EX-10.3






TIME-BASED RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

UNDER THE ALLIANCE DATA SYSTEMS CORPORATION

2005 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN




THIS RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), made as of March 27, 2009 (the
“Grant Date”) by and between Alliance Data Systems Corporation (the “Company”) and J. Michael Parks
(the “Participant”) who is an employee of the Company or one of its Affiliates, evidences the grant
by the Company of an award of restricted stock units (the “Award”) to the Participant and the
Participant’s acceptance of the Award in accordance with the provisions of the Alliance Data
Systems Corporation 2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Company and the Participant
agree as follows:



1. Basis for Award. The Award is made under the Plan pursuant to Section 5(f) thereof
for service rendered to the Company by the Participant and in accordance with the terms of the
Transition Agreement between ADS Alliance Data Systems, Inc and Participant dated March 27, 2009.



2. Restricted Stock Units Awarded.



(a) The Company hereby awards to the Participant, in the aggregate, 52,000 Restricted Stock
Units which shall be subject to the conditions set forth in the Plan and this Agreement.



(b) Restricted Stock Units shall be evidenced by an account established and maintained for the
Participant, which shall be credited for the number of Restricted Stock Units granted to the
Participant. By accepting this Award, the Participant acknowledges that the Company does not have
an adequate remedy in damages for the breach by the Participant of the conditions and covenants set
forth in this Agreement and agrees that the Company is entitled to and may obtain an order or a
decree of specific performance against the Participant issued by any court having jurisdiction.



3. Vesting. Subject to Section 2 of this Agreement, your Restricted Stock Units will
vest and the restrictions will lapse with respect to 50% of the Award on March 1, 2011; and 50% of
the Award on March 1, 2012.. Notwithstanding the foregoing, subject to the limitations of the
Plan, the Committee may accelerate the vesting of all or part of the Award at any time and for any
reason. As soon as practicable after the Award vests and consistent with Section 409A of the Code,
payment shall be made in Stock (based upon the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the day all
restrictions lapse). The Committee shall cause a Stock certificate to be delivered to the
Participant or the Participant’s electronic account with respect to such Stock free of all
restrictions or the Stock may be delivered electronically. Any number of shares delivered shall be
net of the number of shares withheld pursuant to Section 10.



4. Company; Participant.



(a) The term “Company” as used in this Agreement with reference to employment shall include
the Company and its Affiliates, as appropriate.



(b) Whenever the word “Participant” is used in any provision of this Agreement under
circumstances where the provision should logically be construed to apply to the beneficiaries, the
executors, the administrators, or the person or persons to whom the Restricted Stock Units may be
transferred by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, the word “Participant” shall be
deemed to include such person or persons.




	 	5.	 	Adjustments; Change in Control.





(a) In the event that the Committee determines that any dividend or other distribution
(whether in the form of cash, Stock or other property), recapitalization, forward or reverse split,
reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of Stock or
other securities, liquidation, dissolution, or other similar corporate transaction or event,
affects the Stock such that an adjustment is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or
enlargement of the rights of Participants under the Plan, then the Committee shall, in such manner
as it may deem equitable, adjust any or all of  the number and kind of shares that may be issued in
respect of Restricted Stock Units. In addition, the Committee is authorized to make adjustments in
the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or
nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, events described in the preceding sentence)
affecting the Company or any Affiliate or the financial statements of the Company or any Affiliate
or in response to changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles.  
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such adjustment shall be authorized with respect to Awards
subject to Section 5(g) of the Plan to the extent that such authority could cause such Awards to
fail to qualify as “qualified performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the
Code.



(b) In connection with a Change in Control, the Committee may, in its sole discretion,
accelerate the vesting with respect to the Award. If the Award is not assumed, substituted for an
award of equal value, or otherwise continued after a Change in Control, the Award shall
automatically vest prior to the Change in Control at a time designated by the Committee. Timing of
any payment or delivery of shares of Stock under this provision shall be subject to Section 409A of
the Code.



(c) All outstanding Restricted Stock Units shall immediately vest upon a termination of
employment by the Company without Cause, within twelve months after a Change in Control.



6. Clawback. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or this Agreement to the contrary,
in the event that the Participant breaches any nonsolicitation agreement entered into with, or
while acting on behalf of, the Company or any Affiliate, the Committee may (a) cancel the Award, in
whole or in part, whether or not vested, and/or (b) if such conduct or activity occurs within one
year following the vesting of any portion of the Award, require the Participant to repay to the
Company any shares received with respect to the Award (with such shares valued as of the vesting
date). Such cancellation or repayment obligation shall be effective as of the date specified by
the Committee. Any repayment obligation may be satisfied in shares of Stock or cash or a
combination thereof (based upon the Fair Market Value of the shares of Stock on the date of
repayment) and the Committee may provide for an offset to any future payments owed by the Company
or any Affiliate to the Participant if necessary to satisfy the repayment obligation;
provided, however, that if any such offset is prohibited under applicable law, the
Committee shall not permit any offsets and may require immediate repayment by the Participant.



7. Compliance with Law. Notwithstanding any of the provisions hereof, the Company
will not be obligated to issue or transfer any Stock to the Participant hereunder, if the exercise
thereof or the issuance or transfer of such Stock shall constitute a violation by the Participant
or the Company of any provisions of any law or regulation of any governmental authority. Any
determination in this connection by the Committee shall be final, binding and conclusive. The
Company shall in no event be obliged to register any securities pursuant to the Securities Act of
1933 (as now in effect or as hereafter amended) or to take any other affirmative action in order to
cause the issuance or transfer of Stock pursuant thereto to comply with any law or regulation of
any governmental authority.



8. No Right to Continued Employment. Nothing in this Agreement or in the Plan shall
confer upon the Participant any right to continue in the employ of the Company or shall interfere
with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company, which are hereby expressly reserved, to
discharge the Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause.
Participant acknowledges and agrees that the continued vesting of the Restricted Stock Units
granted hereunder is premised upon continuing obligations of Participant to the Company and its
Affiliates and vesting of such Restricted Stock Units shall not accelerate upon his termination of
employment for any reason unless specifically provided for herein.



9. Representations and Warranties of Participant. The Participant represents and
warrants to the Company that:



(a) Agrees to Terms of the Plan. The Participant has received a copy of the Plan and
has read and understands the terms of the Plan and this Agreement, and agrees to be bound by their
terms and conditions. In the event of a conflict or inconsistency between the terms and provisions
of the Plan and the provisions of this Agreement, the Plan shall govern and control. All
capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them as set forth in the
Plan. The Participant acknowledges that there may be adverse tax consequences upon the vesting of
Restricted Stock Units or later disposition of the shares of Stock once the Award has vested, and
that the Participant should consult a tax adviser prior to such time.



(b) Cooperation. The Participant agrees to sign such additional documentation as may
reasonably be required from time to time by the Company.



10. Taxes and Share Withholding. At such time as the Participant has taxable income
in connection with an Award (a “Taxable Event”), the Company will require payment or the
withholding of a portion of shares then issuable to the Participant having an aggregate Fair Market
Value equal to, but not in excess of, the minimum federal, state and local income taxes and other
amounts as may be required by law to be withheld by the Company in connection with the Taxable
Event.



11. Notice. Every notice or other communication relating to this Agreement shall be
in writing, and shall be mailed to or delivered to the party for whom it is intended at such
address as may from time to time be designated by it in a notice mailed or delivered to the other
party as herein provided; provided, that, unless and until some other address be so
designated, all notices or communications by the Participant to the Company shall be mailed or
delivered to the Company at its principal executive office, and all notices or communications by
the Company to the Participant may be given to the Participant personally or may be mailed to him
or her at his or her address as recorded in the records of the Company. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, at such time as the Company institutes a policy for delivery of notice by e-mail, notice
may be given in accordance with such policy.



12. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in accordance
with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to its conflict of law principles.



13. Electronic Transmission. The Company reserves the right to deliver any notice or
Award by email in accordance with its policy or practice for electronic transmission and any
written Award or notice referred to herein or under the Plan may be given in accordance with such
electronic transmission policy or practice.



* * * * * *





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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year
first above written.



ALLIANCE DATA SYSTEMS


CORPORATION



By: /s/ Dwayne H. Tucker


Dwayne H. Tucker


EVP, Human Resources



J. Michael Parks



/s/ J. Michael Parks


NAME




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