from time to time, alter, amend, modify, suspend, or terminate any Award Agreement in whole or in part; provided, however, no amendment of the Plan shall be made without stockholder approval if stockholder approval is required by applicable law or stock exchange rules. Further, without the prior approval of the Company’s stockholders, the Committee shall not directly or indirectly lower the Option Price of a previously granted Option. Accordingly, except in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Company (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares) the terms of outstanding Awards may not be amended to reduce the exercise price of outstanding Options or to cancel Options in exchange for cash, other Awards or Options with an exercise price that is less than the exercise price of the original Options without stockholder approval.


 


11.2 Awards Previously Granted. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no termination, amendment, suspension, or modification of the Plan or an Award Agreement shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted under the Plan, without the written consent of the Holder holding such Award.


 


ARTICLE XII


 


ACCELERATION OF VESTING FOR CERTAIN AWARDS


UPON A CHANGE OF CONTROL


 


Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in an Award Agreement, in the event of an occurrence of a Change of Control all then outstanding Options, Restricted Stock Awards and Performance Stock Awards granted under the Plan shall become fully vested, and exercisable and all substantial risk of forfeiture restrictions applicable thereto shall lapse. The effect, if any, of a Change of Control upon any other Award granted under the Plan shall be determined in accordance with the terms of the applicable Award Agreement issued by the Committee that are applicable to the Award.


 


ARTICLE XIII


 


MISCELLANEOUS


 


13.1  Unfunded Plan/No Establishment of a Trust Fund. Holders shall have no right, title, or interest whatsoever in or to any investments that the Company or any of its Affiliates may make to aid in meeting obligations under the Plan. Nothing contained in the Plan, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind, or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and any Holder, beneficiary, legal representative, or any other person. To the extent that any person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company under the Plan, such right shall be no greater than the right of an unsecured general creditor of the Company. All payments to be made hereunder shall be paid from the general funds of the Company and no special or separate fund shall be established and no segregation of assets shall be made to assure payment of such amounts, except as expressly set forth in the Plan. No property shall be set aside nor shall a trust fund of any kind be established to secure the rights of any Holder under the Plan. The Plan is not intended to be subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.


 


13.2 No Employment Obligation. The granting of any Award shall not constitute an employment contract, express or implied, nor impose upon the Company or any Affiliate any obligation to employ or continue to employ, or utilize the services of, any Holder. The right of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate the employment of, or provision of services by, any person shall not be diminished or affected by reason of the fact that an Award has been granted to him, and nothing in the Plan or an Award Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or its Affiliates to terminate any Holder’s employment or provision of services to the Company at any time or for any reason not prohibited by law.


 


13.3 Tax Withholding. The Company or any Affiliate shall be entitled to deduct from other compensation payable to each Holder any sums required by federal, state or local tax law to be withheld with respect to the vesting or exercise of an Award or lapse of restrictions on an Award. In the alternative, the Company may require the Holder (or other person validly exercising the Award) to pay such sums for taxes directly to the Company or any Affiliate in cash or by check within one day after the date of vesting, exercise or lapse of restrictions. In the discretion of the Committee, the Company may reduce the number of Shares issued to the Holder upon such Holder’s exercise of an Option to satisfy the tax withholding obligations of the Company or an Affiliate; provided that the Fair Market Value of the Shares held back shall not exceed the Company’s or the Affiliate’s Minimum Statutory Tax Withholding Obligation. The Committee may, in its discretion, satisfy any Minimum Statutory Tax Withholding Obligation arising upon the vesting of an Award by delivering to the Holder a reduced number of Shares in the manner specified herein. In the discretion of the Committee, at the time of vesting of shares under the Award, the Company may (a) calculate the amount of the Company’s or an Affiliate’s Minimum Statutory Tax Withholding Obligation on the assumption that all such Shares vested under the Award are made available for delivery, (b) reduce the number of such Shares made available for delivery so that the Fair Market Value of the Shares withheld on the vesting date approximates the Company’s or an Affiliate’s Minimum Statutory Tax Withholding Obligation and (c) in lieu of the withheld Shares, remit cash to the United States Treasury and/or other applicable governmental authorities, on behalf of the Holder, in the amount of the Minimum Statutory Tax Withholding Obligation. The Company shall withhold only whole Shares to satisfy its Minimum Statutory Tax Withholding Obligation. Where the Fair Market Value of the withheld Shares does not equal the amount of the Minimum Statutory Tax Withholding Obligation, the Company shall withhold Shares with a Fair Market Value slightly less than the amount of the Minimum Statutory Tax Withholding Obligation and the Holder must satisfy the remaining minimum withholding obligation in some other manner permitted under this Section 13.3. The withheld Shares not made available for delivery by the Company shall be retained as treasury shares or will be cancelled and the Holder’s right, title and interest in such Shares shall terminate. The Company shall have no obligation upon vesting or exercise of any Award or lapse of restrictions on an Award until the Company or an Affiliate has received payment sufficient to cover the Minimum Statutory Tax Withholding Obligation with respect to that vesting, exercise or lapse of restrictions. Neither the Company nor any Affiliate shall be obligated to advise a Holder of the existence of the tax or the amount which it will be required to withhold.


 




  





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13.4 Indemnification of the Committee. The Company shall indemnify each present and future member of the Committee against, and each member of the Committee shall be entitled without further action on his or her part to indemnity from the Company for, all expenses (including attorney’s fees, the amount of judgments and the amount of approved settlements made with a view to the curtailment of costs of litigation, other than amounts paid to the Company itself) reasonably incurred by such member in connection with or arising out of any action, suit or proceeding in which such member may be involved by reason of such member being or having been a member of the Committee, whether or not he or she continues to be a member of the Committee at the time of incurring the expenses, including, without limitation, matters as to which such member shall be finally adjudged in any action, suit or proceeding to have been negligent in the performance of such member’s duty as a member of the Committee. However, this indemnity shall not include any expenses incurred by any member of the Committee in respect of matters as to which such member shall be finally adjudged in any action, suit or proceeding to have been guilty of gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of his duty as a member of the Committee. In addition, no right of indemnification under the Plan shall be available to or enforceable by any member of the Committee unless, within 60 days after institution of any action, suit or proceeding, such member shall have offered the Company, in writing, the opportunity to handle and defend same at its own expense. This right of indemnification shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors or administrators of each member of the Committee and shall be in addition to all other rights to which a member of the Committee may be entitled as a matter of law, contract or otherwise. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that any payment made pursuant to this Section 13.4 is not exempt from section 409A of the Code and Department of Treasury regulations issued thereunder pursuant to the application of Department of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(10) or other applicable exemption (a “409A Payment”) the following provisions of this Section 13.4 shall apply with respect to such 409A Payment. The Company shall make a 409A Payment due under this Section 13.4 by the last day of the taxable year of the Committee member following the taxable year in which the applicable legal fees and expenses were incurred. The legal fees or expenses that are subject to reimbursement pursuant to this Section 13.4 shall not be limited as a result of when the fees or expenses are incurred. The amounts of legal fees or expenses that are eligible for reimbursement pursuant to this Section 13.4 during a given taxable year of the Committee member shall not affect the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement in any other taxable year. The right to reimbursement pursuant to this Section 13.4 is not subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.


 


13.5 Gender and Number. If the context requires, words of one gender when used in the Plan shall include the other and words used in the singular or plural shall include the other.


 


13.6 Severability. In the event any provision of the Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.


 


13.7  Headings. Headings of Articles and Sections are included for convenience of reference only and do not constitute part of the Plan and shall not be used in construing the terms and provisions of the Plan.


 


13.8 Other Compensation Plans. The adoption of the Plan shall not affect any other option, incentive or other compensation or benefit plans in effect for the Company or any Affiliate, nor shall the Plan preclude the Company from establishing any other forms of incentive compensation arrangements for Employees or Directors.


 


13.9 Retirement and Welfare Plans. Neither Awards made under the Plan nor Shares or cash paid pursuant to such Awards, may be included as “compensation” for purposes of computing the benefits payable to any person under the Company’s or any Affiliate’s retirement plans (both qualified and non-qualified) or welfare benefit plans unless such other plan expressly provides that such compensation shall be taken into account in computing a participant’s benefit.


 




  





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13.10 Other Awards. The grant of an Award shall not confer upon the Holder the right to receive any future or other Awards under the Plan, whether or not Awards may be granted to similarly situated Holders, or the right to receive future Awards upon the same terms or conditions as previously granted.


 


13.11  Successors. All obligations of the Company under the Plan with respect to Awards granted hereunder shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company, or a merger, consolidation, or other transaction.


 


13.12 Law Limitations/Governmental Approvals. The granting of Awards and the issuance of Shares under the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required.


 


13.13  Delivery of Title. The Company shall have no obligation to issue or deliver evidence of title for Shares issued under the Plan prior to (a) obtaining any approvals from governmental agencies that the Company determines are necessary or advisable; and (b) completion of any registration or other qualification of the Stock under any applicable national or foreign law or ruling of any governmental body that the Company determines to be necessary or advisable.


 


13.14 Inability to Obtain Authority. The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.


 


13.15 Investment Representations. The Committee may require any person receiving Stock pursuant to an Award under the Plan to represent and warrant in writing that the person is acquiring the Shares for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Stock.


 


13.16  Persons Residing Outside of the United States. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in order to comply with the laws in other countries in which the Company or any of its Affiliates operates or has Employees, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to (a) determine which Affiliates shall be covered by the Plan; (b) determine which persons employed outside the United States are eligible to participate in the Plan; (c) amend or vary the terms and provisions of the Plan and the terms and conditions of any Award granted to persons who reside outside the United States; (d) establish subplans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable – any subplans and modifications to Plan terms and procedures established under this Section 13.16 by the Committee shall be attached to the Plan document as Appendices; and (e) take any action, before or after an Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain or comply with any necessary local government regulatory exemptions or approvals. Notwithstanding the above, the Committee may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate the Exchange Act, the Code, any securities law or governing statute or any other applicable law.


 


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


 


13.18  Governing Law. The provisions of the Plan and the rights of all persons claiming thereunder shall be construed, administered and governed under the laws of the State of Delaware, excluding any conflicts or choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of the Plan to the substantive law of another jurisdiction. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, recipients of an Award under the Plan are deemed to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the federal or state courts of Texas, to resolve any and all issues that may arise out of or relate to the Plan or any related Award Agreement.




 


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