Document:

Exhibit 10.4

 

TACTILE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY, INC.

 

Non-Statutory Stock Option Agreement

(Under the 2003 Stock Option Plan - Director)

 

	
Name of Optionee:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
No. of Shares   Covered:
    	
Date of Grant:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Exercise Price Per   Share:
    	
Expiration Date:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Exercise Schedule   (Cumulative):
    	
 
    

 

	
Date(s) of
   Exercisability
    	
 
    	
No. of Shares as to Which
   Option Becomes Exercisable
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    

 

This is a Non-Statutory Stock Option Agreement (the “Agreement”) between Tactile Systems Technology, Inc., a Minnesota corporation (the “Company”), and the optionee identified above (the “Optionee”) effective as of the date of grant specified above.

 

BACKGROUND

 

A.                                    The Company maintains the Tactile Systems Technology, Inc. 2003 Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”).

 

B.                                    Under the Plan, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) or a committee of two or more directors of the Company (the “Committee”) appointed by the Board administers the Plan and has the authority to determine the awards to be granted under the Plan (if the Board has not appointed a committee to administer the Plan, then the Board shall constitute the Committee).

 

C.                                    The Committee has determined that the Optionee is eligible to receive an award under the Plan in the form of a non-statutory stock option (the “Option”).

 

D.                                    The Company hereby grants the Option to the Optionee under the terms and conditions as follows.

 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS*

 

1.                                      Grant.  The Optionee is granted the Option to purchase the number of Shares specified at the beginning of this Agreement.

 

*                                         Unless the context indicates otherwise, terms that are not defined in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in the Plan as it currently exists or as it is amended in the future.

 

 

2.                                      Exercise Price.  The price to the Optionee of each Share subject to the Option will be the exercise price specified at the beginning of this Agreement.

 

3.                                      Non-Statutory Stock Option.  The Option is not intended to be an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

4.                                      Exercise Schedule.  The Option will vest and become exercisable as to the number of Shares and on the dates specified in the exercise schedule at the beginning of this Agreement, in each case only if the Optionee was providing Services to the Company (as defined in Section 7 of this Agreement) on such date.  The exercise schedule will be cumulative; thus, to the extent the Option has not already been exercised and has not expired, terminated or been cancelled, the Optionee or the person otherwise entitled to exercise the Option as provided herein may at any time, and from time to time, purchase all or any portion of the Shares then purchasable under the exercise schedule.

 

The Option may also be exercised in full (notwithstanding the exercise schedule) under the circumstances described in Section 7 of this Agreement if it has not expired prior thereto.

 

5.                                      Expiration.  The Option will expire at 5:00 p.m. Central Time on the earliest of:

 

(a)                                 The expiration date specified at the beginning of this Agreement;

 

(b)                                 The expiration of the period after the termination of Service of the Optionee to the Company within which the Option can be exercised (as specified in Section 7 of this Agreement);

 

(c)                                  At the election of the Company, upon termination of the Optionee’s Service to the Company for Cause or if it is determined by the Company within ten days after termination of the Optionee’s Service to the Optionee, such as Optionee’s resignation, that Cause existed for termination by the Company; or

 

(d)                                 The date (if any) fixed for cancellation pursuant to paragraph 11(c) or 12 of the Plan.

 

In no event may anyone exercise the Option, in whole or in part, after it has expired, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement.

 

6.                                      Procedure to Exercise Option.

 

Notice of Exercise.  The Option may be exercised by delivering written notice of exercise to the Company at the principal executive office of the Company, to the attention of the Company’s Secretary, in the form attached to this Agreement.  The notice shall state the number of Shares to be purchased, and shall be signed by the person exercising the Option.  If the person exercising the Option is not the Optionee, he/she also must submit appropriate proof of his/her right to exercise the Option.

 

Tender of Payment.  Upon giving notice of any exercise hereunder, the Optionee shall provide for payment of the purchase price of the Shares being purchased through one or a combination of the following methods:

 

(a)                                 Cash (including check, bank draft or money order);

 

(b)                                 Cancellation of indebtedness owed to the Optionee by the Company or any parent or subsidiary thereof;

 

(c)                                  To the extent permitted by law, through a broker-assisted cashless exercise in which the Optionee simultaneously exercises the Option and sells all or a portion of the Shares thereby acquired pursuant to a brokerage or similar relationship and uses the proceeds from such sale to pay the purchase price of such Shares;

 

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(d)                                 By delivery to the Company of unencumbered Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the purchase price of such Shares; or

 

(e)                                  By authorizing the Company to retain, from the total number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised, that number of Shares having a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the purchase price for the total number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Optionee shall not be permitted to pay any portion of the purchase price with Shares, or by authorizing the Company to retain Shares upon exercise of the Option, if the Committee, in its sole discretion, determines that payment in such manner is undesirable nor may the Company permit the Optionee, if he or she is an executive officer or director of the Company, to pay for the Shares by delivery of a promissory note from an after such time, if any, that the Company (i) has a class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, (ii) is required to file reports under Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act or (iii) that has filed a registration statement that has not yet become effective under the Securities Act.

 

Delivery of Certificates.  As soon as practicable after the Company receives the notice and purchase price provided for above, it shall deliver to the person exercising the Option, in the name of such person, a certificate or certificates representing the Shares being purchased.  The Company shall pay any original issue or transfer taxes with respect to the issue or transfer of the Shares and all fees and expenses incurred by it in connection therewith.  All Shares so issued shall be fully paid and nonassessable.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, no certificate for Shares distributable under the Plan shall be issued and delivered unless the issuance of such certificate complies with all applicable legal requirements including, without limitation, compliance with the provisions of applicable state securities laws, the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

 

7.                                      Service Requirement.  The Option may be exercised only while the Optionee provides services to the Company as a member of its Board of Directors (such director services are referred to collectively in this Agreement as “Service” or “Services”) and only if the Optionee has been continuously providing such Services since the date the Option was granted; provided that:

 

(a)                                 The Option may be exercised for three months after termination of the Optionee’s Service with the Company if such cessation of the Optionee’s Service is for a reason other than death or disability, but only to the extent that it was exercisable immediately prior to termination of Service to the Company, provided that if termination of the Optionee’s Service shall have been for Cause, the Option shall expire, and all rights to purchase Shares hereunder shall terminate, immediately upon such termination.

 

(b)                                 The Option may be exercised for one year after termination of the Optionee’s Service if such termination of Service is because of death or disability of the Optionee.

 

(c)                                  If the Optionee’s Service terminates after a declaration made pursuant to paragraph 12 of the Plan in connection with an Event, the Option may be exercised at any time permitted by such declaration.

 

Notwithstanding the above, the Option may not be exercised after it has expired.

 

8.                                      Acceleration of Vesting.

 

Death or Disability.  In the event of the death or disability of the Optionee, any portion of the Option that was not previously exercisable shall become immediately exercisable in full if the Optionee shall have been continuously providing Services to the Company or a parent or subsidiary thereof between the date the Option was granted and the date of such death or disability.

 

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Change in Control.  If a Change in Control of the Company shall or is to occur, then, at the discretion of the Committee, the Option, if not already exercised in full or otherwise terminated, expired or cancelled, may become immediately exercisable in full and/or remain exercisable during the remaining term of the Option.

 

Event.  In the event of an Event, at the time of any declaration pursuant to clause (ii) of the first sentence of paragraph 12 of the Plan, the Option, if not already exercised in full or otherwise terminated, expired or cancelled, may, at the discretion of the Committee, become immediately exercisable in full and/or remain exercisable during the period preceding the time of cancellation of the Option pursuant to such declaration.

 

Discretionary Acceleration.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, declare at any time that the Option shall be immediately exercisable.

 

9.                                      Limitation on Transfer.  During the lifetime of the Optionee, only the Optionee or his/her guardian or legal representative may exercise the Option.  The Option may not be assigned or transferred by the Optionee otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order as defined by the Code or Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or the rules thereunder; provided, however, that the Optionee may transfer the Option to a member or members of his/her immediate family (i.e., his/her children, grandchildren and spouse) or to one or more trusts for the benefit of such family members or partnerships in which such family members are the only partners, if the Optionee does not receive any consideration for the transfer.  The Option held by any such transferee shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions that were applicable to the Option immediately prior to its transfer and may be exercised by such transferee as and to the extent that the Option has become exercisable and has not terminated in accordance with the provisions of the Plan and this Agreement.

 

10.                               No Shareholder Rights Before Exercise.  No person shall have any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect to any Share subject to the Option until the Share actually is issued to him/her upon exercise of the Option.

 

11.                               Discretionary Adjustment.  In the event of any reorganization, merger, consolidation, recapitalization, liquidation, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, rights offering, or extraordinary dividend or divestiture (including a spin-off), or any other change in the corporate structure or Shares of the Company, the Committee (or if the Company does not survive any such transaction, a comparable committee of the Board of Directors of the surviving corporation) may, without the consent of the Optionee, make such adjustment as it determines in its discretion to be appropriate as to the number and kind of securities subject to and reserved under the Plan and, in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights of the Optionee, the number and kind of securities issuable upon exercise of the Option and the exercise price hereof.

 

12.                               Tax Withholding.  Delivery of Shares upon exercise of the Option shall be subject to any required withholding taxes.  As a condition precedent to receiving Shares upon exercise of the Option, the Optionee may be required to pay to the Company, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 9 of the Plan, an amount equal to the amount of any required withholdings.  In lieu of all or any part of such a cash payment, a person exercising the Option may cover all or any part of the required withholdings, and any additional withholdings up to the amount needed to cover the individual’s full FICA and federal, state and local income tax liability with respect to income arising from the exercise of the Option, through the delivery to the Company of unencumbered Shares, through a reduction in the number of Shares delivered to the person exercising the Option or through a subsequent return to the Company of Shares delivered to the person exercising the Option (in each case, such Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the amount of the withholding taxes being paid through such delivery, reduction or 

 

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subsequent return of Shares).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no person shall be permitted to pay any such withholdings with Shares, or through a reduction in the number of Shares to be delivered upon exercise of the Option, if the Committee, in its sole discretion, determines that payment in such manner is undesirable.

 

13.                               Interpretation of This Agreement.  All decisions and interpretations made by the Committee with regard to any question arising hereunder or under the Plan shall be binding and conclusive upon the Company and the Optionee.  If there is any inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement and the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall govern.

 

14.                               Option Subject to Plan, Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws.  The Optionee acknowledges that the Option and the exercise thereof is subject to the Plan, the Articles of Incorporation, as amended from time to time, and the By-Laws, as amended from time to time, of the Company, and any applicable federal or state laws, rules or regulations.

 

15.                               Obligation to Reserve Sufficient Shares.  The Company shall at all times during the term of the Option reserve and keep available a sufficient number of Shares to satisfy this Agreement.

 

16.                               Binding Effect.  This Agreement shall be binding in all respects on the heirs, representatives, successors and assigns of the Optionee.

 

17.                               Choice of Law.  This Agreement is entered into under the laws of the State of Minnesota and shall be construed and interpreted thereunder (without regard to its conflict of law principles).

 

18.                               Tax Consequences.

 

(a)                                 The Optionee may incur tax liability as a result of the Optionee’s purchase or disposition of the Shares.  THE OPTIONEE SHOULD CONSULT A TAX ADVISER BEFORE EXERCISING THE OPTION OR DISPOSING OF THE SHARES.

 

(b)                                 Notwithstanding the Company’s good faith determination of the Fair Market Value of the Company’s common stock for purposes of determining the exercise price per Share of the Option, the taxing authorities may assert that the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant was greater than the exercise price per Share.  Under Section 409A of the Code, if the exercise price per Share of the Option is less than the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant, the Option may be treated as a form of deferred compensation and the Optionee may be subject to an additional 20% tax, plus interest and possible penalties.  The Optionee is encouraged to consult a tax adviser regarding the potential impact of Section 409A of the Code.

 

19.                               Amendment to Meet the Requirements of Section 409A.  The Optionee acknowledges that the Company, in the exercise of its sole discretion and without the consent of the Optionee, may amend or modify this Agreement in any manner and delay the payment of any amounts payable pursuant to this Agreement to the minimum extent necessary to meet the requirements of Section 409A of the Code as amplified by any Internal Revenue Service or U.S. Treasury Department regulations or guidance as the Company deems appropriate or advisable.

 

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The Optionee and the Company have executed this Agreement as of date of grant stated above.

 

	
 
    	
OPTIONEE
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
TACTILE SYSTEMS   TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Its:
    	
 
    

 

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TACTILE SYSTEMS   TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    	
 
    
	
4824 Park Glen Road
    	
 
    
	
Minneapolis, Minnesota   55416
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Ladies and Gentlemen:
    	
 
    

 

I hereby exercise the following option (the “Option”) granted to me under the Tactile Systems Technology, Inc. 2003 Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”) with respect to the number of shares of Common Stock of Tactile Systems Technology, Inc. (the “Company”) indicated below:

 

	
Name:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Date of Grant of Option:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Exercise Price Per Share:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Number of Shares With Respect   to Which the Option is Hereby Exercised:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Total Exercise Price:
    	
 
    

 

o                                    Enclosed with this letter is a check, bank draft or money order in the amount of the Total Exercise Price.

 

o                                    I elect to pay the Total Exercise Price through cancellation of indebtedness owed to me by the Company or by a parent or subsidiary of the Company as provided in paragraph 8 of the Plan.

 

o                                    I hereby agree to pay the Total Exercise Price within five business days of the date hereof and, as stated in the attached Broker’s Letter, I have delivered irrevocable instructions to                                   to promptly deliver to the Company the amount of sale or loan proceeds from the Shares to be issued pursuant to this exercise necessary to satisfy my obligation hereunder to pay the Total Exercise Price.

 

o                                    Enclosed with this letter is a certificate evidencing unencumbered Shares (duly endorsed in blank) having an aggregate Fair Market Value (as defined in the Plan) equal to or in excess of the Total Exercise Price.

 

o                                    I elect to pay the Total Exercise Price through a reduction in the number of Shares delivered to me upon this exercise of the Option as provided in paragraph 8 of the Plan.

 

If I am enclosing Shares with this letter, I hereby represent and warrant that I am the owner of such Shares free and clear of all liens, security interests and other restrictions or encumbrances.  I agree that I will pay any required withholding taxes in connection with this exercise as provided in paragraph 9 of the Plan.

 

 

Please issue a certificate (the “Certificate”) for the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is being exercised in the name of the person indicated below and deliver the Certificate to the address indicated below:

 

	
Name in Which to Issue   Certificate:
    	
 
    

 

	
Address to Which Certificate   Should be 
    	
 
    
	
Delivered:
    	
 
    

 

	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Principal Mailing Address for   Holder of
   the Certificate (if different from above):
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    

 

	
 
    	
Very truly yours,
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Signature
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name, please print
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Social Security Number
    

 

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                   ,   20    
    
	
 
    
	
TACTILE SYSTEMS   TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    
	
4824 Park Glen Road
    
	
Minneapolis, Minnesota   55416
    
	
 
    
	
Ladies and Gentlemen:
    

 

	
Name of Optionee:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Date of Grant of Option:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Exercise Price Per Share:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Number of Shares With Respect to Which
    	
 
    
	
the Option is to be Exercised:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Total Exercise Price:
    	
 
    

 

The above Optionee has requested that we finance the exercise of the above Option to purchase Shares of Common Stock of Tactile Systems Technology, Inc. (the “Company”) and has given us irrevocable instructions to promptly deliver to the Company the amount of sale or loan proceeds from the Shares to be issued pursuant to such exercise to satisfy the Optionee’s obligation to pay the Total Exercise Price.

 

	
 
    	
Very truly yours,
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Broker Name
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
ByExhibit 10.5

 

	
 
    

 

December 6, 2012

 

TACTILE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY, INC.

2007 OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN

(Amended and Restated October 21, 2008; 
 Further Amended September 14, 2012)

 

	
 
    

 

 

To Recipients Of Awards Under The

Tactile Systems Technology, Inc.

2007 Omnibus Stock Plan

 

You have received an award under the Tactile Systems Technology, Inc. 2007 Omnibus Stock Plan.  Awards under the plan may be in the form of stock options, stock appreciation rights, performance units, restricted stock or other stock-based awards.  A copy of the plan is attached as Exhibit A.  You have also executed an agreement covering the additional terms of your award.  The plan and your agreement together contain your rights and obligations as the recipient of an award under the plan.  The company suggests that you read the plan and your agreement carefully, if you have not already done so.  This document summarizes the material features of the plan.  This summary is qualified by the text of the plan and by the specific terms of the agreement entered into between you and the company with respect to any award granted under the plan.

 

General Information About The Plan

 

The purpose of the plan is to motivate key personnel to produce a superior return for the company’s stockholders by offering them an opportunity to realize stock appreciation, by facilitating their ownership of common stock and by rewarding them for achieving a high level of corporate performance.  The plan is also intended to facilitate recruiting and retaining key personnel, including outside directors, consultants, and advisors, of outstanding ability.

 

There are 6,499,865 shares of common stock available for awards under the plan.  This number is subject to adjustment for future stock splits, stock dividends and similar changes in the capitalization of the company.  The plan will remain in effect until all stock subject to it has been distributed or until all awards have expired or lapsed.  In addition, the board of directors may terminate the plan at any time, subject to the conditions stated in the plan.

 

The plan is not subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and is not a “qualified plan” under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

 

Plan Administration

 

The plan is administered by a committee of two or more non-employee members of the board of directors, or by action of the board of directors as permitted in the plan.  In the event of a conflict between a permitted action of the board of directors and an action of the committee, the action of the board of directors controls.  The committee has the authority to interpret the plan and any award or agreement made under the plan.  The committee also has the authority, subject to the terms of the plan, to establish, amend, waive and rescind any rules relating to the plan.  The committee is also responsible for determining when and to whom awards will be granted, the form of each award, the amount of each award and any other terms of an award, consistent with the plan.

 

Members of the committee are designated by the board of directors and serve on the committee for an indefinite term, at the discretion of the board of directors.  The committee may delegate all or any portion of its authority to persons who are not non-employee directors solely for purposes of determining and administering awards to persons who are not insiders of the company.

 

Eligibility

 

All of the employees and persons who provide services to the company and its affiliates, including directors, advisors and consultants, are eligible to receive awards under the plan.  The selection of those to whom awards under the plan are made is within the sole discretion of the committee.

 

Types Of Awards Under The Plan

 

The types of awards that may be granted under the plan include incentive stock options (also known as ISOs), non-statutory stock options (which are similar to stock options previously known as non-qualified stock options), stock appreciation rights, performance units, restricted stock and other stock-based awards.  The following is a brief description of the material characteristics of each type of award.

 

Incentive and Non-Statutory Stock Options.  Incentive stock options are options designated by the committee as incentive stock options that comply with the requirements of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or any successor provision.  Non-statutory stock options are all options other than incentive stock options.  Stock options may be granted and exercised at such times as the committee may determine.  The purchase price of each share subject to an option shall be determined by the committee and set forth in the agreement, and, except where determined

 

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otherwise by the committee, shall not be less than 100% of the fair market value of a share as of the date the option is granted.  Each option shall be exercisable in whole or in part on the terms provided in the agreement.  In no event shall any option be exercisable at any time after the expiration of its term.  When an option is no longer exercisable, it shall be deemed to have lapsed or terminated.

 

The purchase price of the shares with respect to which an option is exercised shall be payable in full at the time of exercise.  The purchase price may be payable in cash, by delivery or tender of shares having a fair market value as of the date the option is exercised equal to the purchase price of the shares being purchased pursuant to the option, or a combination thereof, as determined by the committee, but no fractional shares will be issued or accepted.  A participant exercising a stock option shall not be permitted to pay any portion of the purchase price with shares if, in the opinion of the committee, payment in such manner could have adverse financial accounting consequences for the company.

 

With respect to incentive stock options, the committee retains full authority to impose other conditions, limitations or provisions where needed to qualify the option as an incentive stock option.  For example, the Internal Revenue Code currently includes the following requirements for a stock option to qualify as an incentive stock option:

 

·                  the purchase price of each share subject to an incentive stock option shall not be less than 100% of the fair market value of a share as of the date the incentive stock option is granted;

 

·                  the aggregate fair market value of the shares with respect to which incentive stock options held by an individual first become exercisable in any calendar year shall also not exceed $100,000 (or such other limit required by law) - any stock options exceeding this limit will be treated as non-statutory stock options;

 

·                  an incentive stock option will not be exercisable more than 10 years after the date of grant (or such other limit imposed by law); and

 

·                  the recipient of an incentive stock option must be an employee of the company on the date of grant.

 

In addition, no participant may receive an incentive stock option under the plan if, at the time the award is granted, the participant owns shares possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the company or its subsidiaries, unless (1) the exercise price for that incentive stock option is at least 110% of the fair market value of the shares subject to that incentive stock option on the date of grant and (2) that option is not exercisable after the date five years from the date of grant.

 

Stock Appreciation Rights and Performance Units.  The recipient of a stock appreciation right receives, upon exercise of the right and subject to the terms and conditions specified by the committee, all or a portion of the excess of the fair market value of a specified number of shares as of the date of exercise of the right over a specified price that shall not be less than 100% of the fair market value of such shares as of the date of grant of the right.  Payment shall be made upon exercise of a stock appreciation right, subject to terms and conditions imposed by the committee in the agreement.  No stock appreciation right shall be exercisable at any time after the expiration of its term, and when a stock appreciation right is no longer exercisable, it shall be deemed to have lapsed or terminated.

 

An award of performance units under the plan entitles the recipient to future payments of cash, shares or a combination of cash and shares, as determined by the committee, based upon the achievement of pre-established performance targets.  The committee shall determine the extent to which performance targets have been attained and the amount of payment due for such satisfaction.

 

Note that an agreement may permit an acceleration of the performance cycle, and an adjustment of performance targets and payments with respect to some or all of the performance units awarded to a participant, upon the occurrence of certain events, which may, but need not include, without limitation, a fundamental change in the company as defined in the plan, the participant’s death or retirement or other events affecting the capitalization of our company.

 

Restricted Stock and Other Stock-Based Awards.  The committee may award restricted stock under the plan, which is stock subject to specified restrictions on transfer and conditions of forfeiture.  A holder of restricted stock shall have all the other rights of a stockholder, including the right to receive dividends and the right to vote.

 

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The committee may also award stock or other awards, such as securities convertible into stock and phantom securities.  The granting of such awards is within the discretion of the committee.

 

Acceleration of Awards, Lapse of Restrictions, Forfeiture

 

The committee may provide in an award agreement for the lapse or waiver of restrictions or conditions on restricted stock or other awards, or acceleration of the vesting of stock options, stock appreciation rights and other awards, or acceleration of the term with respect to which the achievement of performance targets for performance units is determined in the event of a fundamental change in the corporate structure of the company, upon a change of control of the company or upon the participant’s death, disability or retirement.

 

If the participant’s employment or other relationship with the company or its affiliates is terminated for any reason, then any unexercised portion of the award will generally be forfeited, except as provided in the award agreement or by the committee.

 

Adjustments, Modifications, Termination

 

The board of directors may at any time terminate, suspend or modify the plan.  And, except as where stated otherwise in the plan, the committee may at any time alter or amend any or all agreements under the plan to the extent permitted by law.  No termination, suspension, or modification of the plan will materially and adversely affect any right acquired by a participant before the date of such termination, suspension, or modification.  However, any and all adjustments made in response to changes in the capitalization of the company will be conclusively presumed to not adversely affect any rights of award recipients.  If the company experiences a change in capitalization, a fundamental change, or any other relevant change as described in the plan, the committee may make appropriate adjustments to the awards in order to prevent enlargement of rights or inappropriate dilution of rights.

 

Federal Tax Considerations (United States Only)

 

This section summarizes the material federal income tax consequences that may result from awards made under the plan.  Because this is only a summary, issues that are material to you may not be discussed.  Furthermore, the tax laws are subject to legislative changes and new or revised administrative or judicial interpretations.  You may also incur foreign, state or local tax consequences that are not discussed in this summary.

 

Therefore, you are encouraged to review with your own tax adviser the tax status of your award.  You are also encouraged to consult your tax advisor before exercising any award regarding the tax consequences of the proposed exercise.

 

Incentive Stock Options.  You will realize no taxable income, and the company will not be entitled to any related deduction, when you are granted an incentive stock option.  If certain statutory employment and holding period conditions are satisfied before you dispose of the shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of such an option, then you will generally not realize any taxable income upon the exercise of such an option and the company will not be entitled to any deduction in connection with such exercise, subject to any possible applicable requirements based upon alternative minimum tax regulations discussed later in this section.  Upon disposition of the shares after expiration of the statutory holding periods, any gain or loss you realize will be a capital gain or loss.  The company will not be entitled to a deduction with respect to a disposition of the shares by a recipient after the expiration of the statutory holding periods.

 

Except in the event of death, if you dispose of the shares acquired upon exercise of an incentive stock option before the expiration of the statutory holding periods, you will be considered to have realized as compensation, taxable as ordinary income in the year of disposition in an amount, not exceeding the gain realized on such disposition, equal to the difference between the exercise price and the fair market value of the shares on the date of exercise of the option.  The company will be entitled to a deduction at the same time and in the same amount as you are deemed to have realized ordinary income.  Any gain realized on the disposition in excess of the amount treated as compensation or any loss realized on the disposition will constitute capital gain or loss, respectively.  If you pay the exercise price with shares that were originally acquired pursuant to the exercise of an incentive stock option and the statutory holding periods for the shares have not been met, you will be treated as having made a disqualifying disposition of such shares, and the tax consequences of such disqualifying disposition will be as described above.

 

The foregoing discussion applies only for regular tax purposes.  For alternative minimum tax purposes, an incentive stock option will be treated as if it were a non-statutory stock option, the tax consequences of which are discussed below.

 

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Non-Statutory Stock Options.  You will realize no taxable income, and the company will not be entitled to any related deduction, when any non-statutory stock option is granted under the plan.  Upon exercise of a non-statutory stock option, you will realize ordinary income, and the company will be entitled to a deduction, equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the date of exercise over the exercise price.  Upon disposition of the shares, any additional gain or loss realized by you will be taxed as a capital gain or loss.

 

Stock Appreciation Rights and Performance Units.  Generally, you will realize no income upon the award of a stock appreciation right or performance units.  You will realize ordinary income, and the company will be entitled to a corresponding deduction, when cash or shares are delivered to you upon exercise of a stock appreciation right or in payment of the performance unit award.  The amount of ordinary income and deduction will be the amount of cash, plus fair market value of the shares received on the date you receive them.  Upon a subsequent disposition of shares you receive, any additional gain or loss you realize will be taxed as capital gain or loss.

 

Restricted Stock and Other Stock-Based Awards.  Unless you file an election to be taxed under Section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, the following federal tax consequences will generally apply to an award of restricted stock:

 

·                  you will not realize income upon the grant of the restricted stock;

 

·                  you will realize ordinary income, and the company will be entitled to a corresponding deduction, when the restrictions on your stock have been removed or have expired; and

 

·                  the amount of your ordinary income and the company’s deduction will be the fair market value of the stock on the date the restrictions are removed or expire.

 

If you elect to be taxed under Section 83(b) or if you were awarded unrestricted stock, then the tax consequences to you and us will be determined as of the date of the grant of the stock, rather than as of the date of the removal or expiration of the restrictions.

 

With respect to awards of unrestricted stock, generally (a) you will realize ordinary income and the company will be entitled to a corresponding deduction upon the grant of the unrestricted stock and (b) the amount of the ordinary income and deduction will be the fair market value of such unrestricted stock on the date of the grant.

 

When you dispose of restricted or unrestricted stock, the difference between the amount you receive upon the disposition and the fair market value of the shares on the date you realized ordinary income will be taxed as a capital gain or loss.

 

Withholding.  The plan permits the company to withhold from cash awards, and to require you to pay us, cash sufficient to cover any required withholding taxes.  In lieu of cash, the committee may permit you to cover withholding obligations through a reduction in the number of shares delivered to you or through your surrender to the company of shares of the company’s common stock that you own.

 

Section 409A:  Under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, if the exercise price or grant price of an award is less than the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant or the terms of the award otherwise violate the safe harbors of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, the award may be treated as a form of deferred compensation and you may be subject to an additional 20% tax, plus interest and possible penalties.  You are encouraged to consult a tax adviser regarding the potential impact of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

Restrictions on Transfer of Awards

 

Except as provided otherwise in the plan, the only person who may exercise an option, stock appreciation right, or receive payments pursuant to performance units or any other award, is the participant who received such award under this plan.

 

No award of restricted stock (before the expiration of the restrictions), options, stock appreciation rights, performance units or other award, may be sold, assigned, transferred, exchanged or otherwise encumbered except under the following limited circumstances:

 

·                  transfers or grants to a successor’s in interest in the event of the participant’s death;

 

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·                  pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order as defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or Title 1 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974; or

 

·                  the committee specifically authorizes a transfer of the interest in the award where no consideration accompanies the transfer.

 

Any attempted transfer not permitted by the plan is ineffective.  And, where a transfer is authorized, the transferee continues to be subject to the terms and conditions of the award as existed immediately before the transfer.

 

Resale Considerations

 

Shares of stock acquired under the plan are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or the securities laws of any state.  Consequently, any person acquiring the shares must bear the economic risk of the investment for an indefinite period of time, and the shares cannot be sold unless they are subsequently registered under the Securities Act of 1933 and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration is available.

 

Prospective acquirers of the shares are advised to seek independent legal advice of their own choice regarding the requirements imposed by the Securities Act of 1933 and by state securities laws and other legal matters relevant to the shares.  A legend will be placed on the shares stating that such securities have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or under other securities laws and may not be sold or otherwise disposed of without such registration or the availability of any exemption therefrom, according to an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the company.

 

Where You Can Find More Information

 

You may request, in writing or orally, a copy of any additional information regarding the company, the plan or the committee, at no cost, by contacting the company at the following address:

 

Chief Executive Officer

Tactile Systems Technology, Inc.

1331 Tyler Street NE, Suite 200

Minneapolis, MN 55413

Telephone:  (612) 355-5201

 

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EXHIBIT A

 

TACTILE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY, INC.
 2007 OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN

 

Originally approved by the stockholders on October 25, 2007
 Amended and restated by stockholders on October 21, 2008
 Amendment No. 1 by stockholders September 14, 2012

 

1.                                      Purpose.  The purpose of the Tactile Systems Technology, Inc. 2007 Omnibus Stock Plan (the “Plan”) is to promote the interests of the Company and its stockholders by providing key personnel of the Company and its Affiliates with an opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company and reward them for achieving a high level of performance and thereby develop a stronger incentive to put forth maximum effort for the continued success and growth of the Company and its Affiliates.  In addition, the opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company will aid in attracting and retaining key personnel of outstanding ability.  The Plan is also intended to provide Outside Directors with an opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company, to compensate Outside Directors, consultants and advisors for their contribution to the Company and to aid in attracting and retaining Outside Directors and qualified consultants and advisors.

 

2.                                      Definitions.

 

2.1                               The capitalized terms used elsewhere in the Plan have the meanings set forth below.

 

(a)                                 “Affiliate” means any corporation that is a “parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation” of the Company, as those terms are defined in Code Sections 424(e) and (f), or any successor provisions.

 

(b)                                 “Agreement” means a written contract (i) consistent with the terms of the Plan entered into between the Company or an Affiliate and a Participant and (ii) containing the terms and conditions of an Award in such form and not inconsistent with the Plan as the Committee shall approve from time to time, together with all amendments thereto, which amendments may be unilaterally made by the Company (with the approval of the Committee) unless such amendments are deemed by the Committee to be materially adverse to the Participant and not required as a matter of law.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(f)                                   “Committee” means two or more directors designated by the Board to administer the Plan under Section 3.1 of the Plan.  From and after the time, if any, that the Company has a class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, Committee means two or more Non-Employee Directors designated by the Board to administer the Plan under Section 3.1 of the Plan.  If the Board has not designated a committee to administer the Plan, then the Board will constitute the Committee.

 

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

 

(h)                                 “Effective Date” means the date specified in Section 12.1 of the Plan.

 

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

 

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

 

(k)                                 “Fair Market Value” as of any date means, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan:

 

(i)                                     the closing sale price of a Share on the date in question, or, if no sale of Shares shall have occurred on that date, on the next preceding day on which a sale of Shares occurred

 

(A)                               on the composite tape for New York Stock Exchange listed shares, or

 

(B)                               if the Shares are not quoted on the composite tape for New York Stock Exchange listed shares, on the principal United States Securities Exchange registered under the Exchange Act on which the Shares are listed, or

 

(C)                               if the Shares are not listed on any such exchange, on the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations National Market System or any system then in use, or

 

(ii)                                  if clause (i) is inapplicable, the mean between the closing “bid” and the closing “asked” quotation of a Share on the date immediately preceding that date, or, if no closing bid or asked quotation is made on that date, on the next preceding day on which a closing bid and asked quotation is made, on the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System or any system then in use, or

 

(iii)                               if clauses (i) and (ii) are inapplicable, what the Committee determines in good faith and in a manner consistent with Code Section 409A to be 100% of the fair market value of a Share on that date.

 

However, if the applicable securities exchange or system has closed for the day at the time the event occurs that triggers a determination of Fair Market Value, whether the grant of an Award, the exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right or otherwise, all references in this paragraph to the “date immediately preceding that date” shall be deemed to be references to “that date.”  In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, if this determination of Fair Market Value is not consistent with the then current regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury, Fair Market Value shall be determined in accordance with those regulations.  The determination of Fair Market Value shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 16 of the Plan.

 

(l)                                     “Fundamental Change” means a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, a sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company, a merger or consolidation of the Company with or into any other corporation, regardless of whether the Company is the surviving corporation, or a statutory share exchange involving capital stock of the Company.

 

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

 

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

 

(o)                                 “Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board who is considered a non-employee director within the meaning of Exchange Act Rule 16b-3(b)(3) or its successor provision and an outside director for purposes of Code Section 162(m).

 

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

 

(q)                                 “Option” means a right to purchase Stock, including both Non-Statutory Stock Options and Incentive Stock Options.

 

(r)                                    “Outside Director” means a director who is not an Employee.

 

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

 

(t)                                    “Performance Cycle” means the period of time as specified in an Agreement over which Performance Units are to be earned.

 

(u)                                 “Performance Units” means an Award made pursuant to Section 11 of the Plan.

 

(v)                                 “Plan” means this 2007 Omnibus Stock Plan, as may be amended and in effect from time to time.

 

(w)                               “Restricted Stock” means Stock granted under Section 7 of the Plan so long as such Stock remains subject to one or more restrictions.

 

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

 

(y)                                 “Stock” means the common stock of the Company.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(cc)                            “Term” means the period during which an Option or Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised or the period during which the restrictions or terms and conditions placed on Restricted Stock or any other Award are in effect.

 

(dd)         “Transferee” means any member of the Participant’s immediate family (i.e., his or her children, step-children, grandchildren and spouse) or one or more trusts for the benefit of such family members or partnerships in which such family members are the only partners.

 

2.2                               Gender and Number.  Except when otherwise indicated by the context, reference to the masculine gender shall include, when used, the feminine gender and any term used in the singular shall also include the plural.

 

3.                                      Administration and Indemnification.

 

3.1                               Administration.

 

(a)                                 The Committee shall administer the Plan.  The Committee shall have exclusive power to (i) make Awards, (ii) determine when and to whom Awards will be granted, the form of each Award, the amount of each Award, and any other terms or conditions of each Award consistent with the Plan, and (iii) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances, Awards may be settled, paid or exercised in cash, Shares or other Awards, or other property or canceled, forfeited or suspended.  Each Award shall be subject to an Agreement authorized by the Committee.  A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of the Committee, and acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present or the acts unanimously approved in writing by all members of the Committee shall be the acts of the Committee.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board shall have the sole and exclusive power to administer the Plan with respect to Awards granted to Outside Directors and, except to the extent that the grant or exercise of such authority would cause any Award or transaction to become subject to (or lose an exemption under) the short-swing profit recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Board may, at any time and from time to time, without any further action of the Committee, exercise

 

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the powers and duties of the Committee under the Plan.  To the extent that any permitted action taken by the Board conflicts with action taken by the Committee, the Board action will control.

 

(b)                                 Solely for purposes of determining and administering Awards to Participants who are not Insiders, the Committee may delegate all or any portion of its authority under the Plan to one or more persons who are not Non-Employee Directors.

 

(c)                                  To the extent within its discretion and subject to Sections 15 and 16 of the Plan, other than price, the Committee may amend the terms and conditions of any outstanding Award.

 

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

 

(e)                                  From and after the time, if any, that the Company has a class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, it is the intent that the Plan and all Awards granted pursuant to it shall be administered by the Committee so as to permit the Plan and Awards to comply with Exchange Act Rule 16b-3, except in such instances as the Committee, in its discretion, may so provide.  If any provision of the Plan or of any Award would otherwise frustrate or conflict with the intent expressed in this Section 3.1(d), that provision to the extent possible shall be interpreted and deemed amended in the manner determined by the Committee so as to avoid the conflict.  To the extent of any remaining irreconcilable conflict with this intent, the provision shall be deemed void as applicable to Insiders to the extent permitted by law and in the manner deemed advisable by the Committee.

 

(f)                                   It is the intent that the Plan and all Awards granted pursuant to it will not provide for the deferral of compensation within the meaning of Code Section 409A, and the Plan shall be administered in accordance with this intent.  If the Committee determines that any Award may be subject to Code Section 409A, the Board or the Committee may adopt such amendments to the Plan and the applicable Award agreement, or adopt other policies and procedures or take other actions that the Board or the Committee determines are necessary or appropriate to exempt the Award from Code Section 409A.

 

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

 

4.                                      Shares Available Under the Plan.

 

(a)                                 The number of Shares available for distribution under the Plan shall not exceed 6,499,865 (subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 16 of the Plan).

 

(b)                                 Any Shares subject to the terms and conditions of an Award under the Plan that are not used because the terms and conditions of the Award are not met may again be used for an Award

 

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under the Plan; provided however, that Shares with respect to which a Stock Appreciation Right has been exercised whether paid in cash and/or in Shares may not again be awarded under the Plan.

 

(c)                                  Any unexercised or undistributed portion of any terminated, expired, exchanged, or forfeited Award, or any Award settled in cash in lieu of Shares (except as provided in Section 4(b) of the Plan) shall be available for further Awards.

 

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

 

(i)                                     each Option shall be deemed to be the equivalent of the maximum number of Shares that may be issued upon exercise of the particular Option;

 

(ii)                                  an Award (other than an Option) payable in some other security shall be deemed to be equal to the number of Shares to which it relates;

 

(iii)                               where the number of Shares available under the Award is variable on the date it is granted, the number of Shares shall be deemed to be the maximum number of Shares that could be received under that particular Award; and

 

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

 

Additional rules for determining the number of Shares granted under the Plan may be made by the Committee as it deems necessary or desirable.

 

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

 

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

 

6.                                      General Terms of Awards.

 

6.1                               Amount of Award.  Each Agreement shall set forth the number of Shares of Restricted Stock, Stock or Performance Units subject to the Agreement, or the number of Shares to which the Option subject to the Agreement applies or with respect to which payment upon the exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right subject to the Agreement is to be determined, as the case may be, together with such other terms and conditions applicable to the Award as determined by the Committee acting in its sole discretion.

 

6.2                               Term.  Each Agreement, other than those relating solely to Awards of Shares without restrictions, shall set forth the Term of the Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock or other Award or the Performance Cycle for the Performance Units, as the case may be.  Acceleration of the expiration of the applicable Term is permitted, upon such terms and conditions as shall be set forth in the Agreement, which may, but need not, include, without limitation, acceleration in the event of the Participant’s death or retirement.  Acceleration of the Performance Cycle of the Performance Units will be subject to Section 11.2 of the Plan.

 

6.3                               Transferability.  Except as provided in this Section, during the lifetime of a Participant to whom an Award is granted, only that Participant (or that Participant’s legal representative) may exercise an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, or receive payment with respect to Performance Units or any other

 

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Award.  No Award of Restricted Stock (before the expiration of the restrictions), Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Performance Units or other Award may be sold, assigned, transferred, exchanged or otherwise encumbered other than to a Successor in the event of a Participant’s death or pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order as defined in the Code or Title 1 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), or the rules thereunder; any attempted transfer in violation of this Section 6.3 shall be of no effect.  Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, the Committee, in an Agreement or otherwise at its discretion, may provide that the Award (other than Incentive Stock Options) may be transferable to a Transferee if the Participant does not receive any consideration for the transfer.  Any Award held by a Transferee shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions that were applicable to that Award immediately before the transfer thereof to the Transferee.  For purposes of any provision of the Plan relating to notice to a Participant or to acceleration or termination of an Award upon the death, disability or termination of employment of a Participant, the references to “Participant” shall mean the original grantee of an Award and not any Transferee.

 

6.4                               Termination of Employment.  Except as otherwise determined by the Committee or provided by the Committee in an Agreement, in case of a Participant’s termination of employment, the following provisions shall apply:

 

(a)                                 Options and Stock Appreciation Rights.

 

(i)                                     If a Participant’s employment or other relationship with the Company and its Affiliates terminates because of the Participant’s death, then any Option or Stock Appreciation Right that has not expired or been terminated shall remain exercisable for one year after Participant’s death, but, unless otherwise provided in the Agreement, only to the extent that such Option or Stock Appreciation Right was exercisable immediately prior to Participant’s death.

 

(ii)                                  If a Participant’s employment or other relationship with the Company and its Affiliates terminates because the Participant is disabled (within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code), then any Option or Stock Appreciation Right that has not expired or been terminated shall remain exercisable for one year after Participant’s termination of employment resulting from Participant’s disability, but, unless otherwise provided in the Agreement, only to the extent that such Option or Stock Appreciation Right was exercisable immediately prior to such Participant’s termination of employment resulting from Participant’s disability.

 

(iii)                               If a Participant’s employment or other relationship with the Company and its Affiliates terminates for any reason other than death or disability, then any Option or Stock Appreciation Right that has not expired or been terminated shall remain exercisable for 90 days after termination of the Participant’s employment or other relationship with the Company, whichever occurs later, but, unless otherwise provided in the Agreement, only to the extent that such Option or Stock Appreciation Right was exercisable immediately prior to such Participant’s termination of employment or other relationship with the Company.

 

(iv)                              Notwithstanding Sections 6.4(a)(i), (ii) and (iii) of the Plan, in no event shall an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right be exercisable after the expiration of the Term of such Award.  Any Option or Stock Appreciation Right that is not exercised within the periods set forth in Sections 6.4 (i), (ii) and (iii) of the Plan, except as otherwise provided by the Committee in the Agreement, shall terminate as of the end of the periods described in such Sections.

 

(b)                                 Performance Units.  If a Participant’s employment or other relationship with the Company and its Affiliates terminates during a Performance Cycle because of death or disability, or under other circumstances provided by the Committee in its discretion in the Agreement or otherwise, the Participant, unless the Committee shall otherwise provide in the Agreement, shall be entitled to a payment with respect to the Performance Units at the end of the Performance Cycle based upon the extent to which achievement of performance targets was satisfied at the end of such period (as determined at the end of the Performance Cycle) and prorated for the portion of the Performance

 

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Cycle during which the Participant was employed by the Company or its Affiliates.  Except as provided in this Section 6.4(b) or in the Agreement, if a Participant’s employment or other relationship with the Company and its Affiliates terminates during a Performance Cycle, then such Participant shall not be entitled to any payment with respect to that Performance Cycle.

 

(c)                                  Restricted Stock Awards.  Unless otherwise provided in the Agreement, in case of a Participant’s death or disability, any Shares of Restricted Stock as to which restrictions have not lapsed as of the date of the Participant’s termination of employment shall terminate at the date of the Participant’s termination of employment and such Shares of Restricted Stock shall be forfeited to the Company.

 

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

 

7.                                      Restricted Stock Awards.

 

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

 

(b)                                 Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Agreement, each Stock certificate issued with respect to an Award of Restricted Stock shall either be deposited with the Company or its designee, together with an assignment separate from the certificate, in blank, signed by the Participant, or bear such legends with respect to the restricted nature of the Restricted Stock evidenced thereby as shall be provided for in the applicable Agreement.

 

(c)                                  The Agreement shall describe the terms and conditions by which the restrictions and conditions of forfeiture upon awarded Restricted Stock shall lapse.  Upon the lapse of the restrictions and conditions, Shares free of restrictive legends, if any, relating to such restrictions shall be issued to the Participant or a Successor or Transferee.

 

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

 

8.                                      Other Awards.  The Committee may from time to time grant Stock and other Awards under the Plan including, without limitation, those Awards pursuant to which Shares are or may in the future be acquired, Awards denominated in Stock units, securities convertible into Stock and phantom securities.  The Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards provided that such Awards shall not be inconsistent with the terms and purposes of the Plan.  The Committee may, at its sole discretion, direct the Company to issue Shares subject to restrictive legends and/or stop transfer instructions that are consistent with the terms and conditions of the Award to which the Shares relate.

 

9.                                      Stock Options.

 

9.1                               Terms of All Options.

 

(a)                                 An Option shall be granted pursuant to an Agreement as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Statutory Stock Option.  The purchase price of each Share subject to an Option shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the Agreement, but shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share as of the date the Option is granted (except as provided in Sections 9.2 and 20 of the Plan or as otherwise determined by the Committee in its discretion).

 

(b)                                 The purchase price of the Shares with respect to which an Option is exercised shall be payable in full at the time of exercise, provided that to the extent permitted by law, the Agreement may permit some or all Participants to simultaneously exercise Options and sell the Shares thereby acquired pursuant to a brokerage or similar relationship and use the proceeds from the sale as

 

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payment of the purchase price of the Shares.  The purchase price may be payable in cash, by delivery or tender of Shares having a Fair Market Value as of the date the Option is exercised equal to the purchase price of the Shares being purchased pursuant to the Option, or a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee, but no fractional Shares will be issued or accepted.  Provided, however, that a Participant exercising a stock option shall not be permitted to pay any portion of the purchase price with Shares if, in the opinion of the Committee, payment in such manner could have adverse financial accounting consequences for the Company or is otherwise not desirable.

 

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

 

9.2                               Incentive Stock Options.  In addition to the other terms and conditions applicable to all Options:

 

(a)                                 the purchase price of each Share subject to an Incentive Stock Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share as of the date the Incentive Stock Option is granted if this limitation is necessary to qualify the Option as an Incentive Stock Option (except as provided in Section 19 of the Plan);

 

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

 

(c)                                  an Incentive Stock Option shall not be exercisable more than 10 years after the date of grant (or such other limit as may be required by the Code) if this limitation is necessary to qualify the Option as an Incentive Stock Option;

 

(d)                                 the Agreement covering an Incentive Stock Option shall contain such other terms and provisions that the Committee determines necessary to qualify this Option as an Incentive Stock Option; and

 

(e)                                  the recipient of an Incentive Stock Option must be an employee of the Company on the date of grant; and

 

(f)                                   notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant may receive an Incentive Stock Option under the Plan if, at the time the Award is granted, the Participant owns (after application of the rules contained in Code Section 424(d), or its successor provision), Shares possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or its Subsidiaries, unless (i) the exercise price for that Incentive Stock Option is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to that Incentive Stock Option on the date of grant and (ii) that Option is not exercisable after the date five years from the date that Incentive Stock Option is granted.

 

10.                               Stock Appreciation Rights.  An Award of a Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle the Participant (or a Successor or Transferee), subject to terms and conditions determined by the Committee, to receive upon exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right all or a portion of the excess of (i) the Fair Market Value of a specified number of Shares as of the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right over (ii) a specified price that shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such Shares as of the date of grant of the Stock Appreciation Right.  A Stock Appreciation Right may be granted in connection with part or all of, in addition to, or completely independent of an Option or any other Award under the Plan.  If issued in connection with a previously or contemporaneously granted Option, the Committee may impose a condition that exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right cancels a pro rata portion of the Option with which it is connected and vice versa.  Each Stock Appreciation Right may be exercisable in whole or in part on the terms provided in the Agreement.  No Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable at any time after the expiration of its Term.  When a Stock Appreciation Right is no longer exercisable, it shall be deemed to have lapsed or terminated.  Upon exercise of a

 

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Stock Appreciation Right, payment to the Participant or a Successor or Transferee shall be made at such time or times as shall be provided in the Agreement in the form of cash, Shares or a combination of cash and Shares as determined by the Committee.  The Agreement may provide for a limitation upon the amount or percentage of the total appreciation on which payment (whether in cash and/or Shares) may be made in the event of the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right.

 

11.                               Performance Units.

 

11.1                        Initial Award.

 

(a)                                 An Award of Performance Units under the Plan shall entitle the Participant or a Successor or Transferee to future payments of cash, Shares or a combination of cash and Shares, as determined by the Committee, based upon the achievement of pre-established performance targets.  These performance targets may, but need not, include, without limitation, targets relating to one or more of the Company’s or a group’s, unit’s, Affiliate’s or an individual’s performance.  The Agreement may establish that a portion of a Participant’s Award will be paid for performance that exceeds the minimum target but falls below the maximum target applicable to the Award.  The Agreement shall also provide for the timing of the payment.

 

(b)                                 Following the conclusion or acceleration of each Performance Cycle, the Committee shall determine the extent to which (i) performance targets have been attained, (ii) any other terms and conditions with respect to an Award relating to the Performance Cycle have been satisfied and (iii) payment is due with respect to an Award of Performance Units.  Any payment determined to be due shall be made within such period of time after the end of the Performance Cycle so as to qualify the payment for the short-term deferral exemption from Code Section 409A.

 

11.2                        Acceleration and Adjustment.  The Agreement may permit an acceleration of the Performance Cycle and an adjustment of performance targets and payments with respect to some or all of the Performance Units awarded to a Participant, upon the occurrence of certain events, which may, but need not include, without limitation, a Fundamental Change, a recapitalization, a change in the accounting practices of the Company, a change in the Participant’s title or employment responsibilities, the Participant’s death or retirement or, with respect to payments in Shares with respect to Performance Units, a reclassification, stock dividend, stock split or stock combination as provided in Plan Section 16.  The Agreement also may provide for a limitation on the value of an Award of Performance Units that a Participant may receive.

 

12.                               Effective Date and Duration of the Plan.

 

12.1                        Effective Date.  Upon its adoption by the Board, the Plan shall be submitted for approval by the stockholders of the Company and shall be effective as of the date of such approval (which date is set forth on the first page of the Plan).

 

12.2                        Duration of the Plan.  The Plan shall remain in effect until all Stock subject to it shall be distributed, all Awards have expired or lapsed, the Plan is terminated pursuant to Section 15 of the Plan or the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date (the “Termination Date”); provided, however, that Awards made before the Termination Date may be exercised, vested or otherwise effectuated beyond the Termination Date unless limited in the Agreement or otherwise.  No Award of an Incentive Stock Option shall be made more than 10 years after the Effective Date (or such other limit as may be required by the Code) if this limitation is necessary to qualify the Option as an Incentive Stock Option.  The date and time of approval by the Committee of the granting of an Award shall be considered the date and time at which the Award is made or granted.

 

13.                               Plan Does Not Affect Employment Status.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

15.                               Amendment, Modification and Termination of the Plan.

 

(a)                                 The Board may at any time and from time to time terminate, suspend or modify the Plan.  Except as limited in (b) below, the Committee may at any time alter or amend any or all Agreements under the Plan to the extent permitted by law.

 

(b)                                 No termination, suspension, or modification of the Plan will materially and adversely affect any right acquired by any Participant or Successor or Transferee under an Award granted before the date of termination, suspension, or modification, unless otherwise agreed to by the Participant in the Agreement or otherwise, or required as a matter of law.  It will be conclusively presumed that neither (i) any adjustment for changes in capitalization provided for in Section 16 of the Plan, nor (ii) any amendment to the Plan or an Award Agreement contemplated by Section 3.1(f) hereof, will adversely affect these rights.

 

16.                               Adjustment for Changes in Capitalization.  Subject to any required action by the Company’s stockholders, appropriate adjustments, so as to prevent enlargement of rights or inappropriate dilution (i) in the aggregate number and type of Shares available for Awards under the Plan, (ii) in the number and type of Shares and amount of cash subject to Awards then outstanding, and (iii) in the exercise price as to any outstanding Options shall be made by the Committee in its sole discretion to give effect to adjustments made in the number or type of Shares through a Fundamental Change (subject to Section 17 of the Plan), recapitalization, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, stock combination or other relevant change, provided that fractional Shares shall be rounded to the nearest whole Share.

 

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

 

(a)                                 if the Fundamental Change is a merger or consolidation or statutory share exchange, make appropriate provision for the protection of the outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights by the substitution of options, stock appreciation rights and appropriate voting common stock of the corporation surviving any merger or consolidation or, if appropriate, the parent corporation of the Company or such surviving corporation, provided that such substitution will be effected in a manner that will not result in the grant of a new Option or Stock Appreciation Right under Code Section 409A; or

 

(b)                                 at least ten days before the occurrence of the Fundamental Change, declare, and provide written notice to each holder of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right of the declaration, that each outstanding Option and Stock Appreciation Right, whether or not then exercisable, shall be canceled at the time of, or immediately before the occurrence of the Fundamental Change in exchange for payment to each holder of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, within ten days after the Fundamental Change, of cash equal to (i) for each Share covered by the canceled Option, the amount, if any, by which the Fair Market Value (as defined in this Section) per Share exceeds the exercise price per Share covered by such Option or (ii) for each Stock Appreciation Right, the price determined pursuant to Section 10, except that Fair Market Value of the Shares as of the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right, as used in clause (i) of Section 10 of the Plan, shall be deemed to mean Fair Market Value for each Share with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is calculated determined in the manner hereinafter referred to in this Section.  At the time of the declaration provided for in the immediately preceding sentence, each Stock Appreciation Right and each Option shall immediately become exercisable in full and each person holding an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right shall have the right, during the period preceding the time of cancellation of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right, to exercise the Option as to all or any part of the Shares

 

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covered thereby or the Stock Appreciation Right in whole or in part, as the case may be.  In the event of a declaration pursuant to this Section 17(b), each outstanding Option and Stock Appreciation Right granted pursuant to the Plan that shall not have been exercised before the Fundamental Change shall be canceled at the time of, or immediately before, the Fundamental Change, as provided in the declaration.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no person holding an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right shall be entitled to the payment provided for in this Section 17(b) if such Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall have terminated, expired or been cancelled.  For purposes of this Section only, “Fair Market Value” per Share means the cash plus the fair market value, as determined in good faith by the Committee, of the non-cash consideration to be received per Share by the stockholders of the Company upon the occurrence of the Fundamental Change.

 

18.                               Change in Control.

 

(a)                                 Definition.  A “Change in Control” of the Company shall be deemed to occur if any of the following occur:

 

(1)                                 Any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) after the effective date of this Plan first acquires or becomes a “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 or any successor rule under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (“Voting Securities”), provided, however, that the following shall not constitute a Change in Control pursuant to this paragraph (a)(1):

 

(A)                               any acquisition of Shares or Voting Securities of the Company directly from the Company,

 

(B)                               any acquisition or beneficial ownership by the Company or a Subsidiary,

 

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

 

(D)                               any acquisition or beneficial ownership by any corporation with respect to which, immediately following such acquisition, more than 50% of both the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding Voting Securities and the Shares are then beneficially owned by all or substantially all of the persons who beneficially owned Voting Securities and Shares immediately prior to such acquisition in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of such Voting Securities and Shares, as the case may be, immediately prior to such acquisition;

 

(2)                                 A majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company shall not be Continuing Directors.  “Continuing Directors” shall mean:  (A) individuals who, on the date hereof, are directors of the Company, (B) individuals elected as directors of the Company subsequent to the date hereof for whose election proxies shall have been solicited by the Board, (C) individuals elected as directors of the Company subsequent to the date hereof pursuant to a nomination or board representation right of preferred shareholders of the Company or (D) any individual elected or appointed by the Board to fill vacancies on the Board caused by death or resignation (but not by removal) or to fill newly-created directorships;

 

(3)                                 Consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Company or a statutory exchange of outstanding Voting Securities, unless, immediately following such reorganization, merger, consolidation or exchange, all or substantially all of the persons who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of Voting Securities and

 

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Shares of the Company immediately prior to such reorganization, merger, consolidation or exchange beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 70% of, respectively, the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors and the then outstanding shares of common stock, as the case may be, of the corporation that is the issuer of such securities held by the shareholders of the Company after such reorganization, merger, consolidation or exchange in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such reorganization, merger, consolidation or exchange, of the Voting Securities and Shares, as the case may be; or

 

(4)                                 Consummation of (x) a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or (y) the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (in one or a series of transactions), other than to a corporation with respect to which, immediately following such sale or other disposition, more than 70% of, respectively, the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of such corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors and the then outstanding shares of common stock of such corporation is then beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by all or substantially all of the persons who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Voting Securities and Shares immediately prior to such sale or other disposition in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such sale or other disposition, of the Voting Securities and Shares, as the case may be.

 

(b)                                 Acceleration of Vesting.  If and to the extent so provided in an Agreement or by Committee action with respect to any outstanding Option, Restricted Stock or Stock Appreciation Right, and notwithstanding anything in Section 17 to the contrary, if a Change in Control shall occur, then such Option, Restricted Stock or Stock Appreciation Right, if not already exercised or vested in full or otherwise terminated, expired or cancelled, may become immediately exercisable and fully vested as provided in the Agreement or Committee action and may remain exercisable during the remaining term thereof or as may be provided in the Agreement or, subject to consent of the Participant, by Committee action.  For the avoidance of doubt, unless otherwise provided in an Agreement or specifically by Committee action as set forth above, no Option, Restricted Stock or Stock Appreciation Right will accelerate in exercisability or vesting upon a Change in Control.

 

(c)                                  Cash Payment.  If a Change in Control shall or is to occur, then, so long as a majority of the members of the Board are Continuing Directors, the Committee, in its sole discretion, and without the consent of the Participant affected thereby, may determine that some or all outstanding Options, unvested Restricted Stock or Stock Appreciation Rights shall be cancelled as of the effective date of any such Change in Control.  The Committee may further determine that the holder or holders of such cancelled Options, unvested Restricted Stock or Stock Appreciation Rights shall receive, with respect to some or all of the Shares subject to such Options, unvested Restricted Stock or Stock Appreciation Rights, as of the date of such cancellation, cash in an amount, for (i) each Share subject to an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, equal to the excess of the per Share Fair Market Value of such Shares immediately prior to such Change in Control over the exercise price per Share of such Options or Stock Appreciation Rights and (ii) for each unvested Share of Restricted Stock, equal to the per Share Fair Market Value of such Shares immediately prior to such Change in Control.

 

(d)                                 Limitation on Change in Control Payments.  Notwithstanding anything in Sections 17, 18(b) or 18(c) to the contrary, if, with respect to an Option, unvested Restricted Stock or Stock Appreciation Right, the acceleration of the exercisability or vesting of such Award or the payment of cash in exchange for all or part of an such Award as provided in Sections 17, 18(b) or 18(c) (which acceleration or payment could be deemed a “payment” within the meaning of Code Section 280G(b)(2)), together with any other payments which such Participant has the right to receive from the Company or any corporation which is a member of an “affiliated group” (as defined in Code Section 1504(a) without regard to Code Section 1504(b)) of which the Company is a member, would constitute a “parachute payment” (as defined in Code Section 280G(b)(2)), then, unless otherwise provided in an agreement with the Company, such acceleration of exercisability or vesting and payments pursuant to Sections 17, 18(b) or 18(c) shall be reduced to the largest amount as, in the sole judgment of the Committee, will result in no portion of such

 

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payments being subject to the excise tax imposed by Code Section 4999.  The Committee, with the consent of the Participant, may waive the provisions of this Section 18(d).

 

19.                               Forfeitures.  An Agreement may provide that if a Participant has received or been entitled to payment of cash, delivery of Shares, or a combination thereof pursuant to an Award within six months before the Participant’s termination of employment with the Company and its Affiliates, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may require the Participant to return or forfeit the cash and/or Shares received with respect to the Award (or its economic value as of (i) the date of the exercise of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, (ii) the date of, and immediately following, the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Stock or the receipt of Shares without restrictions or (iii) the date on which the right of the Participant to payment with respect to Performance Units vests, as the case may be) in the event of certain occurrences specified in the Agreement.  The Committee’s right to require forfeiture must be exercised within 90 days after discovery of such an occurrence but in no event later than 15 months after the Participant’s termination of employment with the Company and its Affiliates.  The occurrences may, but need not, include competition with the Company or any Affiliate, unauthorized disclosure of material proprietary information of the Company or any Affiliate, a violation of applicable business ethics policies of the Company or Affiliate or any other occurrence specified in the Agreement within the period or periods of time specified in the Agreement.

 

20.                               Corporate Mergers, Acquisitions, Etc.  The Committee may also grant Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock or other Awards under the Plan in substitution for, or in connection with the assumption of, existing options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock or other award granted, awarded or issued by another corporation and assumed or otherwise agreed to be provided for by the Company pursuant to or by reason of a transaction involving a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation, reorganization or liquidation to which the Company or a Subsidiary is a party.  The terms and conditions of the substitute Awards may vary from the terms and conditions set forth in the Plan to the extent that the Board at the time of the grant may deem appropriate to conform, in whole or in part, to the provisions of the awards in substitution for which they are granted, but will be effected in a manner that will not result in the grant of a new Option or Stock Appreciation Right under Code Section 409A.

 

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

 

22.                               Limits of Liability.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

24.                               Deferrals and Settlements.  The Committee may require or permit Participants to elect to defer the issuance of Shares or the settlement of Awards in cash under such rules and procedures as it may establish under the Plan, consistent with the requirements of Code Section 409A.  It may also provide that deferred settlements include the payment or crediting of interest on the deferral amounts.

 

25.                               Other Benefit and Compensation Programs.  Payments and other benefits received by a Participant under an Award made pursuant to the Plan shall not be deemed a part of a Participant’s regular, recurring compensation

 

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for purposes of the termination, indemnity or severance pay laws of any country and shall not be included in, nor have any effect on, the determination of benefits under any other employee benefit plan, contract or similar arrangement provided by the Company or an Affiliate unless expressly so provided by such other plan, contract or arrangement, or unless the Committee expressly determines that an Award or portion of an Award should be included to accurately reflect competitive compensation practices or to recognize that an Award has been made in lieu of a portion of competitive cash compensation.

 

26.                               Beneficiary Upon Participant’s Death.  To the extent that the transfer of a Participant’s Award at his or her death is permitted under an Agreement, a Participant’s Award shall be transferable at death to the estate or to the person who acquires the right to succeed to the Award by bequest or inheritance.

 

27.                               Requirements of Law.

 

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

 

(b)                                 If any provision of the Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not effect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.

 

28.                               Delivery of Financial Information.  The Company will, to the extent necessary to comply with applicable state securities laws, deliver financial statements of the Company to a Participant at least annually.

 

29.                               Restrictions on Shares.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, at the discretion of the Committee, the Company may reserve to itself and its assignees in the option agreement (a) a right of first refusal to purchase all Shares that a Participant (or a subsequent transferee) may propose to transfer to a third party, (b) a right to repurchase a portion of or all Shares held by a Participant upon the Participant’s termination of employment or service with the Company or its parent, subsidiary or affiliate for any reason within a specified time (but not to exceed 90 days of the later of termination or exercise of the award, if required by applicable laws), (c) the right to require the Participant from time to time to execute and deliver stockholder, voting or similar agreements, (d) the right to require the Participant to agree not to take any action that would cause the Company not to qualify for Subchapter S tax status, if applicable, and (e) the right of the Company to require the Participant from time to time to execute and deliver underwriter lock up agreements.  The price to be paid upon any purchase or repurchase of Shares pursuant to clause (a) or (b) above will be determined by the Committee, and any such purchase or repurchase will be effected on terms that are consistent with maintaining the status of Shares as “service recipient stock” for purposes of Code Section 409A.  This paragraph 29 is not a limitation on the provisions that may be included in any Agreement.  Shares may be repurchased at the Participant’s original purchase price provided that, if required by applicable laws, such right to repurchase as to employees lapses at the rate of at least 20% of the Shares subject to the Award per year over five years from the date that the Award is granted (without respect to the date that the Award was exercised or became exercisable).

 

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