ex1017.htm



EXHIBIT 10.17

 

 

ASHLAND INC.

1997 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

(Amended as of November 7, 2002)

 

 

Section 1. Purpose

 

The purpose of the Ashland Inc. 1997 Stock Incentive Plan is to promote the interests of Ashland Inc. and its shareholders by providing incentives to its directors, officers and employees.  Accordingly, the Company may grant to selected officers and employees Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock,
Merit Awards and Performance Share Awards in an effort to attract and retain in its employ qualified individuals and to provide such individuals with incentives to continue service with Ashland, devote their best efforts to the Company and improve Ashland’s economic performance, thus enhancing the value of the Company for the benefit of shareholders.  The Plan also provides an incentive for qualified persons, who are not officers or employees of the Company, to serve on the Board of Directors
of the Company and to continue to work for the best interests of the Company by rewarding such persons with an automatic grant of Restricted Stock of the Company upon being appointed or elected to the Company’s Board of Directors.  Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Merit Awards and Performance Shares may not be granted to such Outside Directors under the Plan.

 

 





 

 

Section 2. Definitions

 

(A) “Agreement” shall mean a written agreement setting forth the terms of an Award, to be entered into at the Company’s discretion.

 

(B) “Ashland” shall mean, collectively, Ashland Inc. and its Subsidiaries.

 

(C) “Award” shall mean an Option, a Stock Appreciation Right, a Restricted Stock Award, a Merit Award, or a Performance Share Award, in each case granted under this Plan.

 

 (D) “Beneficiary” shall mean the person, persons, trust or trusts designated by an Employee or Outside Director or if no designation has been made, the person, persons, trust, or trusts entitled by will or the laws of descent and distribution to receive the benefits specified under this Plan in the
event of an Employee's or Outside Director's death.

 

(E) “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company or its designee.

 

(F) “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur (1) upon approval of the shareholders of Ashland (or if such approval is not required, upon the approval of the Board) of (A) any consolidation or merger of Ashland, other than a consolidation or merger of Ashland into or with a direct or indirect wholly-owned
subsidiary, in which Ashland is not the continuing or surviving corporation or pursuant to which shares of Common Stock would be converted into cash, securities or other property other than a merger in which the holders of Common Stock immediately prior to the merger will have the same proportionate ownership of common stock of the surviving corporation immediately after the merger, (B) any sale, lease, exchange, or other transfer (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all or substantially
all the assets of Ashland, provided, however, that no sale, lease, exchange or other transfer of all or substantially all the assets of Ashland shall be deemed to occur unless assets constituting 80% of the total assets of Ashland are transferred pursuant to such sale, lease, exchange or other transfer, or (C) adoption of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of Ashland, (2) when any “person” (as defined in Section 3(a)(9) or 13(d) of the Exchange Act), other than Ashland or any
Subsidiary or employee benefit plan or trust maintained by Ashland, shall become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of more than 15% of Ashland's Common Stock outstanding at the time, without the approval of the Board, or (3) at any time during a period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board shall cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof, unless the election
or the nomination for election by Ashland's shareholders of each new director during such two-year period was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors at the beginning of such two-year period.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any transaction, or series of transactions, that shall result in the disposition of Ashland’s interest in Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC, including without limitation any transaction arising out of that certain Put/Call,
Registration Rights and Standstill Agreement dated January 1, 1998 among Marathon Oil Company, USX Corporation, Ashland and

 

Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC, as amended from time to time, shall not be deemed to constitute a Change in Control.

 

(G) “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

(H) “Committee” shall mean the Personnel and Compensation Committee of the Board, as from time to time constituted, or any successor committee of the Board with similar functions, which shall consist of three or more members, each of whom shall be a Non-Employee Director and an “outside director”
as defined in the regulations issued under Section 162(m) of the Code or its designee.

 

(I) “Committee on Directors” shall mean the Committee on Directors of the Board, as from time to time constituted, or any successor committee of the Board with similar functions.

 

(J) “Common Stock” shall mean the Common Stock of the Company ($1.00 par value), subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 13.

 

(K) “Company” shall mean, collectively, Ashland Inc. and its Subsidiaries.

 

(L) “Employee” shall mean a regular, full-time or part-time employee of Ashland as selected by the Committee to receive an Award under the Plan.

 

(M) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

(N) “Exercise Price” shall mean, with respect to each share of Common Stock subject to an Option, the price fixed by the Committee at which such share may be purchased from the Company pursuant to the exercise of such Option, which price at no time may be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common
Stock on the date the Option is granted.

 

(O) “Fair Market Value” shall mean the price of the Common Stock as reported on the Composite Tape of the New York Stock Exchange on the date and at the time selected by the Company or as otherwise provided in the Plan.

 

(P) “Incentive Stock Option” or “ISO” shall mean an Option that is intended by the Committee to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision.

 

(Q) “Merit Award” shall mean an award of Common Stock issued pursuant to Section 9 of the Plan.

 

(R) “Non-Employee Director” shall mean a non-employee director within the meaning of applicable regulatory requirements, including those promulgated under Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

 

(S) “Nonqualified Stock Option” or “NQSO” shall mean an Option granted pursuant to this Plan which does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(T) “Option” shall mean the right to purchase Common Stock at a price to be specified and upon terms to be designated by the Committee or otherwise determined pursuant to this Plan. An Option shall be designated by the Committee as a Nonqualified Stock Option or an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(U) “Outside Director” shall mean a director of the Company who is not also an Employee of the Company.

 

(V)  “Performance Goals” means performance goals as may be established in writing by the Committee which may be based on earnings, stock price, return on equity, return on investment, total return to shareholders, economic value added, debt rating or achievement of business or operational goals,
such as drilling or exploration targets or profit per barrel.  Such goals may be absolute in their terms or measured against or in relation to other companies comparably or otherwise situated.  Such performance goals may be particular to an Employee or the division, department, branch, line of business, subsidiary or other unit in which the Employee works and/or may be based on the performance of Ashland generally.

 

(W) “Performance Period” shall mean the period designated by the Committee during which the performance objectives shall be measured.

 

(X) “Performance Share Award” shall mean an award of shares of Common Stock, the issuance of which is contingent upon attainment of performance objectives specified by the Committee.

 

(Y) “Performance Shares” shall mean those shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to a Performance Share Award.

 

(Z) “Personal Representative” shall mean the person or persons who, upon the disability or incompetence of an Employee or Outside Director, shall have acquired on behalf of the Employee or Outside Director by legal proceeding or otherwise the right to receive the benefits specified in this Plan.

 

(AA) “Plan” shall mean this Ashland Inc. 1997 Stock Incentive Plan.

 

(BB) “Restricted Period” shall mean the period designated by the Committee during which Restricted Stock may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, or otherwise encumbered, which period in the case of Employees shall not be less than one year from the date of grant (unless otherwise directed by the
Committee), and in the case of Outside Directors is the period set forth in subsection (B) of Section 8.

 

(CC) “Restricted Stock” shall mean those shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award which are subject to the restrictions, terms, and conditions set forth in the related Agreement, if any.

 

(DD) “Restricted Stock Award” shall mean an award of Restricted Stock.

 

(EE) “Retained Distributions” shall mean any securities or other property (other than regular cash dividends) distributed by the Company in respect of Restricted Stock during any Restricted Period.

 

(FF) “Retirement” shall mean retirement of an Employee from the employ of the Company at any time as described in the Ashland Inc. and Affiliates Pension Plan or in any successor pension plan, as from time to time in effect.

 

(GG) “Section 16(b) Optionee” shall mean an Employee or former Employee who is subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.

 

(HH) “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” shall mean the right of the holder to elect to surrender an Option or any portion thereof which is then exercisable and receive in exchange therefor shares of Common Stock, cash, or a combination thereof, as the case may be, with an aggregate value equal
to the excess of the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock over the Exercise Price specified in such Option multiplied by the number of shares of Common Stock covered by such Option or portion thereof which is so surrendered. An SAR may only be granted concurrently with the grant of the related Option. An SAR shall be exercisable upon any additional terms and conditions (including, without limitation, the issuance of Restricted Stock and the imposition of restrictions upon the timing of exercise) which
may be determined as provided in the Plan.

 

(II) “Subsidiary” shall mean any present or future subsidiary corporations, as defined in Section 424 of the Code, of Ashland.

 

(JJ) “Tax Date” shall mean the date the withholding tax obligation arises with respect to the exercise of an Award.

 





 

 

Section 3. Stock Subject To The Plan

 

There will be reserved for issuance under the Plan (upon the exercise of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, upon awards of Restricted Stock, Performance Shares and Merit Awards and for stock bonuses on deferred awards of Restricted Stock and Performance Shares), an aggregate of 3,212,000 shares of Ashland Common
Stock, par value $1.00 per share; provided, however, that of such shares, only 500,000 shares in the aggregate shall be available for issuance for Restricted Stock Awards and Merit Awards.  Such shares shall be authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock. Except as provided in Sections 7 and 8, if any Award under the Plan shall expire or terminate for any reason without having been exercised in full, or if any Award shall be forfeited, the shares subject to the unexercised or forfeited portion of
such Award shall again be available for the purposes of the Plan.  During the term of the Plan (as provided in Section 14 hereof), no Employee shall be granted more than a total of 500,000 in Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.

 





 

Section 4. Administration

 

Except as provided in subsection (B) of Section 8 herein, the Plan shall be administered by the Committee.

 

In addition to any implied powers and duties that may be needed to carry out the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have all the powers vested in it by the terms of the Plan, including exclusive authority (except as to Awards of Restricted Stock granted to Outside Directors) to select the Employees to be granted
Awards under the Plan,

 

to determine the type, size and terms of the Awards to be made to each Employee selected, to determine the time when Awards will be granted, and to prescribe the form of the Agreements embodying Awards made under the Plan. Subject to the provisions of the Plan specifically governing Awards of Restricted Stock granted
or to be granted to Outside Directors pursuant to subsection (B) of Section 8 herein, the Committee shall be authorized to interpret the Plan and the Awards granted under the Plan, to establish, amend and rescind any rules and regulations relating to the Plan, to make any other determinations which it believes necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan, and to correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award in the manner and to the extent the
Committee deems desirable to carry it into effect.  Any decision of the Committee in the administration of the Plan, as described herein, shall be final and conclusive.

 

The Committee (or, in the case of subsection (B) of Section 8 herein, the Committee on Directors) may act only by a majority of its members.  Any determination of the Committee or the Committee on Directors may be made, without notice, by the written consent of the majority of the members of the Committee or
the Committee on Directors.  In addition, the Committee or the Committee on Directors may authorize any one or more of their number or any officer of the Company to execute and deliver documents on behalf of the Committee or the Committee on Directors.  No member of the Committee or the Committee on Directors shall be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by him or her or by any other member of the Committee or the Committee on Directors in connection with the Plan, except for
his or her own willful misconduct or as expressly provided by statute.

 

 





 

 

Section 5. Eligibility

 

Awards may only be granted (i) to individuals who are Employees of Ashland, and (ii) as expressly provided in subsection (B) of Section 8 of the Plan, to individuals who are duly elected Outside Directors of Ashland.

 

 





 

 

Section 6. Options

 


	
A. Designation and Price.




 


	
(a) Any Option granted under the Plan may be granted as an Incentive Stock Option or as a Nonqualified Stock Option as shall be designated by the Committee at the time of the grant of such Option.  Each Option shall, at the discretion of the Company and as directed by the Committee, be evidenced by an Agreement between the recipient and the Company, which Agreement shall specify the designation of the Option
as an ISO or a NQSO, as the case may be, and shall contain such terms and conditions as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may determine in accordance with the Plan.




 


	
(b) Every Incentive Stock Option shall provide for a fixed expiration date of not later than ten years from the date such Incentive Stock Option is granted.  Every Nonqualified Stock Option shall provide for a fixed expiration date of not later than ten years and one month from the date such Nonqualified Stock Option is granted.




 


	
(c) The Exercise Price of Common Stock issued pursuant to each Option shall be fixed by the Committee at the time of the granting of the Option; provided, however, that such Exercise Price shall in no event be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date such Option is granted.




 


	
B. Exercise.




 

The Committee may, in its discretion, provide for Options granted under the Plan to be exercisable in whole or in part; provided, however, that no Option shall be exercisable prior to the first anniversary of the date of its grant, except as provided in Section 11 or as the Committee otherwise determines in accordance
with the Plan, and in no case may an Option be exercised at any time for fewer than 50 shares (or the total remaining shares covered by the Option if fewer than 50 shares) during the term of the Option. The specified number of shares will be issued upon receipt by Ashland of (i) notice from the holder thereof of the exercise of an Option, and (ii) payment to Ashland (as provided in this Section 6, subsection (C) below), of the Exercise Price for the number of shares with respect to which the Option is exercised.
Each such notice and payment shall be delivered or mailed by postpaid mail, addressed to the Treasurer of Ashland at Ashland Inc., 500 Diederich Boulevard, Russell, Kentucky  41169, or such other place or person as Ashland may designate from time to time.

 

C. Payment for Shares.

 

Except as otherwise provided in this Section 6, the Exercise Price for the Common Stock shall be paid in full when the Option is exercised. Subject to such rules as the Committee may impose, the Exercise Price may be paid in whole or in part (i) in cash, (ii) in whole shares of Common Stock owned by the Employee and
evidenced by negotiable certificates, valued at their Fair Market Value (which shares of Common Stock must have been owned by the Employee six months or longer, and not used to effect an Option exercise within the preceding six months, unless the Committee specifically provides otherwise), (iii) by Attestation, (iv) by a combination of such methods of payment, or (v) by such other consideration as shall constitute lawful consideration for the issuance of Common Stock and be approved by the Committee (including,
without limitation, effecting a “cashless exercise,” with a broker, of the Option).  “Attestation” means the delivery to Ashland of a completed Attestation Form prescribed by Ashland setting forth the whole shares of Common Stock owned by the Employee which the Employee wishes to utilize to pay the Exercise Price. The Common Stock listed on the Attestation Form must have been owned by the Employee six months or longer, and not have been used to effect an Option exercise within
the preceding six months, unless the Committee specifically provides otherwise.  A “cashless exercise” of an option is a procedure by which a broker provides the funds to an Employee to effect an option exercise.  At the direction of the Employee, the broker will either (i) sell all of the shares received when the option is exercised and pay the Employee the proceeds of the sale (minus the option exercise price, withholding taxes and any fees due to the broker) or (ii) sell enough
of the shares received upon exercise of the option to cover the exercise price, withholding taxes and any fees due the broker and deliver to the Employee (either directly or through the Company) a stock certificate for the remaining shares.  Dispositions to a broker effecting a cashless exercise are not exempt under Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

 

 





 

 

Section 7. Stock Appreciation Rights

 

The Committee may grant Stock Appreciation Rights pursuant to the provisions of this Section 7 to any holder of any Option granted under the Plan with respect to all or a portion of the shares subject to the related Option. An SAR  may only be granted concurrently with the grant of the related Option.  Subject
to the terms and provisions of this Section 7, each SAR shall be exercisable only at the same time and to the same extent the related Option is exercisable and in no event after the termination of the related Option. An SAR shall be exercisable only when the Fair Market Value (determined as of the date of exercise of the SAR) of each share of Common Stock with respect to which the SAR is to be exercised shall exceed the Exercise Price per share of Common Stock subject to the related Option. An SAR granted under
the Plan shall be exercisable in whole or in part by notice to Ashland. Such notice shall state that the holder of the SAR elects to exercise the SAR and the number of shares in respect of which the SAR is being exercised.

 

Subject to the terms and provisions of this Section 7, upon the exercise of an SAR, the holder thereof shall be entitled to receive from Ashland consideration (in the form hereinafter provided) equal in value to the excess of the Fair Market Value (determined as of the date of exercise of the SAR) of each share of Common
Stock with respect to which such SAR has been exercised over the Exercise Price per share of Common Stock subject to the related Option. The Committee may stipulate in the Agreement the form of consideration which shall be received upon the exercise of an SAR. If no consideration is specified therein, upon the exercise of an SAR, the holder may specify the form of consideration to be received by such holder, which shall be in shares of Common Stock, or in cash, or partly in cash and partly in shares of Common
Stock (valued at Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of the SAR) , as the holder shall request; provided, however, that the Committee, in its sole discretion, may disapprove the form of consideration requested and instead authorize the payment of such consideration in shares of Common Stock (valued as aforesaid), or in cash, or partly in cash and partly in shares of Common Stock.

 

Upon the exercise of an SAR, the related Option shall be deemed exercised to the extent of the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which such SAR is exercised and to that extent a corresponding number of shares of Common Stock shall not again be available for the grant of Awards under the Plan. Upon the
exercise or termination of the related Option, the SAR with respect thereto shall be considered to have been exercised or terminated to the extent of the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which the related Option was so exercised or terminated.

 

 





 

 

Section 8. Restricted Stock Awards

 


	
A. Awards to Employees




 

The Committee may make an award of Restricted Stock to selected Employees, which may, at the Company’s discretion and as directed by the Committee, be evidenced by an Agreement which shall contain such terms and conditions as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may determine. The amount of each Restricted Stock
Award and the respective terms and conditions of each Award (which terms and conditions need not be the same in each case) shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. As a condition to any Award hereunder, the Committee may require an Employee to pay to the Company a non-refundable amount equal to, or in excess of, the par value of the shares of Restricted Stock awarded to him or her.  Subject to the terms and conditions of each Restricted Stock Award, the Employee, as the owner of
the Common Stock issued as Restricted Stock, shall have all rights of a shareholder including, but not limited to, voting rights as to such Common Stock and the right to receive dividends thereon when, as and if paid.

 

In the event that a Restricted Stock Award has been made to an Employee whose employment or service is subsequently terminated for any reason prior to the lapse of all restrictions thereon, such Restricted Stock will be forfeited in its entirety by such Employee; provided, however, that the Committee may, in its sole
discretion, limit such forfeiture.

 

Employees may be offered the opportunity to defer the receipt of payment of vested shares of Restricted Stock, and Common Stock may be granted as a bonus for deferral, under terms as may be established by the Committee from time to time; however, in no event shall the Common Stock granted as a bonus for deferral exceed
20% of the Restricted Stock so deferred.

 


	
B. Awards to Outside Directors




 

During the term of the Plan, each person who is duly appointed or elected as an Outside Director shall be granted, effective on the date of his or her appointment or election to the Board, an Award of 1,000 shares of Restricted Stock.  All Awards under this subsection (B) are subject to the limitation on the
number of shares of Common Stock available pursuant to Section 3 and to the terms and conditions set forth in this subsection (B) and subsection (C) below.

 

As a condition to any Award hereunder, the Outside Director may be required to pay to the Company a non-refundable amount equal to the par value of the shares of Restricted Stock awarded to him or her. Upon the granting of the Restricted Stock Award, such Outside Director shall be entitled to all rights incident to ownership
of Common Stock of the Company with respect to his or her Restricted Stock, including, but not limited to, the right to vote such shares of Restricted Stock and to receive dividends thereon when, as and if paid; provided, however, that, subject to subsection (C) hereof, in no case may any shares of Restricted Stock granted to an Outside Director be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, or otherwise encumbered during the Restricted Period which shall not lapse until the earlier to occur of the following: (i) retirement
from the Board at age 72, (ii) the death or disability of such Outside Director, (iii) a 50% change in the beneficial ownership of the Company as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, or (iv) voluntary early retirement to take a position in governmental service.  Unless otherwise determined and directed by the Committee on Directors, in the case of voluntary resignation or other termination of service of an Outside Director prior to the occurrence of any of the events described in the preceding
sentence, any grant of Restricted Stock made to him or her pursuant to this subsection (B) will be forfeited by such Outside Director.  As used herein, a director shall be deemed “disabled” when he or she is unable to attend to his or her duties and responsibilities as a member of the Board because of incapacity due to physical or mental illness.

 


	
C. Transferability




 

Subject to subsection (B) of Section 15 hereof, Restricted Stock may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, or otherwise encumbered during a Restricted Period, which, in the case of Employees, shall be determined by the Committee and, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, shall not be less than one year
from the date such Restricted Stock was awarded, and, in the case of Outside Directors, shall be determined in accordance with subsection (B) of this Section 8. The Committee may, at any time, reduce the Restricted Period with respect to any outstanding shares of Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan to Employees, but, unless otherwise determined by the Committee,  such Restricted Period shall not be less than one year.

 

During the Restricted Period, certificates representing the Restricted Stock and any Retained Distributions shall be registered in the recipient's name and bear a restrictive legend to the effect that ownership of such Restricted Stock (and any such Retained Distributions), and the enjoyment of all rights appurtenant
thereto are subject to the restrictions, terms, and conditions provided in the Plan and the applicable Agreement, if any. Such certificates shall be deposited by the recipient with the Company, together with stock powers or other instruments of assignment, each endorsed in blank, which will permit transfer to the Company of all or any portion of the Restricted Stock and any securities constituting Retained Distributions which shall be forfeited in accordance with the Plan and the applicable Agreement, if any.
Restricted Stock shall constitute issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock for all corporate purposes. The recipient will have the right to vote such Restricted Stock, to receive and retain all regular cash dividends, and to exercise all other rights, powers, and privileges of a holder of Common Stock with respect to such Restricted Stock, with the exception that (i) the recipient will not be entitled to delivery of the stock certificate or certificates representing such Restricted Stock until the restrictions
applicable thereto shall have expired; (ii) the Company will retain custody of all Retained Distributions made or declared with respect to the Restricted Stock (and such Retained Distributions will be subject to the same restrictions, terms and conditions as are applicable to the Restricted Stock) until such time, if ever, as the Restricted Stock with respect to which such Retained Distributions shall have been made, paid, or declared shall have become vested, and such Retained Distributions shall not bear interest
or be segregated in separate accounts; (iii) subject to subsection (B) of Section 15 hereof, the recipient may not sell, assign, transfer, pledge, exchange, encumber, or dispose of the Restricted Stock or any Retained Distributions during the Restricted Period; and (iv) a breach of any restrictions, terms, or conditions provided in the Plan or established by the Committee with respect to any Restricted Stock or Retained Distributions will cause a forfeiture of such Restricted Stock and any Retained Distributions
with respect thereto.

 





 

 

Section 9.  Merit Awards

 

The Committee may from time to time make an award of Common Stock under the Plan to selected Employees for such reasons and in such amounts as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may determine.  As a condition to any such Merit Award, the Committee may require an Employee to pay to the Company an amount
equal to, or in excess of, the par value of the shares of Common Stock awarded to him or her.

 





 

 

Section 10. Performance Shares

 

The Committee may make awards of Common Stock which may, in the Company’s discretion and as directed by the Committee, be evidenced by an Agreement, to selected Employees on the basis of the Company's financial performance in any given period. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have sole
and complete authority to determine the Employees who shall receive such Performance Shares, to determine the number of such shares to be granted for each Performance Period, and to determine the duration of each such Performance Period. There may be more than one Performance Period in existence at any one time, and the duration of Performance Periods may differ from each other.

 

The Performance Goals and Performance Period applicable to an award of Performance Shares shall be set forth in writing by the Committee no later than 90 days after the commencement of the Performance Period and shall be communicated to the Employee.  The Committee shall have the discretion to later revise
the Performance Goals solely for the purpose of reducing or eliminating the amount of compensation otherwise payable upon attainment of the Performance Goals; provided that the Performance Goals and the amounts payable upon attainment of the Performance Goals may be adjusted during any Performance Period to reflect promotions, transfers or other changes in an Employee’s employment so long as such changes are consistent with the Performance Goals established for other Employees in the same or similar positions.

 

In making a Performance Share award, the Committee may take into account an Employee’s responsibility level, performance, cash compensation level, incentive compensation awards and such other considerations as it deems appropriate.  Each Performance Share award shall be established in shares of Common
Stock and/or shares of Restricted Stock in such proportions as the Committee shall determine.  The original amount of any Performance Share award shall not exceed 250,000 shares of Common Stock or Restricted Stock.

 

The Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion, the manner of payment, which may include (i) cash, (ii) shares of Common Stock, or (iii) shares of Restricted Stock in such proportions as the Committee shall determine. Employees may be offered the opportunity to defer the receipt of payment of earned Performance
Shares, and Common Stock may be granted as a bonus for deferral under terms as may be established by the Committee from time to time; however, in no event shall the Common Stock granted as a bonus for deferral exceed 20% of the Performance Shares so deferred.

 

An Employee must be employed by the Company at the end of a Performance Period in order to be entitled to payment of Performance Shares in respect of such period; provided, however, that in the event of an Employee's cessation of employment before the end of such period, or upon the occurrence of his or her death, retirement,
or disability, or other reason approved by the Committee, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, limit such forfeiture.

 

 





 

 

Section 11. Continued Employment, Agreement To Serve And Exercise Periods

 

(A) Subject to the provisions of subsection (F) of this Section 11, every Option and SAR shall provide that it may not be exercised in whole or in part for a period of one year after the date of granting such Option (unless otherwise determined by the Committee) and if the employment of the Employee shall terminate prior
to the end of such one year period (or such other period determined by the Committee), the Option granted to such Employee shall immediately terminate.

 

(B) Every Option shall provide that in the event the Employee dies (i) while employed by Ashland, (ii) during the periods in which Options may be exercised by an Employee determined to be disabled as provided in subsection (C) of this Section 11 or (iii) after Retirement, such Option shall be exercisable, at any time
or from time to time, prior to the fixed termination date set forth in the Option, by the Beneficiaries of the decedent for the number of shares which the Employee could have acquired under the Option immediately prior to the Employee’s death.

 

(C) Every Option shall provide that in the event the employment of any Employee shall cease by reason of disability, as determined by the Committee at any time during the term of the Option, such Option shall be exercisable, at any time or from time to time prior to the fixed termination date set forth in the Option
by such Employee for the number of shares which the Employee could have acquired under the Option immediately prior to the Employee’s disability.  As used herein, an Employee will be deemed “disabled” when he or she becomes unable to perform the functions required by his or her regular job due to physical or mental illness and, in connection with the grant of an Incentive Stock Option shall be disabled if he or she falls within the meaning of that term as provided in Section 22(e)(3)
of the Code.  The determination by the Committee of any question involving disability shall be conclusive and binding.

 

(D)           Every Option shall provide that in the event the employment of any Employee shall cease by reason of Retirement, such Option may be exercised at any time or from time to time, prior to the fixed termination date set forth in the Option for the number
of shares which the Employee could have acquired under the Option immediately prior to such Retirement.

 

(E) Except as provided in subsections (A), (B), (C), (D), (F) and (G) of this Section 11, every Option shall provide that it shall terminate on the earlier to occur of the fixed termination date set forth in the Option or thirty (30) days after cessation of the Employee's employment for any cause only in respect of the
number of shares which the Employee could have acquired under the Option immediately prior to such cessation of employment; provided, however, that no Option may be exercised after the fixed termination date set forth in the Option.

 

(F) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section 11 to the contrary, any Award granted pursuant to the Plan, except a Restricted Stock Award to Outside Directors, which is governed by Section 8, subsection (B), may, in the discretion of the Committee or as provided in the relevant Agreement (if any), become exercisable,
at any time or from time to time, prior to the fixed termination date set forth in the Award for the full number of awarded shares or any part thereof, less such numbers as may have been theretofore acquired under the Award (i) from and after the time the Employee ceases to be an Employee of Ashland as a result of the sale or other disposition by Ashland of assets or property (including shares of any Subsidiary) in respect of which such Employee had theretofore been employed or as a result of which such Employee's
continued employment with Ashland is no longer required, and (ii) in the case of a Change in Control of Ashland, from and after the date of such Change in Control.

 

(G)  Notwithstanding any provision of this Section 11 to the contrary, in the event the Committee determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, that the employment of any Employee has terminated for a reason or in a manner adversely affecting the Company (which may include, without limitation, taking other
employment or rendering service to others without the consent of the Company), then the Committee may direct that such Employee forfeit any and all Options that he or she could otherwise have exercised pursuant to the terms of this Plan.

 

(H) Each Employee granted an Award under this Plan shall agree by his or her acceptance of such Award to remain in the service of Ashland for a period of at least one year from the date of the Agreement respecting the Award between Ashland and the Employee (or, if no Agreement is entered into, at least one year from
the date of the Award). Such service shall, subject to the terms of any contract between Ashland and such Employee, be at the pleasure of Ashland and at such compensation as Ashland shall reasonably determine from time to time. Nothing in the Plan, or in any Award granted pursuant to the Plan, shall confer on any individual any right to continue in the employment of or service to Ashland or interfere in any way with the right of Ashland to terminate the Employee's employment at any time.

 

(I) Subject to the limitations set forth in Section 422 of the Code, the Committee may adopt, amend, or rescind from time to time such provisions as it deems appropriate with respect to the effect of leaves of absence approved by any duly authorized officer of Ashland with respect to any Employee.

 

 





 

 

Section 12. Withholding Taxes

 

Federal, state or local law may require the withholding of taxes applicable to gains resulting from the exercise of an Award. Unless otherwise prohibited by the Committee, each Employee may satisfy any such tax withholding obligation by any of the following means, or by a combination of such means: (i) a cash payment,
(ii) authorizing Ashland to withhold from the shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable to the Employee pursuant to the exercise or vesting of an Award a number of shares having a Fair Market Value, as of the Tax Date, which will satisfy the amount of the withholding tax obligation, or (iii) by delivery to Ashland of a number of shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value as of the Tax Date which will satisfy the amount of the withholding tax obligation arising from an exercise or vesting of an Award. An
Employee's election to pay the withholding tax obligation by (ii) or (iii) above must be made on or before the Tax Date, is irrevocable, is subject to such rules as the Committee may adopt, and may be disapproved by the Committee. If the amount requested is not paid, the Committee may refuse to issue Common Stock under the Plan.

 

 





 

 

Section 13. Adjustments Upon Changes In Capitalization

 

In the event of any change in the outstanding Common Stock of the Company by reason of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, reorganization, combination, or exchange of shares, split-up, split-off, spin-off, liquidation or other similar change in capitalization, or any distribution
to common stockholders other than cash dividends, the number or kind of shares that may be issued under the Plan pursuant to Section 3 and the number or kind of shares subject to, or the price per share under any outstanding Award shall be automatically adjusted so that the proportionate interest of the Employee or Outside Director shall be maintained as before the occurrence of such event. Such adjustment shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes of the Plan.

 

 





 

 

Section 14. Amendments And Terminations

 

Unless the Plan shall have been earlier terminated as hereinafter provided, no Awards shall be granted hereunder after January 30, 2002.  The Board, the Committee, or the Committee on Directors may at any time terminate, modify or amend the Plan in such respects as it shall deem advisable; provided, however,
that the Board or the Committee may not, without approval by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of stock present and voting at any annual or special meeting of shareholders of Ashland change the manner of determining the minimum Exercise Price of Options, other than to change the manner of determining the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock as set forth in Section 2.

 

 

Section 15. Miscellaneous Provisions

 

(A) Except as to an Award of 1,000 Restricted Shares to an Outside Director upon being appointed or elected to the Company’s Board of Directors, no Employee or other person shall have any claim or right to be granted an Award under the Plan.

 

(B) An Employee's or Outside Director's rights and interest under the Plan may not be assigned or transferred in whole or in part, either directly or by operation of law or otherwise (except in the event of an Employee's or Outside Director's death, by will or the laws of descent and distribution), including, but not
by way of limitation, execution, levy, garnishment, attachment, pledge, bankruptcy or in any other manner, and no such right or interest of any Employee or Outside Director in the Plan shall be subject to any obligation or liability of such individual; provided, however, that an Employee’s or Outside Director’s rights and interest under the Plan may, subject to the discretion and direction of the Committee or, in the case of an Outside Director, the Committee on Directors, be made transferable by
such Employee or Outside Director during his or her lifetime. Except as specified in Section 8, the holder of an Award shall have none of the rights of a shareholder until the shares subject thereto shall have been registered in the name of the person receiving or person or persons exercising the Award on the transfer books of the Company.

 

(C) No Common Stock shall be issued hereunder unless counsel for the Company shall be satisfied that such issuance will be in compliance with applicable Federal, state, and other securities laws.

 

(D) The expenses of the Plan shall be borne by the Company.

 

(E) By accepting any Award under the Plan, each Employee and Outside Director and each Personal Representative or Beneficiary claiming under or through him or her shall be conclusively deemed to have indicated his or her acceptance and ratification of, and consent to, any action taken under the Plan by the Company, the
Board, the Committee or the Committee on Directors.

 

(F) Awards granted under the Plan shall be binding upon Ashland, its successors, and assigns.

 

(G) The appropriate officers of the Company shall cause to be filed any reports, returns, or other information regarding Awards hereunder or any Common Stock issued pursuant hereto as may be required by Sections 13, 15(d) or 16(a) of the Exchange Act, or any other applicable statute, rule, or regulation.

 

(H) Nothing contained in this Plan shall prevent the Board of Directors from adopting other or additional compensation arrangements, subject to shareholder approval if such approval is required.

 

(I)  Each Employee shall be deemed to have been granted any Award on the date the Committee took action to grant such Award under the Plan or such later date as the Committee in its sole discretion shall determine at the time such grant is authorized.

 

 





 

 

Section 16. Effectiveness Of The Plan

 

The Plan was submitted to the shareholders of the Company for their approval and adoption on January 30, 1997 and was approved by the shareholders on that date.

 

 





 

 

Section 17. Governing Law

 

The provisions of this Plan shall be interpreted and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.