Document:

EX-10.4

 Exhibit 10.4 

BARNES & NOBLE EDUCATION, INC. 

EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN 

BARNES & NOBLE EDUCATION, INC., a corporation existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, together with any successor thereto
(the “Company”), hereby establishes and adopts the following Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). Certain capitalized terms used in the Plan are defined in Article 2. 

RECITALS 
 WHEREAS,
the Company desires to encourage high levels of performance by those individuals who are key to the success of the Company, to attract new individuals who are highly motivated and who are expected to contribute to the success of the Company and to
encourage such individuals to remain as non-employee directors, employees, consultants and/or advisors of the Company and its Affiliates by increasing their proprietary interest in the Company’s growth and success; and 

WHEREAS, to attain these ends, the Company has formulated the Plan embodied herein to authorize the granting of Awards to Participants
whose judgment, initiative and efforts are or have been or are expected to be responsible for the success of the Company. 
 NOW,
THEREFORE, the Company hereby constitutes, establishes and adopts the following Plan and agrees to the following provisions: 

ARTICLE 1 
 PURPOSE OF
THE PLAN 
 1.1. Purpose. The purpose of the Plan is to assist the Company and its Affiliates in attracting and
retaining selected individuals to serve as non-employee directors, employees, consultants and/or advisors of the Company and its Affiliates who are expected to contribute to the Company’s success and to achieve long-term objectives which will
inure to the benefit of all stockholders of the Company through the additional incentives inherent in the Awards hereunder. 

ARTICLE 2 
 DEFINITIONS

 2.1. “Affiliate” shall mean (i) any person or entity that directly, or through one or more
intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company (including any Subsidiary) or (ii) any entity in which the Company has a significant equity interest, as determined by the Committee. 

2.2. “Award” shall mean any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Performance Award,
Dividend Equivalent, Other Stock Unit Award or any other right, interest or option relating to Shares or other property (including cash) granted pursuant to the provisions of the Plan. 

2.3. “Award Agreement” shall mean any written or electronic agreement, contract or other instrument or
document evidencing any Award granted by the Committee hereunder. 
 2.4. “Board” shall mean
the board of directors of the Company. 

 2.5. “Change of Control” shall (a) have the meaning set forth
in an Award Agreement; provided, however, that any definition of Change of Control set forth in an Award Agreement shall provide that a Change of Control shall not occur until consummation or effectiveness of a change of control of the Company,
rather than upon the announcement, commencement, stockholder approval or other potential occurrence of any event or transaction that, if completed, would result in a change of control of the Company, or (b) if there is no definition set forth
in an Award Agreement, mean the occurrence of any of the following events: 
 (i) during any period of 24 consecutive
months, individuals who were Directors of the Company on the first day of such period (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a Director of the
Company subsequent to the first day of such period whose election, or nomination for election, by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors shall be considered as though such individual
were an Incumbent Director; 
 (ii) the consummation of (A) a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar
form of corporate transaction involving (x) the Company or (y) any of its Subsidiaries, but in the case of this clause (y) only if Company Voting Securities (as defined below) are issued or issuable (each of the events referred to in
this clause (A) being hereinafter referred to as a “Reorganization”) or (B) the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all the assets of the Company to an entity that is not an Affiliate (a “Sale”), in each
case, if such Reorganization or Sale requires the approval of the Company’s stockholders under the law of the Company’s jurisdiction of organization (whether such approval is required for such Reorganization or Sale or for the issuance of
securities of the Company in such Reorganization or Sale), unless, immediately following such Reorganization or Sale, (1) all or substantially all the individuals and entities who were the “beneficial owners” (as such term is defined
in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act (or a successor rule thereto)) of the securities eligible to vote for the election of the Board (“Company Voting Securities”) outstanding immediately prior to the consummation of such Reorganization or
Sale beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the corporation resulting from such Reorganization or Sale (including a corporation that, as a result of such
transaction, owns the Company or all or substantially all the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) (the “Continuing Corporation”) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately
prior to the consummation of such Reorganization or Sale, of the outstanding Company Voting Securities (excluding any outstanding voting securities of the Continuing Corporation that such beneficial owners hold immediately following the consummation
of the Reorganization or Sale as a result of their ownership prior to such consummation of voting securities of any company or other entity involved in or forming part of such Reorganization or Sale other than the Company), (2) no
“person” (as such term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) (each, a “Person”) (excluding (x) any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Continuing Corporation or any
corporation controlled by the Continuing Corporation or (y) the Riggio Stockholders) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 40% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Continuing Corporation and
(3) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Continuing Corporation were Incumbent Directors at the time of the execution of the definitive agreement providing for such Reorganization or Sale or, in the absence of
such an agreement, at the time at which approval of the Board was obtained for such Reorganization or Sale; or 

  
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 (iii) any Person, corporation or other entity or “group” (as used in
Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than (A) the Company, (B) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or an Affiliate, (C) any entity owned, directly or indirectly,
by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the voting power of the Company Voting Securities or (D) the Riggio Stockholders) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of securities
of the Company representing 40% or more of the combined voting power of the Company Voting Securities; provided, however, that for purposes of this subparagraph (iii), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change of Control:
(w) any acquisition directly from the Company, (x) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or an Affiliate, (y) any acquisition by an underwriter temporarily holding such
Company Voting Securities pursuant to an offering of such securities or any acquisition by a pledgee of Company Voting Securities holding such securities as collateral or temporarily holding such securities upon foreclosure of the underlying
obligation or (z) any acquisition pursuant to a Reorganization or Sale that does not constitute a Change of Control for purposes of subparagraph (ii) above. 

The determination as to the occurrence of a Change of Control shall be based on objective facts and, to the extent applicable,
in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 409A and the regulations promulgated thereunder. 
 2.6.
“Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor thereto. 

2.7. “Committee” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board (or such other committee designated
by the Compensation Committee of the Board). 
 2.8. “Company” has the meaning set forth in
introductory paragraph of the Plan. 
 2.9. “Covered Employee” shall mean a “covered
employee” within the meaning of Section 162(m)(3) of the Code, or any successor provision thereto. 
 2.10.
“Director” shall mean a non-employee member (including any prospective non-employee member) of the Board or a non-employee member (including any prospective non-employee member) of the board of directors of a
Subsidiary. 
 2.11. “Director Award Limitations” shall have the meaning set forth in Section
4.3. 
 2.12. “Distribution” shall mean the distribution by Barnes & Noble, Inc., a
Delaware corporation, to its stockholders of all Shares.  
 2.13. “Dividend Equivalents” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 12.5. 
 2.14. “Employee” shall mean any employee (including
any prospective employee) of the Company or any Affiliate. Solely for purposes of the Plan, an Employee shall also mean any consultant or advisor (or prospective consultant or advisor) who provides services to the Company or any Affiliate, so long
as such person (i) renders bona fide services that are not in connection with the offer and sale of the Company’s securities in a capital-raising transaction and (ii) does not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for
the Company’s securities. 
 2.15. “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended. 

  
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 2.16. “Fair Market Value” shall mean, with respect to any
property other than Shares, the market value of such property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Committee. The Fair Market Value of Shares as of any date shall be the per Share closing price of
the Shares as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on that date (or if there was no reported closing price on such date, on the last preceding date on which the closing price was reported) or, if the Company is not then listed on the New York
Stock Exchange, the per Share closing price of the Shares as reported on an established securities market (within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.897-1(m)) on which the Shares are traded. If the Company is not listed on an
established securities market (within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.897-1(m)), the Fair Market Value of Shares shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion using appropriate criteria. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Fair Market Value of Shares shall, in all events, be determined in accordance with Code Section 409A. 

2.17. “ISO Limitation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.7. 

2.18. “Limitations” shall mean, collectively, (i) the Plan Share Limitation, (ii) the Director Award
Limitations, (iii) the ISO Limitation and (iv) the Section 162(m) Limitations. 
 2.19. “Limited
Post-Distribution Period” shall mean the period commencing on the Effective Date and ending on the date of the first annual meeting of stockholders of the Company following the Distribution. 

2.20. “Option” shall mean any right granted to a Participant under the Plan allowing such Participant to
purchase Shares at such price or prices and during such period or periods as the Committee shall determine. 
 2.21.
“Other Stock Unit Award” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1. 
 2.22.
“Participant” shall mean an Employee or Director who is selected by the Committee to receive an Award under the Plan. 

2.23. “Payee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13.1. 

2.24. “Performance Award” shall mean any Award of Performance Shares or Performance Units granted
pursuant to Article 9. 
 2.25. “Performance Period” shall mean that period of no less
than 12 months, or, solely in the case of Performance Awards granted during the Limited Post-Distribution Period, such period as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, in each case, established by the Committee at the time any
Performance Award is granted or at any time thereafter during which any performance goals specified by the Committee with respect to such Award are to be measured. 

2.26. “Performance Share” shall mean any grant pursuant to Article 9 of a unit valued by reference
to a designated number of Shares, which value may be paid to the Participant by delivery of such property as the Committee shall determine, including cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, upon achievement of such performance
goals during the Performance Period as the Committee shall establish at the time of such grant or thereafter. 
 2.27.
“Performance Unit” shall mean any grant pursuant to Article 9 of a unit valued by reference to a designated amount of property (including cash) other than Shares, which value may be paid to the Participant by
delivery of such property as the Committee shall determine, including cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, upon achievement of such performance goals during the Performance Period as the Committee shall establish at the time of
such grant or thereafter. 

  
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 2.28. “Permitted Assignee” shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 12.3. 
 2.29. “Plan Share Limitation” shall have the meaning set forth in Section
3.1. 
 2.30. “Restricted Stock” shall mean any Share issued with the restriction that the
holder may not sell, transfer, pledge or assign such Share and with such other restrictions as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may impose (including any restriction on the right to vote such Share and the right to receive any dividends),
which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such time or times, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee may deem appropriate. 

2.31. “Restricted Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1. 

2.32. “Restricted Stock Award” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1. 

2.33. “Riggio Stockholders” shall mean Leonard Riggio, his spouse, his lineal descendants, trusts for
the exclusive benefit of any such individuals, the executor or administrator of the estate or the legal representative of any of such individuals and any entity controlled by any of the foregoing Persons. 

2.34. “Section 162(m) Limitations” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10.4. 

2.35. “Shares” shall mean the shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share.

 2.36. “Stock Appreciation Right” shall mean the right granted to a Participant pursuant to
Article 6. 
 2.37. “Subsidiary” shall mean any entity in which the Company, directly or
indirectly, possesses fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of its stock or similar equity interests. 

2.38. “Substitute Awards” shall mean Awards granted or Shares issued by the Company in assumption of, or
in substitution or exchange for, awards previously granted, or the right or obligation to make future awards, by a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines. 

2.39. “Treasury Regulations” shall mean the federal income tax regulations promulgated under the
Code. 
 ARTICLE 3 

SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN 

3.1. Number of Shares. (a) Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12.2, a total of 5% of the common stock
of the Company outstanding as of the Effective Date shall be authorized for grant under the Plan (the “Plan Share Limitation”). 

(b) If any Shares subject to an Award are forfeited, expire or otherwise terminate without issuance of such Shares, or any Award is settled
for cash or otherwise does not result in the issuance of all or a portion of the Shares subject to such Award, the Shares shall, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration, termination, cash settlement or non-issuance, again be available for
Awards under the Plan. Awards that are required to be settled in cash will not reduce the Plan Share Limitation. 

  
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 (c) If Shares issued upon vesting or settlement of an Award other than an Option or Stock
Appreciation Right, or Shares owned by a Participant, are surrendered or tendered to the Company in payment of any taxes required to be withheld in respect of such Award, in each case, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan and any
applicable Award Agreement, such surrendered or tendered Shares shall again become available to be delivered pursuant to Awards under the Plan; provided, however, that in no event shall such Shares increase the ISO Limitation and, for
the avoidance of doubt, no Shares that are surrendered or tendered to the Company in payment of the exercise price of an Option or any taxes required to withheld in respect of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall again become available to be
delivered pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan. 
 (d) Substitute Awards shall not reduce the Shares authorized for issuance under the
Plan or authorized for grant to a Participant in any calendar year. Additionally, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines has shares available under a pre-existing
plan approved by stockholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing 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 the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the
Plan and shall not reduce the Shares authorized for issuance under the Plan; provided that Awards using such available shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the
acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not Employees or Directors or employees, other service providers or non-employee directors of any Affiliate prior to such acquisition or combination. 

3.2. Character of Shares. Any Shares issued hereunder may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued
shares, treasury shares or shares purchased in the open market or otherwise. 
 ARTICLE 4 

ELIGIBILITY AND ADMINISTRATION 

4.1. Eligibility. Any Employee or Director shall be eligible to be selected as a Participant. 

4.2. Administration. (a) The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Board may remove from, add members to,
or fill vacancies on, the Committee. 
 (b) The Committee shall have full power and authority, subject to the provisions of the Plan
and subject to such orders or resolutions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as may from time to time be adopted by the Board, to: (i) select the Employees and Directors to whom Awards may from time to time be granted hereunder;
(ii) determine the type or types of Awards, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, to be granted to each Participant hereunder; (iii) determine the number of Shares or dollar value to be covered by each Award granted hereunder;
(iv) determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, of any Award granted hereunder (including when and under what circumstances Awards shall vest, become exercisable or be paid or settled, subject to
Section 4.4) and, if certain performance criteria must be attained in order for an Award to vest or be settled or paid, establish such performance criteria and certify whether, and to what extent, such performance criteria have been attained);
(v) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances Awards 

  
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may be settled in cash, Shares or other property; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other property and other amounts payable with respect to
an Award made under the Plan shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the Participant; (vii) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances any Award shall be canceled or suspended; (viii) interpret and
administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement entered into under or in connection with the Plan, including any Award Agreement; (ix) correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or any Award in the
manner and to the extent that the Committee shall deem desirable to carry it into effect; (x) establish such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; (xi) subject
to Sections 8.1 and 9.1, determine whether any Award will have Dividend Equivalents; (xii) accelerate the vesting or exercisability of, payment for or lapse of restrictions on, Awards, (xiii) amend an outstanding Award or grant a
replacement Award for an Award previously granted under the Plan if, in its sole discretion, the Committee determines that (A) the tax consequences of such Award to the Company or the Participant differ from those consequences that were
expected to occur on the date the Award was granted or (B) clarifications or interpretations of, or changes to, tax law or regulations permit Awards to be granted that have more favorable tax consequences than initially anticipated; and
(xiv) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for administration of the Plan. 

(c) Decisions of the Committee shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons or entities, including the Company, any Participant, any
stockholder and any Employee or any Affiliate. A majority of the members of the Committee may determine its actions and fix the time and place of its meetings. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else to the contrary in the Plan, any action or
determination by the Committee specifically affecting or relating to an Award to a member of the Committee shall require the prior approval of the Board if the Award is not comparable and consistent with Awards to Directors who are not members of
the Committee. The full Board may, in its sole discretion, at any time and from time to time, grant Awards to any Director or administer the Plan with respect to such Awards. In any such case, the Board shall have all the power and authority granted
to the Committee herein. 
 (d) The Committee may delegate to a committee of one or more non-employee directors of the Company or, to the
extent permitted by law, to one or more officers or a committee of officers the right to grant Awards to Employees who are not Directors or officers of the Company and to cancel or suspend Awards to Employees who are not Directors or officers of the
Company. Such delegation shall be subject to the requirements of Code Section 162(m), Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, and the rules of the New York Stock Exchange. 

4.3. Director Award Limitations. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, the aggregate grant
date fair value (computed as of the date of grant in accordance with applicable financial accounting rules) of all Awards granted to any Director during any single fiscal year (excluding Awards made at the election of the Director in lieu of all or
a portion of annual and committee cash retainers) shall not exceed $500,000 (the “Director Award Limitations”).  

4.4. Minimum Vesting Schedule. Except for Awards subject to vesting in whole or part based on performance criteria or awards
granted to Directors, the Award Agreement for each Award shall provide for full vesting no earlier than 12 months after the applicable grant date, or, solely in the case of Awards granted during the Limited Post-Distribution Period, such period as
determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, subject to any accelerated vesting and/or exercisability, as applicable, determined by the Committee in such Award Agreement, the Plan or any other applicable arrangement to apply upon the
occurrence of a specified event. 

  
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 ARTICLE 5 

OPTIONS 
 5.1.
Grant of Options. Subject to the Limitations, Options may be granted hereunder to Participants either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. Any Option shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this
Article 5 and to such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall deem desirable. The provisions of Options need not be the same with respect to each recipient. 

5.2. Award Agreements. All Options granted pursuant to this Article 5 shall be evidenced by a written or electronic
Award Agreement in such form and containing such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine which are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan. Granting of an Option pursuant to the Plan shall impose no obligation on the recipient
to exercise such Option. Any individual who is granted an Option pursuant to this Article 5 may hold more than one Option granted pursuant to the Plan at the same time. The Committee may provide in the Award Agreement relating to an Option that
such Option will be automatically exercised, without further action required by the holder, on the last day of such Option’s exercise period if, on such day, the Fair Market Value of the Shares to be acquired pursuant to an exercise of such
Option exceeds the aggregate option price payable to exercise such Option. 
 5.3. Option Price. Other than in
connection with Substitute Awards, the option price per each Share purchasable under any Option granted pursuant to this Article 5 shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such Share on the date of grant of such Option. Other
than pursuant to Section 12.2, the Committee shall not be permitted to (a) lower the option price per Share of an Option after it is granted, (b) cancel an Option (at a time when the option price per Share exceeds the Fair Market
Value of the underlying Shares) in exchange for another Award or cash (other than in connection with a “change of control” of the Company), and (c) take any other action with respect to an Option that may be treated as a repricing
under the rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange. 
 5.4. Option Period. The term of each Option
shall be fixed by the Committee in its sole discretion; provided that no Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten years from the date the Option is granted. 

5.5. Exercise of Options. Vested Options granted under the Plan shall be exercised by the Participant or by a Permitted Assignee
thereof (or by the Participant’s executors, administrators, guardian or legal representative, as may be provided in an Award Agreement) as to all or part of the Shares covered thereby, by the giving of written notice of exercise to the Company
or its designated agent, specifying the number of Shares to be purchased, accompanied by payment of the full purchase price for the Shares being purchased. Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, full payment of such purchase price shall be
made at the time of exercise and shall be made (a) in cash or by certified check or bank check or wire transfer of immediately available funds, (b) by tendering previously acquired Shares (either actually or by attestation, valued at their
then Fair Market Value), (c) with the consent of the Committee, by delivery of other consideration having a Fair Market Value on the exercise date equal to the total purchase price, (d) with the consent of the Committee, by withholding
Shares otherwise issuable in connection with the exercise of the Option, (e) through any other method specified in an Award Agreement, or (f) any combination of any of the foregoing. In connection with a tender of previously acquired
Shares pursuant to clause (b) above, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may permit the Participant to constructively exchange Shares already owned by the Participant in lieu of actually tendering such Shares to the Company, provided that
adequate documentation concerning the ownership of the Shares to be 

  
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constructively tendered is furnished in form satisfactory to the Committee. The notice of exercise, accompanied by such payment, shall be delivered to the Company at its principal business office
or such other office as the Committee may from time to time direct, and shall be in such form, containing such further provisions consistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee may from time to time prescribe. In no event may any
Option granted hereunder be exercised for a fraction of a Share. No adjustment shall be made for cash dividends or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date of such issuance. 

5.6. Form of Settlement. In its sole discretion, the Committee may provide, at the time of grant, that the Shares to be
issued upon an Option’s exercise shall be in the form of Restricted Stock or other similar securities, or may reserve the right so to provide after the time of grant. 

5.7. Incentive Stock Options. With respect to the Options that may be granted by the Committee under the Plan, the
Committee may grant Options intended to qualify as “incentive stock options” as defined in Section 422 of the Code, to any employee of the Company or any Affiliate, subject to the requirements of Section 422 of the Code.
Notwithstanding anything in Section 3.1 to the contrary and solely for the purposes of determining whether Shares are available for the grant of “incentive stock options” under the Plan, the maximum aggregate number of Shares with
respect to which “incentive stock options” may be granted under the Plan shall be 50% of the Shares available under the Plan (the “ISO Limitation”). 

ARTICLE 6 
 STOCK
APPRECIATION RIGHTS 
 6.1. Grant and Exercise. Subject to the Limitations, the Committee may provide Stock
Appreciation Rights either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan.  
 6.2. Terms and
Conditions. Stock Appreciation Rights shall be subject to such terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as shall be determined from time to time by the Committee, including the following: 

(a) Upon the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, the holder shall have the right to receive the excess of (i) the Fair Market Value
of one Share on the date of exercise over (ii) the base price of the right on the date of grant, as specified by the Committee in its sole discretion, which, except in the case of Substitute Awards or in connection with an adjustment provided
in Section 12.2, shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of one Share on such date of grant of the right or the related Option, as the case may be. The Committee may provide in the Award Agreement relating to a Stock Appreciation Right
that such Stock Appreciation Right will be automatically exercised, without further action required by the holder, on the last day of such Stock Appreciation Right’s exercise period if, on such day, the Fair Market Value of the Shares to which
such Stock Appreciation Right relates exceeds the aggregate base price of such rights on their date of grant. 
 (b) Upon the exercise of a
Stock Appreciation Right, the Committee shall determine in its sole discretion whether payment shall be made in cash, in whole Shares or other property, or any combination thereof. 

(c) The provisions of Stock Appreciation Rights need not be the same with respect to each recipient. 

  
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 (d) The Committee may impose such other conditions or restrictions on the terms of exercise and
the base price of any Stock Appreciation Right, as it shall deem appropriate. In connection with the foregoing, the Committee shall consider the applicability and effect of Section 162(m) of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of
this Section 6.2(d), but subject to Section 12.2, a Stock Appreciation Right shall not have (i) a base price less than Fair Market Value on the date of grant, or (ii) a term of greater than ten years. In addition to the
foregoing, other than pursuant to Section 12.2, the Committee shall not be permitted to (A) reduce the base price of any Stock Appreciation Right after it is granted, (B) cancel any Stock Appreciation Right (at a time when the base
price per Share exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares) in exchange for another Award or cash (other than in connection with a “change of control” of the Company), and (C) take any other action with respect to a Stock
Appreciation Right that may be treated as a repricing under the rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange. 
 (e) The Committee
may impose such terms and conditions on Stock Appreciation Rights granted in conjunction with any Award (other than an Option) as the Committee shall determine in its sole discretion. 

ARTICLE 7 
 RESTRICTED
STOCK AWARDS 
 7.1. Grants. Subject to the Limitations, Awards of Restricted Stock may be issued hereunder to
Participants either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan (a “Restricted Stock Award”). A Restricted Stock Award shall be subject to restrictions imposed by the Committee covering a period of time specified by the
Committee (the “Restriction Period”). The provisions of Restricted Stock Awards need not be the same with respect to each recipient. The Committee has absolute discretion to determine whether any consideration (other than services) is to
be received by the Company or any Affiliate as a condition precedent to the issuance of Restricted Stock. 
 7.2.
Award Agreements. The terms of any Restricted Stock Award granted under the Plan shall be set forth in a written or electronic Award Agreement which shall contain provisions determined by the Committee and not inconsistent with the
Plan. 
 7.3. Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock. Beginning on the date of grant of the Restricted Stock
Award and subject to execution of the Award Agreement, the Participant shall become a stockholder of the Company with respect to all Shares subject to the Award Agreement and shall have all of the rights of a stockholder, including, except as set
forth in this Section 7.3, the right to vote such Shares and the right to receive distributions made with respect to such Shares. Subject to compliance with Code Section 409A, the Committee may require that any dividends otherwise payable
with respect to a Restricted Stock Award shall not be paid currently but shall be accumulated until the applicable Restricted Stock Award has vested. Furthermore, notwithstanding any provisions of the Plan to the contrary, in the case of Restricted
Stock Awards that are subject to vesting based on the achievement of performance goals, a Participant shall not be entitled to receive payment for any cash dividends with respect to such Restricted Stock Awards unless, until and except to the extent
that the applicable performance goals are achieved or are otherwise deemed to be satisfied. In any event, any Shares or any other property (other than cash) distributed as a dividend or otherwise with respect to any Restricted Stock as to which the
restrictions have not yet lapsed shall be subject to the same restrictions as such Restricted Stock. 

  
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 ARTICLE 8 

OTHER STOCK UNIT AWARDS 

8.1. Stock and Administration. Subject to the Limitations, other Awards of Shares and other Awards that are valued in
whole or in part by reference to, or are otherwise based on, Shares or other property (“Other Stock Unit Awards”) may be granted hereunder to Participants, either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan, and such Other
Stock Unit Awards shall also be available as a form of payment in the settlement of other Awards granted under the Plan. Other Stock Unit Awards may be paid in cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, in the sole discretion of the
Committee at the time of payment. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have sole and complete authority to determine the Employees and Directors to whom and the time or times at which such Other Stock Unit Awards shall be made,
the number of Shares to be granted pursuant to such Awards, and all other conditions of the Awards. The provisions of Other Stock Unit Awards need not be the same with respect to each recipient. Subject to compliance with Code Section 409A, the
Committee may require that any Dividend Equivalents otherwise payable with respect to an Other Stock Unit Award shall not be paid currently but shall be accumulated until the applicable Other Stock Unit Award has vested. Furthermore, notwithstanding
any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the case of Other Stock Unit Awards that are subject to vesting based on the achievement of performance goals, a Participant shall not be entitled to receive payment for any Dividend Equivalents with
respect to such Other Stock Unit Awards unless, until and except to the extent that the applicable performance goals are achieved or are otherwise deemed to be satisfied.  

8.2. Terms and Conditions. Shares (including securities convertible into Shares) subject to Awards granted under this
Article 8 may be issued for no consideration or for such minimum consideration as may be required by applicable law. Shares (including securities convertible into Shares) purchased pursuant to a purchase right awarded under this Article 8
shall be purchased for such consideration as the Committee shall determine in its sole discretion. 
 ARTICLE 9 

PERFORMANCE AWARDS 

9.1. Terms of Performance Awards. Subject to the Limitations, Performance Awards may be issued hereunder to Participants,
for no consideration or for such minimum consideration as may be required by applicable law, either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. The performance criteria to be achieved during any Performance Period and the length of
the Performance Period shall be determined by the Committee upon the grant of each Performance Award. The provision of Performance Awards need not be the same with respect to each Participant. Except as provided in Article 11 or as may be
provided in an Award Agreement, Performance Awards will be distributed only after the end of the relevant Performance Period. Performance Awards may be paid in cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, in the sole discretion of the
Committee at the time of payment. The performance goals to be achieved for each Performance Period shall be conclusively determined by the Committee and may be based upon the criteria set forth in Section 10.2. The amount of the Award to be
distributed shall be conclusively determined by the Committee. Performance Awards may be paid in a lump sum or in installments following the close of the Performance Period or, in accordance with procedures established by the Committee, on a
deferred basis. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, a Participant shall not be entitled to receive payment for any Dividend Equivalents with respect to any Performance Awards unless, until and except to the extent that the
performance goals applicable to such Performance Awards are achieved or are otherwise deemed to be satisfied.  

  
 11 

 ARTICLE 10 

CODE SECTION 162(m) PROVISIONS 

10.1. Covered Employees. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, if the Committee determines at the time
Restricted Stock, a Performance Award or an Other Stock Unit Award is granted to a Participant who is, or is likely to be, as of the end of the tax year in which the Company would claim a tax deduction in connection with such Award, a Covered
Employee, then the Committee may provide that this Article 10 is applicable to such Award. 
 10.2. Performance
Criteria. If Restricted Stock, a Performance Award or an Other Stock Unit Award is determined to be subject to this Article 10, then the lapsing of restrictions thereon and the distribution of cash, Shares or other property pursuant
thereto, as applicable, shall be subject to the achievement of one or more objective performance goals established by the Committee, which shall be based on the attainment of specified levels of one or any combination of the following: sales
(including same store or comparable sales); net sales; return on sales; cash flow (including operating cash flow and free cash flow); cash flow per Share (before or after dividends); cash flow return on investment; cash flow return on capital;
pretax income before allocation of corporate overhead and bonus; earnings per share; net income; division, group or corporate financial goals or ratios including those measuring liquidity, activity, profitability or leverage; return on
stockholders’ equity; total stockholder return; return on assets; attainment of strategic and operational initiatives; appreciation in and/or maintenance of the price of the Shares or any other publicly-traded securities of the Company; market
share; customer satisfaction; customer growth; user time spent online; unique users; registered users; user frequency; user retention; web page views; employee satisfaction; employee turnover; productivity or productivity ratios; strategic
partnerships or transactions (including in-licensing and out-licensing of intellectual property; establishing relationships with commercial entities with respect to the marketing, distribution and sale of the Company’s products (including with
group purchasing organizations, distributors and other vendors); supply chain achievements (including establishing relationships with manufacturers or suppliers of component materials and manufacturers of the Company’s products);
co-development, co-marketing, profit sharing, joint venture or other similar arrangements); gross profits; gross or net profit margin; operating margin; gross profit growth; year-end cash; cash margin; revenue; net revenue; product revenue or
system-wide revenue (including growth of such revenue measures); operating earnings; operating income; earnings before taxes; earnings before interest and taxes; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; economic value-added
models; comparisons with various stock market indices; regulatory achievements (including submitting or filing applications or other documents with regulatory authorities or receiving approval of any such applications or other documents and passing
pre-approval inspections (whether of the Company or the Company’s third-party manufacturer) and validation of manufacturing processes (whether the Company’s or the Company’s third-party manufacturer’s)); improvement in or
attainment of expense levels or working capital levels, including cash, inventory and accounts receivable; general and administrative expense savings; inventory control; operating efficiencies; average inventory; inventory turnover; inventory
shrinkage; cost of capital or assets under management; financing and other capital raising transactions (including sales of the Company’s equity or debt securities; debt level year-end cash position; book value; factoring transactions;
competitive market metrics; timely completion of new product roll-outs; timely launch of new facilities (such as new store openings, gross or net); sales or licenses of the Company’s assets, including its intellectual property, whether in a
particular jurisdiction or territory or globally; or through partnering transactions); royalty income; implementation, completion or attainment of measurable objectives with respect to research, development, manufacturing, commercialization,
products or projects, production volume levels, acquisitions and divestitures, succession and hiring projects, reorganization and other corporate transactions, expansions of specific business operations and meeting divisional or project

  
 12 

 
budgets; factoring transactions; and recruiting and maintaining personnel; debt reduction; reductions in costs, and/or return on invested capital of the Company or any Affiliate, division or
business unit of the Company for or within which the Participant is primarily employed. Any Performance Criteria that are financial metrics may be determined in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
(“GAAP”), or may be adjusted when established to include or exclude any items otherwise includable or excludable under GAAP. Such performance goals also may be based solely by reference to the Company’s performance or the performance
of an Affiliate, division or business unit of the Company, or based upon the relative performance of other companies or upon comparisons of any of the indicators of performance relative to other companies. The Committee may also exclude the impact
of an event or occurrence which the Committee determines should appropriately be excluded, including (a) restructurings, discontinued operations, extraordinary items, and other unusual or non-recurring charges or infrequently occurring items,
(b) an event either not directly related to the operations of the Company or not within the reasonable control of the Company’s management, (c) a change in accounting standards required by generally accepted accounting principles,
(d) asset write-downs, (e) litigation or claim judgments or settlements, (f) acquisitions or divestitures, (g) foreign exchange gains and losses, (h) a change in the fiscal year of the Company, (i) tax law changes,
(j) costs associated with refinancing or repurchase of bank loans or debt securities, (k) unbudgeted capital expenditures or (l) a business interruption event. Such performance goals shall be set by the Committee within the time
period prescribed by, and shall otherwise comply with the requirements of, Section 162(m) of the Code, or any successor provision thereto, and the regulations thereunder. For the avoidance of doubt, consistent with Sections 7.3, 8.1 and 9.1, in
the case of any Awards that are subject to this Article 10, a Participant shall not be entitled to receive payment for any dividends or Dividend Equivalents with respect to such Awards unless, until and except to the extent that the performance
goals applicable to such Awards are achieved or are otherwise deemed to be satisfied. 
 10.3. Restrictions. The Committee
shall have the power to impose such other restrictions on Awards subject to this Article 10 as it may deem necessary or appropriate to ensure that such Awards satisfy all requirements for “performance-based compensation” within the
meaning of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code, or any successor provision thereto. 
 10.4. Limitations on Grants to Individual
Participant. In any fiscal year of the Company, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12.2, no Participant may (i) be granted Options or Stock Appreciation Rights with respect to more than 1.5 million Shares or (ii) be
paid more than 1.5 million Shares (or the equivalent thereof in cash determined based on the per-Share Fair Market Value as of the relevant vesting, payment or settlement date), pursuant to Restricted Stock Awards, Performance Awards and/or
Other Stock Unit Awards, in the case of clause (ii), to the extent intended to be “performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m). In addition to the foregoing, the maximum dollar value payable to any Participant in
any fiscal year of the Company with respect to Performance Awards and/or Other Stock Unit Awards that are valued with reference to property other than Shares (including cash), to the extent intended to be “performance-based compensation”
under Code Section 162(m), is $10 million (the foregoing limitations in this Section 10.4, the “Section 162(m) Limitations”). If an Award is cancelled, the cancelled Award shall continue to be counted toward the applicable
Limitations. 
 10.5. Other Company Compensation Plans. Shares available for Awards under the Plan may be used by the Company
as a form of payment of performance based compensation under other Company compensation plans, whether or not existing on the date hereof. Notwithstanding anything in this Article 10 to the contrary, to the extent any Shares are used as such by
the Company, such Shares will reduce the then number of Shares available under Article 3 of the Plan for future Awards, but will not be subject to the Share or dollar limitations set forth in Section 10.4 above. 

  
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 ARTICLE 11 

CHANGE OF CONTROL PROVISIONS 

11.1. Assumption Upon Change of Control. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement evidencing the applicable Award, in
the event of a Change of Control, if the successor company assumes or substitutes for an outstanding Award (or in which the Company is the ultimate parent corporation and continues the Award), then such Award shall be continued in accordance with
its applicable terms and shall not be accelerated as described in Section 11.2. For the purposes of this Section 11.1, an Award shall be considered assumed or substituted for if, following the Change of Control, the Award confers the right
to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Award immediately prior to the Change of Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash or other securities or property) received in the transaction constituting a Change of Control by holders
of Shares for each Share held on the effective date of such transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares); provided, however, that if such
consideration received in the transaction constituting a Change of Control is not solely common stock of the successor company, the Committee may, with the consent of the successor company, provide that the consideration to be received upon the
exercise or vesting of an Award, for each Share subject thereto, will be solely common stock of the successor company substantially equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Shares in the transaction
constituting a Change of Control. The determination of such substantial equality of value of consideration shall be made by the Committee in its sole discretion and its determination shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, on
such terms and conditions as may be set forth in an Award Agreement, in the event of a termination of a Participant’s employment in such successor company within a specified time period following such Change of Control, each Award held by such
Participant at the time of the Change of Control shall be accelerated as described in Section 11.2. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Award shall be assumed or substituted pursuant to this Section 11.1 if such action would cause an Award
not otherwise “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Code Section 409A to become or create “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Code Section 409A. 

11.2. Acceleration Upon Change of Control. Notwithstanding Section 11.1, and except as provided in the applicable Award
Agreement, in the event of a Change of Control, unless provision is made in connection with the Change of Control for assumption or continuation of Awards previously granted or substitution of such Awards in accordance with Section 11.1, upon
the Change of Control (a) Options and Stock Appreciation Rights outstanding as of the date of the Change of Control shall immediately vest and become fully exercisable, (b) restrictions on Restricted Stock shall lapse and the Restricted
Stock shall become free of all restrictions and limitations and become fully vested, (c) all Performance Awards shall be considered to be earned and payable (either in full or pro-rata based on the portion of Performance Period completed as of
the date of the Change of Control and at the level determined by the Committee), and any deferral or other restriction shall lapse and such Performance Awards shall be immediately settled or distributed, (d) the restrictions and other
conditions applicable to any Other Stock Unit Awards or any other Awards shall lapse, and such Other Stock Unit Awards or such other Awards shall become free of all restrictions, limitations or conditions and become fully vested, and (e) such
other additional benefits as the Committee deems appropriate shall apply, subject in each case to any terms and conditions contained in the Award Agreement evidencing such Award. Notwithstanding any provision of this Section 11.2, unless
otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, if any amount payable pursuant to an Award constitutes deferred compensation within the meaning of Code Section 409A, in the event of a Change of Control that does not qualify as an event
described in Code Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(v), such Award (and any other Awards that constitute deferred compensation that vested prior to the date of such Change of Control but are outstanding as of such date) shall not be settled

  
 14 

 
until the earliest permissible payment event under Code Section 409A following such Change of Control. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Committee, in its discretion, may
determine that, upon the occurrence of a Change of Control of the Company, (i) each Option and Stock Appreciation Right outstanding shall terminate within a specified number of days after notice to the Participant, and such Participant shall
receive, with respect to each Share subject to such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, an amount equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of such Share immediately prior to the occurrence of such Change of Control over the option or base price,
as applicable, per Share of such Option and/or Stock Appreciation Right; such amount to be payable in cash, in one or more kinds of stock or property (including the stock or property, if any, payable in the transaction) or in a combination thereof,
as the Committee, in its discretion, shall determine and (ii) each Option and Stock Appreciation Right outstanding at such time with an option or base price, as applicable, per Share that exceeds the Fair Market Value of such Share immediately
prior to the occurrence of such Change of Control shall be canceled for no consideration. 
 ARTICLE 12 

GENERALLY APPLICABLE PROVISIONS 

12.1. Amendment and Modification of the Plan. The Board may, from time to time, alter, amend, suspend or terminate the Plan as
it shall deem advisable, subject to any requirement for stockholder approval imposed by applicable law, including the rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange or any rule or regulation of any stock exchange or quotation system on which
Shares are listed or quoted; provided that the Board may not amend the Plan in any manner that would result in noncompliance with Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act; and further provided that the Board may not, without the approval of the Company’s
stockholders, amend the Plan to (a) increase the number of Shares that may be the subject of Awards under the Plan (except for adjustments pursuant to Section 12.2), (b) expand the types of awards available under the Plan,
(c) materially expand the class of persons eligible to participate in the Plan, (d) amend any provision of Section 5.3 or Section 6.2(d), (e) increase the maximum permissible term of any Option or Freestanding Stock
Appreciation Right specified by Section 5.4 or Section 6.2(d), as applicable, (f) amend any provision of Section 10.4 or (g) amend the penultimate sentence of Section 12.3. In addition, no amendments to, or termination
of, the Plan shall materially impair the rights of a Participant under any Award previously granted without such Participant’s consent, provided, however, that the Board may amend, modify or terminate the Plan without the consent of such
Participant if it deems such action necessary to comply with applicable law, tax rules, stock exchange rules or accounting rules, provided such action affects the rights of all similarly situated Participants. 

12.2. Adjustments. To prevent the dilution or enlargement of benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under
the Plan, in the event of any corporate transaction (including any Change of Control) or event such as a merger, reorganization, consolidation, recapitalization, dividend or distribution (whether in cash, shares or other property), stock split,
reverse stock split, spin-off or similar transaction or other change in corporate structure affecting the Shares or the value thereof, such adjustments and other substitutions shall be made to the Plan and to Awards as the Committee, in its sole
discretion, deems equitable or appropriate, including such adjustments in the aggregate number, class and kind of securities that may be delivered under the Plan, including each of the Plan Share Limitation, the ISO Limitation and the
Section 162(m) Limitations, and, in the aggregate or to any one Participant, in the number, class, kind and option or base price of securities subject to outstanding Awards granted under the Plan (including, if the Committee deems appropriate,
the substitution of similar options to purchase the shares of, or other awards denominated in the shares of, another company) as the Committee may determine to be appropriate in its sole discretion; provided, however, that the number of Shares
subject to any Award shall always be a whole number. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Award shall be adjusted, 

  
 15 

 
substituted or otherwise modified pursuant to this Section 12.2 if such action would cause an Award not otherwise “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Code
Section 409A to become or create “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Code Section 409A. 
 12.3.
Transferability of Awards. Except as provided below, no Award and no Shares subject to Awards described in Article 8 that have not been issued or as to which any applicable restriction, performance or deferral period has not lapsed, may
be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and such Award may be exercised during the life of the Participant only by the Participant or the Participant’s
guardian or legal representative. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Participant may assign or transfer an Award with the consent of the Committee (each transferee thereof, a “Permitted Assignee”) to the Participant’s spouse, domestic
partner and/or children (and/or trusts and/or partnerships established for the benefit of the Participant’s spouse, domestic partner and/or children or in which the Participant is a beneficiary or partner); provided that such Permitted
Assignee(s) shall be bound by and subject to all of the terms and conditions of the Plan and the Award Agreement relating to the transferred Award and shall execute an agreement satisfactory to the Company evidencing such obligations; and provided
further that such Participant shall remain bound by the terms and conditions of the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall any Award (or any rights and obligations thereunder) be transferred to a third party in exchange for value
unless such transfer is specifically approved by the Company’s stockholders. The Company shall cooperate with any Permitted Assignee and the Company’s transfer agent in effectuating any transfer permitted under this Section 12.3. 

12.4. Termination of Employment. The Committee shall determine and set forth in each Award Agreement whether any Awards granted
in such Award Agreement will continue to be exercisable, and the terms of such exercise, on and after the date that a Participant ceases to be employed by or to provide services to the Company or any Affiliate (including as a Director), whether by
reason of death, disability, voluntary or involuntary termination of employment or services, or otherwise. The date of termination of a Participant’s employment or services will be determined by the Committee, which determination will be final.

 12.5. Dividend Equivalents. Subject to the provisions of the Plan and any Award Agreement, the recipient of an Award may,
if so determined by the Committee, be entitled to receive, currently or on a deferred basis, cash, stock or other property dividends, or cash payments in amounts equivalent to cash, stock or other property dividends on Shares (“Dividend
Equivalents”) with respect to the number of Shares covered by the Award. For the avoidance of doubt, consistent with Sections 8.1 and 9.1, in the case of any Other Stock Unit Awards that are subject to vesting based on the achievement of
performance goals or any Performance Awards, a Participant shall not be entitled to receive payment for any Dividend Equivalents with respect to such Awards unless, until and except to the extent that the performance goals applicable to such Awards
are achieved or are otherwise deemed to be satisfied. Such Dividend Equivalents shall not be granted if the terms of the grant of such Dividend Equivalents would either cause an amount to be considered “deferred compensation” within the
meaning of Code Section 409A that would otherwise not be considered “deferred compensation” or cause an amount to be included in an Award recipient’s income under Code Section 409A. 

ARTICLE 13 

MISCELLANEOUS 

13.1. Tax Withholding. The Company shall have the right to make all payments or distributions pursuant to the Plan to a
Participant (or a Permitted Assignee thereof) (any such person, a “Payee”) net of 

  
 16 

 
any applicable Federal, State and local taxes required to be paid or withheld as a result of (a) the grant of any Award, (b) the exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right,
(c) the delivery of Shares or cash, (d) the lapse of any restrictions in connection with any Award or (e) any other event occurring pursuant to the Plan. The Company or any Affiliate shall have the right to withhold from wages or
other amounts otherwise payable to such Payee such withholding taxes as may be required by law, or to otherwise require the Payee to pay such withholding taxes. If the Payee shall fail to make such tax payments as are required, the Company or its
Affiliates shall, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to such Payee or to take such other action as may be necessary to satisfy such withholding obligations. The
Committee shall be authorized to establish procedures for election by Participants to satisfy such obligation for the payment of such taxes by tendering previously acquired Shares (either actually or by attestation, valued at their then Fair Market
Value) that have been owned for a period of at least six months (or such other period to avoid accounting charges against the Company’s earnings), or by directing the Company to retain Shares (up to the employee’s minimum required tax
withholding rate or such other rate that will not cause adverse accounting consequences and is permitted under applicable Internal Revenue Service withholding rules) otherwise deliverable in connection with the Award. 

13.2. Right of Discharge Reserved; Claims to Awards. Nothing in the Plan nor the grant of an Award hereunder shall confer upon
any Employee or Director the right to continue in the employment or service of the Company or any Affiliate or affect any right that the Company or any Affiliate may have to terminate the employment or service of (or to demote or to exclude from
future Awards under the Plan) any such Employee or Director at any time for any reason. Except as specifically provided by the Committee, the Company shall not be liable for the loss of existing or potential profit from an Award granted in the event
of termination of an employment or other relationship. No Employee or Participant shall have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Employees or Participants under the Plan. 

13.3. Prospective Recipient. The prospective recipient of any Award under the Plan shall not, with respect to such Award, be
deemed to have become a Participant, or to have any rights with respect to such Award, until and unless such recipient shall have executed an agreement or other instrument evidencing the Award and delivered a copy thereof to the Company, and
otherwise complied with the then applicable terms and conditions. 
 13.4. Stop Transfer Orders. All certificates for Shares
delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award shall be subject to such stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission,
any stock exchange upon which the Shares are then listed, and any applicable federal or state securities law, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. 

13.5. Nature of Payments. All Awards made pursuant to the Plan are in consideration of services performed or to be performed for
the Company or any Affiliate, division or business unit of the Company. Any income or gain realized pursuant to Awards under the Plan constitute a special incentive payment to the Participant and shall not be taken into account, to the extent
permissible under applicable law, as compensation for purposes of any of the employee benefit plans of the Company or any Affiliate except as may be determined by the Committee or by the Board or board of directors of the applicable Affiliate. 

13.6. Other Plans. Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Board from adopting other or additional compensation
arrangements, subject to stockholder approval if such approval is required; and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases. 

  
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 13.7. Severability. If any provision of the Plan shall be held unlawful or
otherwise invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall (a) be deemed limited to the extent that such court of competent jurisdiction deems it lawful, valid and/or enforceable and as so
limited shall remain in full force and effect, and (b) not affect any other provision of the Plan or part thereof, each of which shall remain in full force and effect. If the making of any payment or the provision of any other benefit required
under the Plan shall be held unlawful or otherwise invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such unlawfulness, invalidity or unenforceability shall not prevent any other payment or benefit from being made or provided under the
Plan, and if the making of any payment in full or the provision of any other benefit required under the Plan in full would be unlawful or otherwise invalid or unenforceable, then such unlawfulness, invalidity or unenforceability shall not prevent
such payment or benefit from being made or provided in part, to the extent that it would not be unlawful, invalid or unenforceable, and the maximum payment or benefit that would not be unlawful, invalid or unenforceable shall be made or provided
under the Plan. 
 13.8. Construction. All references in the Plan to “Section”, “Sections”,
or “Article” are intended to refer to the Section, Sections or Article, as the case may be, of the Plan. As used in the Plan, the words “include” and “including”, and variations thereof, shall not
be deemed to be terms of limitation, but rather shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, and the word “or” shall not be deemed to be exclusive. 

13.9. Unfunded Status of the Plan. The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred
compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant by the Company, nothing contained herein shall give any such Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company. In its sole discretion,
the Committee may authorize the creation of trusts or other arrangements to meet the obligations created under the Plan to deliver the Shares or payments in lieu of or with respect to Awards hereunder; provided, however, that the existence of such
trusts or other arrangements is consistent with the unfunded status of the Plan. 
 13.10. Governing Law. The Plan and all
determinations made and actions taken thereunder, to the extent not otherwise governed by the Code or the laws of the United States, shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware and construed accordingly. 

13.11. Effective Date of Plan; Termination of Plan. The Plan shall be effective on the date of the approval of the Distribution
by the board of directors of Barnes & Noble, Inc. (the “Effective Date”). The Plan shall be null and void and of no effect if the foregoing condition is not fulfilled and in such event each Award shall, notwithstanding any of the
preceding provisions of the Plan, be null and void and of no effect. Awards may be granted under the Plan at any time and from time to time on or prior to the tenth anniversary of the effective date of the Plan, on which date the Plan will expire
except as to Awards then outstanding under the Plan. Such outstanding Awards shall remain in effect until they have been exercised or terminated, or have expired. 

13.12. Foreign Employees. Awards may be granted to Participants who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States,
or both, on such terms and conditions different from those applicable to Awards to Employees employed in the United States as may, in the judgment of the Committee, be necessary or desirable in order to recognize differences in local law or tax
policy. The Committee also may impose conditions on the exercise or vesting of Awards in order to minimize the Company’s obligation with respect to tax equalization for Employees on assignments outside their home country. 

13.13. Captions. The captions in the Plan are for convenience of reference only, and are not intended to narrow, limit or affect
the substance or interpretation of the provisions contained herein. 

  
 18 

 13.14. Code Section 409A. All provisions of the Plan shall be interpreted in a
manner consistent with Code Section 409A, and the regulations and other guidance promulgated thereunder. Notwithstanding the preceding, the Company makes no representations concerning the tax consequences of participation in the Plan under Code
Section 409A or any other federal, state, or local tax law. Tax consequences will depend, in part, upon the application of relevant tax law, including Code Section 409A, to the relevant facts and circumstances. Participant should consult a
competent and independent tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of the Plan. 
 13.15. Clawback. Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary contained herein, an Award Agreement may provide that an Award granted thereunder shall be cancelled if the Participant, without the consent of the Company, while employed by or providing services to the Company or any Affiliate or
after termination of such employment or service, (a) violates a non-competition, non-solicitation or non-disclosure covenant or agreement, (b) otherwise engages in activity that is in conflict with or adverse to the interest of the Company
or any Affiliate, including fraud or conduct contributing to any financial restatements or irregularities, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion or (c) to the extent applicable to the Participant, otherwise violates any policy
adopted by the Company or any of its Affiliates relating to the recovery of compensation granted, paid, delivered, awarded or otherwise provided to any Participant by the Company or any of its Affiliates as such policy is in effect on the date of
grant of the applicable Award or, to the extent necessary to address the requirements of applicable law (including Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, as codified in Section 10D of the
Exchange Act, Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 or any other applicable law), as may be amended from time to time. The Committee may also provide in an Award Agreement that (i) a Participant will forfeit any gain realized on
the vesting or exercise of such Award if the Participant engages in any activity referred to in the preceding sentence, or (ii) a Participant must repay the gain to the Company realized under a previously paid Performance Award if a financial
restatement reduces the amount that would have been earned under such Performance Award. 

  
 19EX-10.5

 Exhibit 10.5 

PERFORMANCE UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT (CASH) 

Issued Pursuant to the 

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. Equity Incentive Plan 

THIS PERFORMANCE UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), effective as of the grant date (the “Grant Date”) set forth in
the attached Performance Unit Award Certificate (the “Certificate”), represents the grant of such number of Performance Units set forth in the Certificate by Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (the “Company”), to the person
named in the Certificate (the “Participant”), subject to the terms and conditions set forth below, the Certificate and the provisions of the Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). 

All capitalized terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Plan, unless specifically set forth otherwise herein. The parties hereto
agree as follows: 
 1. Valuation of Performance Units. Each Performance Unit shall represent the right to receive an amount in cash
based upon the attainment of certain financial goals (“Performance Criteria”) during a specified period of time (the “Performance Period”) under a specified payment formula (the “Payment Formula”), each of which shall
be specified in the Certificate. Following the end of the Performance Period, the Committee shall certify the level of attainment of the Performance Criteria and the amount payable under the Payment Formula as a result thereof; provided that
the Committee shall have discretion to reduce (but not increase) the amount otherwise payable under the Performance Units (the amount so payable (after the application of such discretion, if any), the “Payment Value”). 

2. Payment. As soon as administratively practicable following the end of the Performance Period, the Company shall pay to the
Participant an amount in cash equal to the Payment Value (such payment date, the “Payment Date”); provided, however, if the Participant’s employment or service terminates before the Payment Date, all Performance Units
granted hereunder shall be forfeited. In order to receive payment for the Performance Units, the Participant must be continuously employed by the Company or any of its Affiliates from the Grant Date through the Payment Date. 

3. Nontransferability. The Performance Units granted hereunder may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated
or hypothecated. No assignment or transfer of any Performance Units in violation of this Section 3, whether voluntary or involuntary, by operation of law or otherwise, except as required by applicable law, shall vest in the assignee or
transferee any interest whatsoever. 
 4. Withholding Taxes. The Company shall have the right to withhold from wages or other amounts
otherwise payable to the Participant, or otherwise require the Participant to pay, any federal, state, local or foreign income taxes, withholding taxes or employment taxes required to be withheld by law or regulations (“Withholding Taxes”)
arising as a result of the grant of Performance Units, the payment of the Payment Value, or any other taxable event occurring pursuant to the Plan, this Agreement or the Certificate. If, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Participant shall fail to
actually or constructively make such tax payments as are required, the Company (or its Affiliates) shall, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such Withholding Taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to such
Participant or to take such other action as may be necessary to satisfy such Withholding Taxes. In satisfaction of the requirement to pay Withholding Taxes, the Company, in its discretion, may elect to satisfy the obligation for Withholding Taxes by
retaining a portion of the Payment Value equal to the amount of any Withholding Taxes due on the Payment Date. 

 5. Recoupment. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, direct that the Performance
Units be cancelled or that the Company recoup, and upon demand by the Company, the Participant agrees to return to the Company, any gain realized under a previously paid Performance Unit if (a) the Participant, without the consent of the
Company, while employed by or providing services to the Company or any of its Affiliates, (i) violates a non-competition, non-solicitation or non-disclosure agreement, (ii) otherwise engages in activity that is in conflict with or adverse
to the interest of the Company or any Affiliate, including fraud or conduct contributing to any financial restatements or irregularities or (iii) to the extent applicable to the Participant, otherwise violates any policy adopted by the Company
or any of its Affiliates relating to the recovery of compensation granted, paid, delivered, awarded or otherwise provided to the Participant by the Company or any of its Affiliates as such policy is in effect on the date of grant of the Performance
Units or, to the extent necessary to address the requirements of applicable law (including Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, as codified in Section 10D of the Exchange Act,
Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 or any other applicable law), as may be amended from time to time or (b) if a financial restatement reduces the amount that would have been earned under such Performance Unit. The amount to be
recouped shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion but shall not exceed the Payment Value. If after a demand for recoupment under this Section 5, the Participant fails to return any amount paid by the Company, the Participant
acknowledges that the Company has the right to effect the recovery of the amount paid and the amount of its court costs, attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred in connection with enforcing this Agreement. 

6. Administration. (a) Generally. This Agreement and the rights of the Participant hereunder and under the Certificate are
subject to all the terms and conditions of the Plan, as the same may be amended from time to time, as well as to such rules and regulations as the Committee may adopt for administration of the Plan. It is expressly understood that the Committee is
authorized to administer, construe and make all determinations necessary or appropriate to the administration of the Plan, this Agreement and the Certificate, all of which shall be binding upon the Participant. 

(b) Conflicts. The order of precedence as between the Plan, this Agreement or the Certificate, and any written
employment agreement between Participant and the Company shall be as follows: If there is any inconsistency between (i) the terms of this Agreement or the Certificate (on the one hand) and the terms of the Plan (on the other hand); or
(ii) any such written employment agreement (on the one hand) and the terms of the Plan (on the other hand), the Plan’s terms shall completely supersede and replace the conflicting terms of this Agreement, the Certificate or the written
employment agreement (as the case may be). If there is any inconsistency between the terms of this Agreement or the Certificate (on the one hand) and the terms of Participant’s written employment agreement, if any (on the other hand), the terms
of this Agreement or the Certificate (as the case may be) shall completely supersede and replace the conflicting terms of the written employment agreement unless such written employment agreement was approved by the Committee, in which event such
written employment agreement shall completely supersede and replace the conflicting terms of this Agreement or the Certificate (as the case may be). 

7. Exclusion from Other Computations. By acceptance of the Performance Units granted hereunder, the Participant hereby agrees that any
income or gain realized upon the receipt or disposition of the Performance Units is special incentive compensation and shall not be taken into 

  
 2 

 
account, to the extent permissible under applicable law, as “wages”, “salary” or “compensation” in determining the amount of any payment under any pension,
retirement, incentive, profit sharing, bonus, severance or deferred compensation plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates. 
 8.
Change of Control. In the event of the occurrence of a Change of Control of the Company, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may cause any unvested Performance Units granted hereunder to vest. 

9. Miscellaneous. 

(a) Annual Bonus. With respect to Participants who are party to employment agreements that provide for annual
bonus compensation, the Payment Value shall constitute annual bonus compensation. 
 (b) No Right to Employment.
Neither this Agreement nor the Certificate shall confer upon the Participant any right to continuation of employment by the Company, nor shall this Agreement or the Certificate interfere in any way with the Company’s right to terminate the
Participant’s employment at any time. 
 (c) Successors. All obligations of the Company under the Plan, this
Agreement and the Certificate, with respect to the Performance Units granted hereunder, shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation
or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company. 
 (d) Severability. The
provisions of this Agreement are severable and if any one or more provisions are determined to be illegal or otherwise unenforceable, in whole or in part, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless be binding and enforceable. 

(e) Consent to Board or Committee Action. By accepting this grant of Performance Units, the Participant and each person
claiming under or through the Participant shall be conclusively deemed to have indicated their acceptance and ratification of, and consent to, any action taken under the Plan by the Company, the Board or the Committee. 

(f) Amendment. The Committee may, with the consent of the Participant, at any time or from time to time amend the terms
and conditions of this grant of Performance Units. In addition, the Committee may at any time or from time to time amend the terms and conditions of this grant of Performance Units in accordance with the Plan. 

(g) Governmental Approvals. This Agreement and the Certificate shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules and
regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required. 
 (h)
Governing Law. To the extent not preempted by federal law, this Agreement and the Certificate shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware. 

(i) Compliance with Code Section 409A. The payment of the Payment Value under this Agreement is intended to comply
with Code Section 409A, and this Agreement shall be interpreted, operated and administered consistent with this intent. Notwithstanding the preceding, 

  
 3 

 
the Company makes no representations concerning the tax consequences of this Agreement under Code Section 409A or any other federal, state, local, foreign or other taxes. Tax consequences
will depend, in part, upon the application of the relevant tax law to the relevant facts and circumstances. The Participant should consult a competent and independent tax advisor regarding the tax consequences of this Agreement. 

(j) [Section 162(m). To the extent the Committee determines it is desirable with respect to the Performance Units, all payments
under this Agreement shall be intended to constitute “qualified performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code. This Award shall be construed and administered in a manner consistent with such intent.] 
 (k) Waiver of Trial by Jury. The Participant, every person
claiming under or through the Participant, and the Company hereby waives to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law any right to a trial by jury with respect to any litigation directly or indirectly arising out of, under or in connection with
the Plan, this Agreement or the Certificate. 
 (l) Exculpation. The Performance Units granted hereunder and all
documents, agreements, understandings and arrangements relating hereto have been issued on behalf of the Company by officers acting on its behalf and not by any person individually. None of the Directors, officers, or stockholders of the Company nor
the Directors, officers or stockholders of any Affiliate of the Company shall have any personal liability hereunder or thereunder. The Participant shall look solely to the assets of the Company for satisfaction of any liability of the Company in
respect of the Performance Units granted hereunder and all documents, agreements, understandings and arrangements relating hereto and will not seek recourse or commence any action against any of the Directors, officers or stockholders of the Company
or any of the Directors, officers or stockholders of any Affiliate, or any of their personal assets, for the performance or payment of any obligation hereunder or thereunder. The foregoing shall also apply to any future documents, agreements,
understandings, arrangements and transactions between the parties hereto with respect to the Performance Units granted hereunder. 

(m) Captions. The captions in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only, and are not intended to narrow,
limit or affect the substance or interpretation of the provisions contained herein. 
 (n) Notices. Any notice that
either party hereto may be required or permitted to give to the other shall be in writing, and may be delivered personally or by mail, postage prepaid or overnight courier, addressed as follows: if to the Company, at its office at 120 Mountain View
Blvd, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, Attn: Human Resources, or at such other address as the Company by notice to the Participant may designate in writing from time to time; and if to the Participant, at the address shown below his or her signature on the
Certificate, or at such other address as the Participant by notice to the Company may designate in writing from time to time. Notices shall be effective upon receipt. 

  
 4 

 Performance Unit Award Certificate 

 
  

					
	Granted To:		Name		
			Address		
			City, State Zip		

 You have been awarded Performance Units of Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (the “Company”), as described
below. Subject to the terms of the Performance Unit Award Agreement and the Company’s Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), each Performance Unit constitutes an unfunded and unsecured promise of the Company to deliver to you $[●]
per performance unit. 
  

					
	Employee ID:		XXXXXXXX		
			
	Grant Date:		XX/XX/XX		

 Target Number of Performance Units Granted: [●] 

Performance Period: The Performance Period shall be [XX/XX/XX] to [XX/XX/XX]. 

Performance Metrics: 
 [“Adjusted EBIT”
which shall mean the Company’s income from ongoing operations (excluding income on investments and foreign currency gains) on a consolidated basis, before deduction of interest payments and income taxes, as reported in the Company’s income
statement for fiscal year [2015], and prior to accrual for amounts paid under the Performance Unit Awards and adjusted to exclude the effects of charges for (a) restructurings, discontinued operations, acquisitions, divestitures, debt
restructuring or early repayment, inventory or asset write-downs, severance costs incurred in connection with any restructuring, divestiture or reorganization, extraordinary items and other unusual on non-recurring items, (b) any event either
not directly related to the operations of the Company or not within reasonable control of the Company’s management, (c) the cumulative effect of tax or accounting changes or restatement and (d) non-routine litigation expenses such as
shareholder derivative actions. 
 “Adjusted EBITDA” means adding Depreciation and Amortization to Operating Income/(Loss) as
reported in the Company’s audited financial statements and adjusted to exclude the current year LIFO inventory accounting benefit.] 

“Individual Performance Goals” means [●] 

Threshold Performance Metric: [$[●] of Adjusted EBIT]. For the avoidance of doubt, if this Threshold Performance Metric is not achieved, then none of
the Performance Units shall vest. 
 Adjusted EBITDA Target: $[●] 

 Performance Vesting: [●]% of the Performance Units will vest based on the Adjusted EBITDA level achieved
during the Performance Period (the “EBITDA Performance Units”) and [●]% of the Performance Units will vest based on the Individual Performance Goals (the “Individual Performance Units”), as set forth below. 

 

					
	Level of Achievement of Adjusted EBITDA Target	  	% of EBITDA Performance
Units Vested	 
	 [0% – less than 50%
	  	 	[0	% 
	 50% – less than 75%
	  	 	25	% 
	 75% – less than 100%
	  	 	62.5	% 
	 100% – less than 112.5%
	  	 	100	% 
	 112.5% – less than 125%
	  	 	108.5	% 
	 125% or more]
	  	 	117	%] 
		
	Level of Achievement of Individual Performance Goals	  	% of Individual
Performance Units Vested	 
	 below [●]
	  	 	0	% 
	 [●]
	  	 	[●	]% 
	 [●]
	  	 	[●	]% 
	 [●] and above
	  	 	[●	]% 

 Time Vesting: Except as otherwise set forth in the Performance Unit Award Agreement, you must be continuously employed by the
Company or any of its Affiliates during the entire Performance Period in order to vest in any portion of the Target Number of Performance Units Granted. 

By your signature below, you agree that these Performance Units are awarded under and governed by the terms and conditions of the Plan and the Performance
Unit Award Agreement, all of which are attached and made a part of this document. You further acknowledge and understand that the Committee shall have discretion to reduce or increase the amount otherwise payable under the Performance Units
(including, based on the level of achievement of underlying Performance Metrics applicable to you). 
  

									
	Signature:	 	  
	 		 	Date:	 	  

 NOTE: If there are any discrepancies in the name or address shown above, please make the appropriate correction on this form.

 PLEASE RETURN TO: 
 Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.

 120 Mountain View Blvd 
 Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 

Attn: Human Resources 
 [Phone] 

  
 2

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