Document:

Exhibit 4.4

 

SRS LABS, INC.

 

2006 Stock Incentive Plan

(As amended and restated on August 9, 2012)

 

1.             Establishment, Purpose, and Types of Awards

 

DTS, Inc. (the “Company”) has assumed the “SRS Labs, Inc. 2006 Stock Incentive Plan” (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”) which was originally established by SRS Labs, Inc. (the “Predecessor Company”).  The purpose of the Plan, following its assumption by the Company in connection with the acquisition of the Predecessor Company effective July 20, 2012, is to provide incentives and awards to select employees, directors, consultants, and advisors of the Company and its Affiliates who are Eligible Persons.

 

The Plan permits the granting of the following types of awards (“Awards”), according to the Sections of the Plan listed here:

 

Section 6                Options

Section 7                Share Appreciation Rights

Section 8                Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units, and Unrestricted Shares

Section 9                Deferred Share Units

Section 10              Performance Awards

 

The Plan is not intended to affect and shall not affect any stock options, equity-based compensation, or other benefits that the Company or its Affiliates may have provided, or may separately provide in the future pursuant to any agreement, plan, or program that is independent of this Plan.

 

2.             Defined Terms

 

Terms in the Plan that begin with an initial capital letter have the defined meaning set forth in Appendix A, unless defined elsewhere in this Plan or the context of their use clearly indicates a different meaning.

 

3.             Shares Subject to the Plan

 

Subject to the provisions of Section 13 of the Plan, the maximum number of Shares that the Company may issue for all Awards is 233,848 Shares which consists of the Predecessor Company’s shares of common stock which were available for Awards under the Plan as of July 20, 2012 multiplied by the applicable exchange ratio set forth in the agreement pursuant to which the Company acquired the outstanding shares of the common stock of the Predecessor Company.  For all Awards, the Shares issued pursuant to the Plan may be authorized but unissued Shares, or Shares that the Company has reacquired or otherwise holds in treasury.

 

Shares that are subject to an Award that for any reason expires, is forfeited, is cancelled, or becomes unexercisable, and Shares that are for any other reason not paid or delivered under the Plan shall again, except to the extent prohibited by Applicable Law, be available for

 

 

subsequent Awards under the Plan.  In addition, the Committee may make future Awards with respect to Shares that the Company retains from otherwise delivering pursuant to an Award either (i) as payment of the exercise price of an Award, or (ii) in order to satisfy the withholding or employment taxes due upon the grant, exercise, vesting or distribution of an Award.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject to adjustments pursuant to Section 13 below, the number of Shares that are available for ISO Awards shall be determined, to the extent required under applicable tax laws, by reducing the number of Shares designated in the preceding paragraph by the number of Shares granted pursuant to Awards (whether or not Shares are issued pursuant to such Awards), provided that any Shares that are either issued or  purchased under the Plan and forfeited back to the Plan, or surrendered in payment of the Exercise Price for an Award shall be available for issuance pursuant to future ISO Awards.

 

4.             Administration

 

(a)   General.  The Committee shall administer the Plan in accordance with its terms, provided that the Board may act in lieu of the Committee on any matter.  The Committee shall hold meetings at such times and places as it may determine and shall make such rules and regulations for the conduct of its business as it deems advisable.  In the absence of a duly appointed Committee or if the Board otherwise chooses to act in lieu of the Committee, the Board shall function as the Committee for all purposes of the Plan.

 

(b)   Committee Composition.  The Board shall appoint the members of the Committee. If and to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Committee may authorize one or more Reporting Persons (or other officers) to make Awards to Eligible Persons who are not Reporting Persons (or other officers whom the Committee has specifically authorized to make Awards).  The Board may at any time appoint additional members to the Committee, remove and replace members of the Committee with or without Cause, and fill vacancies on the Committee however caused.

 

(c)   Powers of the Committee.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have the authority, in its sole discretion:

 

(i)            to determine Eligible Persons to whom Awards shall be granted from time to time and the number of Shares, units, or dollars to be covered by each Award;

 

(ii)           to determine, from time to time, the Fair Market Value of Shares;

 

(iii)          to determine, and to set forth in Award Agreements, the terms and conditions of all Awards, including any applicable exercise or purchase price, the installments and conditions under which an Award shall become vested (which may be based on performance), terminated, expired, cancelled, or replaced, and  the circumstances for vesting acceleration or waiver of forfeiture restrictions, and other restrictions and limitations;

 

(iv)          to approve the forms of Award Agreements and all other documents, notices and certificates in connection therewith which need not be identical either as to type of Award or among Participants;

 

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(v)           to construe and interpret the terms of the Plan and any Award Agreement, to determine the meaning of their terms, and to prescribe, amend, and rescind rules and procedures relating to the Plan and its administration; and

 

(vi)          in order to fulfill the purposes of the Plan and without amending the Plan, to modify, to cancel, or to waive the Company’s rights with respect to any Awards, to adjust or to modify Award Agreements for changes in Applicable Law, and to recognize differences in foreign law, tax policies, or customs; and

 

(vii)         to make all other interpretations and to take all other actions that the Committee may consider necessary or advisable to administer the Plan or to effectuate its purposes.

 

Subject to Applicable Law and the restrictions set forth in the Plan, the Committee may delegate administrative functions to individuals who are Reporting Persons, officers, or Employees of the Company or its Affiliates.

 

(d)   Deference to Committee Determinations.  The Committee shall have the discretion to interpret or construe ambiguous, unclear, or implied (but omitted) terms in any fashion it deems to be appropriate in its sole discretion, and to make any findings of fact needed in the administration of the Plan or Award Agreements.  The Committee’s prior exercise of its discretionary authority shall not obligate it to exercise its authority in a like fashion thereafter.  The Committee’s interpretation and construction of any provision of the Plan, or of any Award or Award Agreement, shall be final, binding, and conclusive.  The validity of any such interpretation, construction, decision or finding of fact shall not be given de novo review if challenged in court, by arbitration, or in any other forum, and shall be upheld unless clearly made in bad faith or materially affected by fraud.

 

(e)   No Liability; Indemnification.  Neither the Board nor any Committee member, nor any Person acting at the direction of the Board or the Committee, shall be liable for any act, omission, interpretation, construction or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan, any Award or any Award Agreement.  The Company and its Affiliates shall pay or reimburse any member of the Committee, as well as any Director, Employee, or Consultant who takes action on behalf of the Plan, for all expenses incurred with respect to the Plan, and to the full extent allowable under Applicable Law shall indemnify each and every one of them for any claims, liabilities, and costs (including reasonable attorney’s fees) arising out of their good faith performance of duties on behalf of  the Plan.  The Company and its Affiliates may, but shall not be required to, obtain liability insurance for this purpose.

 

5.             Eligibility

 

(a)   General Rule.  The Committee may grant ISOs only to Employees (including officers who are Employees) of the Company or any Affiliate that is a “parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation” within the meaning of Section 424 of the Code, and may grant all other Awards to any Eligible Person.  A Participant who has been granted an Award may be granted an additional Award or Awards if the Committee shall so determine, if such person is otherwise an Eligible Person and if otherwise in accordance with the terms of the Plan.

 

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(b)   Grant of Awards.  Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall determine from the class of Eligible Persons those individuals to whom Awards under the Plan may be granted, the number of Shares subject to each Award, the price (if any) to be paid for the Shares or the Award and, in the case of Performance Awards, in addition to the matters addressed in Section 10 below, the specific objectives, goals and performance criteria that further define the Performance Award.  Each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement signed by the Company and, if required by the Committee, by the Participant.  The Award Agreement shall set forth the material terms and conditions of the Award established by the Committee, and each Award shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Sections 23, 24, and 25 unless otherwise specifically provided in an Award Agreement.

 

(c)   Limits on Awards.  During any calendar year, no Participant may receive Options and SARs that relate to more than 233,452 Shares.  The Committee will adjust this limitation pursuant to Section 13 below.

 

(d)   Replacement Awards.  Subject to Applicable Laws (including any associated Shareholder approval requirements), the Committee may, in its sole discretion and upon such terms as it deems appropriate, require as a condition of the grant of an Award to a Participant that the Participant surrender for cancellation some or all of the Awards that have previously been granted to the Participant under this Plan or otherwise.  An Award that is conditioned upon such surrender may or may not be the same type of Award, may cover the same (or a lesser or greater) number of Shares as such surrendered Award, may have other terms that are determined without regard to the terms or conditions of such surrendered Award, and may contain any other terms that the Committee deems appropriate.  In the case of Options, these other terms may not involve an Exercise Price that is lower than the exercise price of the surrendered Option unless the Company’s shareholders approve the grant itself or the program under which the grant is made pursuant to the Plan.

 

6.             Option Awards

 

(a)   Types; Documentation.  The Committee may in its discretion grant ISOs to any Employee and Non-ISOs to any Eligible Person, and shall evidence any such grants in an Award Agreement that is delivered to the Participant.  Each Option shall be designated in the Award Agreement as an ISO or a Non-ISO, and the same Award Agreement may grant both types of Options.  At the sole discretion of the Committee, any Option may be exercisable, in whole or in part, immediately upon the grant thereof, or only after the occurrence of a specified event, or only in installments, which installments may vary.  Options granted under the Plan may contain such terms and provisions not inconsistent with the Plan that the Committee shall deem advisable in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

(b)   ISO $100,000 Limitation.  To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of Shares with respect to which Options designated as ISOs first become exercisable by a Participant in any calendar year (under this Plan and any other plan of the Company or any Affiliate) exceeds $100,000, such excess Options shall be treated as Non-ISOs.  For purposes of determining whether the $100,000 limit is exceeded, the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to an ISO shall be determined as of the Grant Date.  In reducing the number of Options treated as ISOs to meet the $100,000 limit, the most recently granted Options shall be reduced first.  In the

 

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event that Section 422 of the Code is amended to alter the limitation set forth therein, the limitation of this Section 6(b) shall be automatically adjusted accordingly.

 

(c)   Term of Options.  Each Award Agreement shall specify a term at the end of which the Option automatically expires, subject to earlier termination provisions contained in Section 6(h) hereof; provided, that, the term of any Option may not exceed 10 years from the Grant Date.  In the case of an ISO granted to an Employee who is a Ten Percent Holder on the Grant Date, the term of the ISO shall not exceed 5 years from the Grant Date.

 

(d)   Exercise Price.  The exercise price of an Option shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion and shall be set forth in the Award Agreement, provided that (i) if an ISO is granted to an Employee who on the Grant Date is a Ten Percent Holder, the per Share exercise price shall not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the Grant Date, and (ii) for all other Options, such per Share exercise price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the Grant Date.

 

(e)   Exercise of Option.  The times, circumstances and conditions under which an Option shall be exercisable shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion and set forth in the Award Agreement.  The Committee shall have the discretion to determine whether and to what extent the vesting of Options shall be tolled during any unpaid leave of absence; provided, however, that in the absence of such determination, vesting of Options shall be tolled during any such leave approved by the Company.

 

(f)    Minimum Exercise Requirements.  An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.  The Committee may require in an Award Agreement that an Option be exercised as to a minimum number of Shares, provided that such requirement shall not prevent a Participant from purchasing the full number of Shares as to which the Option is then exercisable.

 

(g)   Methods of Exercise.  Prior to its expiration pursuant to the terms of the applicable Award Agreement, and subject to the times, circumstances and conditions for exercise contained in the applicable Award Agreement, each Option may be exercised, in whole or in part (provided that the Company shall not be required to issue fractional shares), by delivery of written notice of exercise to the secretary of the Company accompanied by the full exercise price of the Shares being purchased.  In the case of an ISO, the Committee shall determine the acceptable methods of payment on the Grant Date and it shall be included in the applicable Award Agreement.  The methods of payment that the Committee may in its discretion accept or commit to accept in an Award Agreement include:

 

(i)            cash or check payable to the Company (in U.S. dollars);

 

(ii)           other Shares that (A) are owned by the Participant who is purchasing Shares pursuant to an Option, (B) have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which the Option is being exercised, (C) were not acquired by such Participant pursuant to the exercise of an Option, unless such Shares have been owned by such Participant for at least six months or such other period as the Committee may determine, (D) are all, at the time of such surrender, free and clear of any and all claims, pledges, liens and encumbrances, or any

 

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restrictions which would in any manner restrict the transfer of such shares to or by the Company (other than such restrictions as may have existed prior to an issuance of such Shares by the Company to such Participant), and (E) are duly endorsed for transfer to the Company;

 

(iii)          a cashless exercise program that the Company may approve, from time to time in its discretion, pursuant to which a Participant may concurrently provide irrevocable instructions (A) to such Participant’s broker or dealer to effect the immediate sale of the purchased Shares and remit to the Company, out of the sale proceeds available on the settlement date, sufficient funds to cover the exercise price of the Option plus all applicable taxes required to be withheld by the Company by reason of such exercise, and (B) to the Company to deliver the certificates for the purchased Shares directly to such broker or dealer in order to complete the sale;

 

(iv)          a net exercise program that the Company may approve pursuant to which a Participant may exercise his or her Options by means of the delivery of a properly executed exercise notice followed by a procedure pursuant to which (A) the Company will reduce the number of shares otherwise issuable to a Participant upon the exercise of an Option by the largest whole number of shares having a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the aggregate exercise price for the shares with respect to which the Option is exercised, and (B) the Participant shall pay to the Company in cash the remaining balance of such aggregate exercise price not satisfied by such reduction in the number of whole shares to be issued.; or

 

(v)           any combination of the foregoing methods of payment.

 

The Company shall not be required to deliver Shares pursuant to the exercise of an Option until payment of the full exercise price therefore is received by the Company.

 

(h)   Termination of Continuous Service.  The Committee may establish and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement the terms and conditions on which an Option shall remain exercisable, if at all, following termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service.  The Committee may waive or modify these provisions at any time.  To the extent that a Participant is not entitled to exercise an Option at the date of his or her termination of Continuous Service, or if the Participant (or other person entitled to exercise the Option) does not exercise the Option to the extent so entitled within the time specified in the Award Agreement or below (as applicable), the Option shall terminate and the Shares underlying the unexercised portion of the Option shall revert to the Plan and become available for future Awards.  In no event may any Option be exercised after the expiration of the Option term as set forth in the Award Agreement.

 

Unless specifically provided otherwise in the applicable Award Agreement, the terms and conditions upon which an Option shall terminate when there is a termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service shall be governed by the following provisions:

 

(i)            Termination other than Upon Disability or Death or for Cause.  In the event of termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service (other than as a result of Participant’s death, disability, retirement or termination for Cause), (A) if the Participant

 

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is not a Reporting Person as of the date of the termination of Continuous Service, the Participant shall have the right to exercise an Option at any time within 90 days following such termination to the extent the Participant was entitled to exercise such Option at the date of such termination and (B) if the Participant is a Reporting Person as of the date of the termination of Continuous Service, the Participant shall have the right to exercise an Option at any time within one year following such termination to the extent such Reporting Person was entitled to exercise such Option at the date of such termination.

 

(ii)           Disability.  In the event of termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service as a result of his or her being Disabled, the Participant shall have the right to exercise an Option at any time within 1 year following such termination to the extent the Participant was entitled to exercise such Option at the date of such termination.

 

(iii)          Retirement.  RESERVED.

 

(iv)          Death.  In the event of the death of a Participant during the period of Continuous Service since the Grant Date of an Option, or within 30 days following termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service, the Option may be exercised, at any time within 1 year following the date of the Participant’s death, by the Participant’s estate or by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance, but only to the extent the right to exercise the Option had vested at the date of death or, if earlier, the date the Participant’s Continuous Service terminated.

 

(v)           Cause.  If the Committee determines that a Participant’s Continuous Service terminated due to Cause, the Participant shall immediately forfeit the right to exercise any Option, and it shall be considered immediately null and void.

 

(i)            Reverse Vesting.  The Committee in its sole discretion may allow a Participant to exercise unvested Non-ISOs, in which case the Shares then issued shall be Restricted Shares having analogous vesting restrictions to the unvested Non-ISOs.

 

(j)            RESERVED.

 

7.             Share Appreciate Rights (SARs)

 

(a)   Grants.  The Committee may in its discretion grant Share Appreciation Rights to any Eligible Person, in any of the following forms:

 

(i)            SARs related to Options.  The Committee may grant SARs either concurrently with the grant of an Option or with respect to an outstanding Option, in which case the SAR shall extend to all or a portion of the Shares covered by the related Option.  An SAR shall entitle the Participant who holds the related Option, upon exercise of the SAR and surrender of the related Option, or portion thereof, to the extent the SAR and related Option each were previously unexercised, to receive payment of an amount determined pursuant to Section 7(e) below.  Any SAR granted in connection with an ISO will contain such terms as may be required to comply with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

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(ii)           SARs Independent of Options.  The Committee may grant SARs which are independent of any Option subject to such conditions as the Committee may in its discretion determine, which conditions will be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(iii)          Limited SARs.  The Committee may grant SARs exercisable only upon or in respect of a Change in Control or any other specified event, and such limited SARs may relate to or operate in tandem or combination with or substitution for Options or other SARs, or on a stand-alone basis, and may be payable in cash or Shares based on the spread between the exercise price of the SAR, and (A) a price based upon or equal to the Fair Market Value of the Shares during a specified period, at a specified time within a specified period before, after or including the date of such event, or (B) a price related to consideration payable to Company’s shareholders generally in connection with the event.

 

(b)   Exercise Price.  The per Share exercise price of an SAR shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, and shall be no less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of one Share.  The exercise price of an SAR related to an Option shall be the same as the exercise price of the related Option.

 

(c)   Exercise of SARs.  Unless the Award Agreement otherwise provides, an SAR related to an Option will be exercisable at such time or times, and to the extent, that the related Option will be exercisable; provided that the Award Agreement shall not, without the approval of the shareholders of the Company, provide for a vesting period for the exercise of the SAR that is more favorable to the Participant than the exercise period for the related Option.  An SAR may not have a term exceeding 10 years from its Grant Date.  An SAR granted independently of any other Award will be exercisable pursuant to the terms of the Award Agreement, but shall not, without the approval of the shareholders of the Company, provide for a vesting period for the exercise of the SAR that is more favorable to the Participant than the exercise period for the related Option.  Whether an SAR is related to an Option or is granted independently, the SAR may only be exercised when the Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying the SAR exceeds the exercise price of the SAR.

 

(d)   Effect on Available Shares.  All SARs that may be settled in Shares shall be counted in full against the number of Shares available for award under the Plan, regardless of the number of Shares actually issued upon settlement of the SARs.

 

(e)   Payment.  Upon exercise of an SAR related to an Option and the attendant surrender of an exercisable portion of any related Award, the Participant will be entitled to receive payment of an amount determined by multiplying —

 

(i)            the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise of the SAR over the exercise price per Share of the SAR, by

 

(ii)           the number of Shares with respect to which the SAR has been exercised.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, an SAR granted independently of an Option (i) may limit the amount payable to the Participant to a percentage, specified in the Award Agreement but not exceeding one-hundred percent (100%), of the amount determined pursuant to the preceding

 

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sentence, and (ii) shall be subject to any payment or other restrictions that the Committee may at any time impose in its discretion, including restrictions intended to conform the SARs with Section 409A of the Code.

 

(f)    Form and Terms of Payment.  Subject to Applicable Law, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, settle the amount determined under Section 7(e) above solely in cash, solely in Shares (valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of the SAR), or partly in cash and partly in Shares, with cash paid in lieu of fractional shares.  Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, all SARs shall be settled in Shares as soon as practicable after exercise.

 

(g)   Termination of Employment or Consulting Relationship.  The Committee shall establish and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement the terms and conditions on which an SAR shall remain exercisable, if at all, following termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service.  The provisions of Section 6(h) above shall apply to the extent an Award Agreement does not specify the terms and conditions upon which an SAR shall terminate when there is a termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service.

 

8.             Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units, and Unrestricted Shares

 

(a)   Grants.  The Committee may in its sole discretion grant restricted shares (“Restricted Shares”) to any Eligible Person and shall evidence such grant in an Award Agreement that is delivered to the Participant and that sets forth the number of Restricted Shares, the purchase price for such Restricted Shares (if any), and the terms upon which the Restricted Shares may become vested.  In addition, the Company may in its discretion grant the right to receive Shares after certain vesting requirements are met (“Restricted Share Units”) to any Eligible Person and shall evidence such grant in an Award Agreement that is delivered to the Participant which sets forth the number of Shares (or formula, that may be based on future performance or conditions, for determining the number of Shares) that the Participant shall be entitled to receive upon vesting and the terms upon which the Shares subject to a Restricted Share Unit may become vested.  The Committee may condition any Award of Restricted Shares or Restricted Share Units to a Participant on receiving from the Participant such further assurances and documents as the Committee may require to enforce the restrictions.  In addition, the Committee may grant Awards hereunder in the form of unrestricted shares (“Unrestricted Shares”), which shall vest in full upon the date of grant or such other date as the Committee may determine or which the Committee may issue pursuant to any program under which one or more Eligible Persons (selected by the Committee in its sole discretion) elect to receive Unrestricted Shares in lieu of cash bonuses that would otherwise be paid.

 

(b)   Vesting and Forfeiture.  The Committee shall set forth in an Award Agreement granting Restricted Shares or Restricted Share Units, the terms and conditions under which the Participant’s interest in the Restricted Shares or the Shares subject to Restricted Share Units will become vested and non-forfeitable.  Except as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement or the Committee otherwise determines, upon termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service for any other reason, the Participant shall forfeit his or her Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units; provided that if a Participant purchases the Restricted Shares and forfeits them for any reason, the Company shall return the purchase price to the Participant only if and to the extent set forth in an Award Agreement.

 

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(c)   Issuance of Restricted Shares Prior to Vesting.  The Company shall issue stock certificates that evidence Restricted Shares pending the lapse of applicable restrictions, and that bear a legend making appropriate reference to such restrictions.  Except as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement or the Committee otherwise determines, the Company or a third party that the Company designates shall hold such Restricted Shares and any dividends that accrue with respect to Restricted Shares pursuant to Section 8(e) below.

 

(d)   Issuance of Shares upon Vesting.  As soon as practicable after vesting of a Participant’s Restricted Shares (or right to receive Shares underlying Restricted Share Units) and the Participant’s satisfaction of applicable tax withholding requirements, the Company shall release to the Participant, free from the vesting restrictions, one Share for each vested Restricted Share (or issue one Share free of the vesting restriction for each vested Restricted Share Unit), unless an Award Agreement provides otherwise.  No fractional shares shall be distributed, and cash shall be paid in lieu thereof.

 

(e)   Dividends Payable on Vesting.  Whenever Shares are released to a Participant or duly-authorized transferee pursuant to Section 8(d) above as a result of the vesting of Restricted Shares or the Shares underlying Restricted Share Units are issued to a Participant pursuant to Section 8(d) above, such Participant or duly-authorized transferee shall also be entitled to receive (unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement), with respect to each Share released or issued, a number of Shares equal to the sum of (i) any stock dividends, which were declared and paid to the holders of Shares between the Grant Date and the date such Share is released from the vesting restrictions in the case of Restricted Shares or issued in the case of Restricted Share Units, and (ii) a number of Shares equal to the Shares that the Participant could have purchased at Fair Market Value on the payment date of any cash dividends for Shares if the Participant had received such cash dividends with respect to each Restricted Share or Share subject to a Restricted Share Unit Award between its Grant Date and its settlement date.

 

(f)    Section 83(b) Elections.  A Participant may make an election under Section 83(b) of the Code (the “Section 83(b) Election”) with respect to Restricted Shares.  If a Participant who has received Restricted Share Units provides the Committee with written notice of his or her intention to make a Section 83(b) Election with respect to the Shares subject to such Restricted Share Units, the Committee may in its discretion convert the Participant’s Restricted Share Units into Restricted Shares, on a one-for-one basis, in full satisfaction of the Participant’s Restricted Share Unit Award.  The Participant may then make a Section 83(b) Election with respect to those Restricted Shares.  Shares with respect to which a Participant makes a Section 83(b) Election shall not be eligible for deferral pursuant to Section 9 below.

 

(g)   Deferral Elections.  At any time within the thirty-day period (or other shorter or longer period that the Committee selects in its sole discretion) in which a Participant who is a member of a select group of management or highly compensated employees (within the meaning of the Code) receives an initial Award of either Restricted Shares or Restricted Share Units (or before the calendar year in which a Participant receives a subsequent Award, subject to adjustments by the Committee in accordance with Code Section 409A), the Committee may permit the Participant to irrevocably elect, on a form provided by and acceptable to the Committee, to defer the receipt of all or a percentage of the Shares that would otherwise be transferred to the Participant upon the vesting of such Award.  If the Participant makes this

 

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election, the Shares subject to the election, and any associated dividends and interest, shall be credited to an account established pursuant to Section 9 hereof on the date such Shares would otherwise have been released or issued to the Participant pursuant to Section 8(d) above.

 

9.             Deferred Share Units

 

(a)   Elections to Defer.  The Committee may permit any Eligible Person who is a Director, Consultant or member of a select group of management or highly compensated employees (within the meaning of the Code) to irrevocably elect, on a form provided by and acceptable to the Committee (the “Election Form”), to forego the receipt of cash or other compensation (including the Shares deliverable pursuant to any Award other than Restricted Shares for which a Section 83(b) Election has been made), and in lieu thereof to have the Company credit to an internal Plan account (the “Account”) a number of deferred share units (“Deferred Share Units”) having a Fair Market Value equal to the Shares and other compensation deferred.  These credits will be made at the end of each calendar month during which compensation is deferred.  Each Election Form shall take effect on the first day of the next calendar year (or on the first day of the next calendar month in the case of an initial election by a Participant who first receives an Award, subject to adjustments by the Committee in accordance with Code Section 409A) after its delivery to the Company, subject to Section 8(g) regarding deferral of Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units and to Section 10(e) regarding deferral of Performance Awards, unless the Company sends the Participant a written notice explaining why the Election Form is invalid within five business days after the Company receives it.  Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence: (i) Election Forms shall be ineffective with respect to any compensation that a Participant earns before the date on which the Company receives the Election Form, and (ii) the Committee may unilaterally make Awards in the form of Deferred Share Units, regardless of whether or not the Participant foregoes other compensation.

 

(b)   Vesting.  Unless an Award Agreement expressly provides otherwise, each Participant shall be 100% vested at all times in any Shares subject to Deferred Share Units.

 

(c)   Issuances of Shares.  The Company shall provide a Participant with one Share for each Deferred Share Unit in five substantially equal annual installments that are issued before the last day of each of the 5 calendar years that end after the date on which the Participant’s Continuous Service terminates, unless —

 

(i)            the Participant has properly elected a different form of distribution, on a form approved by the Committee, that permits the Participant to select any combination of a lump sum and annual installments that are completed within 10 years following termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service, and

 

(ii)           the Company received the Participant’s distribution election form at the time the Participant elects to defer the receipt of cash or other compensation pursuant to Section 9(a), provided that such election may be changed through any subsequent election that (i) is delivered to the Company at least 1 year before the date on which distributions are otherwise scheduled to commence pursuant to the Participant’s election, and (ii) defers the commencement of distributions by at least 5 years from the originally scheduled commencement date.

 

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Fractional shares shall not be issued, and instead shall be paid out in cash.

 

(d)   Crediting of Dividends.  Whenever Shares are issued to a Participant pursuant to Section 9(c) above, such Participant shall also be entitled to receive, with respect to each Share issued, a number of Shares equal to the sum of (i) any stock dividends, which were declared and paid to the holders of Shares between the Grant Date and the date such Share is issued, and (ii) a number of Shares equal to the Shares that the Participant could have purchased at Fair Market Value on the payment date of any cash dividends for Shares if the Participant had received such cash dividends between the Grant Date and the settlement date for the Deferred Share Units.

 

(e)   Emergency Withdrawals.  In the event a Participant suffers an unforeseeable emergency within the contemplation of this Section and Section 409A of the Code, the Participant may apply to the Company for an immediate distribution of all or a portion of the Participant’s Deferred Share Units.  The unforeseeable emergency must result from a sudden and unexpected illness or accident of the Participant, the Participant’s spouse, or a dependent (within the meaning of Section 152(a) of the Code) of the Participant, casualty loss of the Participant’s property, or other similar extraordinary and unforeseeable conditions beyond the control of the Participant.  Examples of purposes which are not considered unforeseeable emergencies include post-secondary school expenses or the desire to purchase a residence.  In no event will a distribution be made to the extent the unforeseeable emergency could be relieved through reimbursement or compensation by insurance or otherwise, or by liquidation of the Participant’s nonessential assets to the extent such liquidation would not itself cause a severe financial hardship.  The amount of any distribution hereunder shall be limited to the amount necessary to relieve the Participant’s unforeseeable emergency plus amounts necessary to pay taxes reasonably anticipated as a result of the distribution.  The Committee shall determine whether a Participant has a qualifying unforeseeable emergency and the amount which qualifies for distribution, if any.  The Committee may require evidence of the purpose and amount of the need, and may establish such application or other procedures as it deems appropriate.

 

(f)    Unsecured Rights to Deferred Compensation.  A Participant’s right to Deferred Share Units shall at all times constitute an unsecured promise of the Company to pay benefits as they come due.  The right of the Participant or the Participant’s duly-authorized transferee to receive benefits hereunder shall be solely an unsecured claim against the general assets of the Company.  Neither the Participant nor the Participant’s duly-authorized transferee shall have any claim against or rights in any specific assets, shares, or other funds of the Company.

 

10.          Performance Awards

 

(a)   Performance Units.  Subject to the limitations set forth in paragraph (c) hereof, the Committee may in its discretion grant Performance Units to any Eligible Person and shall evidence such grant in an Award Agreement that is delivered to the Participant which sets forth the terms and conditions of the Award.

 

(b)   Performance Compensation Awards.  Subject to the limitations set forth in paragraph (c) hereof, the Committee may, at the time of grant of a Performance Unit, designate such Award as a “Performance Compensation Award” (payable in cash or Shares) in order that such Award constitutes “qualified performance-based compensation” under Code Section 162(m), in which

 

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event the Committee shall have the power to grant such Performance Compensation Award upon terms and conditions that qualify it as “qualified performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Code Section 162(m).  With respect to each such Performance Compensation Award, the Committee shall establish, in writing within the time required under Code Section 162(m), a “Performance Period,” “Performance Measure(s)”, and “Performance Formula(e)” (each such term being hereinafter defined).  Once established for a Performance Period, the Performance Measure(s) and Performance Formula(e) shall not be amended or otherwise modified to the extent such amendment or modification would cause the compensation payable pursuant to the Award to fail to constitute qualified performance-based compensation under Code Section 162 (m).

 

A Participant shall be eligible to receive payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award only to the extent that the Performance Measure(s) for such Award is achieved and the Performance Formula(e) as applied against such Performance Measure(s) determines that all or some portion of such Participant’s Award has been earned for the Performance Period.  As soon as practicable after the close of each Performance Period, the Committee shall review and certify in writing whether, and to what extent, the Performance Measure(s) for the Performance Period have been achieved and, if so, determine and certify in writing the amount of the Performance Compensation Award to be paid to the Participant and, in so doing, may use negative discretion to decrease, but not increase, the amount of the Award otherwise payable to the Participant based upon such performance.

 

(c)   Limitations on Awards.  The maximum Performance Unit Award and the maximum Performance Compensation Award that any one Participant may receive for any one Performance Period shall not together exceed 311,270 Shares and $1,000,000 in cash.  The Committee shall have the discretion to provide in any Award Agreement that any amounts earned in excess of these limitations will either be credited as Deferred Share Units, or as deferred cash compensation under a separate plan of the Company (provided in the latter case that such deferred compensation either bears a reasonable rate of interest or has a value based on one or more predetermined actual investments).  Any amounts for which payment to the Participant is deferred pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be paid to the Participant in a future year or years not earlier than, and only to the extent that, the Participant is either not receiving compensation in excess of these limits for a Performance Period, or is not subject to the restrictions set forth under Section 162(b) of the Code.

 

(d)   Definitions.

 

(i)            “Performance Formula” means, for a Performance Period, one or more objective formulas or standards established by the Committee for purposes of determining whether or the extent to which an Award has been earned based on the level of performance attained or to be attained with respect to one or more Performance Measure(s).  Performance Formulae may vary from Performance Period to Performance Period and from Participant to Participant and may be established on a stand-alone basis, in tandem or in the alternative.

 

(ii)           “Performance Measure” means one or more of the following selected by the Committee to measure Company, Affiliate, and/or business unit performance for a

 

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Performance Period, whether in absolute or relative terms (including, without limitation, terms relative to a peer group or index):  basic, diluted, or adjusted earnings per share; sales or revenue; earnings before interest, taxes, and other adjustments (in total or on a per share basis); basic or adjusted net income; returns on equity, assets, capital, revenue or similar measure; economic value added; working capital; total shareholder return; and product development, product market share, research, licensing, litigation, human resources, information services, mergers, acquisitions, sales of assets of Affiliates or business units.  Each such measure shall be, to the extent applicable, determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as consistently applied by the Company (or such other standard applied by the Committee) and, if so determined by the Committee, and in the case of a Performance Compensation Award, to the extent permitted under Code Section 162(m), adjusted to omit the effects of extraordinary items, gain or loss on the disposal of a business segment, unusual or infrequently occurring events and transactions and cumulative effects of changes in accounting principles.  Performance Measures may vary from Performance Period to Performance Period and from Participant to Participant, and may be established on a stand-alone basis, in tandem or in the alternative.

 

(iii)          “Performance Period” means one or more periods of time (of not less than one fiscal year of the Company), as the Committee may designate, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Measure(s) will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s rights in respect of an Award.

 

(e)   Deferral Elections.  At any time prior to the date that is at least six months before the close of a Performance Period (or shorter or longer period that the Committee selects) with respect to an Award of either Performance Units or Performance Compensation, the Committee may permit a Participant who is a member of a select group of management or highly compensated employees (within the meaning of the Code) to irrevocably elect, on a form provided by and acceptable to the Committee, to defer the receipt of all or a percentage of the cash or Shares that would otherwise be transferred to the Participant upon the vesting of such Award.  If the Participant makes this election, the cash or Shares subject to the election, and any associated interest and dividends, shall be credited to an account established pursuant to Section 9 hereof on the date such cash or Shares would otherwise have been released or issued to the Participant pursuant to Section 10(a) or Section 10(b) above.

 

11.          Taxes

 

(a)   General.  As a condition to the issuance or distribution of Shares pursuant to the Plan, the Participant (or in the case of the Participant’s death, the person who succeeds to the Participant’s rights) shall make such arrangements as the Company may require for the satisfaction of any applicable federal, state, local or foreign withholding tax obligations that may arise in connection with the Award and the issuance of Shares.  The Company shall not be required to issue any Shares until such obligations are satisfied.  If the Committee allows the withholding or surrender of Shares to satisfy a Participant’s tax withholding obligations, the Committee shall not allow Shares to be withheld in an amount that exceeds the minimum statutory withholding rates for federal and state tax purposes, including payroll taxes.

 

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(b)   Default Rule for Employees.  In the absence of any other arrangement, an Employee shall be deemed to have directed the Company to withhold or collect from his or her cash compensation an amount sufficient to satisfy such tax obligations from the next payroll payment otherwise payable after the date of the exercise of an Award.

 

(c)   Special Rules.  In the case of a Participant other than an Employee (or in the case of an Employee where the next payroll payment is not sufficient to satisfy such tax obligations, with respect to any remaining tax obligations), in the absence of any other arrangement and to the extent permitted under Applicable Law, the Participant shall be deemed to have elected to have the Company withhold from the Shares or cash to be issued pursuant to an Award that number of Shares having a Fair Market Value determined as of the applicable Tax Date (as defined below) or cash equal to the amount required to be withheld.  For purposes of this Section 11, the Fair Market Value of the Shares to be withheld shall be determined on the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is to be determined under the Applicable Law (the “Tax Date”).

 

(d)   Surrender of Shares.  If permitted by the Committee, in its discretion, a Participant may satisfy the minimum applicable tax withholding and employment tax obligations associated with an Award by surrendering Shares to the Company (including Shares that would otherwise be issued pursuant to the Award) that have a Fair Market Value determined as of the applicable Tax Date equal to the amount required to be withheld.  In the case of Shares previously acquired from the Company that are surrendered under this Section 11, such Shares must have been owned by the Participant for more than six months on the date of surrender (or such longer period of time the Company may in its discretion require).

 

(e)   Income Taxes and Deferred Compensation.  Participants are solely responsible and liable for the satisfaction of all taxes and penalties that may arise in connection with Awards (including any taxes arising under Section 409A of the Code), and the Company shall not have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise hold any Participant harmless from any or all of such taxes.  The Committee shall have the discretion to organize any deferral program, to require deferral election forms, and to grant or to unilaterally modify any Award in a manner that (i) conforms with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code with respect to compensation that is deferred and that vests after December 31, 2004, (ii) that voids any Participant election to the extent it would violate Section 409A of the Code, and (iii) for any distribution election that would violate Section 409A of the Code, to make distributions pursuant to the Award at the earliest to occur of a distribution event that is allowable under Section 409A of the Code or any distribution event that is both allowable under Section 409A of the Code and is elected by the Participant, subject to any valid second election to defer, provided that the Committee permits second elections to defer in accordance with Section 409A(a)(4)(C).  The Committee shall have the sole discretion to interpret the requirements of the Code, including Section 409A, for purposes of the Plan and all Awards.

 

12.          Non-Transferability of Awards

 

(a)   General.  Except as set forth in this Section 12, or as otherwise approved by the Committee, Awards may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution.  The designation of a beneficiary by a Participant will not constitute a transfer.  An Award may be exercised, during

 

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the lifetime of the holder of an Award, only by such holder, the duly-authorized legal representative of a Participant who is Disabled, or a transferee permitted by this Section 12.

 

(b)   Limited Transferability Rights.  Notwithstanding anything else in this Section 12, the Committee may in its discretion provide in an Award Agreement that an Award in the form of a Non-ISO, Share-settled SAR, Restricted Shares, or Performance Shares may be transferred, on such terms and conditions as the Committee deems appropriate, either (i) by instrument to the Participant’s “Immediate Family” (as defined below), (ii) by instrument to an inter vivos or testamentary trust (or other entity) in which the Award is to be passed to the Participant’s designated beneficiaries, or (iii) by gift to charitable institutions.  Any transferee of the Participant’s rights shall succeed and be subject to all of the terms of the applicable Award Agreement and the Plan. “Immediate Family” means any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, and shall include adoptive relationships.

 

13.          Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization, Merger or Certain Other Transactions

 

(a)   Changes in Capitalization.  The Committee shall equitably adjust the number of Shares covered by each outstanding Award, and the number of Shares that have been authorized for issuance under the Plan but as to which no Awards have yet been granted or that have been returned to the Plan upon cancellation, forfeiture, or expiration of an Award, as well as the price per Share covered by each such outstanding Award, to reflect any increase or decrease in the number of issued Shares resulting from a stock-split, reverse stock-split, stock dividend, combination, recapitalization or reclassification of the Shares, or any other increase or decrease in the number of issued Shares effected without receipt of consideration by the Company.  In the event of any such transaction or event, the Committee may provide in substitution for any or all outstanding Awards under the Plan such alternative consideration (including securities of any surviving entity) as it may in good faith determine to be equitable under the circumstances and may require in connection therewith the surrender of all Awards so replaced.  In any case, such substitution of securities shall not require the consent of any person who is granted Awards pursuant to the Plan.  Except as expressly provided herein, or in an Award Agreement, if the Company issues for consideration shares of stock of any class or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, the issuance shall not affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be required to be made with respect to the number or price of Shares subject to any Award.

 

(b)   Dissolution or Liquidation.  In the event of the dissolution or liquidation of the Company other than as part of a Change of Control, each Award will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such action, subject to the ability of the Committee to exercise any discretion authorized in the case of a Change in Control.

 

(c)   Change in Control.  In the event of a Change in Control, the Committee may in its sole and absolute discretion and authority, without obtaining the approval or consent of the Company’s shareholders or any Participant with respect to his or her outstanding Awards, take one or more of the following actions:

 

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(i)            arrange for or otherwise provide that each outstanding Award shall be assumed or a substantially similar award shall be substituted by a successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation (the “Successor Corporation”);

 

(ii)           accelerate the vesting of Awards so that Awards shall vest (and, to the extent applicable, become exercisable) as to the Shares that otherwise would have been unvested and provide that repurchase rights of the Company with respect to Shares issued upon exercise of an Award shall lapse as to the Shares subject to such repurchase right;

 

(iii)          arrange or otherwise provide for the payment of cash or other consideration to Participants in exchange for the satisfaction and cancellation of outstanding Awards;

 

(iv)          terminate upon the consummation of the transaction, provided that the Committee may in its sole discretion provide for vesting of all or some outstanding Awards in full as of a date immediately prior to consummation of the Change of Control.  To the extent that an Award is not exercised prior to consummation of a transaction in which the Award is not being assumed or substituted, such Award shall terminate upon such consummation; or

 

(v)           make such other modifications, adjustments or amendments to outstanding Awards or this Plan as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate, subject however to the terms of Section 15(a) below.

 

(d)   Certain Distributions.  In the event of any distribution to the Company’s shareholders of securities of any other entity or other assets (other than dividends payable in cash or stock of the Company) without receipt of consideration by the Company, the Committee may, in its discretion, appropriately adjust the price per Share covered by each outstanding Award to reflect the effect of such distribution.

 

14.          Time of Granting Awards.

 

The date of grant (“Grant Date”) of an Award shall be the date on which the Committee makes the determination granting such Award or such other date as is determined by the Committee, provided that in the case of an ISO, the Grant Date shall be the later of the date on which the Committee makes the determination granting such ISO or the date of commencement of the Participant’s employment relationship with the Company.

 

15.          Modification of Awards and Substitution of Options.

 

(a)   Modification, Extension, and Renewal of Awards.  Within the limitations of the Plan, the Committee may modify an Award to accelerate the rate at which an Option or SAR may be exercised (including without limitation permitting an Option or SAR to be exercised in full without regard to the installment or vesting provisions of the applicable Award Agreement or whether the Option or SAR is at the time exercisable, to the extent it has not previously been exercised), to accelerate the vesting of any Award, to extend or renew outstanding Awards or to accept the cancellation of outstanding Awards to the extent not previously exercised.  However,  the Committee may not cancel an outstanding Option whose exercise price is greater than Fair

 

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Market Value at the time of cancellation for the purpose of reissuing the Option to the Participant at a lower exercise price or granting a replacement award of a different type.  Notwithstanding the foregoing provision, no modification of an outstanding Award shall materially and adversely affect such Participant’s rights thereunder, unless either (i) the Participant provides written consent, or (ii) before a Change in Control, the Committee determines in good faith that the modification is not materially adverse to the Participant. Furthermore, neither the Company nor the Committee shall, without shareholder approval, allow for a “repricing” within the meaning of federal securities laws applicable to proxy statement disclosures.

 

(b)   Merger-related Substitution of Options.  Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions or limits under the Plan, in the event the Company or an Affiliate acquires (whether by purchase, merger or otherwise) all or substantially all of outstanding capital stock or assets of another corporation or in the event of any reorganization or other transaction qualifying under Section 424 of the Code, the Committee may, in accordance with the provisions of that Section, substitute Options for options under the plan of the acquired company provided (i) the excess of the aggregate fair market value of the shares subject to an option immediately after the substitution over the aggregate option price of such shares is not more than the similar excess immediately before such substitution and (ii) the new option does not give persons additional benefits, including any extension of the exercise period.

 

16.          Term of Plan.

 

The Plan shall continue in effect for a term of 10 years from its effective date as determined under Section 20 below, unless the Plan is sooner terminated under Section 17 below.

 

17.          Amendment and Termination of the Plan.

 

(a)   Authority to Amend or Terminate.  Subject to Applicable Laws, the Committee may from time to time amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan.

 

(b)   Effect of Amendment or Termination.  No amendment, suspension, or termination of the Plan shall materially and adversely affect Awards already granted unless either it relates to an adjustment pursuant to Sections 13, a modification pursuant to Section 15(a) above, or it is otherwise mutually agreed between the Participant and the Committee, which agreement must be in writing and signed by the Participant and the Company.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may amend the Plan to eliminate provisions which are no longer necessary as a result of changes in tax or securities laws or regulations, or in the interpretation thereof.

 

18.          Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any agreement entered into by the Company pursuant to the Plan, the Company shall not be obligated, and shall have no liability for failure, to issue or deliver any Shares under the Plan unless such issuance or delivery would comply with Applicable Law, with such compliance determined by the Company in consultation with its legal counsel.

 

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19.          Reservation of Shares.

 

The Company, during the term of this Plan, will at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.

 

20.          Effective Date.

 

This Plan became effective on June 22, 2006, the date which it received approval by a vote of a majority of the votes cast at a duly held meeting of the Company’s shareholders.

 

21.          Controlling Law.

 

All disputes relating to or arising from the Plan shall be governed by the internal substantive laws (and not the laws of conflicts of laws) of the State of Delaware, to the extent not preempted by United States federal law.  If any provision of this Plan is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid and unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue to be fully effective.

 

22.          Laws And Regulations.

 

(a)   U.S. Securities Laws.  This Plan, the grant of Awards, and the exercise of Options and SARs under this Plan, and the obligation of the Company to sell or deliver any of its securities (including, without limitation, Options, Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units, Unrestricted Shares, Deferred Share Units, and Shares) under this Plan shall be subject to all Applicable Law.  In the event that the Shares are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), or any applicable state securities laws prior to the delivery of such Shares, the Company may require, as a condition to the issuance thereof, that the persons to whom Shares are to be issued represent and warrant in writing to the Company that such Shares are being acquired by him or her for investment for his or her own account and not with a view to, for resale in connection with, or with an intent of participating directly or indirectly in, any distribution of such Shares within the meaning of the Act, and a legend to that effect may be placed on the certificates representing the Shares.

 

(b)   Other Jurisdictions.  To facilitate the making of any grant of an Award under this Plan, the Committee may provide for such special terms for Awards to Participants who are foreign nationals or who are employed by the Company or any Affiliate outside of the United States of America as the Committee may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom.  The Company may adopt rules and procedures relating to the operation and administration of this Plan to accommodate the specific requirements of local laws and procedures of particular countries.  Without limiting the foregoing, the Company is specifically authorized to adopt rules and procedures regarding the conversion of local currency, taxes, withholding procedures and handling of stock certificates which vary with the customs and requirements of particular countries.  The Company may adopt sub-plans and establish escrow accounts and trusts as may be appropriate or applicable to particular locations and countries.

 

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23.          No Shareholder Rights.

 

Neither a Participant nor any transferee of a Participant shall have any rights as a shareholder of the Company with respect to any Shares underlying any Award until the date of issuance of a share certificate to a Participant or a transferee of a Participant for such Shares in accordance with the Company’s governing instruments and Applicable Law.  Prior to the issuance of Shares pursuant to an Award, a Participant shall not have the right to vote or to receive dividends or any other rights as a shareholder with respect to the Shares underlying the Award, notwithstanding its exercise in the case of Options and SARs.  No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right that is determined based on a record date prior to the date the stock certificate is issued, except as otherwise specifically provided for in this Plan.

 

24.          No Employment Rights.

 

The Plan shall not confer upon any Participant any right to continue an employment, service or consulting relationship with the Company, nor shall it affect in any way a Participant’s right or the Company’s right to terminate the Participant’s employment, service, or consulting relationship at any time, with or without Cause.

 

25.          Termination, Rescission and Recapture.

 

(a)   Each Award under the Plan is intended to align the Participant’s long-term interest with those of the Company.  If the Participant engages in certain activities discussed below, either during employment or after employment with the Company terminates for any reason, the Participant is acting contrary to the long-term interests of the Company.  Accordingly, except as otherwise expressly provided in the Award Agreement, the Company may terminate any outstanding, unexercised, unexpired, unpaid, or deferred Awards (“Termination”), rescind any exercise, payment or delivery pursuant to the Award (“Rescission”), or recapture any Common Stock (whether restricted or unrestricted) or proceeds from the Participant’s sale of Shares issued pursuant to the Award (“Recapture”), if the Participant does not comply with the conditions of subsections (b) and (c) hereof (collectively, the “Conditions”).

 

(b)   A Participant shall not, without the Company’s prior written authorization, disclose to anyone outside the Company, or use in other than the Company’s business, any proprietary or confidential information or material, as those or other similar terms are used in any applicable patent, confidentiality, inventions, secrecy, or other agreement between the Participant and the Company with regard to any such proprietary or confidential information or material.

 

(c)   Pursuant to any agreement between the Participant and the Company with regard to intellectual property (including but not limited to patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, inventions, developments, improvements, proprietary information, confidential business and personnel information), a Participant shall promptly disclose and assign to the Company or its designee all right, title, and interest in such intellectual property, and shall take all reasonable steps necessary to enable the Company to secure all right, title and interest in such intellectual property in the United States and in any foreign country.

 

(d)   Upon exercise, payment, or delivery of cash or Common Stock pursuant to an Award, the Participant shall certify on a form acceptable to the Company that he or she is in compliance

 

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with the terms and conditions of the Plan and, if a severance of Continuous Service has occurred for any reason, shall state the name and address of the Participant’s then-current employer or any entity for which the Participant performs business services and the Participant’s title, and shall identify any organization or business in which the Participant owns a greater-than-five-percent equity interest.

 

(e)   If the Company determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, that (i) a Participant has violated any of the Conditions or (ii) during his or her Continuous Service, or within 1 year after its termination for any reason, a Participant (a) has rendered services to or otherwise directly or indirectly engaged in or assisted, any organization or business that, in the judgment of the Company in its sole and absolute discretion, is or is working to become competitive with the Company; (b) has solicited any non-administrative employee of the Company to terminate employment with the Company; or (c) has engaged in activities which are materially prejudicial to or in conflict with the interests of the Company, including any breaches of fiduciary duty or the duty of loyalty, then the Company may, in its sole and absolute discretion, impose a Termination, Rescission, and/or Recapture with respect to any or all of the Participant’s relevant Awards, Shares, and the proceeds thereof.

 

(f)    Within 10 days after receiving notice from the Company of any such activity described in 25(e) above, the Participant shall deliver to the Company the Shares acquired pursuant to the Award, or, if Participant has sold the Shares, the gain realized, or payment received as a result of the rescinded exercise, payment, or delivery; provided, that if the Participant returns Shares that the Participant purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option (or the gains realized from the sale of such Common Stock), the Company shall promptly refund the exercise price, without earnings, that the Participant paid for the Shares.  Any payment by the Participant to the Company pursuant to this Section 21 shall be made either in cash or by returning to the Company the number of Shares that the Participant received in connection with the rescinded exercise, payment, or delivery.  It shall not be a basis for Termination, Rescission or Recapture if after termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service, the Participant purchases, as an investment or otherwise, stock or other securities of such an organization or business, so long as (i) such stock or other securities are listed upon a recognized securities exchange or traded over-the-counter, and (ii) such investment does not represent more than a five percent (5%) equity interest in the organization or business.

 

(g)   Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, the Company has sole and absolute discretion not to require Termination, Rescission and/or Recapture, and its determination not to require Termination, Rescission and/or Recapture with respect to any particular act by a particular Participant or Award shall not in any way reduce or eliminate the Company’s authority to require Termination, Rescission and/or Recapture with respect to any other act or Participant or Award.  Nothing in this Section shall be construed to impose obligations on the Participant to refrain from engaging in lawful competition with the Company after the termination of employment that does not violate subsections (b) or (c) of this Section, other than any obligations that are part of any separate agreement between the Company and the Participant or that arise under applicable law.

 

(h)   All administrative and discretionary authority given to the Company under this Section shall be exercised by the most senior human resources executive of the Company or such

 

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other person or committee (including without limitation the Committee) as the Committee may designate from time to time.

 

(i)    Notwithstanding any provision of this Section, if any provision of this Section is determined to be unenforceable or invalid under any applicable law, such provision will be applied to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, and shall automatically be deemed amended in a manner consistent with its objectives to the extent necessary to conform to any limitations required under applicable law.  Furthermore, if any provision of this Section is illegal under any applicable law, such provision shall be null and void to the extent necessary to comply with applicable law.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject to any contrary terms set forth in any Award Agreement, this Section shall not be applicable:  (i) to any Participant who is not, on the Award Date, an Employee of the Company or its Affiliates; and (ii) to any Participant from and after his or her termination of Continuous Service after a Change in Control.

 

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SRS LABS, INC.

2006 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

(As amended and restated on August 9, 2012)

 

 

Appendix A: Definitions

 

 

As used in the Plan, the following definitions shall apply:

 

“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person (as defined below), any other Person that directly or indirectly controls or is controlled by or under common control with such Person.  For the purposes of this definition, “control,” when used with respect to any Person, means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person or the power to elect directors, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “affiliated,” “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

“Applicable Law” means the legal requirements relating to the administration of options and share-based plans under applicable U.S. federal and state laws, the Code, any applicable stock exchange or automated quotation system rules or regulations (to the extent that the Committee determines in its discretion that compliance with such rules or regulations), and the applicable laws of any other country or jurisdiction where Awards are granted, as such laws, rules, regulations and requirements shall be in place from time to time.

 

“Award” means any award made pursuant to the Plan, including awards made in the form of an Option, an SAR, a Restricted Share, a Restricted Share Unit, an Unrestricted Share, a Deferred Share Unit, and a Performance Award, or any combination thereof, whether alternative or cumulative, authorized by and granted under this Plan.

 

“Award Agreement” means any written document setting forth the terms of an Award that has been authorized by the Committee. The Committee shall determine the form or forms of documents to be used, and may change them from time to time for any reason.

 

“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

“Cause” for termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service will exist if the Participant is terminated from employment or other service with the Company or an Affiliate for any of the following reasons: (i) the Participant’s willful failure to substantially perform his or her duties and responsibilities to the Company or deliberate violation of a material Company policy; (ii) the Participant’s commission of any material act or acts of fraud, embezzlement, dishonesty, or other willful misconduct; (iii) the Participant’s material unauthorized use or disclosure of any proprietary information or trade secrets of the Company or any other party to whom the Participant owes an obligation of nondisclosure as a result of his or her relationship with the Company; or (iv) Participant’s willful and material breach of any of his or her obligations under any written agreement or covenant with the Company.

 

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The Committee shall in its discretion determine whether or not a Participant is being terminated for Cause.  The Committee’s determination shall, unless arbitrary and capricious, be final and binding on the Participant, the Company, and all other affected persons.  The foregoing definition does not in any way limit the Company’s ability to terminate a Participant’s employment or consulting relationship at any time, and the term “Company” will be interpreted herein to include any Affiliate or successor thereto, if appropriate.

 

“Change in Control” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events, subject to the Plan Administrator’s absolute discretion to interpret this definition in a manner that conforms with the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and associated regulations (but only to the extent such Section 409A rules apply to an Award):

 

(i)            The Company is merged, consolidated or reorganized into or with another corporation or other legal person and as a result of such merger, consolidation or reorganization less than a majority of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of such corporation or person immediately after such transaction are held in the aggregate by the holders of Voting Stock (as that term is defined in subsection (iii) hereof) of the Company immediately prior to such transaction;

 

(ii)           The Company sells all or substantially all of its assets to any other corporation or other legal person, less than a majority of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of which are held directly or indirectly in the aggregate by the holders of Voting Stock of the Corporation immediately prior to such sale;

 

(iii)          Any person (as the term “person” is used in Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), has become the beneficial owner (as the term “beneficial owner” is defined under Rule 13d 3 or any successor rule or regulation promulgated under the Exchange Act) of securities representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the Company (“Voting Stock”); or

 

(iv)          The Company files a report or proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act disclosing in, or in response to, Form 8-K or Schedule 14A (or any successor schedule, form or report or item therein) that a Change in Control of the Company has occurred.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of (a) subsections (iii) or (iv) hereof, a “Change in Control” shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of this Plan solely because the Company, an entity in which the Company directly or indirectly beneficially owns 50% or more of the voting securities of such entity (a “Related Entity”), any Company sponsored employee stock ownership plan or any other employee benefit plan of the Company either files or becomes obligated to file a report or a proxy statement under or in response to Schedule 13D, Schedule 14D 1, Form 8-K or Schedule 14A (or any successor schedule, form or report or item therein) under the Exchange Act, disclosing beneficial ownership by it of shares of voting

 

24

 

securities of the Company, whether in excess of 50% or otherwise, or because the Company reports that a Change in Control of the Company has or may have occurred or will or may occur in the future by reason of such beneficial ownership or (b) Subsection (iii) hereof, a “Change in Control” shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of this Plan solely because a person who is a holder of five percent (5%) or more of the Voting Stock and who also is an officer and director of the Company on the date of this Agreement acquires more than 50% of the Voting Stock.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of subsections (i) and (ii) hereof, a “Change in Control” shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of this Plan solely because the Company engages in an internal reorganization, which may include a transfer of assets to one or more Related Entities, provided that such transaction has been approved by at least two thirds of the Directors of the Company and as a result of such transaction or transactions, at least 80% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company or its successor are held in the aggregate by the holders of Voting Stock immediately prior to such transactions.

 

“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

“Committee” means one or more committees or subcommittees of the Board appointed by the Board to administer the Plan in accordance with Section 4 above.  With respect to any decision involving an Award intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee shall consist of two or more Directors of the Company who are “outside directors” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.  With respect to any decision relating to a Reporting Person, the Committee shall consist of two or more Directors who are disinterested within the meaning of Rule 16b-3.

 

“Company” means DTS, Inc., a Delaware corporation; provided, however, that in the event the Company reincorporates to another jurisdiction, all references to the term “Company” shall refer to the Company in such new jurisdiction.

 

“Consultant” means any person, including an advisor, who is engaged by the Company or any Affiliate to render services and is compensated for such services.

 

“Continuous Service” means the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an Employee, Director, or Consultant.  Continuous Service shall not be considered interrupted in the case of:  (i) sick leave; (ii) military leave; (iii) any other leave of absence approved by the Committee, provided that such leave is for a period of not more than 90 days, unless reemployment upon the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or statute, or unless provided otherwise pursuant to Company policy adopted from time to time; (iv) changes in status from Director to advisory director or emeritus status; or (iv) in the case of transfers between locations of the Company or between the Company, its Affiliates or their respective successors.  Changes in status between service as an Employee, Director, and a Consultant will not constitute an interruption of Continuous Service.

 

“Deferred Share Units” mean Awards pursuant to Section 9 of the Plan.

 

“Director” means a member of the Board, or a member of the board of directors of an Affiliate.

 

25

 

“Disabled” means a condition under which a Participant —

 

(a)           is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, or

 

(b)           is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, received income replacement benefits for a period of not less than 3 months under an accident or health plan covering employees of the Company.

 

“Eligible Person” means any Consultant, Director or Employee and includes non-Employees to whom an offer of employment has been or is being extended.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no person who was a service provider to the Company or its Affiliates on July 20, 2012 shall be eligible to receive Awards under the Plan; provided, however, that service providers to the Predecessor Company or its Affiliates shall be eligible to receive Awards.

 

“Employee” means any person whom the Company or any Affiliate classifies as an employee (including an officer) for employment tax purposes, whether or not that classification is correct.  The payment by the Company of a director’s fee to a Director shall not be sufficient to constitute “employment” of such Director by the Company.

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

“Fair Market Value” means, as of any date (the “Determination Date”) means: (i) the closing price of a Share on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange (collectively, the “Exchange”), on the Determination Date, or, if shares were not traded on the Determination Date, then on the nearest preceding trading day during which a sale occurred; or (ii) if such stock is not traded on the Exchange but is quoted on NASDAQ or a successor quotation system, (A) the last sales price (if the stock is then listed as a National Market Issue under The Nasdaq National Market System) or (B) the mean between the closing representative bid and asked prices (in all other cases) for the stock on the Determination Date as reported by NASDAQ or such successor quotation system; or (iii) if such stock is not traded on the Exchange or quoted on NASDAQ but is otherwise traded in the over-the-counter, the mean between the representative bid and asked prices on the Determination Date; or (iv) if subsections (i)-(iii) do not apply, the fair market value established in good faith by the Board.

 

“Grant Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 14 of the Plan.

 

“Incentive Share Option or ISO” hereinafter means an Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, as designated in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

“Non-ISO” means an Option not intended to qualify as an ISO, as designated in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

“Option” means any stock option granted pursuant to Section 6 of the Plan.

 

26

 

“Participant” means any holder of one or more Awards, or the Shares issuable or issued upon exercise of such Awards, under the Plan.

 

“Performance Awards” mean Performance Units and Performance Compensation Awards granted pursuant to Section 10.

 

“Performance Compensation Awards” mean Awards granted pursuant to Section 10(b) of the Plan.

 

“Performance Unit” means Awards granted pursuant to Section 10(a) of the Plan which may be paid in cash, in Shares, or such combination of cash and Shares as the Committee in its sole discretion shall determine.

 

“Person” means any natural person, association, trust, business trust, cooperative, corporation, general partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited partnership, limited liability company, real estate investment trust, regulatory body, governmental agency or instrumentality, unincorporated organization or organizational entity.

 

“Plan” means this SRS Labs, Inc. 2006 Stock Incentive Plan.

 

“Reporting Person” means an officer, Director, or greater than ten percent shareholder of the Company within the meaning of Rule 16a-2 under the Exchange Act, who is required to file reports pursuant to Rule 16a-3 under the Exchange Act.

 

“Restricted Shares” mean Shares subject to restrictions imposed pursuant to Section 8 of the Plan.

 

“Restricted Share Units” mean Awards pursuant to Section 8 of the Plan.

 

“Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, as amended from time to time, or any successor provision.

 

“SAR” or  “Share Appreciation Right” means Awards granted pursuant to Section 7 of the Plan.

 

“Share” means a share of common stock of the Company,  par value $0.001, as adjusted in accordance with Section 13 of the Plan.

 

“Ten Percent Holder” means a person who owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Affiliate.

 

“Unrestricted Shares” mean Shares awarded pursuant to Section 8 of the Plan.

 

27Exhibit 10.1

 

STOCK REPURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

THIS STOCK REPURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of August 9, 2012 by and between GNC Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund II, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Seller”).

 

Background

 

A.                The Seller owns 12,192,244 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock, $0.001 par value per share (“Common Stock”);

 

B.                The Seller and Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board (“OTPP”, and together with Seller, the “Sponsors”) may sell in an underwritten public offering (the “Public Offering”) a portion of the shares of Common Stock held by the Sponsors (such portion, the “Underwritten Shares”);

 

C.                The Seller intends to sell to the Company, and the Company intends to purchase from the Seller, in a private, non-underwritten transaction a portion of the shares of Common Stock held by the Seller at the price and upon the terms and conditions provided in this Agreement (the “Repurchase”) if the Seller sell shares in the Public Offering within the time frames referenced herein;

 

D.                The consummation of the Repurchase is contingent upon the consummation of the Public Offering;

 

E.                The Company intends to use cash on its balance sheet to complete the Repurchase;

 

F.                The board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) has authorized a program to repurchase over a one-year period shares of Common Stock having an aggregate value of up to $300 million, from time to time in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions or a combination thereof as may be approved by the Board;

 

G.                The Board formed a special committee of the Board (the “Special Committee”) comprised solely of independent directors to determine whether to authorize and to negotiate the terms of the Repurchase; and

 

H.               The Special Committee has approved the Repurchase and the transactions that may be required in connection therewith.

 

THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agree as follows:

 

 

Agreement

 

1.                Repurchase.

 

(a)               Subject to the satisfaction of the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Seller hereby agrees to sell, and the Company agrees to purchase from the Seller, an aggregate number of shares of Common Stock (the “Repurchase Shares”) equal to the lesser of (i) six million and (ii) 100% of the number of shares of Common Stock to be sold by the Sponsors in the Public Offering.  The per share purchase price for each Repurchase Share shall be equal to the per share price at which the Sponsors sell the Underwritten Shares to the underwriters in the Public Offering (the “Per Share Purchase Price”).  At the Closing (as defined below), subject to the satisfaction of the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Seller agrees to sell the Repurchase Shares to the Company, and the Company hereby agrees to purchase each such Repurchase Share from the Seller at the Per Share Purchase Price.

 

(b)               The obligations of the Seller to sell and the Company to purchase the Repurchase Shares shall be conditioned upon each of: (i) the execution of an underwriting agreement by and among the Company, the Sponsors and the underwriter named therein related to the Public Offering (the “Underwriting Agreement”) within three business days after the date hereof; and (ii) the closing of the Public Offering immediately prior to the Repurchase pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement no later than ten business days from the date of the Underwriting Agreement.

 

(c)               The closing of the Repurchase (the “Closing”) shall occur immediately after the closing of the Public Offering, or at such other time or place after the Public Offering as may be agreed upon by the Company and the Seller.  At the Closing, the Seller shall deliver to the Company or as instructed by the Company duly executed stock powers relating to the Repurchase Shares, as applicable, and the Company agrees to deliver to the Seller an aggregate dollar amount equal to the product of the Per Share Purchase Price and the total number of Repurchase Shares by wire transfer of immediately available funds.

 

2.                Company Representations.  In connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company represents and warrants to the Seller that:

 

(a)               All consents, approvals, authorizations and orders necessary for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and for the purchase and receipt of the Repurchase Shares to be purchased by the Company hereunder, have been obtained; and the Company has full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to purchase and receive the Repurchase Shares to be purchased by the Company hereunder.

 

(b)               The Company is a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

(c)               This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(d)               The compliance by the Company with this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the material terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under any material indenture,

 

2

 

material mortgage, material deed of trust, material loan agreement or other material agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries (as defined in a draft Underwriting Agreement dated August 8, 2012) is a party or by which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is subject, (ii) violate any provision of the certificate of incorporation or by-laws, or other organizational documents, as applicable, of the Company or (iii) violate any applicable statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any of their properties; except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii), as would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, management, financial position or results of operations of the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”), in the case of each such clause, after giving effect to any consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations, qualifications, waivers and amendments as will have been obtained or made as of the date of this Agreement.

 

3.                Seller Representations.  In connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, the Seller represents and warrants to the Company that:

 

(a)               All consents, approvals, authorizations and orders necessary for the execution and delivery by the Seller of this Agreement and for the sale and delivery of the Repurchase Shares to be sold by the Seller hereunder, have been obtained; and the Seller has full right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Repurchase Shares to be sold by the Seller hereunder.

 

(b)               This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Seller.

 

(c)               The sale of the Repurchase Shares to be sold by the Seller hereunder and the compliance by the Seller with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any statute, indenture, material mortgage, material deed of trust, material loan agreement or other material agreement or instrument to which the Seller is a party or by which the Seller is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Seller is subject, or (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of any (x) organizational or similar documents pursuant to which the Seller was formed or (y) any applicable statute or any applicable order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Seller or the property of the Seller; except in the case of clause (i) or clause (ii)(y), for such conflicts, breaches, violations or defaults as would not impair in any material respect the consummation of the Seller’s obligations hereunder or would not have a Material Adverse Effect upon the Seller.

 

(d)               As of the date hereof and immediately prior to the delivery of the Repurchase Shares to the Company at the Closing, the Seller holds and will hold valid title to the Repurchase Shares, and holds and will hold such Repurchase Shares free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

 

(e)               The Seller (either alone or together with its advisors) has such knowledge and experience in financial or business matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the Repurchase.  The Seller has had the opportunity to ask questions and receive answers concerning the terms and conditions of the Repurchase as it has requested.  The Seller has

 

3

 

received all information that it believes is necessary or appropriate in connection with the Repurchase.  The Seller acknowledges that the Seller has not relied upon any express or implied representations or warranties of any nature made by or on behalf of the Company, whether or not any such representations, warranties or statements were made in writing or orally, except as expressly set forth for the benefit of the Seller in this Agreement.

 

4.                Termination.  This Agreement shall automatically terminate and be of no further force and effect in the event that any of the conditions in paragraph 1(b) of this Agreement is not satisfied.

 

5.                Notices.  All notices, demands or other communications to be given or delivered under or by reason of the provisions of this Agreement will be in writing and will be deemed to have been given when delivered personally, mailed by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested and postage prepaid, or sent via a nationally recognized overnight courier, or sent via facsimile or electronic mail to the recipient.  Such notices, demands and other communications will be sent to the address indicated below:

 

To the Seller:

 

Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund II, L.P.

c/o Ares Management II, L.P.

2000 Avenue of the Stars, 12th Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90067

Attention: David Kaplan and Kevin Frankel, Esq.

Facsimile No: (310) 201-4170

 

To the Company:

 

GNC Holdings, Inc.

300 Sixth Avenue

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222

Attention: Gerald J. Stubenhofer, Jr.

Facsimile No: (412) 338-8900

Email Address:  jerry-stubenhofer@gnc-hq.com

 

With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

Proskauer Rose LLP

2049 Century Park East, Suite 3200

Los Angeles, California 90067

Attention: Philippa M. Bond, Esq.

Facsimile No: (310) 557-2193

Email Address:  pbond@proskauer.com

 

and

 

Abrams & Bayliss LLP

20 Montchanin Road, Suite 200

Wilmington, DE 19807

 

4

 

Attention:  A. Thompson Bayliss

Facsimile No:  (302) 261-0292

Email Address:  Bayliss@AbramsBayliss.com

 

or such other address or to the attention of such other person as the recipient party shall have specified by prior written notice to the sending party.

 

6.                Miscellaneous.

 

(a)               Survival of Representations and Warranties.  All representations and warranties contained herein or made in writing by any party in connection herewith shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(b)               Severability.  If any term or other provision of this Agreement shall be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality or enforceability of the other provisions of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby, and there shall be deemed substituted for the provision at issue a valid, legal and enforceable provision as similar as possible to the provision at issue.

 

(c)               No Prior Agreement.  This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

(d)               Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, each of which is deemed to be an original and all of which taken together constitute one and the same agreement.

 

(e)               Successors and Assigns.  Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned, in whole or in part, by any of the parties without the prior written consent of the other parties. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of the Seller and the Company and their respective successors and permitted assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement.

 

(f)               No Third Party Beneficiaries or Other Rights.  This Agreement is for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and their successors and permitted assigns and nothing herein express or implied shall give or shall be construed to confer any legal or equitable rights or remedies to any person other than the parties to this Agreement and such successors and permitted assigns.

 

(g)               Governing Law; Jurisdiction.  THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY MATTERS RELATED TO THIS TRANSACTION SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT OF LAWS THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE APPLICATION OF ANY LAW OTHER THAN THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. EACH OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHTS TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. Each of the

 

5

 

parties to this Agreement (i) irrevocably submits to the personal jurisdiction of any state or federal court sitting in Wilmington, Delaware, as well as to the jurisdiction of all courts to which an appeal may be taken from such courts, in any suit, action or proceeding relating to or arising out of, under or in connection with this Agreement, (ii) agrees that all claims in respect of such suit, action or proceeding, whether arising under contract, tort or otherwise, shall be brought, heard and determined exclusively in the Delaware Court of Chancery (provided that, in the event that subject matter jurisdiction is unavailable in that court, then all such claims shall be brought, heard and determined exclusively in any other state or federal court sitting in Wilmington, Delaware), (iii) agrees that it shall not attempt to deny or defeat such personal jurisdiction by motion or other request for leave from such court, and (iv) agrees not to bring any action or proceeding relating to or arising out of, under or in connection with this Agreement in any other court, tribunal, forum or proceeding.  Each of the parties to this Agreement waives any defense of inconvenient forum to the maintenance of any action or proceeding brought in accordance with this paragraph.  Each of the parties to this Agreement agrees that service of any process, summons, notice or document by U.S. registered mail to its address set forth herein shall be effective service of process for any action, suit or proceeding brought against it in accordance with this paragraph, provided that nothing in the foregoing sentence shall affect the right of any party to serve legal process in any other manner permitted by law.

 

(h)               Remedies.  The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that money damages would not be an adequate remedy for any breach of the provisions of this Agreement, that any breach of the provisions of this Agreement shall cause the other parties irreparable harm, and that any party may in its sole discretion apply to any court of law or equity of competent jurisdiction (without posting any bond or deposit) for specific performance or other injunctive relief in order to enforce, or prevent any violations of, the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(j)                Amendment and Waiver.  The provisions of this Agreement may be amended or waived at any time only by the written agreement of the Seller and the Company. Any waiver, permit, consent or approval of any kind or character on the part of any such holders of any provision or condition of this Agreement must be made in writing and shall be effective only to the extent specifically set forth in writing. The failure of any party hereto to enforce at any time any provision of this Agreement shall not be construed to be a waiver of such provision, nor in any way to affect the validity of this Agreement or any part hereof or the right of any party thereafter to enforce each and every such provision. No waiver of any breach of this Agreement shall be held to constitute a waiver of any other or subsequent breach.

 

(k)               Further Assurances.  Each of the Company and the Seller shall execute and deliver such additional documents and instruments and shall take such further action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate fully the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(l)                Mutuality of Drafting.  The parties have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement.  In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as jointly drafted by the parties, and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any provision of this Agreement.

 

(m)             Each of the Company and the Seller shall bear their own expenses in connection with the drafting, negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement.

 

6

 

[Signatures appear on following pages.]

 

7

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Stock Repurchase Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

	
 
    	
Company:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
GNC   HOLDINGS, INC.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   Joseph M. Fortunato
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Joseph   M. Fortunato
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
President   and Chief Executive Officer
    

 

[Signature Page to Stock Repurchase Agreement]

 

 

	
 
    	
Seller:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Ares   Corporate Opportunities Fund II, L.P.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
ACOF   Operating Manager II, L.P., its Manager
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:   
    	
/s/   Brian Klos
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Brian   Klos
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Vice   President
    

 

[Signature Page to Stock Repurchase Agreement]

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