Document:

Exhibit 10.26

 

ADVANCED DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.
 2016 OMNIBUS EQUITY PLAN

 

1.                                      Purposes of the Plan

 

The purposes of the Advanced Disposal Services, Inc. 2016 Omnibus Equity Plan (the “Plan”) are to promote the long-term success of Advanced Disposal Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and its Affiliates and to increase shareholder value by providing Eligible Individuals with incentives to contribute to the long-term growth and profitability of the Company, and to assist the Company in attracting and retaining the best available personnel for positions of substantial responsibility.

 

The Plan was approved by the Board on [DATE], 2016 and by the Company’s stockholders on [DATE], 2016.  The Plan shall become effective on the Effective Date, and thereafter no further Awards will be made under the Prior Plan, although any grants made under the Prior Plan shall continue to be governed by the terms of the Prior Plan.

 

2.                                      Definitions and Rules of Construction

 

(a)                                 Definitions.  For purposes of the Plan, the following capitalized words shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

“Affiliate” means any Subsidiary and any person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company.

 

“Award” means an Option, Restricted Share, Restricted Share Unit, Stock Appreciation Right, Performance Stock, Performance Stock Unit, Cash Performance Unit or Other Award granted by the Committee pursuant to the terms of the Plan.

 

“Award Document” means an agreement, certificate or other type or form of document or documentation approved by the Committee that sets forth the terms and conditions of an Award.  An Award Document may be in written, electronic or other media and, unless the Committee requires otherwise, need not be signed by a representative of the Company or a Participant.

 

“Beneficial Owner” and “Beneficially Owned” have the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act.

 

“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company, as constituted from time to time.

 

“Cash Performance Unit” means a right to receive a Target Amount of cash in the future granted pursuant to Section 11(b).

 

 

“Change in Control” means:

 

(i)                                     Any Person (other than an Original Investor) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 35% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then-outstanding securities; or

 

(ii)                                  The following individuals cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the number of directors then serving: individuals who, on the Effective Date, constitute the Board and any new director (other than a director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including, but not limited to, a consent solicitation, relating to the election of directors of the Company) whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved or recommended by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then still in office who either were directors on the Effective Date or whose appointment, election or nomination for election was previously so approved or recommended; or

 

(iii)                               There is consummated a merger or consolidation of the Company, other than (A) a merger. consolidation or similar transaction that would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof) at least 50% of the combined voting power of the securities of the Company or such surviving entity or any parent thereof outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation, or (B) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no Person (other than an Original Investor) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 35% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities; or

 

(iv)                              The stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or there is consummated a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to an entity, at least 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to an Award that is subject to Section 409A and for which payment or settlement of the Award will accelerate upon a Change in Control, no event set forth herein will constitute a Change in Control for purposes of the Plan or any Award Document unless such event also constitutes a “change in ownership,” “change in effective control,” or “change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets” as defined under Section 409A.

 

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“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the applicable rulings, regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder as amended from time to time.

 

“Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board, any successor committee thereto, or any other committee appointed from time to time by the Board to administer the Plan.  For purposes of the Plan, reference to the Committee shall be deemed to refer to any subcommittee, subcommittees, or other persons or groups of persons to whom the Committee delegates authority pursuant to Section 3(e).

 

“Common Share” means a share of Common Stock, as may be adjusted pursuant to Section 14(b).

 

“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share, or such other class of shares or other securities as may be applicable under Section 14.

 

“Disability” means

 

(i)                                     for Participants covered by the long term disability plan of the Company or a Subsidiary, disability as defined in such plan; and

 

(ii)                                  for all other Participants, a physical or mental condition of the Participant resulting from bodily injury, disease or mental disorder which renders the Participant incapable of continuing the Participant’s usual or customary employment with the Participant’s employer for a period of not less than six consecutive months.

 

The disability of the Participant shall be determined by the Committee in good faith after reasonable medical inquiry, including consultation with a licensed physician as chosen by the Committee, and a fair evaluation of the Employee’s ability to perform the Employee’s duties.  Notwithstanding the previous two sentences, with respect to an Award that is subject to Section 409A where the payment or settlement of the Award will accelerate upon termination of employment as a result of the Participant’s Disability, no such termination will constitute a Disability for purposes of the Plan or any Award Document unless such event also constitutes a “disability” as defined under Section 409A.

 

“EBITDA” means earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

 

“EBITA” means the Company’s earnings before interest, taxes and amortization.

 

“Effective Date” means the business day immediately prior to the Registration Date.

 

“Eligible Individuals” means the individuals described in Section 4(a) who are eligible for Awards under the Plan.

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended from time to time.

 

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“Fair Market Value” with respect to a Common Share, means, unless the Committee in its discretion approves an alternative valuation methodology:

 

(i)                                     the closing price of the Common Stock on the NYSE at the conclusion of regular trading hours on the relevant date of determination, as reported by the NYSE (or, if not so reported, as reported by a successor reporting service selected by the Company, or if not reported by any successor service, as reported on any domestic stock exchanges on which the Common Stock is then listed); or

 

(ii)                                  if the Common Stock is not listed on any domestic stock exchange, the closing price of the Common Stock as reported in the domestic over-the-counter market on such date or the last previous date reported (or, if not so reported, by the system then regarded as the most reliable source of such quotations) or, if there are no reported sales on such date, the mean of the closing bid and asked prices as so reported; or

 

(iii)                               if the Common Stock is listed on a domestic exchange or quoted in the domestic over-the-counter market, but there are not reported sales or quotations, as the case may be, on the given date, the value determined pursuant to (i) or (ii) above using the reported closing prices or quotations on the last previous date on which so reported; or

 

(iv)                              if none of the foregoing clauses applies, the fair market value of the Common Stock as determined in good faith by the Board or the Committee.

 

“Incentive Stock Option” means an Option that is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.

 

“Nonemployee Director” means a member of the Board who is not an officer or employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates.

 

“Nonqualified Stock Option” means an Option that is not intended to comply with the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.

 

“NYSE” means the New York Stock Exchange.

 

“Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or Nonqualified Stock Option granted pursuant to Section 8.

 

“Original Investor” means Highstar Capital II, LP, Highstar Capital Ill, LP and their respective affiliates, their managed funds and their affiliates and respective subsidiaries (other than the Company and its Subsidiaries).

 

“Other Award” means any form of Award (other than an Option, Performance Stock, Performance Stock Unit, Cash Performance Unit, Restricted Share, Restricted Share Unit or Stock Appreciation Right) granted pursuant to Section 12.

 

“Participant” means an Eligible Individual who has been granted an Award under the Plan.

 

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“Performance Period” means the period established by the Committee and set forth in the applicable Award Document over which Performance Targets are measured.

 

“Performance Stock” means a Target Amount of Common Shares granted pursuant to Section 11(a).

 

“Performance Stock Unit” means a right to receive a Target Amount of Common Shares granted pursuant to Section 11(a).

 

“Performance Target” means the performance goals established by the Committee, from among the performance criteria provided in Section 6(g), and set forth in the applicable Award Document.

 

“Person” means any person, entity or “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act, except that such term shall not include (i) the Company or any of its Affiliates, (ii) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities, (iv) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company, or (v) a person or group as used in Rule 13d-1(b) under the Exchange Act.

 

“Plan Limit” means the maximum aggregate number of Common Shares that may be issued for all purposes under the Plan as set forth in Section 5(a).

 

“Prior Plan” means the Advanced Disposal Waste Holdings Corp. 2012 Stock Incentive Plan.

 

“Registration Date” means the effective date of the first registration statement that is filed by the Company and declared effective pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, with respect to any class of the Company’s equity securities.

 

“Restricted Share” means a Common Share granted or sold pursuant to Section 9(a).

 

“Restricted Share Unit” means a right to receive one or more Common Shares (or cash, if applicable) in the future granted pursuant to Section 9(b).

 

“Section 162(m)” means Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

“Section 162(m) Transition Period” means the period beginning on the Effective Date and ending on the earliest to occur of (i) the expiration or termination of the Plan in accordance with Section 15 or 16; (ii) the material modification of the Plan within the meaning of Treas. Reg. §1.162-27(h)(1)(iii); (iii) the issuance of all Common Shares authorized for issuance under Section 5; or (iv) the first meeting of stockholders of the Company at which directors are to be elected that occurs after the close of the third calendar year following the calendar year in which occurs the Company’s initial public offering of Common Stock.

 

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“Section 409A” means Section 409A of the Code.

 

“Stock Appreciation Right” means a right to receive all or some portion of the appreciation on Common Shares granted pursuant to Section 10.

 

“Subsidiary” means any foreign or domestic corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity of which 50% or more of the outstanding voting equity securities or voting power is Beneficially Owned directly or indirectly by the Company.  For purposes of determining eligibility for the grant of Incentive Stock Options under the Plan, the term “Subsidiary” shall be defined in the manner required by Section 424(f) of the Code.

 

“Substitute Award” means any Award granted upon assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for, outstanding employee or director equity awards previously granted by a company or other entity acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines in connection with a corporate transaction pursuant to the terms of an equity compensation plan that was approved by the stockholders of such company or other entity.

 

“Target Amount” means the target number of Common Shares, target number of Options or Stock Appreciation rights, or target cash value established by the Committee and set forth in the applicable Award Document.

 

(b)                                 Rules of Construction.  The masculine pronoun shall be deemed to include the feminine pronoun, and the singular form of a word shall be deemed to include the plural form, unless the context requires otherwise.  Unless the text indicates otherwise, references to sections are to sections of the Plan.

 

3.                                      Administration

 

(a)                                 Committee.  The Plan shall be administered by the Committee, which shall have full power and authority, subject to the express provisions hereof, to:

 

(i)                                     select the Participants from the Eligible Individuals;

 

(ii)                                  grant Awards in accordance with the Plan;

 

(iii)                               determine the number of Common Shares subject to each Award or the cash amount payable in connection with an Award;

 

(iv)                              determine the terms and conditions of each Award, including, without limitation, those related to term, permissible methods of exercise, vesting, cancellation, forfeiture, payment, settlement, exercisability, Performance Periods, Performance Targets, and the effect or occurrence, if any, of a Participant’s termination of employment, separation from service or leave of absence with the Company or any of its Affiliates or, subject to Section 6(d), a Change in Control of the Company;

 

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(v)                                 subject to Sections 16 and 17(f), amend the terms and conditions of an Award after the granting thereof;

 

(vi)                              specify and approve the provisions of the Award Documents delivered to Participants in connection with their Awards (which may vary among Participants);

 

(vii)                           make factual determinations in connection with the administration or interpretation of the Plan;

 

(viii)                        adopt, prescribe, establish, amend, waive and rescind administrative regulations, rules and procedures relating to the Plan;

 

(ix)                              employ such legal counsel, independent auditors and consultants as it deems desirable for the administration of the Plan and to rely upon any advice, opinion or computation received therefrom;

 

(x)                                 vary the terms of Awards to take into account tax and securities laws (or change thereto) and other regulatory requirements or to procure favorable tax treatment for Participants;

 

(xi)                              correct any defects, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in any Award Document or the Plan;

 

(xii)                           suspend the right to exercise during any blackout period, and extend the period of exercise by an equal period of time; and

 

(xiii)                        make all other determinations and take any other action desirable or necessary to interpret, construe or implement properly the provisions of the Plan or any Award Document.

 

(b)                                 Plan Construction and Interpretation.  The Committee shall have full power and authority, subject to the express provisions hereof, to construe and interpret the Plan and any Award Document delivered under the Plan.

 

(c)                                  Prohibited Actions.  Notwithstanding the authority granted to the Committee pursuant to Section 3(a) and 3(b), the Committee shall not have the authority, without obtaining stockholder approval, to (i) reprice or cancel Options and Stock Appreciation Rights in violation of Section 6(h), (ii) amend Section 5 to increase the Plan Limit or any of the other limits listed therein; provided, however, that stockholder approval shall not be required to increase the limits listed in Section 5(c) prior to the end of the Section 162(m) Transition Period;  or (iii) grant Options or Stock Appreciation Rights with an exercise price that is less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the date of grant in violation of Section 6(j).

 

(d)                                 Determinations of Committee Final and Binding.  All determinations by the Committee in carrying out and administering the Plan and in construing and interpreting the Plan shall be made in the Committee’s sole discretion and shall be final, binding and conclusive for all purposes and upon all Persons interested herein.

 

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(e)                                  Delegation of Authority.  To the extent not prohibited by applicable laws, rules and regulations, the Committee may, from time to time, delegate some or all of its authority under the Plan to a subcommittee or subcommittees thereof or other Persons or groups of Persons as it deems necessary, appropriate or advisable under such conditions or limitations as it may set at the time of such delegation or thereafter; provided, however, that the Committee may not delegate its authority, except to a subcommittee thereof:

 

(i)                                     to make Awards to individuals who are subject on the date of the Award to the reporting rules under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act; or

 

(ii)                                  whose compensation for such fiscal year may be subject to the limit on deductible compensation pursuant to Section 162(m).

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person to whom authority has been delegated pursuant to this Section 3(e) shall make any Award to himself or herself or to any other Person to whom authority to make Awards has been so delegated.

 

(f)                                   Liability of Committee and its Delegates.  Subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations:  (i) no member of the Board or Committee (or its delegates pursuant to Section 3(e)) shall be liable for any good faith action, omission or determination made in connection with the operation, administration or interpretation of the Plan and (ii) the members of the Board or the Committee (and its delegates) shall be entitled to indemnification and reimbursement in accordance with applicable law in the manner provided in the Company’s by-laws and any indemnification agreements as they may be amended from time to time.  In the performance of its responsibilities with respect to the Plan, the Committee shall be entitled to rely upon information and/or advice furnished by the Company’s officers or employees, the Company’s accountants, the Company’s counsel and any other party the Committee deems necessary, and no member of the Committee shall be liable for any action taken or not taken in reliance upon any such information and/or advice.

 

(g)                                  Action by the Board.  Anything in the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations, any authority or responsibility that, under the terms of the Plan, may be exercised by the Committee may alternatively be exercised by the Board.

 

4.                                      Eligibility

 

(a)                                 Eligible Individuals.  Awards may be granted to officers, employees, directors and consultants of the Company or any of its Affiliates.  The Committee shall have the authority to select the persons to whom Awards may be granted and to determine the type, number and terms of Awards to be granted to each such Participant.

 

(b)                                 Grants to Participants.  The Committee shall have no obligation to grant any Eligible Individual an Award or to designate an Eligible Individual as a Participant solely by reason of such Eligible Individual having received a prior Award or having been previously designated as a Participant.  The Committee may grant more than one Award to a Participant and may designate an Eligible Individual as a Participant for overlapping periods of time.

 

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5.                                      Common Shares Subject to the Plan

 

(a)                                 Plan Limit.  Subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 14, the maximum aggregate number of Common Shares that may be issued for all purposes under the Plan shall be [·] Common Shares.  Common Shares issued pursuant to Awards under the Plan may be either authorized and unissued Common Shares or Common Shares held by the Company in its treasury, or a combination thereof.  All of the Common Shares subject to the Plan Limit may be issued pursuant to Incentive Stock Options.

 

(b)                                 Rules Applicable to Determining Common Shares Available for Issuance.  The number of Common Shares remaining available for issuance shall be reduced by the number of Common Shares subject to outstanding Awards and, for Awards that are not denominated by Common Shares, by the number of Common Shares actually delivered upon settlement or payment of the Award.  For purposes of determining the number of Common Shares that remain available for issuance under the Plan, the number of Common Shares corresponding to Awards under the Plan that are forfeited or cancelled or otherwise expire for any reason without having been exercised or settled or that are settled through the issuance of consideration other than Common Shares (including, without limitation, cash) shall be added back to the Plan Limit and again be available for the grant of Awards; provided, however, that this provision shall not be applicable with respect to (i) the cancellation of a Stock Appreciation Right granted in tandem with an Option upon the exercise of the Option or (ii) the cancellation of an Option granted in tandem with a Stock Appreciation Right upon the exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right.  In addition, (i) the number of Common Shares that are tendered by a Participant or withheld by the Company to pay the exercise price of an Award or to satisfy the Participant’s tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting, exercise or settlement of an Award and (ii) shares subject to an Option or Stock Appreciation Right but not issued or delivered as a result of the net settlement of such Option or SAR shall be added back to the Plan Limit and again be available for the grant of Awards.

 

(c)                                  Individual Limits.  Subject to adjustment under Section 14, the following special limits shall apply to Common Shares available for Awards under the Plan to Eligible Individuals other than Nonemployee Directors (to whom the limit set forth in Section 5(d) shall apply):

 

(i)                                     No Participant may be granted under the Plan in any calendar year Awards covering more than [·] Common Shares; and

 

(ii)                                  The maximum aggregate cash payment with respect to cash-based Awards (including Cash Performance Units) granted in any one fiscal year that may be made to any Participant shall be $5,000,000.

 

(d)                                 Nonemployee Director Limit. Subject to adjustment under Section 14, no Nonemployee Director shall receive regular annual Awards for any calendar year having a grant date fair value, determined using assumptions and methods that are consistent in all material respects with the assumptions used to disclose such grants in the Company’s proxy statement for the year to which such grants relate, that exceeds $500,000, or any special or one-time award

 

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upon election or appointment to the Board having a grant date fair value, determined as described above, that exceeds $500,000.

 

(e)                                  Substitute Awards.  To the extent not prohibited by applicable laws, rules and regulations, any Common Shares underlying Substitute Awards shall not be counted against the number of Common Shares remaining for issuance and shall not be subject to Section 5(c).

 

6.                                      Awards in General

 

(a)                                 Types of Awards.  Awards under the Plan may consist of Options, Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units, Stock Appreciation Rights, Performance Stock, Performance Stock Units, Cash Performance Units and Other Awards.  Any Award described in Sections 8 through 12 may be granted singly or in combination or tandem with any other Award, as the Committee may determine.  Subject to Section 6(g), Awards under the Plan may be made in combination with, in replacement of, or as alternatives to awards or rights under any other compensation or benefit plan of the Company, including the plan of any acquired entity.

 

(b)                                 Vesting and Exercise.  The Committee shall set the vesting criteria applicable to an Award, which, depending on the extent to which the criteria are met, will determine the extent to which the Award becomes exercisable or the number of Common Shares or the amount of cash that will be distributed or paid out to the Participant with respect to the Award. The Committee may set vesting criteria based upon the achievement of Company-wide, business unit, or individual goals (including, but not limited to, continued employment or provision of services), or any other basis determined by the Committee in its discretion.

 

(c)                                  Terms Set Forth in Award Document.  The terms and conditions of each Award shall be set forth in an Award Document in a form approved by the Committee for such Award, which Award Document shall contain terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations, the Committee may at any time following grant (i) accelerate the vesting, exercisability, lapse of restrictions, settlement or payment of any Award, (ii) eliminate the restrictions and conditions applicable to an Award or (iii) extend the post-termination exercise period of an outstanding Award (subject to the limitations of Section 409A).  The terms of Awards may vary among Participants, and the Plan does not impose upon the Committee any requirement to make Awards subject to uniform terms.  Accordingly, the terms of individual Award Documents may vary.

 

(d)                                 Termination of Employment .  The Committee shall specify at or after the time of grant of an Award the provisions governing the disposition of an Award in the event of a Participant’s termination of employment (including by reason of retirement) with the Company or any of its Affiliates or the Participant’s death, Disability.  Subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations, in connection with a Participant’s termination of employment, the Committee shall have the discretion to accelerate the vesting, exercisability or settlement of, eliminate the restrictions or conditions applicable to, or extend the post-termination exercise period of an outstanding Award (subject to the limitations of Section 409A).  Such provisions may be specified in the applicable Award Document or determined at a subsequent time.

 

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(e)                                  Dividends and Dividend Equivalents.  The Committee may provide Participants with the right to receive dividends or payments equivalent to dividends or interest with respect to an outstanding Award, which payments can either be paid currently or deemed to have been reinvested in Common Shares, and can be made in Common Shares, cash or a combination thereof, as the Committee shall determine; provided, however, that (i) no payments of dividends or dividend equivalents may be made unless and until the related Award is earned and vested and (ii) the terms of any reinvestment of dividends must comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, Section 409A.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no dividends or dividend equivalents shall be paid with respect to Cash Performance Units, Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.

 

(f)                                   Rights of a Stockholder.  A Participant shall have no voting rights or other rights as a stockholder with respect to Common Shares covered by an Award until the date the Participant or his nominee becomes the holder of record of such Common Shares.  No adjustment shall be made for dividends or other rights for which the record date is prior to such date, except as provided in Section 14.

 

(g)                                  Performance-Based Awards.

 

(i)                                     The Committee may determine whether any Award under the Plan is intended to meet the requirements for “qualified performance-based compensation” as that term is used in Section 162(m).  The following provisions shall apply to any Awards intended to satisfy such requirements:

 

(1)                                 Any such Awards designated to be “qualified performance-based compensation” shall be conditioned on the achievement of one or more Performance Targets to the extent required by Section 162(m) and will be subject to all other conditions and requirements of Section 162(m).  The Performance Targets may include one or more of the following performance criteria:  net income; cash flow or cash flow return on investment or cash flow per share; operating cash flow; pre-tax or post-tax profit levels or earnings; profit in excess of cost of capital; operating earnings; return on investment; free cash flow; free cash flow per share; earnings per share; return on assets; return on net assets; return on equity; return on capital; return on invested capital; return on sales; sales growth; growth in managed assets; gross margin; operating margin; operating income; total shareholder return or stock price appreciation; EBITDA; EBITA; revenue; net revenues; market share, market penetration; productivity improvements; inventory turnover measurements; working capital turnover measurements; reduction of losses, loss ratios or expense ratios; reduction in fixed costs; operating cost management; cost of capital; debt reduction; and safety measurements or other operational criteria that are objectively determinable.

 

(2)                                 The Performance Targets shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (subject to adjustments and modifications for specified types of events or circumstances approved by the Committee in advance) consistently applied on a business unit, divisional, subsidiary or consolidated basis or any combination thereof.

 

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(3)                                 The Performance Targets may be described in terms of objectives that are related to the individual Participant or objectives that are Company-wide or related to a Subsidiary, business unit, or region and may be measured on an absolute or cumulative basis or on the basis of percentage of improvement over time, and may be measured in terms of Company performance (or performance of the applicable Subsidiary, business unit, or region) or measured relative to selected peer companies or a market index. At the time of grant, the Committee may provide for adjustments to the performance criteria in accordance with Section 162(m).

 

(4)                                 The Participants will be designated, and the applicable Performance Targets will be established, by the Committee 90 days following the commencement of the applicable Performance Period (or such earlier or later date permitted or required by Section 162(m)).  Each Participant will be assigned a Target Amount payable if Performance Targets are achieved.  Any payment of an Award granted with Performance Targets shall be conditioned on the written certification of the Committee in each case that the Performance Targets and any other material conditions were satisfied.  The Committee may determine, at the time of grant, that if performance exceeds the specified Performance Targets, the Award may be settled with payment greater than the Target Amount, but in no event may such payment exceed the maximum payment amount for such Award established by the Committee at the time Performance Targets are established or the limits set forth in Section 5(c).  The Committee retains the right to reduce any Award notwithstanding the attainment of the Performance Targets.

 

(ii)                                  The Committee may also grant performance-based Awards not intended to qualify as “qualified performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m).  With respect to such Awards, the Committee may establish performance targets and goals based on any criteria it deems appropriate and shall not be required to follow the procedures or schedule specified in Section 6(g)(i).

 

(h)                                 No Repricing of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights.  Except for adjustments pursuant to Section 14, the per Common Share exercise price of any Option or Stock Appreciation Right may not be decreased after the grant of the Award, and an Option or Stock Appreciation Right whose per share exercise price is greater than the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the relevant date of determination may not be surrendered as consideration in exchange for cash (for the sake of clarity, including cash buyouts), the grant of a new Option or Stock Appreciation Right with a lower exercise price per Common Share or the grant of a stock award, without stockholder approval.

 

(i)                                     Recoupment.  Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, all Awards granted under the Plan, any payments made under the Plan and any gains realized upon exercise or settlement of an Award shall be subject to claw-back or recoupment as permitted or mandated by applicable law, rules, regulations or any Company policy as enacted, adopted or modified from time to time.

 

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(j)                                    No Discount Options or Stock Appreciation Rights.  In no event shall the exercise price per Common Share of an Option or the grant price per Common Share of a Stock Appreciation Right be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the date of grant; provided, however that the exercise price of a Substitute Award granted as an Option shall be determined in accordance with Section 409A and may be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value.

 

(k)                                 Term of Options and SARs.  An Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be effective for such term as shall be determined by the Committee and as set forth in the Award Document relating to such Award.  The Committee may extend the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right after the time of grant; provided, however, that the term of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right may in no event extend beyond the tenth (10th) anniversary of the date of grant of such Award.

 

7.                                      Change in Control

 

Notwithstanding any provisions of this Plan to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, at the time an Award is made hereunder or at any time prior to, coincident with or after the time of a Change in Control:

 

(a)                                 provide for the adjustment of any performance conditions as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to reflect the Change in Control;

 

(b)                                 provide that upon termination of a Participant’s employment as a result of the Change in Control, any time periods or other conditions relating to the vesting, exercise, payment or distribution of an award will be accelerated or waived;

 

(c)                                  provide for the purchase of any awards from a Participant whose employment has been terminated as a result of a Change in Control for an amount of cash equal to the amount that could have been obtained upon the exercise, payment or distribution of such rights had such award been currently exercisable or payable; or

 

(d)                                 cause the Awards outstanding at the time of a Change in Control to be assumed, or new rights substituted therefore, by the surviving entity or acquiring entity in the transaction (or the surviving or acquiring entity’s parent company) or, if the Company is not the surviving entity following the Change in Control and the surviving or acquiring entity (or its parent company) does not agree to assume the Company’s obligations with respect to any awards under the Plan or to replace those awards with new rights of substantially equivalent value (as determined by the Committee), to cause such awards to vest immediately prior to the Change in Control in such a manner that will enable the Participant to participate in the Change in Control with respect to the Common Shares issuable upon vesting, exercise, payment or distribution of such Awards on the same basis as other holders of the Company’s outstanding Common Shares.  Any determination made under this Section 7 may be made on an Award-by-Award basis.

 

For purposes of sub-paragraphs (b) or (c) above, any Participant whose employment is terminated by the Company (including any surviving entity or successor to the Company following a Change in Control) other than for “cause”, or by the Participant for “good reason”

 

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(each as defined in the applicable Award Document), upon or within two years following a Change in Control shall be deemed to have been terminated as a result of the Change in Control.  Except as provided in sub-paragraph (d) above, the vesting, payment, purchase or distribution of an Award may not be accelerated by reason of a Change in Control for any Participant unless the Participant’s employment terminates as a result of the Change in Control.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan or any Award Document, the provisions of this Section 7 may not be terminated, amended, or modified following a Change in Control in a manner that would adversely affect a Participant’s rights with respect to an outstanding Award without the prior written consent of the Participant.

 

8.                                      Terms and Conditions of Options

 

(a)                                 General.  The Committee, in its discretion, may grant Options to Eligible Individuals and shall determine whether such Options shall be Incentive Stock Options or Nonqualified Stock Options.  Each Option shall be evidenced by an Award Document that shall expressly identify the Option as an Incentive Stock Option or Nonqualified Stock Option, and be in such form and contain such provisions as the Committee shall from time to time deem appropriate.

 

(b)                                 Payment of Exercise Price.  Subject to the provisions of the applicable Award Document and Company policy in effect from time to time, the exercise price of an Option may be paid: (i) in cash or cash equivalents; (ii) by actual delivery or attestation to ownership of freely transferable Common Shares already owned by the person exercising the Option; (iii) by a combination of cash and Common Shares equal in value to the exercise price; (iv) through net share settlement or similar procedure involving the withholding of Common Shares subject to the Option with a value equal to the exercise price; or (v) by such other means as the Committee may authorize.  In accordance with the rules and procedures authorized by the Committee for this purpose, the Option may also be exercised through a “cashless exercise” procedure authorized by the Committee from time to time that permits Participants to exercise Options by delivering irrevocable instructions to a broker to deliver promptly to the Company the amount of sale or loan proceeds necessary to pay the exercise price and the amount of any required tax or other withholding obligations or such other procedures determined by the Company from time to time.  The Committee may provide that in-the-money Options will be exercised automatically, with no action required on the part of a Participant, using a net share settlement or similar procedure immediately (or shortly) before their scheduled expiration date where Participants are precluded from using other methods of exercise due to legal restrictions or Company policy (including policies on trading in Common Shares).

 

(c)                                  Incentive Stock Options.  The exercise price per Common Share of an Incentive Stock Option shall be fixed by the Committee at the time of grant or shall be determined by a method specified by the Committee at the time of grant, but in no event shall the exercise price of an Option be less than the minimum exercise price specified in Section 6(j).  No Incentive Stock Option may be issued to any individual who, at the time the Incentive Stock Option is granted, owns stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, unless (i) the exercise price determined as of the date of grant is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant of the Common Shares subject to such Incentive Stock Option and (ii) the Incentive Stock Option is not exercisable more than five (5) years from the date of grant thereof.  No Participant shall be granted any Incentive Stock Option which would result in such Participant receiving a grant of Incentive Stock

 

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Options that would have an aggregate Fair Market Value in excess of $100,000, determined as of the time of grant, that would be exercisable for the first time by such Participant during any calendar year.  Any grants in excess of this limit shall be treated as Non-Qualified Stock Options.  No Incentive Stock Option may be granted under the Plan after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date.  The terms of any Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan shall comply in all respects with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code, or any successor provision thereto, as amended from time to time.

 

(d)                                 Early Exercise of Nonqualified Options.  The Committee, in its discretion, may grant Non-Qualified Stock Options that contain an “early exercise” feature, which shall provide a Participant with the right (but not the obligation) to immediately exercise such portion of the Option for Common Stock that shall be subject to the same vesting schedule as the underlying Option.

 

9.                                      Terms and Conditions of Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units

 

(a)                                 Restricted Shares.  The Committee, in its discretion, may grant or sell Restricted Shares to Eligible Individuals.  An Award of Restricted Shares shall consist of one or more Common Shares granted or sold to an Eligible Individual, and shall be subject to the terms, conditions and restrictions set forth in the Plan and established by the Committee in connection with the Award and specified in the applicable Award Document.  Restricted Shares may, among other things, be subject to restrictions on transferability, vesting requirements or other specified circumstances under which it may be canceled.

 

(b)                                 Restricted Share Units.  The Committee, in its discretion, may grant Restricted Share Units to Eligible Individuals.  A Restricted Share Unit shall entitle a Participant to receive, subject to the terms, conditions and restrictions set forth in the Plan and the applicable Award Document, one or more Common Shares.  Restricted Share Units may, among other things, be subject to restrictions on transferability, vesting requirements or other specified circumstances under which they may be canceled.  If and when the cancellation provisions lapse, the Restricted Share Units shall be settled by the delivery of Common Shares or, at the sole discretion of the Committee, cash, or a combination of cash and Common Shares, with a value equal to the Fair Market Value of the Common Shares at the time of payment.

 

10.                               Stock Appreciation Rights

 

The Committee, in its discretion, may grant Stock Appreciation Rights to Eligible Individuals.  The Committee may grant Stock Appreciation Rights in tandem with Options or as stand-alone Awards.  Each Stock Appreciation Right shall be subject to the terms, conditions and restrictions set forth in the Plan and established by the Committee in connection with the Award and specified in the applicable Award Document.  A Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle a Participant to receive, upon satisfaction of the conditions to payment specified in the applicable Award Document, an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the exercise date of the number of Common Shares for which the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised over the per Common Share grant price for such Stock Appreciation Right

 

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specified in the applicable Award Document.  Payments to a Participant upon exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right may be made in cash or Common Shares, as determined by the Committee on or following the date of grant.  The Committee may provide that in-the-money Stock Appreciation Rights will be exercised automatically, with no action required on the part of a Participant, immediately (or shortly) before their scheduled expiration date where Participants are precluded from otherwise exercising such Stock Appreciation Rights due to legal restrictions or Company policy (including policies on trading in Common Shares).

 

11.                               Terms and Conditions of Performance Stock, Performance Stock Units and Cash Performance Units

 

(a)                                 Performance Stock or Performance Stock Units.  The Committee may grant Performance Stock or Performance Stock Units to Eligible Individuals.  An Award of Performance Stock or Performance Stock Units shall consist of, or represent a right to receive, a Target Amount of Common Shares granted to an Eligible Individual based on the achievement of Performance Targets over the applicable Performance Period, and shall be subject to the terms, conditions and restrictions set forth in the Plan and established by the Committee in connection with the Award and specified in the applicable Award Document.  Payments to a Participant in settlement of an Award of Performance Stock or Performance Stock Units may be made in cash or Common Shares, as determined by the Committee on or following the date of grant.

 

(b)                                 Cash Performance Units.  The Committee, in its discretion, may grant Cash Performance Units to Eligible Individuals.  A Cash Performance Unit shall entitle a Participant to receive, subject to the terms, conditions and restrictions set forth in the Plan and established by the Committee in connection with the Award and specified in the applicable Award Document, a Target Amount of cash based upon the achievement of Performance Targets over the applicable Performance Period.  Payments to a Participant in settlement of an Award of Cash Performance Units may be made in cash or Common Shares, as determined by the Committee on or following the date of grant.

 

12.                               Other Awards

 

The Committee shall have the authority to establish the terms and provisions of other forms of Awards (such terms and provisions to be specified in the applicable Award Document) not described above that the Committee determines to be consistent with the purpose of the Plan and the interests of the Company, which Awards may provide for (i) payments in the form of cash, Common Stock, notes or other property as the Committee may determine based in whole or in part on the value or future value of Common Stock or on any amount that the Company pays as dividends or otherwise distributes with respect to Common Stock; (ii) the acquisition or future acquisition of Common Stock; (iii) cash, Common Stock, notes or other property as the Committee may determine (including payment of dividend equivalents in cash or Common Stock) based on one or more criteria determined by the Committee unrelated to the value of Common Stock; or (iv) any combination of the foregoing.  Awards pursuant to this Section 12 may, among other things, be made subject to restrictions on transfer, vesting requirements or cancellation under specified circumstances.

 

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13.                               Certain Restrictions

 

(a)                                 Transfers.  No Award shall be transferable other than pursuant to a beneficiary designation approved by the Company, by last will and testament or by the laws of descent and distribution or, except in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, pursuant to a domestic relations order, as the case may be; provided, however, that the Committee may, subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations and such terms and conditions as it shall specify, permit the transfer of an Award, other than an Incentive Stock Option, for no consideration to a permitted transferee.

 

(b)                                 Award Exercisable Only by Participant.  During the lifetime of a Participant, an Award shall be exercisable only by the Participant or by a permitted transferee to whom such Award has been transferred in accordance with Section 13(a) above.  The grant of an Award shall impose no obligation on a Participant to exercise or settle the Award.

 

(c)                                  Section 83(b) Election.  If a Participant makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Code to be taxed with respect to any Award as of the date of transfer of the Award rather than as of the date or dates upon which the Participant would otherwise be taxable under Section 83 of the Code, the Participant shall be required to deliver a copy of such election to the Company promptly after filing such election with the Internal Revenue Service.

 

14.                               Recapitalization or Reorganization

 

(a)                                 Authority of the Company and Stockholders.  The existence of the Plan, the Award Documents and the Awards granted hereunder shall not affect or restrict in any way the right or power of the Company or the stockholders of the Company to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s capital structure or business, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of stock or of options, warrants or rights to purchase stock or of bonds, debentures, preferred or prior preference stocks whose rights are superior to or affect the Common Shares or the rights thereof or which are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, or the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.

 

(b)                                 Change in Capitalization.  Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or any Award Document, the number and kind of Common Shares authorized for issuance under Section 5, including the maximum number of Common Shares available under the special limits provided for in Section 5(c) and 5(d), shall be equitably adjusted in the manner deemed necessary by the Committee in the event of a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, partial or complete liquidation, reclassification, merger, consolidation, separation, extraordinary stock or cash dividend, split-up, spin-off, combination, exchange of Common Shares, warrants or rights offering to purchase Common Shares at a price substantially below Fair Market Value, or any other corporate event or distribution of stock or property of the Company affecting the Common Shares in order to preserve, but not increase, the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan.  In addition, upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing events, the number and kind of Common Shares subject to any outstanding Award and the exercise price per Common Share (or the grant price per

 

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Common Share, as the case may be), if any, under any outstanding Award shall be equitably adjusted in the manner deemed necessary by the Committee (including by payment of cash to a Participant) in order to preserve the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available to Participants.  Any such determinations made by the Committee may be made on an Award-by-Award basis.  Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, such adjusted Awards shall be subject to the same restrictions and vesting or settlement schedule to which the underlying Award is subject (subject to the limitations of Section 409A).

 

15.                               Term of the Plan

 

Unless earlier terminated pursuant to Section 16, the Plan shall terminate on the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date, except with respect to Awards then outstanding.  No Awards may be granted under the Plan after the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date.

 

16.                               Amendment and Termination

 

Subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations, the Board may at any time terminate or, from time to time, amend, modify or suspend the Plan; provided, however, that no termination, amendment, modification or suspension (i) will be effective without the approval of the stockholders of the Company if such approval is required under applicable laws, rules and regulations, including the rules of the NYSE and such other securities exchanges, if any, as may be designated by the Board from time to time, and (ii) shall materially and adversely alter or impair the rights of a Participant in any Award previously made under the Plan without the consent of the holder thereof.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board shall have broad authority to amend the Plan or any Award under the Plan without the consent of a Participant to the extent it deems necessary or desirable:

 

(a)                                 to comply with, or take into account changes in, or interpretations of, applicable tax laws, securities laws, employment laws, accounting rules and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, including without limitation;

 

(b)                                 to avoid, in the reasonable, good faith judgment of the Company, the imposition on any Participant of any tax, interest or penalty under Section 409A; or

 

(c)                                  to take into account unusual or nonrecurring events or market conditions (including, without limitation, the events described in Section 14(b).

 

17.                               Miscellaneous

 

(a)                                 Tax Withholding.  The Company or an Affiliate, as appropriate, may require any individual entitled to receive a payment of an Award to remit to the Company, prior to payment, an amount sufficient to satisfy any applicable tax withholding requirements.  In the case of an Award payable in Common Shares, the Company or an Affiliate, as appropriate, may permit or require a Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, such obligation to remit taxes by directing the Company to withhold shares that would otherwise be received by such individual or to repurchase shares that were issued to the Participant to satisfy the minimum statutory

 

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withholding rates for any applicable tax withholding purposes, in accordance with all applicable laws and pursuant to such rules as the Committee may establish from time to time.  The Company or an Affiliate, as appropriate, shall also have the right to deduct from all cash payments made to a Participant (whether or not such payment is made in connection with an Award) any applicable taxes required to be withheld with respect to such payments.

 

(b)                                 No Right to Awards or Employment.  No person shall have any claim or right to receive Awards under the Plan.  Neither the Plan, the grant of Awards under the Plan nor any action taken or omitted to be taken under the Plan shall be deemed to create or confer on any Eligible Individual any right to be retained in the employ of the Company or any of its Affiliates, or to interfere with or to limit in any way the right of the Company or any of its Affiliates to terminate the employment of such Eligible Individual at any time.  No Award shall constitute salary, recurrent compensation or contractual compensation for the year of grant, any later year or any other period of time.  Payments received by a Participant under any Award made pursuant to the Plan shall not be included in, nor have any effect on, the determination of employment-related rights or benefits under any other employee benefit plan or similar arrangement provided by the Company and its Affiliates, unless otherwise specifically provided for under the terms of such plan or arrangement or by the Committee.

 

(c)                                  Securities Law Restrictions.  An Award may not be exercised or settled, and no Common Shares may be issued in connection with an Award, unless the issuance of such shares (i) has been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (ii) has qualified under applicable state “blue sky” laws (or the Company has determined that an exemption from registration and from qualification under such state “blue sky” laws is available) and (iii) complies with all applicable securities laws.  The Committee may require each Participant purchasing or acquiring Common Shares pursuant to an Award under the Plan to represent to and agree with the Company in writing that such Eligible Individual is acquiring the Common Shares for investment purposes and not with a view to the distribution thereof.  All certificates for Common Shares delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stock-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any exchange upon which the Common Shares are then listed, and any applicable securities law, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.

 

(d)                                 Section 16 of the Exchange Act.  Notwithstanding anything contained in the Plan or any Award Document under the Plan to the contrary, if the consummation of any transaction under the Plan, or the taking of any action by the Committee in connection with a Change in Control of the Company, would result in the possible imposition of liability on a Participant pursuant to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, the Committee shall have the right, in its discretion, but shall not be obligated, to defer such transaction or the effectiveness of such action to the extent necessary to avoid such liability, but in no event for a period longer than 180 days.

 

(f)                                   Section 409A.  To the extent that the Committee determines that any Award granted under the Plan is subject to Section 409A, the Award Document evidencing such Award shall incorporate the terms and conditions required by Section 409A.  To the extent

 

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applicable, the Plan and Award Documents shall be interpreted in accordance with Section 409A and interpretive guidance issued thereunder.  Notwithstanding any contrary provision in the Plan or an Award Document, if the Committee determines that any provision of the Plan or an Award Document contravenes any regulations or guidance promulgated under Section 409A or would cause an Award to be subject to additional taxes, accelerated taxation, interest and/or penalties under Section 409A, the Committee may modify or amend such provision of the Plan or Award Document without consent of the Participant in any manner the Committee deems reasonable or necessary.  In making such modifications the Committee shall attempt, but shall not be obligated, to maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, the original intent of the applicable provision without contravening the provisions of Section 409A.  Moreover, any discretionary authority that the Committee may have pursuant to the Plan shall not be applicable to an Award that is subject to Section 409A to the extent such discretionary authority would contravene Section 409A.

 

(g)                                  Awards to Individuals Subject to Laws of a Jurisdiction Outside of the United States.  To the extent that Awards under the Plan are awarded to Eligible Individuals who are domiciled or resident outside of the United States or to persons who are domiciled or resident in the United States but who are subject to the tax laws of a jurisdiction outside of the United States, the Committee may adjust the terms of the Awards granted hereunder to such person (i) to comply with the laws, rules and regulations of such jurisdiction and (ii) to permit the grant of the Award not to be a taxable event to the Participant.  The authority granted under the previous sentence shall include the discretion for the Committee to adopt, on behalf of the Company, one or more sub-plans applicable to separate classes of Eligible Individuals who are subject to the laws of jurisdictions outside of the United States.

 

(h)                                 References to Termination of Employment.  References to “termination of employment” shall also mean termination of any other service relationship of the Participant with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as applicable.

 

(i)                                     No Limitation on Corporate Actions.  Nothing contained in the Plan shall be construed to prevent the Company or any Affiliate from taking any corporate action, whether or not such action would have an adverse effect on any Awards made under the Plan.  No Participant, beneficiary or other person shall have any claim against the Company or any Affiliate as a result of any such action.

 

(j)                                    Unfunded Plan.  The Plan is intended to constitute an unfunded plan for incentive compensation.  Prior to the issuance of Common Shares, cash or other form of payment in connection with an Award, nothing contained herein shall give any Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general unsecured creditor of the Company.

 

(k)                                 Successors.  All obligations of the Company under the Plan with respect to Awards granted hereunder shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.

 

(l)                                     Application of Funds.  The proceeds received by the Company from the sale of Common Shares pursuant to Awards will be used for general corporate purposes.

 

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(m)                             Satisfaction of Obligations.  Subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations, the Company may apply any cash, Common Shares, securities or other consideration received upon exercise of settlement of an Award to any obligations a Participant owes to the Company and its Affiliates in connection with the Plan or otherwise.

 

(n)                                 Award Document.  In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the Plan and any Award Document, the Plan shall govern and the Award Document shall be interpreted to minimize or eliminate any such conflict or inconsistency.

 

(o)                                 Headings.  The headings of Sections herein are included solely for convenience of reference and shall not affect the meaning of any of the provisions of the Plan.

 

(p)                                 Severability.  If any provision of this Plan is held unenforceable, the remainder of the Plan shall continue in full force and effect without regard to such unenforceable provision and shall be applied as though the unenforceable provision were not contained in the Plan.

 

(q)                                 Governing Law.  Except as to matters of federal law, the Plan and all actions taken thereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

21Exhibit 10.27

 

ADVANCED DISPOSAL SERVICES, INC.

SHORT TERM INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN

 

1.              Background and Purpose.

 

1.1                Purpose.  The purpose of the Advanced Disposal Services, Inc. Short Term Incentive Compensation Plan is to motivate and reward eligible employees by making a portion of their cash compensation dependent on the achievement of certain corporate, business unit and individual performance goals.  Certain awards under the Plan may be intended to qualify as performance-based compensation deductible by the Company under the qualified performance-based compensation exception to Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

1.2                Effective Date.  The Plan is effective as of the business day immediately prior to the effective date of the first registration statement that is filed by the Company and declared effective pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, with respect to any class of the Company’s equity securities.  The Plan will be submitted for approval by the Company’s shareholders no later than the end of the Section 162(m) Reliance Period, and shall remain in effect until it has been terminated pursuant to Section 9.6.

 

2.              Definitions.  The following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

2.1                “Affiliate” means any corporation or other entity controlled by the Company.

 

2.2                “Award” means an award granted pursuant to the Plan, the payment of which shall be contingent on the attainment of Performance Targets with respect to a Performance Period, as determined by the Committee pursuant to Section 6.1.

 

2.3                “Base Salary” means the Participant’s annualized rate of base salary on the last day of the Performance Period before (i) deductions for taxes or benefits and (ii) deferrals of compensation pursuant to any Company or Affiliate-sponsored plans.

 

2.4                “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company, as constituted from time to time.

 

2.5                “Cause” means:

 

(a)                If the Participant is a party to an employment agreement with the Company or an Affiliate and such agreement provides for a definition of Cause, the definition contained therein;

 

(b)                If no such agreement exists, or if such agreement does not define Cause:

 

(i)                    the Participant’s material failure to perform his or her employment duties for the Company or an Affiliate (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness);

 

 

(ii)                 the Participant’s willful engagement in dishonesty, illegal conduct or gross misconduct, which is, in each case, materially injurious to the Company or its Affiliates;

 

(iii)              the Participant’s embezzlement, misappropriation or fraud, whether or not related to the Participant’s employment with the Company or its Affiliates; or

 

(iv)             the Participant’s conviction of or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a crime that constitutes a felony (or state law equivalent) or a crime that constitutes a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, if such felony or other crime is work-related, materially impairs the Participant’s ability to perform services for the Company or its Affiliates or results in material harm to the Company or its Affiliates.

 

2.6                “Change in Control” has the meaning set forth in the Advanced Disposal Services, Inc. 2016 Omnibus Equity Plan.

 

2.7                “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, including any regulations or authoritative guidance promulgated thereunder and successor provisions thereto.

 

2.8                “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board, any successor committee thereto, or any other committee appointed from time to time by the Board to administer the Plan.  For purposes of the Plan, reference to the Committee shall be deemed to refer to any subcommittee, subcommittees, or other persons or groups of persons to whom the Committee delegates authority pursuant to Section 3.4.

 

2.9                “Company” means Advanced Disposal Services, Inc. a Delaware corporation, and any successor thereto.

 

2.10         “Disability” means eligibility for disability benefits under the terms of the Company’s long-term disability plan in effect for the Participant at the time the Participant becomes disabled.

 

2.11         “Effective Date” means the business day immediately prior to the effective date of the first registration statement that is filed by the Company and declared effective pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, with respect to any class of the Company’s equity securities.

 

2.12         “ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, including any regulations or authoritative guidance promulgated thereunder and successor provisions thereto.

 

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2.13         “Maximum Award” means as to any Participant for any Plan Year, five million dollars.  The Maximum Award limit shall be pro-rated for any Award payable with respect to a Performance Period that is shorter than one year.

 

2.14         “Participant” means those key employees of the Company or its Affiliates (excluding employees participating for the Plan Year in any other short-term incentive plan of the Company or an Affiliate) who are selected by the Committee to receive an Award for the Plan Year.

 

2.15         “Performance Criteria” means the performance criteria upon which the Performance Targets for a particular Performance Period are based.  In the case of Awards intended to meet the requirements for qualified performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Performance Criteria may include any of the following:  net income; cash flow or cash flow return on investment or cash flow per share; operating cash flow; pre-tax or post-tax profit levels or earnings; profit in excess of cost of capital; operating earnings; return on investment; free cash flow; free cash flow per share; earnings per share; return on assets; return on net assets; return on equity; return on capital; return on invested capital; return on sales; sales growth; growth in managed assets; gross margin; operating margin; operating income; total shareholder return or stock price appreciation; EBITDA; EBITA; revenue; net revenues; market share, market penetration; productivity improvements; inventory turnover measurements; working capital turnover measurements; reduction of losses, loss ratios or expense ratios; reduction in fixed costs; operating cost management; cost of capital; debt reduction; and safety measurements or other operational criteria that are objectively determinable.

 

With respect to Awards that are not intended to constitute qualified performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee may establish Performance Targets based on any Performance Criteria it deems appropriate.

 

Performance Criteria may relate to the performance of the Company as a whole, a business unit, division, department, individual or any combination of these and may be applied on an absolute basis and/or relative to one or more peer group companies or indices, or any combination thereof, as the Committee shall determine.

 

2.16         “Performance Targets” means the goals selected by the Committee, in its discretion, to be applicable to a Participant for any Performance Period.  Performance Targets shall be based upon one or more Performance Criteria.  Performance Targets may include a threshold level of performance below which no Award will be paid and levels of performance at which specified percentages of the Target Award will be paid and may also include a maximum level of performance above which no additional Award amount will be paid.

 

2.17         “Performance Period” means the period for which performance is calculated, which, unless otherwise indicated by the Committee, shall be the Plan Year.

 

2.18         “Plan” means the Advanced Disposal Services, Inc. Short Term Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended from time to time.

 

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2.19         “Plan Year” means the Company’s fiscal year.

 

2.20         “Pro-rated Award” means an amount equal to the Award otherwise payable to the Participant for a Performance Period in which the Participant was actively employed by the Company or an Affiliate for only a portion thereof, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days the Participant was actively employed by the Company or an Affiliate during the Performance Period and the denominator of which is the number of days in the Performance Period.

 

2.21         “Section 162(m) Determination Date” means the earlier of: (a) the 90th day of the Performance Period; or (b) the date on which 25% of the Performance Period has elapsed.  The Determination Date shall be a date on which the outcomes of the Performance Targets are substantially uncertain.

 

2.22         “Section 162(m) Reliance Period” means the period beginning on the Effective Date and ending on the earlier to occur of: (i) the material modification of the Plan within the meaning of Treas. Reg. §1.162-27(b)(1)(iii) or any successor provision; or (ii) the first meeting of the Company’s shareholders at which directors are to be elected that occurs after the close of the third calendar year following the calendar year in which the Company’s initial public offering occurs.

 

2.23         “Target Award” means the target award payable under the Plan to a Participant for a particular Performance Period, expressed as a percentage of the Participant’s Base Salary.  In special circumstances, the target award may be expressed as a fixed amount of cash.

 

3.              Administration.

 

3.1                Administration by the Committee.  The Plan shall be administered by the Committee.

 

3.2                Authority of the Committee.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan and applicable law, the Committee shall have the power, in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by the Plan, to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the terms and conditions of any Award; (iii) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances Awards may be forfeited or suspended; (iv) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency, correct any defect and/or supply any omission in the Plan or any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award granted under, the Plan; (v) establish, amend, suspend or waive any rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan; and (vi) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.

 

3.3                Decisions Binding.  All determinations and decisions made by the Committee, the Board, and any delegate of the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, and shall be given the maximum deference permitted by law.

 

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3.4                Delegation by the Committee.  The Committee, in its sole discretion, may delegate all or part of its authority and powers under the Plan to one or more directors and/or officers of the Company; provided, however, that the Committee may not delegate its responsibility to (i) make Awards to the Company’s executive officers; (ii) make Awards which are intended to constitute qualified performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code; or (iii) certify the satisfaction of the Performance Targets pursuant to Section 6.1 in accordance with Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

3.5                Agents; Limitation of Liability.  The Committee may appoint agents to assist in administering the Plan.  The Committee and each member thereof shall be entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to it or him by any officer or employee of the Company, the Company’s certified public accountants, consultants or any other agent assisting in the administration of the Plan.  Members of the Committee and any officer or employee of the Company acting at the direction or on behalf of the Committee shall not be personally liable for any action or determination taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan, and shall, to the extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company with respect to any such action or determination.

 

4.              Eligibility and Participation.

 

4.1                Eligibility.  The individuals entitled to participate in the Plan shall be those key employees of the Company or its Affiliates (excluding employees participating for the Plan Year in any other short-term incentive plan of the Company) who are selected by the Committee to receive an Award for the Plan Year.

 

4.2                Participation.  The Committee, in its discretion, shall select the persons who shall be Participants for the Performance Period.  In the case of Awards intended to meet the requirements for qualified performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, such selection shall be made no later than the Section 162(m) Determination Date.  Only eligible individuals who are designated by the Committee to participate in the Plan with respect to a particular Performance Period may participate in the Plan for that Performance Period.  An individual who is designated as a Participant for a given Performance Period is not guaranteed or assured of being selected for participation in any subsequent Performance Period.

 

4.3                New Hires; Newly Eligible Participants.  A newly hired or newly eligible Participant will be eligible to receive a Pro-rated Award.  The amount of any Award paid to such Participant shall not exceed that proportionate amount of the Maximum Award set forth in Section 2.14.

 

4.4                Leaves of Absence.  If a Participant is on a leave of absence for a portion of a Performance Period, the Participant will be eligible to receive a Pro-rated Award reflecting participation for the period during which he or she was actively employed and not any period when he or she was on leave.

 

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5.              Terms of Awards.

 

5.1                Determination of Target Awards.  Prior to, or reasonably promptly following the commencement of each Performance Period, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall establish the Target Award for each Participant, the payment of which shall be conditioned on the achievement of the Performance Targets for the Performance Period.  In the case of Awards intended to meet the requirements for qualified performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, such determination shall be made no later than the Section 162(m) Determination Date.

 

5.2                Determination of Performance Targets and Performance Formula.  Prior to, or reasonably promptly following the commencement of, each Performance Period, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall establish the Performance Targets for the Performance Period and shall prescribe a formula for determining the percentage of the Target Award which may be payable based upon the level of attainment of the Performance Targets for the Performance Period.  The Performance Targets shall be based on one or more Performance Criteria, each of which may carry a different weight, and which may differ from Participant to Participant.  In the case of Awards intended to meet the requirements for qualified performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, all such actions shall be completed by no later than the Section 162(m) Determination Date.

 

5.3                Adjustments.

 

(a)                The Committee is authorized, in its sole discretion, to adjust or modify the calculation of a Performance Target for a Performance Period:

 

(i)                    to reflect a recapitalization, reorganization, stock split or dividend, merger, acquisition, divestiture, consolidation, spin-off, combination, liquidation, dissolution, sale of assets or other similar corporate transaction or event occurring during the relevant Performance Period;

 

(ii)                 to exclude the effect of any “extraordinary items” under the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, including, without limitation, any changes in accounting standards; or

 

(iii)              to reflect all items of gain, loss or expense for a fiscal year that are related to special, unusual or non-recurring items, events or circumstances affecting the Company or the financial statements of the Company.

 

(b)                The Committee may, however, provide at the time the Performance Targets are established that one or more of the foregoing adjustments will not be made as to one or more designated Awards.  In the case of Awards intended to meet the requirements for qualified performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, no adjustment shall be made if the effect would be to cause such Awards to fail to so qualify.

 

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6.              Payment of Awards.

 

6.1                Determination of Awards; Certification.

 

(a)                Following the completion of each Performance Period, the Committee shall determine the extent to which the Performance Targets have been achieved or exceeded.  If the minimum Performance Targets established by the Committee are not achieved, no payment will be made.

 

(b)                To the extent that the Performance Targets are achieved, the Committee shall determine, and in the case of Awards intended to meet the requirements for qualified performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code shall certify in writing, the extent to which the Performance Targets applicable to each Participant have been achieved and shall then determine the amount of each Participant’s Award.

 

(c)                 In determining the amount of each Award, the Committee may reduce or eliminate the amount of an Award by applying negative discretion if, in its sole discretion, such reduction or elimination is appropriate.   In the case of Awards other than Awards intended to meet the requirements for qualified performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee may also exercise its discretion to increase the amount of an Award to the extent that it believes that circumstances so warrant.

 

(d)                In no event shall the amount of an Award for any Plan Year exceed the Maximum Award.

 

6.2                Form and Timing of Payment.  Except as otherwise provided herein, as soon as practicable following the Committee’s certification pursuant to Section 6.1 for the applicable Performance Period, each Participant shall receive a cash lump sum payment of his or her Award, less required withholdings.  In no event shall such payment be made later than two and one-half months following the date the Committee certifies that the Performance Targets have been achieved.

 

6.3                Employment Requirement.  Except as otherwise provided in Section 7, no Award shall be paid to any Participant who is not actively employed by the Company or an Affiliate on the date that Awards are paid.

 

6.4                Deferral of Awards.  The Committee, in its sole discretion, may permit a Participant to defer the payment of an Award that would otherwise be paid under the Plan.  Any deferral election shall be subject to such rules and procedures as shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.

 

7.              Termination of Employment.

 

7.1                Employment Requirement.  Except as otherwise provided in Section 7.2 and subject to a Participant’s employment agreement with the Company or an Affiliate, if a Participant’s

 

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employment terminates for any reason prior to the date that Awards are paid, all of the Participant’s rights to an Award for the Performance Period shall be forfeited.  However, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may pay a Pro-rated Award, subject to the Committee’s certification that the Performance Targets for the Performance Period have been met.  Such Pro-rated Award will be paid at the same time and in the same manner as Awards are paid to other Participants.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Participant’s employment is terminated for Cause, the Participant shall in all cases forfeit any Award not already paid.

 

7.2                Termination of Employment Due to Death or Disability.  Unless a Participant’s employment agreement with the Company or an Affiliate states otherwise, if a Participant’s employment is terminated by reason of his or her death or Disability during a Performance Period or following a Performance Period but before the date that Awards are paid, the Participant or his or her beneficiary will be paid a Pro-rated Award (in the case of termination during a Performance Period) or the Award that would otherwise be payable if the Participant remained employed through the date that Awards are paid (in the case of termination following a Performance Period but before Awards were paid).  In the case of a Participant’s Disability, the employment termination shall be deemed to have occurred on the date that the Committee determines that the Participant is Disabled.  Payment of such Pro-rated Award or Award, as applicable, will be made at the same time and in the same manner as Awards are paid to other Participants.

 

8.              Change in Control.  Unless a Participant’s employment agreement with the Company or an Affiliate states otherwise, if a Change in Control occurs during a Performance Period, each Participant will receive an amount equal to his or her Target Award multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which equals the number of days that have elapsed since the beginning of the Performance Period through and including the date of the Change in Control and the denominator of which equals the number of days in the Performance Period.  The Company shall then have no further obligation in connection with the Participant’s Award for the Plan Year.  Awards paid in connection with a Change in Control will be paid within sixty (60) days following the Change in Control.

 

9.              General Provisions.

 

9.1                Compliance with Legal Requirements.  The Plan and the granting of Awards shall be subject to all applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations, and to such approvals by any regulatory or governmental agency as may be required.

 

9.2                Non-Transferability.  A person’s rights and interests under the Plan, including any Award previously made to such person or any amounts payable under the Plan may not be assigned, pledged, or transferred, except, in the event of the Participant’s death, to a designated beneficiary in accordance with the Plan, or in the absence of such designation, by will or the laws of descent or distribution.

 

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9.3                No Right to Employment.  Nothing in the Plan or in any notice of Award shall confer upon any person the right to continue in the employment of the Company or any Affiliate or affect the right of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate the employment of any Participant.

 

9.4                No Right to Award.  Unless otherwise expressly set forth in an employment agreement signed by the Company and a Participant, a Participant shall not have any right to any Award under the Plan until such Award has been paid to such Participant.  Participation in the Plan in one Performance Period does not connote any right to become a Participant in the Plan in any future Performance Period.  There is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants under the Plan.

 

9.5                Withholding.  The Company shall have the right to withhold from any Award, any federal, state or local income and/or payroll taxes required by law to be withheld and to take such other action as the Committee may deem advisable to enable the Company and Participants to satisfy obligations for the payment of withholding taxes and other tax obligations relating to an Award.

 

9.6                Amendment or Termination of the Plan.  The Board or the Committee may, at any time, amend, suspend or terminate the Plan in whole or in part, provided that no amendment that requires shareholder approval in order for the Plan to continue to comply with Section 162(m) of the Code shall be effective unless approved by the requisite vote of the shareholders of the Company.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no amendment shall adversely affect the rights of any Participant to Awards allocated prior to such amendment.

 

9.7                Unfunded Status.  Nothing contained in the Plan, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and any Participant, beneficiary or legal representative or any other person.  To the extent that a person acquires a right to receive payments under the Plan, such right shall be no greater than the right of an unsecured general creditor of the Company.  All payments to be made hereunder shall be paid from the general funds of the Company and no special or separate fund shall be established and no segregation of assets shall be made to assure payment of such amounts except as expressly set forth in the Plan.  The Plan is not intended to be subject to ERISA.

 

9.8                Governing Law. The Plan shall be construed, administered and enforced in accordance with the laws of Delaware without regard to conflicts of law.

 

9.9                Beneficiaries.  To the extent that the Committee permits beneficiary designations, any payment of Awards due under the Plan to a deceased Participant shall be paid to the beneficiary duly designated by the Participant in accordance with the Company’s practices.  If no such beneficiary has been designated or survives the Participant, payment shall be made by will or the laws of descent or distribution.

 

9.10         Section 162(m) of the Code.  Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, or expressly provided herein, in the case of Awards intended to meet the requirements for qualified

 

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performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code the provisions of this Plan shall be administered and interpreted in accordance with Section 162(m) of the Code to ensure the maximum deductibility by the Company of the payment of such Awards.

 

9.11         Section 409A of the Code.  It is intended that, except for payments which a Participant has elected to defer pursuant to Section 6.4, payments under the Plan qualify as short-term deferrals exempt from the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.  In the event that any Award does not qualify for treatment as an exempt short-term deferral, it is intended that such amount will be paid in a manner that satisfies the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. The Plan shall be interpreted and construed accordingly.

 

9.12         Expenses.  All costs and expenses in connection with the administration of the Plan shall be paid by the Company.

 

9.13         Section Headings.  The headings of the Plan have been inserted for convenience of reference only and in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such headings, shall control.

 

9.14         Severability.  In the event that any provision of the Plan shall be considered illegal or invalid for any reason, such illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining provisions of the Plan, but shall be fully severable, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if such illegal or invalid provision had never been contained therein.

 

9.15         Gender and Number.  Except where otherwise indicated by the context, wherever used, the masculine pronoun includes the feminine pronoun, the plural shall include the singular and the singular shall include the plural.

 

9.16         Non-Exclusive.  Nothing in the Plan shall limit the authority of the Company, the Board or the Committee to adopt such other compensation arrangements, as it may deem desirable for any Participant.

 

9.17         Notice.  The Committee shall determine for each Plan Year the time and manner of notice to Participants regarding Awards.

 

9.18         Successors.  All obligations of the Company under the Plan with respect to Awards granted hereunder shall be binding upon any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company.

 

9.19         Clawback.  Any payments made pursuant to the Plan shall be subject to any recoupment policy adopted by the Company or required by law as in effect from time to time.

 

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