EXHIBIT 10.1

 

CROCS, INC.
 2007 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

(As Amended and Restated effective June 28, 2011)

 

1.     Purpose.    The purpose of the Crocs, Inc. 2007 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is to promote the interests of the Company and its stockholders by aligning the interests of employees and others who are selected to be Participants with those of the Company’s stockholders, providing Participants with a strong incentive to put forth maximum effort for the continued success and growth of the Company and its Affiliates, and assisting the Company in attracting, motivating and retaining the best available individuals for service to the Company.

 

2.     Definitions.    The capitalized terms used in the Plan have the meanings set forth below.

 

(a)   “Acquired Entity” means any entity acquired by the Company or an Affiliate or with which the Company or an Affiliate merges or combines.

 

(b)   “Affiliate” means any entity that is directly or indirectly controlled by, in control of or under common control with the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining whether any individual may be a Participant for purposes of any grant of Incentive Stock Options, the term “Affiliate” shall mean any corporation that is a “subsidiary corporation” of the Company, as that term is defined in Code Sections 424(e) and (f), or any successor provisions.

 

(c)   “Agreement” means any written or electronic agreement, instrument or document evidencing the grant of an Award in such form as has been approved by the Committee, including all amendments thereto.

 

(d)   “Award” means a grant made under the Plan in the form of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Performance Units, Stock or any other stock-based award.

 

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

 

(f)    “Cause” means (i) the Participant’s material breach of any confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-solicitation, non-competition, invention assignment or similar agreement with the Company or any Affiliate; (ii) an act or acts of dishonesty undertaken by the Participant resulting in gain or personal enrichment of the Participant at the expense of the Company; (iii) persistent failure by the Participant to perform the duties of the Participant’s employment, which failure is demonstrably deliberate on the part of the Participant and constitutes gross neglect of duties by the Participant; (iv) any failure by the Participant to materially conform to the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics; or (v) the indictment or conviction of the Participant for a felony if the act or acts constituting the felony are substantially detrimental to the Company or its reputation.

 

(g)   “Change of Control” means one of the following:

 

(1)   a majority of the directors of the Company shall be persons other than persons

 

(i)  for whose election proxies shall have been solicited by the Board, or

 

(ii)  who are then serving as directors appointed by the Board to fill vacancies on the Board caused by death or resignation (but not by removal) or to fill newly created directorships;

 

(2)   35% or more of (1) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (“Outstanding Company Voting Securities”) or (2) the then outstanding Shares of Stock (“Outstanding Company Common Stock”) is acquired or beneficially owned (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act, or any successor rule thereto) by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of 

 











 

Section 13d(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act), provided, however, that the following acquisitions and beneficial ownership shall not constitute Changes of Control pursuant to this Section 2(f)(2):

 

(i)  any acquisition or beneficial ownership by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company, or

 

(ii)  any acquisition or beneficial ownership by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or one or more of its subsidiaries, or

 

(iii)  any acquisition or beneficial ownership by a parent entity of the Company (after giving effect to the merger) or its wholly-owned subsidiaries, as long as they shall remain wholly-owned subsidiaries, directly or indirectly of 100% of the Outstanding Company Voting Securities as a result of a merger or that complies with Section 2(f)(3)(i)(A), (B) and (C) or the exception in Section 2(f)(3)(ii) in all respects;

 

(3)   the Company consummates

 

(i)  a merger of the Company with or into another entity, other than a merger in which:

 

(A)  the persons who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Voting Securities and Outstanding Company Common Stock immediately prior to such merger beneficially own, directly or indirectly, immediately after the merger, more than 50% of, respectively, the then outstanding common stock and the then outstanding voting power of the voting securities (or comparable equity interests) of the surviving entity in the merger or its direct or indirect parent entity in substantially the same proportions (except for those exercising statutory dissenters’ rights) as their ownership of the Outstanding Company Voting Securities and Outstanding Company Common Stock immediately prior to the merger,

 

(B)  if voting securities of the direct or indirect parent entity of the Company (after giving effect to the merger) are exchanged for Outstanding Company Voting Securities in the merger, all holders of any class or series of Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to the merger have the right to receive substantially the same per share consideration in exchange for their Outstanding Company Voting Securities as all other holders of such class or series (except for those exercising statutory dissenters’ rights), and

 

(C)  no individual, entity or group (other than a direct or indirect, parent entity that, after giving effect to the merger, directly or indirectly through one or more wholly owned subsidiaries, beneficially owns 100% of the outstanding voting securities of the entity resulting from the merger) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, immediately after the merger, 35% or more of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities or the outstanding common stock of the entity (or comparable equity interests) resulting from the merger, or

 

(ii)  a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (in one transaction or a series of transactions); or

 

(4)   the stockholders of the Company approve a definitive agreement or plan to liquidate or dissolve the Company.

 











 

Notwithstanding anything herein stated, no Change of Control shall be deemed to occur unless it would be deemed to constitute a change in ownership or effective control, or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets, of a business under Section 409A.

 

(h)   “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time or any successor statute, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(i)    “Committee” means two or more Non-Employee Directors designated by the Board to administer the Plan under Section 3.1, each member of which shall be (i) an independent director within the meaning of Rule 4200(15) of the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules, (ii) considered a non-employee director within the meaning of Exchange Act Rule 16b-3, and (iii) an outside director for purposes of Code Section 162(m).

 

(j)    “Company” means Crocs, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor to all or substantially all of its businesses by merger, consolidation, purchase of assets or otherwise.

 

(k)    “Disability” means the disability of a Participant such that the Participant is considered disabled under any retirement plan of the Company which is qualified under Section 401 of the Code, or as otherwise determined by the Committee.

 

(l)    “Employee” means an employee (including an officer or director who is also an employee) of the Company or an Affiliate.

 

(m)    “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and in effect from time to time or any successor statute.

 

(n)    “Fair Market Value” as of any date means, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, the closing sale price of a Share on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (or such other national securities exchange as may at the time be the principal market for the Shares) on that date or, if no sale of the Company’s Shares occurred on that date, on the next preceding day on which a sale of Shares occurred. If the Shares are not then listed and traded upon the Nasdaq Global Select Market or other national securities exchange, Fair Market Value shall be what the Committee determines in good faith to be 100% of the fair market value of a Share on that date, using such criteria as it shall determine, in its sole discretion, to be appropriate for valuation.

 

(o)    “Fundamental Change” means a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, a sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company, or a merger or consolidation of the Company with or into any other corporation, regardless of whether the Company is the surviving corporation.

 

(p)    “Grant Date” means the date on which the Committee approves the grant of an Award under the Plan, or such later date as may be specified by the Committee on the date the Committee approves the Award.

 

(q)    “Incentive Stock Option” means any Option designated as such and granted in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 422.

 

(r)    “Insider” as of a particular date means any person who, as of that date is an officer of the Company as defined under Exchange Act Rule 16a-1(f).

 

(s)    “Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board who is not an Employee.

 

(t)    “Non-Statutory Stock Option” means an Option other than an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(u)    “Option” means a right to purchase a number of Shares at a specified price.

 

(v)    “Participant” means a person to whom an Award is or has been made in accordance with the Plan.

 











 

(w)    “Performance-Based Compensation” means an Award to a “covered employee” (as defined in Section 162(m)(3) of the Code) that is intended to constitute “performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m)(4)(c) of the Code.

 

(x)    “Performance Period” means the period of time as specified in an Agreement over which Performance Units or any other Award subject to Performance Measures are to be earned.

 

(y)    “Performance Measures” means any measures of performance established by the Committee in connection with the grant of an Award. In the case of any such grant intended to constitute Performance-Based Compensation, the Performance Measures shall consist of one or a combination of two or more of the following performance criteria: net sales; net earnings; earnings before income taxes; earnings before interest and taxes; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; earnings per share (basic or diluted); profitability as measured by return ratios (including return on assets, return on equity, return on investment and return on net sales) or by the degree to which any of the foregoing earnings measures exceed a percentage of net sales; cash flow; market share; margins (including one or more of gross, operating and net earnings margins); stock price; total stockholder return; asset quality; non-performing assets; revenue growth; operating income; pre- or after-tax income; cash flow per share; operating assets; improvement in or attainment of expense levels or cost savings; economic value added; and improvement in or attainment of working capital levels. Any Performance Measure utilized may be expressed in absolute amounts, on a per share basis, as a growth rate or change from preceding periods, or as a comparison to the performance of specified companies or other external measures, and may relate to one or any combination of corporate, group, unit, division, Affiliate or individual performance.

 

(z)    “Performance Unit” means the right to receive the Fair Market Value of one Share upon the achievement of specified levels of one or more Performance Measures in accordance with an Award granted under Section 11.

 

(aa)    “Plan” means this Crocs, Inc. 2007 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and in effect from time to time.

 

(bb)    “Restricted Stock” means Shares issued in accordance with an Award granted under Section 7 so long as the retention and/or vesting of such Shares remains subject to conditions or restrictions.

 

(cc)    “Restricted Stock Unit” means a derivative security provided in accordance with an Award granted under Section 8 which represents the right to receive, in cash and/or Stock as determined by the Committee, the Fair Market Value of one Share, and the retention, vesting and/or settlement of which is subject to conditions or restrictions.

 

(dd)    “Retirement” means termination of an Employee’s employment, other than for Cause, at or after age 65.

 

(ee)    “Section 409A” means Section 409A of the Code, including any regulations and other guidance issued thereunder by the Department of the Treasury and/or the Internal Revenue Service.

 

(ff)    “Share” means a share of Stock.

 

(gg)    “Stock” means the common stock, no par value, of the Company.

 

(hh)    “Stock Appreciation Right” means a right, the value of which is determined in relation to the appreciation in value of Shares in accordance with an Award granted under Section 10.

 

(ii)    “Subsidiary” means a “subsidiary corporation” as that term is defined in Code Section 424(f) or any successor provision.

 

(jj)    “Substitute Award” means Awards granted or shares of Common Stock issued by the Company in assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for, awards previously granted by an Acquired Entity.

 











 

(kk)    “Successor” means the legal representative of an incompetent Participant, or if the Participant is deceased means the estate of the Participant or the person or persons who may, by bequest or inheritance, or pursuant to the terms of an Award, acquire the right to exercise an Option or Stock Appreciation Right or to receive cash and/or Shares issuable in satisfaction of an Award in the event of the Participant’s death.

 

(ll)    “Transferee” means any “family member” (as defined by the general instructions to Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933) of the Participant.

 

3.     Administration and Indemnification.

 

(a)    Administration.

 

(1)   The Committee shall administer the Plan. The Committee shall have exclusive power to (i) make Awards; (ii) determine when and to whom Awards will be granted, the form of each Award, the amount of each Award, and any other terms or conditions of each Award consistent with the Plan; (iii) prescribe and amend the terms of Agreements evidencing Awards; and (iv) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances, Awards may be settled, paid or exercised in cash, Shares or other Awards, or other property or canceled, forfeited or suspended. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of the Committee, and acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present or the acts unanimously approved in writing by all members of the Committee shall be the acts of the Committee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board shall perform the duties and have the responsibilities of the Committee with respect to Awards made to Non-Employee Directors.

 

(2)   Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board or the Compensation Committee may delegate concurrent responsibility for administering the Plan, including with respect to designated classes of Participants, to different committees consisting of one or more members of the Board, subject to such limitations as the Board deems appropriate, except with respect to Awards to Participants who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act or Awards intended to constitute Performance-Based Compensation. Members of any committee shall serve for such term as the Board may determine, subject to removal by the Board at any time. To the extent consistent with applicable law, the Board or the Compensation Committee may authorize one or more officers of the Company to grant Awards to designated classes of Participants, within limits specifically prescribed by the Board or the Compensation Committee; provided, however, that no such officer shall have or obtain authority to grant Awards to himself or herself or to any person subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act. .

 

(3)   To the extent within its discretion and subject to Sections 16 and 17, the Committee may amend the terms and conditions of any outstanding Award.

 

(4)   It is the intent that the Plan and all Awards granted pursuant to it shall be administered by the Committee so as to permit the Plan and Awards to comply with Exchange Act Rule 16b-3 for persons subject to Section 16, except in such instances as the Committee, in its discretion, may so provide.

 

(5)   The Committee’s interpretation of the Plan and of any Award or Agreement made under the Plan and all related decisions or resolutions of the Board or Committee shall be final and binding on all parties with an interest therein. Consistent with its terms, the Committee shall have the power to establish, amend or waive regulations to administer the Plan. In carrying out any of its responsibilities, the Committee shall have discretionary authority to construe the terms of the Plan and any Award or Agreement made under the Plan.

 

(6)   In order to facilitate compliance with the applicable provisions of the laws in other countries in which the Company or its Affiliates operate or have Employees or non-employee consultants and advisors, and notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan, the Committee shall have the power and authority to (i) determine which (if any) individuals rendering services or 

 











 

employed outside the United States are eligible to participate in the Plan or to receive any type of Award hereunder; (ii) determine which non-U.S.-based Affiliates or operations may participate in the Plan; (iii) modify the terms and conditions of any Awards made to such individuals or with respect to such non-U.S.-based Affiliates or operations; and (iv) establish sub-plans, modify methods of exercise, modify payment restrictions on sale or transfer of Shares and other terms and procedures to the extent deemed necessary or desirable by the Committee to comply with applicable laws of the non-U.S. jurisdiction.

 

(b)    Indemnification.    Each person who is or shall have been a member of the Committee, or of the Board, and any other person to whom the Committee delegates authority under the Plan, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company, to the extent permitted by law, against and from any loss, cost, liability or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such person in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit or proceeding to which such person may be a party or in which such person may be involved by reason of any action taken or failure to act, made in good faith, under the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by such person in settlement thereof, with the Company’s approval, or paid by such person in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding against such person, provided such person shall give the Company an opportunity, at the Company’s expense, to handle and defend the same before such person undertakes to handle and defend it on such person’s own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such person or persons may be entitled under the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.

 

4.     Shares Available Under the Plan.

 

(a)   Subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 17, the number of Shares that may be granted under the Plan shall not exceed 15,300,000. The aggregate number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan will be reduced (i) by 1.5 Shares for each Share delivered in settlement of any Award of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, Stock or any other stock-based Award other than Options or Stock Appreciate Rights and (ii) by one Share for each Share delivered upon the exercise and settlement of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights. The Shares issued under the Plan may come from authorized and unissued shares or treasury shares.

 

(b)   Any Shares subject to that portion of an Award which, for any reason, is forfeited or expires or terminates unexercised or unearned may again be used for future Awards.

 

(c)   Any Shares subject to an Award settled in cash or other property in lieu of Shares may again be used for future Awards.

 

(d)   For the purposes of computing the total number of Shares granted under the Plan, the following rules shall apply to Awards payable in Shares where appropriate:

 

(1)   Each Award shall initially be deemed to involve the grant of the maximum number of Shares in which the particular Award is denominated.

 

(2)   If a Stock Appreciation Right has been exercised and settled in Shares, the gross number of Shares with respect to which such exercise occurred shall be deemed granted and may not again be the subject of Awards under the Plan.

 

(3)   To the extent an Award is paid or settled in some other security, it shall be deemed to have involved the grant of the number of Shares in which that portion of the Award was denominated.

 

(4)   Where the number of Shares available under the Award is variable on the Grant Date, the number of Shares granted shall be deemed, prior to the settlement of the Award, to be the maximum number of Shares that could be received under that particular Award.

 











 

(5)   Where two or more types of Awards (all of which are payable in Shares) are granted to a Participant in tandem with each other, such that the exercise of one type of Award with respect to a number of Shares cancels at least an equal number of Shares of the other, such joint Awards shall be deemed to involve the grant of the maximum number of Shares available under the largest single Award.

 

(6)   Shares tendered or withheld in payment of an Option exercise price or to satisfy any tax withholding obligation shall not be added to the total number of Shares available for grant under the Plan.

 

(7)   Shares that are repurchased by the Company with Option proceeds shall not be added to the total number of Shares available for grant under the Plan.

 

(e)   No fractional Shares may be issued under the Plan; however, cash shall be paid in lieu of any fractional Share in settlement of an Award.

 

(f)    The maximum number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to Incentive Stock Options shall be 15,300,000, which limit will be subject to adjustment under Section 17 to the extent such adjustment is consistent with adjustments permitted of a plan authorizing the grant of incentive stock options under Code Section 422. The aggregate number of Shares subject to Options and/or Stock Appreciation Rights granted during any calendar year to any one Participant shall not exceed 1,000,000. The aggregate number of Shares subject to Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Unit Awards granted during any calendar year to any one Participant shall not exceed 1,000,000. The foregoing limits shall be subject to adjustment under Section 17, but only to the extent that such adjustment will not affect the status of any Award intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Code Section 162(m).

 

5.     Eligibility.    Participation in the Plan shall be limited to (i) Employees, (ii) individuals who are not Employees but who provide services to the Company or an Affiliate, including services provided in the capacity of a consultant, advisor or director, such as a Non-Employee Director, and (iii) any individual the Company desires to induce to become an Employee or Non-Employee Director, provided that any such grant shall not be effective until such individual becomes an Employee or Non-Employee Director, as the case may be. The granting of Awards is solely at the discretion of the Committee, except that Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to Employees. References herein to “employed,” “employment” or similar terms (except “Employee”) shall include the providing of services in any capacity, including as a director. Neither the transfer of employment of a Participant between any of the Company or its Affiliates, nor a leave of absence granted to such Participant and approved by the Committee, nor any change in status from an Employee to a consultant of the Company shall be deemed a termination of employment for purposes of the Plan.

 

6.     General Terms of Awards.

 

(a)    Amount of Award.    Each Award shall be evidenced by an Agreement setting forth the number of Shares subject to the Award together with such other terms and conditions applicable to the Award (and not inconsistent with the Plan) as determined by the Committee, which may include conditions on vesting, exercisability, lapsing of restrictions or payment that are tied to Performance Measures.

 

(b)    Vesting and Term.    Each Agreement, other than those relating solely to Awards of Shares without restrictions, shall set forth the period until the applicable Award is scheduled to expire, which shall not be more than ten years from the Grant Date, and any applicable Performance Period. The Committee may provide for such vesting conditions as it may determine, subject to the following limitations:

 

(1)   an Award that is not subject to the satisfaction of Performance Measures may not fully vest or become fully exercisable earlier than three years from the Grant Date; and

 

(2)   the Performance Period of a Performance Unit or other Award subject to Performance Measures may not be shorter than one year.

 











 

The limitations in clauses (1) and (2) above will not, however, apply in the following situations: (i) an Award made to attract a key executive to join the Company; (ii) upon a Change of Control; (iii) termination of employment due to death, Disability or Retirement; (iv) Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units issued in exchange for other compensation; (v) a substitute Award granted pursuant to Section 20; and (vi) Awards issued to Non-Employee Directors.

 

(c)    Transferability.    Except as provided in this Section, (i) during the lifetime of a Participant, only that Participant (or that Participant’s Successor) may exercise an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, or receive payment with respect to any other Award, and (ii) no Award may be sold, assigned, transferred, exchanged or otherwise encumbered other than to a Successor in the event of a Participant’s death or pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order as defined in the Code or Title 1 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), or the rules thereunder. Any attempted transfer in violation of this Section 6(c) shall be of no effect. The Committee may, however, provide in an Agreement or otherwise that an Award (other than an Incentive Stock Option) may be transferable, to the extent permitted by law, to a Transferee if the Participant does not receive any consideration for the transfer. Any Award held by a Transferee shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions that were applicable to that Award immediately before the transfer thereof to the Transferee. For purposes of any provision of the Plan relating to notice to a Participant or to acceleration or termination of an Award upon the death or termination of employment of a Participant, the references to “Participant” shall mean the original grantee of an Award and not any Transferee.

 

(d)    Termination of Employment.    Except as otherwise determined by the Committee or provided by the Committee in an Agreement, in case of a Participant’s termination of employment with the Company and all of its Affiliates, the following provisions shall apply:

 

(1)    Options and Stock Appreciation Rights.

 

(i)  Death or Disability.    If a Participant’s employment terminates because of death or Disability before an Award of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right has expired, the portion of such Award that was exercisable immediately prior to such termination shall remain exercisable for one year after the date of such termination of employment (but not after the scheduled expiration date of such Award). The unexercisable portion of such Award shall terminate at the date of termination of employment.

 

(ii)  Retirement.    If the employment of a Participant who is an Employee terminates because of Retirement before an Award of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right has expired, the portion of such Award that was exercisable immediately prior to such termination shall remain exercisable for one year after the date of such termination of employment (but not after the scheduled expiration date of such Award). The unexercisable portion of such Award shall terminate at the date of termination of employment.

 

(iii)  Cause.    If a Participant’s employment is terminated for Cause, all Awards to the Participant will terminate immediately upon such termination.

 

(iv)  Termination for Other Reasons.    If a Participant’s employment terminates for any reason other than death, Disability, Retirement or Cause, then the unexercisable portion of any Award of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right held by such Participant shall terminate at the date of termination of employment, and any portion of such Award that was exercisable immediately prior to such termination shall remain exercisable for three months after termination of the Participant’s employment (but not after the scheduled expiration date of such Award) if the Participant is not a Non-Employee Director, and shall remain exercisable until the scheduled expiration of the Award if the Participant is a Non-Employee Director.

 




 









 

(2)    Performance Units.    If a Participant’s employment with the Company and all of its Affiliates terminates during a Performance Period because of death, Disability or Retirement, the Participant shall be entitled to a payment of Performance Units at the end of the Performance Period based upon the extent to which achievement of Performance Measures was satisfied at the end of such period and prorated for the portion of the Performance Period during which the Participant was employed by the Company or any Affiliate. Except as provided in this Section 6(d)(2) or in the applicable Agreement, if a Participant’s employment terminates with the Company and all of its Affiliates during a Performance Period, then such Participant shall not be entitled to any payment with respect to that Performance Period.

 

(3)    Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit Awards.    If a Participant’s employment with the Company and all of its Affiliates terminates because of death, Disability or Retirement, a pro rata portion of any outstanding Award of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units shall immediately vest. The portion of the Award that will vest will involve that number of Shares or Units which, when combined with the number of Shares or Units subject to the Award that have previously vested, will represent the same ratio to the total number of Shares or Units subject to the original Award as the portion of the scheduled vesting period of the Award during which the Participant was employed by the Company and its Affiliates bears to the scheduled vesting period. The portion of any Award of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units that does not vest as provided in the preceding sentence will terminate at the date of the Participant’s termination of employment, and any Shares of Restricted Stock will be forfeited to the Company.

 

(e)    Rights as Stockholder.    Each Agreement shall provide that a Participant shall have no rights as a stockholder with respect to any securities covered by an Award unless and until the date the Participant becomes the holder of record of the Stock, if any, to which the Award relates.

 

(f)    Performance-Based Awards.    Any Award may be granted as a performance-based Award if the Committee establishes one or more Performance Measures upon which vesting, the lapse of restrictions or settlement in cash or Shares is contingent. With respect to any Award intended to be Performance-Based Compensation, the Committee shall establish and administer Performance Measures in the manner described in Section 162(m) of the Code and the then current regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury.

 

7.     Restricted Stock Awards.

 

(a)   An Award of Restricted Stock under the Plan shall consist of Shares subject to restrictions on transfer and conditions of forfeiture, which restrictions and conditions shall be included in the applicable Agreement. The Committee may provide for the vesting of such Shares and the corresponding lapse or waiver of any such restrictions or conditions based on such factors or criteria as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may determine.

 

(b)   Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Agreement, the Shares subject to an Award of Restricted Stock shall be evidenced by a book-entry in the name of the Participant with the Company’s transfer agent or by one or more Stock certificates issued in the name of the Participant. Any such Stock certificate shall either be deposited with the Company or its designee, together with an assignment separate from the certificate, in blank, signed by the Participant, or bear such legend with respect to the restricted nature of the Restricted Stock evidenced thereby as shall be provided for in the applicable Agreement. Any book-entry shall be accompanied by a similar legend.

 

(c)   Upon the vesting of Restricted Stock and the corresponding lapse of the restrictions and conditions, unrestricted Shares shall be issued to the Participant or a Successor or Transferee.

 

(d)   Unless otherwise provided in an Agreement, a Participant or a Transferee with a Restricted Stock Award shall have all the other rights of a stockholder including, but not limited to, the right to receive dividends and the right to vote the Shares of Restricted Stock.

 











 

8.     Restricted Stock Unit Awards.    An Award of Restricted Stock Units under the Plan shall be subject to restrictions on transfer and conditions of forfeiture, which restrictions and conditions shall be included in the applicable Agreement. The Committee may provide for the vesting of Restricted Stock Units and the corresponding lapse or waiver of any such restrictions or conditions based on such factors or criteria as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may determine. Following the vesting of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, payment to the Participant or a Successor or Transferee shall be made at such time or times as shall be provided in the Agreement in the form of cash, Shares or a combination of cash and Shares as determined by the Committee.

 

9.     Stock Options.

 

(a)    Terms of All Options.

 

(1)   An Option shall be granted pursuant to an Agreement as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Statutory Stock Option. The purchase price of each Share subject to an Option shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the Agreement, but shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a Share as of the Grant Date (except as provided in Section 20).

 

(2)   The purchase price of the Shares with respect to which an Option is exercised shall be payable in full at the time of exercise, which may include, to the extent permitted by the Committee, payment under a broker-assisted sale and remittance program acceptable to the Committee. The purchase price may be paid in cash or, if the Committee so permits, by withholding Shares otherwise issuable to the Participant upon exercise of the Option or by delivery to the Company of Shares (by actual delivery or attestation) already owned by the Participant (in each case, such Shares having a Fair Market Value as of the date the Option is exercised equal to the purchase price of the Shares being purchased), or a combination thereof, unless otherwise provided in the Agreement. A Participant exercising an Option shall not be permitted to pay any portion of the purchase price with Shares if, in the opinion of the Committee, payment in such manner could have adverse financial accounting consequences for the Company.

 

(3)   Each Option shall be exercisable in whole or in part on the terms provided in the Agreement. In no event shall any Option be exercisable at any time after its scheduled expiration. When an Option is no longer exercisable, it shall be deemed to have terminated.

 

(4)   Options will not be granted under the Plan in consideration for, and the grant of Options will not be conditioned on, the delivery of Shares to the Company in payment of the exercise price and/or tax withholding obligation under any other Option.

 

(b)    Incentive Stock Options.    In addition to the other terms and conditions applicable to all Options:

 

(1)   The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of Option Grant Date) of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options held by an individual first become exercisable in any calendar year (under the Plan and all other incentive stock option plans of the Company and its Affiliates) shall not exceed $100,000 (or such other limit as may be required by the Code) if this limitation is necessary to qualify the Option as an Incentive Stock Option. To the extent an Option granted to a Participant exceeds this limit, the Option shall be treated as a Non-Statutory Stock Option.

 

(2)   An Incentive Stock Option shall not be exercisable more than 10 years after its Grant Date (or such other limit as may be required by the Code) if this limitation is necessary to qualify the Option as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(3)   An Incentive Stock Option shall not be exercisable more than one year after termination of the Participant’s employment with the Company and its Affiliates if such termination is due to the Participant’s death or Disability, or more than three months after termination of the Participant’s employment if such termination is due to any other reason.

 











 

(4)   The Agreement covering an Incentive Stock Option shall contain such other terms and provisions that the Committee determines necessary to qualify the Option as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(5)   No Participant may receive an Incentive Stock Option under the Plan if, immediately after the grant of such Award, the Participant would own (after application of the rules contained in Code Section 424(d)) Shares possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or its Subsidiaries, unless (i) the option price for that Incentive Stock Option is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to that Incentive Stock Option on the Grant Date and (ii) that Option is not exercisable after the date five years from its Grant Date.

 

10.    Stock Appreciation Rights.    An Award of a Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle the Participant (or a Successor or Transferee), subject to terms and conditions determined by the Committee, to receive upon exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right all or a portion of the excess of (i) the Fair Market Value of a specified number of Shares as of the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right over (ii) a specified price that shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such Shares as of the Grant Date of the Stock Appreciation Right. Each Stock Appreciation Right may be exercisable in whole or in part on the terms provided in the Agreement. No Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable at any time after its scheduled expiration. When a Stock Appreciation Right is no longer exercisable, it shall be deemed to have terminated. Upon exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, payment to the Participant or a Successor or Transferee shall be made at such time or times as shall be provided in the Agreement in the form of cash, Shares or a combination of cash and Shares as determined by the Committee. The Agreement may provide for a limitation upon the amount or percentage of the total appreciation on which payment (whether in cash and/or Shares) may be made in the event of the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right.

 

11.    Performance Units.

 

(a)    Initial Award.

 

(1)   An Award of Performance Units under the Plan shall entitle the Participant (or a Successor or Transferee) to future payments of cash, Shares or a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee, based upon the achievement of specified levels of one or more Performance Measures. The Agreement may provide that a portion of a Participant’s Award will be paid for performance that exceeds the minimum target but falls below the maximum target applicable to the Award. The Agreement shall also provide for the timing of the payment.

 

(2)   Following the conclusion or acceleration of each Performance Period, the Committee shall determine the extent to which (i) Performance Measures have been attained, (ii) any other terms and conditions with respect to an Award relating to the Performance Period have been satisfied and (iii) payment is due with respect to an Award of Performance Units.

 

(3)   No Participant may receive Awards of Performance Units relating to more than 1,000,000 Shares in any year under this Plan.

 

(b)    Acceleration and Adjustment.    The Agreement may permit an acceleration of the Performance Period and an adjustment of Performance Measures and payments with respect to some or all of the Performance Units awarded to a Participant upon the occurrence of certain events, which may include a Change of Control, a Fundamental Change, a recapitalization, a change in the accounting practices of the Company, a change in the Participant’s title or employment responsibilities, the Participant’s death, Disability or Retirement or, with respect to payments in Shares, a reclassification, stock dividend, stock split or stock combination as provided in Section 17. The Agreement also may provide for a limitation on the value of an Award of Performance Units that a Participant may receive.

 

12.    Other Awards.    The Committee may from time to time grant Stock and other Awards under the Plan including, without limitation, those Awards pursuant to which Shares are or may in the future be acquired, Awards denominated in Stock units, securities convertible into Stock and phantom securities. The Committee, in its sole 

 











 

discretion, shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards provided that such Awards shall not be inconsistent with the terms and purposes of the Plan. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, direct the Company to issue Shares subject to restrictive legends and/or stop transfer instructions that are consistent with the terms and conditions of the Award to which the Shares relate.

 

13.    Effective Date and Duration of the Plan.

 

(a)    Effective Date.    The Plan is effective as of June 28, 2011 (the “Effective Date”).

 

(b)    Duration of the Plan.    The Plan shall remain in effect until all Shares subject to it shall be distributed, all Awards have expired or terminated, the Plan is terminated pursuant to Section 16, or the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date, whichever occurs first (the “Termination Date”). Awards made before the Termination Date may be exercised, vested or otherwise effectuated beyond the Termination Date unless limited in the Agreement or otherwise.

 

14.    Plan Participation and Employment Status.

 

(a)   Status as an eligible Employee shall not be construed as a commitment that any Award will be made under the Plan to that eligible Employee or to eligible Employees generally.

 

(b)   Nothing in the Plan or in any Agreement or related documents shall confer upon any Employee or Participant any right to continue in the employment of the Company or any Affiliate or constitute any contract of employment or affect any right that the Company or any Affiliate may have to change such person’s compensation, other benefits, job responsibilities, or title, or to terminate the employment of such person with or without cause.

 

15.    Tax Withholding.    The Company shall have the right to withhold from any cash payment under the Plan to a Participant or other person (including a Successor or a Transferee) an amount sufficient to cover any required withholding taxes. The Company shall have the right to require a Participant or other person receiving Shares under the Plan to pay the Company a cash amount sufficient to cover any required withholding taxes before actual receipt of those Shares. In lieu of all or any part of a cash payment from a person receiving Shares under the Plan, the Committee may permit the individual to cover all or any part of the required withholdings through a reduction in the number of Shares delivered or a delivery or tender to the Company of Shares held by the Participant or other person, in each case valued in the same manner as used in computing the withholding taxes under applicable laws.

 

16.    Amendment and Termination of the Plan and Agreements.

 

(a)   Except as limited in (b) below, (i) the Board may at any time and from time to time terminate, suspend or amend the Plan and (ii) the Committee may at any time alter or amend any or all Agreements under the Plan. The Company shall submit any amendment of the Plan to its stockholders for approval if the rules of the Nasdaq Global Select Market or other applicable laws or regulations require stockholder approval of such amendment.

 

(b)   No termination, suspension, or amendment of the Plan will materially and adversely affect any right acquired by any Participant or Successor or Transferee under an Award granted before the date of termination, suspension, or amendment, unless otherwise agreed to by the Participant in the Agreement or otherwise, or required as a matter of law; but it will be conclusively presumed that any adjustment for changes in capitalization provided for in Sections 11(b) or 17 does not adversely affect these rights. In no event, however, shall the Board or the Committee have the right, without stockholder approval, to (i) lower the exercise or grant price of an Option or SAR after it is granted, except in connection with adjustments provided in Section 17, (ii) cancel an Option or SAR at a time when its exercise or grant price exceeds the fair market value of the underlying stock, in exchange for cash, another option or stock appreciation right, restricted stock or other equity award, unless the cancellation and exchange occurs in connection with a merger, acquisition, spin-off or other similar corporate transaction or (iii) take any other action that is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles. .

 











 

17.    Adjustment for Changes in Capitalization.    In the event of any equity restructuring (within the meaning of Accounting Standard Codification 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation, issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, referred to as “FASB ASC Topic 718”) that causes the per Share value of Shares to change, such as a stock dividend or stock split, the Committee shall cause there to be made an equitable adjustment to the number and kind of Shares or other securities issued or reserved for issuance pursuant to the Plan and to outstanding Awards (including but not limited to the number and kind of Shares to which such Awards are subject, and the exercise or strike price of such Awards) to the extent such other Awards would not otherwise automatically adjust in the equity restructuring; provided, in each case, that with respect to Incentive Stock Options, no such adjustment shall be authorized to the extent that such adjustment would cause such Incentive Stock Options to violate Section 422(b) of the Code or any successor provision. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, (a) any adjustments made pursuant to this Section 17 to Awards that are considered “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A shall be made in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A and (b) any adjustments made pursuant to this Section 17 to Awards that are not considered “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A shall be made in such a manner as to ensure that after such adjustment the Awards either (i) continue not to be subject to Section 409A or (ii) comply with the requirements of Section 409A. In the event of any other change in corporate capitalization, which may include a merger, consolidation, any reorganization (whether or not such reorganization comes within the definition of such term in Section 368 of the Code), or any partial or complete liquidation of the Company to the extent such events do not constitute equity restructurings or business combinations within the meaning of FASB ASC Topic 718, such equitable adjustments described in the foregoing sentence may be made as determined to be appropriate and equitable by the Committee to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights. In either case, any such adjustment shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes of the Plan. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the number of Shares subject to an Award shall always be a whole number.

 

18.    Fundamental Change.    In the event of a proposed Fundamental Change, the Committee may, but shall not be obligated to:

 

(a)   if the Fundamental Change is a merger or consolidation, make appropriate provision for the protection of the outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights by the substitution of options, stock appreciation rights and appropriate voting common stock of the corporation surviving any merger or consolidation or, if appropriate, the parent corporation of the Company or such surviving corporation; or

 

(b)   at least ten days before the occurrence of the Fundamental Change, declare, and provide written notice to each holder of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right of the declaration, that each outstanding Option and Stock Appreciation Right, whether or not then exercisable, shall be canceled at the time of, or immediately before the occurrence of the Fundamental Change in exchange for payment to each holder of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, within ten days after the Fundamental Change, of cash equal to (i) for each Share covered by the canceled Option, the amount, if any, by which the Fair Market Value (as defined in this Section) per Share exceeds the exercise price per Share covered by such Option or (ii) for each Stock Appreciation Right, the price determined pursuant to Section 10, except that Fair Market Value of the Shares as of the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right, as used in clause (i) of Section 10, shall be deemed to mean Fair Market Value for each Share with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is calculated determined in the manner hereinafter referred to in this Section. At the time of the declaration provided for in the immediately preceding sentence, each Stock Appreciation Right and each Option shall immediately become exercisable in full and each person holding an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right shall have the right, during the period preceding the time of cancellation of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, to exercise the Option as to all or any part of the Shares covered thereby or the Stock Appreciation Right in whole or in part, as the case may be. In the event of a declaration pursuant to Section 18(b), each outstanding Option and Stock Appreciation Right granted pursuant to the Plan that shall not have been exercised before the Fundamental Change shall be canceled at the time of, or immediately before, the Fundamental Change, as provided in the declaration. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no person holding an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right shall be entitled to the payment provided for in this Section 18(b) if such Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall have terminated, expired or been cancelled. For purposes of this Section only, “Fair Market Value” per Share means the cash plus the fair market value, as determined in good faith by the Committee, of the non-cash consideration to be received per Share by the stockholders of the Company upon the occurrence of the Fundamental Change.

 











 

19.    Dividends and Dividend Equivalents.    An Award may, if so determined by the Committee, provide the Participant with the right to receive dividend payments or dividend equivalent payments with respect to Shares subject to the Award (both before and after the Shares subject to the Award are earned, vested or acquired), which payments may be either made currently or credited to an account for the Participant, and may be settled in cash or Shares, as determined by the Committee. Any such settlements, and any such crediting of dividends or dividend equivalents or reinvestment in Shares, may be subject to such conditions, restrictions and contingencies as the Committee shall establish, including the reinvestment of such credited amounts in Share equivalents, and must comply with or qualify for an exemption under Section 409A.

 

20.    Corporate Mergers, Acquisitions, Etc.    Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Committee may grant Substitute Awards under the Plan. Substitute Awards shall not reduce the number of shares authorized for issuance under the Plan. In the event that an Acquired Entity has shares available for awards or grants under one or more preexisting plans not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination and previously approved by the Acquired Entity’s stockholders, then, to the extent determined by the Committee, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such preexisting plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to holders of common stock of the entities that are parties to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Plan; provided, however, that Awards using such available shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of such preexisting plans, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not employees or directors of the Company or an Affiliate immediately prior to such acquisition or combination. In the event that a written agreement between the Company and an Acquired Entity pursuant to which a merger or consolidation is completed is approved by the Board and that agreement sets forth the terms and conditions of the substitution for or assumption of outstanding awards of the Acquired Entity, those terms and conditions shall be deemed to be the action of the Committee without any further action by the Committee, except as may be required for compliance with Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, and the persons holding such awards shall be deemed to be Participants.

 

21.    Unfunded Plan.    The Plan shall be unfunded and the Company shall not be required to segregate any assets that may at any time be represented by Awards under the Plan. Neither the Company, its Affiliates, the Committee, nor the Board of Directors shall be deemed to be a trustee of any amounts to be paid under the Plan nor shall anything contained in the Plan or any action taken pursuant to its provisions create or be construed to create a fiduciary relationship between the Company and/or its Affiliates, and a Participant or Successor or Transferee. To the extent any person acquires a right to receive an Award under the Plan, this right shall be no greater than the right of an unsecured general creditor of the Company.

 

22.    Limits of Liability.

 

(a)   Any liability of the Company to any Participant with respect to an Award shall be based solely upon contractual obligations created by the Plan and the Award Agreement.

 

(b)   Except as may be required by law, neither the Company nor any member of the Board of Directors or of the Committee, nor any other person participating (including participation pursuant to a delegation of authority under Section 3(a)(2) of the Plan) in any determination of any question under the Plan, or in the interpretation, administration or application of the Plan, shall have any liability to any party for any action taken, or not taken, in good faith under the Plan.

 

23.    Compliance with Applicable Legal Requirements.    No Shares distributable pursuant to the Plan shall be issued and delivered unless the issuance of the Shares complies with all applicable legal requirements including, without limitation, compliance with the provisions of applicable state securities laws, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and in effect from time to time or any successor statute, the Exchange Act and the requirements of the exchanges on which the Company’s Shares may, at the time, be listed.

 

24.    Deferrals and Settlements.    The Committee may require or permit Participants to elect to defer the issuance of Shares or the settlement of Awards in cash under such rules and procedures as it may establish under the Plan. It may also provide that deferred settlements include the payment or crediting of interest on the deferral 

 











 

amounts. The terms of any deferrals under this Section 24 shall comply with all applicable law, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, Section 409A.

 

25.    Other Benefit and Compensation Programs.    Payments and other benefits received by a Participant under an Award made pursuant to the Plan shall not be deemed a part of a Participant’s regular, recurring compensation for purposes of the termination, indemnity or severance pay laws of any country and shall not be included in, nor have any effect on, the determination of benefits under any other employee benefit plan, contract or similar arrangement provided by the Company or an Affiliate unless expressly so provided by such other plan, contract or arrangement, or unless the Committee expressly determines that an Award or portion of an Award should be included to accurately reflect competitive compensation practices or to recognize that an Award has been made in lieu of a portion of competitive cash compensation.

 

26.    Beneficiary Upon Participant’s Death.    To the extent that the transfer of a Participant’s Award at death is permitted by this Plan or under an Agreement, (i) a Participant’s Award shall be transferable to the beneficiary, if any, designated on forms prescribed by and filed with the Committee and (ii) upon the death of the Participant, such beneficiary shall succeed to the rights of the Participant to the extent permitted by law and this Plan. If no such designation of a beneficiary has been made, the Participant’s legal representative shall succeed to the Awards, which shall be transferable by will or pursuant to laws of descent and distribution to the extent permitted by this Plan or under an Agreement.

 

27.    Requirements of Law.

 

(a)   To the extent that federal laws do not otherwise control, the Plan and all determinations made and actions taken pursuant to the Plan shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to its conflicts-of-law principles and shall be construed accordingly.

 

(b)   If 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.

 

(c)   The Plan and Awards granted under the Plan are intended to comply with or be exempt from the requirements of Section 409A to the maximum extent possible, whether pursuant to the short-term deferral exception described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(4), the exclusion applicable to stock options and stock appreciation rights under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(5), or otherwise. To the extent Section 409A is applicable to the Plan or any Award granted under the Plan, it is intended that the Plan and any such Awards granted under the Plan comply with the deferral, payout and other limitations and restrictions imposed under Section 409A. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any Award granted under the Plan to the contrary, the Plan and any Award granted under the Plan shall be interpreted, operated and administered in a manner consistent with such intentions; provided, however, that the Committee makes no representations or warranties that Awards granted under the Plan shall be exempt from or comply with Section 409A and makes no undertaking to preclude Section 409A from applying to Awards granted under the Plan. No provision of the Plan or any Award shall be interpreted or construed to transfer any liability resulting from or arising out of any such consequences from a Participant or any other individual to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any Award granted under the Plan to the contrary, with respect to any payments and benefits under the Plan or any Award granted under the Plan to which Section 409A applies, all references in the Plan or any Award granted under the Plan to the termination of the Participant’s employment or service are intended to mean the Participant’s “separation from service,” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(i) to the extent necessary to avoid subjecting the Participant to the imposition of any additional tax under Section 409A. In addition, if the Participant is a “specified employee,” within the meaning of Section 409A(2)(B)(i), then to the extent necessary to avoid subjecting the Participant to the imposition of any additional tax under Section 409A, amounts that would otherwise be payable under the Plan or any Award granted under the Plan during the six-month period immediately following the Participant’s “separation from service,” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(i), shall not be paid to the Participant during such period, but shall instead be accumulated and paid to the 

 











 

Participant (or, in the event of the Participant’s death, the Participant’s estate) in a lump sum on the first business day after the earlier of (a) the date that is six months following the Participant’s separation from service or (b) the Participant’s death. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, the Committee, to the extent it deems necessary or advisable in its sole discretion, reserves the right, but shall not be required, to unilaterally amend or modify the Plan and any Award granted under the Plan so that the Award qualifies for exemption from or complies with Section 409A.