AMERICAN DAIRY, INC.
2009 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
The purpose of the American Dairy, Inc. 2008
Stock Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”) is to
enhance the long-term stockholder value of American Dairy, Inc., a
Utah corporation (the “ Company ”), by
offering opportunities to employees, directors, officers,
consultants, agents, advisors and independent contractors of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (as defined in Section 2)
to participate in the Company’s growth and success, and to
encourage them to remain in the service of the Company and its
Subsidiaries and to acquire and maintain stock ownership in the
Company.
For purposes of the Plan, the following terms
shall be defined as set forth below:
2.1 “
Award ” means an award or grant made pursuant
to the Plan, including, without limitation, awards or grants of
Options, Performance Options, Performance Stock
Awards, and Restricted Stock Awards or any combination
of the foregoing.
2.2 “
Board ” means the Board of Directors of the
Company.
2.3 “
Cause ” means dishonesty, fraud, misconduct,
unauthorized use or disclosure of confidential information or trade
secrets, or conviction or confession of a crime punishable by law
(except minor violations), as provided under applicable law, in
each case as determined by the Plan Administrator, and its
determination shall be conclusive and binding.
2.4 “
Code ” means the United States Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
2.5 “
Common Stock ” means the common stock, par
value $.01 per share, of the Company.
2.6 “
Corporate Transaction ” means any of the
following events:
(a) Consummation
of any merger or consolidation of the Company in which the Company
is not the continuing or surviving corporation, or pursuant to
which shares of the Common Stock are converted into cash,
securities or other property (other than a merger of the Company in
which the holders of Common Stock immediately prior to the merger
have the same proportionate ownership of capital stock of the
surviving corporation immediately after the merger);
(b) Consummation
of any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer in one transaction
or a series of related transactions of all or substantially all of
the Company’s assets other than a transfer of the
Company’s assets to a majority-owned subsidiary corporation
(as the term “subsidiary corporation” is defined in
Section 8.3) of the Company; or
(c) Approval
by the holders of the Common Stock of any plan or proposal for the
liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
2.7 “
Disability ” means “permanent and total
disability” as that term is defined for purposes of Section
22(e)(3) of the Code.
2.8 “
Early Retirement ” means early retirement as
that term is defined by the Plan Administrator from time to time
for purposes of the Plan.
2.9 “
Exchange Act ” means the United States
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
2.10 “
Fair Market Value ” shall be established in
good faith by the Plan Administrator or (a) if the Common Stock is
listed on the Nasdaq Global Market or the Nasdaq Capital Market,
the average of the high and low per share sales prices for the
Common Stock as reported by the Nasdaq Global Market or the Nasdaq
Capital Market (as the case may be) for a single trading day or (b)
if the Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the
NYSE Arca Exchange, or the American Stock Exchange, the average of
the high and low per share sales prices for the Common Stock as
such price is officially quoted in the composite tape of
transactions on such exchange for a single trading day. If there is
no such reported price for the Common Stock for the date in
question, then such price on the last preceding date for which such
price exists shall be determinative of the Fair Market
Value. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the
contrary, to the extent applicable, the determination of the Fair
Market Value of a share of Common Stock shall be determined in a
manner which complies with Section 409A of the Code and the
applicable Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
2.11 “
Grant Date ” means the date the Plan
Administrator adopted the granting resolution and all conditions
precedent to the grant have been satisfied; provided that
conditions to the exercisability or vesting of Awards shall not
defer the Grant Date. If, however, the Plan Administrator
designates in a resolution a later date as the date an Award is to
be granted, then such later date shall be the “ Grant
Date .”
2.12 “
Incentive Stock Option ” means an Option to
purchase Common Stock granted under Section 7 with the intention
that it qualify as an “incentive stock option” as that
term is defined in Section 422 of the Code.
2.13 “
Nonqualified Stock Option ” means an Option to
purchase Common Stock granted under Section 7 other than an
Incentive Stock Option.
2.14 “
Option ” means the right to purchase Common
Stock granted under Section 7.
2.15 “
Participant ” means (a) the person to whom an
Award is granted; (b) for a Participant who has died, the personal
representative of the Participant’s estate, the person(s) to
whom the Participant’s rights under the Award have passed by
will or by the applicable laws of descent and distribution, or the
beneficiary designated in accordance with Section 10; or (c)
person(s) to whom an Award has been transferred in accordance with
Section 10.
2.16 “
Performance Option ” means an Option subject to
performance requirements granted under Section 7.
2.17 “
Performance Stock Award ” means shares of
Common Stock or units denominated in Common Stock granted under
Section 9, the rights of ownership of which may be subject to
restrictions and/or performance requirements prescribed by the Plan
Administrator.
2.18 “
Plan Administrator ” means the Compensation
Committee of the Board or any successor committee of the Board
designated to administer the Plan under Section 3.1.
2.19 “
PRC ” means the People’s Republic of
China.
2.20 “
Restricted Stock Award ” means shares of Common
Stock or units denominated in Common Stock granted under Section 9,
the rights of ownership of which may be subject to restrictions
prescribed by the Plan Administrator.
2.21 “
Retirement ” means retirement on or after the
individual’s normal retirement date under PRC law or the law
of such individual’s other jurisdiction of employment unless
otherwise defined by the Plan Administrator from time to time for
purposes of the Plan.
2.22 “
Securities Act ” means the United States
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
2.23 “
Subsidiary ”, except as provided in Section 8.3
in connection with Incentive Stock Options, means any entity that
is directly or indirectly controlled by the Company or in which the
Company has a significant ownership interest, as determined by the
Plan Administrator, and any entity that may become a direct or
indirect subsidiary of the Company.
3.1
Plan Administrator. The Plan shall be
administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board or a
successor committee or committees (which term includes
subcommittees) appointed by, and consisting of two or more members
of, the Board. If and so long as the Common Stock is registered
under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, the Board shall
consider in selecting the Plan Administrator and the membership of
any committee acting as Plan Administrator, with respect to any
persons subject or likely to become subject to Section 16 of the
Exchange Act, the provisions regarding (a) “outside
directors” as contemplated by Section 162(m) of the Code and
(b) “non employee directors” as contemplated by Rule
16b-3 under the Exchange Act. The Plan Administrator may delegate
the responsibility for administering the Plan with respect to
designated classes of eligible persons to different committees
consisting of one or more members of the Board, subject to such
limitations as the Board deems appropriate. Committee members shall
serve for such term as the Board may determine, subject to removal
by the Board at any time. To the extent consistent with applicable
law, the Plan Administrator may authorize one or more officers of
the Company to grant Awards to designated classes of eligible
persons, within the limits specifically prescribed by the Plan
Administrator.
3.2
Administration and Interpretation by the Plan
Administrator. Except for the terms and conditions
explicitly set forth in the Plan, the Plan Administrator shall have
exclusive authority, in its discretion, to determine all matters
relating to Awards under the Plan, including the selection of
individuals to be granted Awards, the type of Awards, the number of
shares of Common Stock subject to an Award, all terms, conditions,
restrictions and limitations, if any, of an Award and the terms of
any instrument that evidences the Award. The Plan Administrator
shall also have exclusive authority to interpret the Plan and may
from time to time adopt, and change, rules and regulations of
general application for the Plan’s administration. The Plan
Administrator’s interpretation of the Plan and its rules and
regulations, and all actions taken and determinations made by the
Plan Administrator pursuant to the Plan, shall be conclusive and
binding on all parties involved or affected. The Plan Administrator
may delegate administrative duties to such of the Company’s
officers as it so determines.
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4.
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Stock
Subject to the Plan .
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4.1
Authorized Number of Shares. Subject to
adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11.1, the
number of shares of Common Stock that shall be available for
issuance under the Plan shall be: (a) 2,000,000 shares plus (b) any
authorized shares of Common Stock that, as of May 7, 2009, were
available for issuance under the American Dairy, Inc. 2003
Incentive Stock Plan (the “ Prior Plan
”) (or that thereafter become available for
issuance under the Prior Plan in accordance with its
terms). The maximum aggregate number of shares
of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan
pursuant to the exercise or vesting of Awards shall be the number
determined pursuant to the preceding sentence, as adjusted from
time to time pursuant to Section 11.1. Shares issued
under the Plan shall be drawn from authorized and unissued shares
or shares now held or subsequently acquired by the Company as
treasury shares.
4.2
Limitations. Subject to adjustment from time to
time as provided in Section 11.1, the number of shares of Common
Stock that may be made subject to Awards under the Plan to any
individual shall be limited in accordance with the requirements
under Section 162(m) of the Code.
4.3
Reuse of Shares. Any shares of Common Stock that
have been made subject to an Award that cease to be subject to the
Award (other than by reason of exercise or payment of the Award to
the extent it is exercised for or settled in shares), and/or shares
of Common Stock subject to repurchase or forfeiture which are
subsequently reacquired by the Company, shall again be available
for issuance in connection with future grants of Awards under the
Plan; provided, however , that for purposes of Section 4.2,
any such shares shall be counted in accordance with the
requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code.
Awards may be granted under the Plan to those
officers, directors and employees of the Company and its
Subsidiaries as the Plan Administrator from time to time selects.
Awards may also be granted to consultants, agents, advisors and
independent contractors who provide services to the Company and its
Subsidiaries.
6.1
Form and Grant of Awards. The Plan Administrator
shall have the authority, in its sole discretion, to determine the
type or types of Awards to be made under the Plan. Such Awards may
include, but are not limited to, Incentive Stock Options,
Nonqualified Stock Options, Performance Options, Performance Stock
Awards and Restricted Stock Awards. Awards may be granted singly or
in combination.
6.2
Settlement of Awards. The Company may settle
Awards through the delivery of shares of Common Stock, cash
payments, the granting of replacement Awards or any combination
thereof as the Plan Administrator shall determine. Any Award
settlement, including payment deferrals, may be subject to such
conditions, restrictions and contingencies as the Plan
Administrator shall determine. The Plan Administrator may permit or
require the deferral of any Award payment, subject to such rules
and procedures as it may establish, which may include provisions
for the payment or crediting of interest, or dividend equivalents,
including converting such credits into deferred stock
equivalents.
6.3
Acquired Company Option Awards. Notwithstanding
anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Plan Administrator may
grant Awards under the Plan in substitution for awards issued under
other plans, or assume under the Plan awards issued under other
plans, if the other plans are or were plans of other acquired
entities (“ Acquired Entities ”) (or the
parent of an Acquired Entity) and the new Award is substituted, or
the old award is assumed, by reason of a merger, consolidation,
acquisition of property or of stock, reorganization or liquidation
(the “ Acquisition Transaction ”). In the
event that a written agreement pursuant to which the Acquisition
Transaction is completed is approved by the Board and said
agreement sets forth the terms and conditions of the substitution
for or assumption of outstanding awards of the Acquired Entity,
said terms and conditions shall be deemed to be the action of the
Plan Administrator without any further action by the Plan
Administrator, except as may be required for compliance with Rule
16b-3 under the Exchange Act, and the persons holding such awards
shall be deemed to be Participants.
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7.
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Terms and
Conditions of Options .
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7.1
Grant of Options. The Plan Administrator is
authorized under the Plan, in its sole discretion, to issue Options
or Performance Options as Incentive Stock Options or as
Nonqualified Stock Options, which shall be appropriately
designated.
7.2
Option Exercise Price. The exercise price for
shares purchased under an Option shall be as determined by the Plan
Administrator, but shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market
Value of the Common Stock on the Grant Date with respect to
Incentive Stock Options.
7.3
Term of Options. The term of each Option shall
be as established by the Plan Administrator or, if not so
established, shall be 10 years from the Grant Date.
7.4
Exercise and Vesting of Options. The Plan
Administrator shall establish and set forth in each instrument that
evidences an Option the time at which, or the installments in
which, the Option shall vest and become exercisable, which
provisions may be waived or modified by the Plan Administrator at
any time. To the extent that an Option has become exercisable, the
Option may be exercised from time to time by written notice to the
Company, in accordance with procedures established by the Plan
Administrator, setting forth the number of shares with respect to
which the Option is being exercised and accompanied by payment in
full as described in Section 7.6. The Plan Administrator may
determine at any time that an Option may not be exercised as to
less than any number of shares at any one time for vested shares
and any number in its discretion for unvested shares (or the lesser
number of remaining shares covered by the Option).
7.5
Performance Options . The Plan Administrator is
authorized to subject an Option to performance requirements (which
may be based on continuous service with the Company or the
achievement of performance goals related to profits or loss,
revenue or profit growth or loss reduction, profit or loss related
return ratios, other balance sheet or income statement targets or
ratios, market share, project completion, operational or
productivity efficiency gains, cash flow, share price appreciation
or total stockholder return, where such goals may be stated in
absolute terms or relative to comparison companies), as the Plan
Administrator shall determine, in its sole discretion, must be
satisfied as a condition of the Option becoming vested and
exercisable. Such performance requirements shall be set
forth in the instrument evidencing the Award.
7.6
Payment of Exercise Price. Except in the case
that a cashless exercise or same-day-sale is approved and
implemented by the Plan Administrator, the exercise price for
shares purchased under an Option shall be paid in full to the
Company by delivery of consideration equal to the product of the
Option exercise price and the number of shares purchased. Such
consideration must be paid in cash or by check or, unless the Plan
Administrator in its sole discretion determines otherwise, either
at the time the Option is granted or at any time before it is
exercised, a combination of cash and/or check (if any) and one or
both of the following alternative forms: (a) tendering (either
actually or, if and so long as the Common Stock is registered under
Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, by attestation) Common
Stock already owned by the Participant for at least six months (or
any shorter period necessary to avoid a charge to the
Company’s earnings for financial reporting purposes) having a
Fair Market Value on the day prior to the exercise date equal to
the aggregate Option exercise price or (b) if and so long as the
Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the
Exchange Act, delivery of a properly executed exercise notice,
together with irrevocable instructions, to (i) a brokerage firm
designated by the Company to deliver promptly to the Company the
aggregate amount of sale or loan proceeds to pay the Option
exercise price and any withholding tax obligations that may arise
in connection with the exercise and (ii) the Company to deliver the
certificates for such purchased shares directly to such brokerage
firm, all in accordance with the regulations of the United States
Federal Reserve Board. In addition, the exercise price for shares
purchased under an Option may be paid, either singly or in
combination with one or more of the alternative forms of payment
authorized by this Section 7.6, or by such other consideration as
the Plan Administrator may permit.
7.7
Post-Termination Exercises. The Plan
Administrator shall establish and set forth in each instrument that
evidences an Option whether the Option will continue to be
exercisable, and the terms and conditions of such exercise, if a
Participant ceases to be employed by, or to provide services to,
the Company or its Subsidiaries, which provisions may be waived or
modified by the Plan Administrator at any time. If not so
established in the instrument evidencing the Option, the Option
will be exercisable according to the following terms and
conditions, which may be waived or modified by the Plan
Administrator at any time.
In case of termination of the
Participant’s employment or services other than by reason of
death or Cause, the Option shall be exercisable, to the extent of
the number of shares vested at the date of such termination, only
(a) within one year if the termination of the Participant’s
employment or services is coincident with Retirement, Early
Retirement at the Company’s request or Disability or (b)
within three months after the date the Participant ceases to be an
employee, director, officer, consultant, agent, advisor or
independent contractor of the Company or a Subsidiary if
termination of the Participant’s employment or services is
for any reason other than Retirement, Early Retirement at the
Company’s request or Disability, but in no event later than
the remaining term of the Option. Any Option exercisable at the
time of the Participant’s death may be exercised, to the
extent of the number of shares vested at the date of the
Participant’s death, by the personal representative of the
Participant’s estate, the person(s) to whom the
Participant’s rights under the Option have passed by will or
the applicable laws of descent and distribution or the beneficiary
designated pursuant to Section 10 at any time or from time to time
within one year after the date of death, but in no event later than
the remaining term of the Option. Any portion of an Option that is
not vested on the date of termination of the Participant’s
employment or services shall terminate on such date, unless the
Plan Administrator determines otherwise. In case of termination of
the Participant’s employment or services for Cause, the
Option shall automatically terminate upon first notification to the
Participant of such termination, unless the Plan Administrator
determines otherwise. If a Participant’s employment or
services with the Company are suspended pending an investigation of
whether the Participant shall be terminated for Cause, all the
Participant’s rights under any Option likewise shall be
suspended during the period of investigation.
With respect to employees, unless the Plan
Administrator at any time determines otherwise, “termination
of the Participant’s employment or services” for
purposes of the Plan (including without limitation this Section 7)
shall mean any reduction in the Participant’s regular hours
of employment to less than thirty (30) hours per week. A transfer
of employment or services between or among the Company and its
Subsidiaries shall not be considered a termination of employment or
services. The effect of a Company approved leave of absence on the
terms and conditions of an Option shall be determined by the Plan
Administrator, in its sole discretion.
7.8
Prohibition on Option Repricing. An option
issued under the Plan may not, without prior approval of the
Company’s stockholders at a duly-constituted meeting, be
repriced by lowering the option exercise price or by cancellation
of an outstanding option with a subsequent replacement or re-grant
of an option with a lower exercise price.
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8.
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Incentive
Stock Option Limitations .
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To the extent required by Section 422 of the
Code, Incentive Stock Options shall be subject to the following
additional terms and conditions:
8.1
Dollar Limitation. To the extent the aggregate
Fair Market Value (determined as of the Grant Date) of Common Stock
with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for
the first time during any calendar year (under the Plan and all
other stock option plans of the Company) exceeds $100,000, such
portion in excess of $100,000 shall be subject to delayed
exercisability or treated as a Nonqualified Stock Option as set
forth by the Plan Administrator in the agreement(s) evidencing the
Option. In the event the Participant holds two or more such Options
that become exercisable for the first time in the same calendar
year, such limitation shall be applied on the basis of the order in
which such Options are granted.
8.2
10% Stockholders. If an individual owns more
than 10% of the total voting power of all classes of the
Company’s stock, then the exercise price per share of an
Incentive Stock Option shall not be less than 110% of the Fair
Market Value of the Common Stock on the Grant Date and the Option
term shall not exceed five years. The determination of 10%
ownership shall be made in accordance with Section 422 of the
Code.
8.3
Eligible Employees. Individuals who are not
employees of the Company or one of its parent corporations or
subsidiary corporations may not be granted Incentive Stock Options.
For purposes of this Section 8.3, “parent corporation”
and “subsidiary corporation” shall have the meanings
attributed to those terms for purposes of Section 422 of the
Code.
8.4
Term. The term of an Incentive Stock Option
shall not exceed 10 years.
8.5
Exercisability. To qualify for Incentive Stock
Option tax treatment, an Option designated as an Incentive Stock
Option must be exercised within three months after termination of
employment for reasons other than death, except that, in the case
of termination of employment due to Disability, such Option must be
exercised within one year after such termination. Disability shall
be deemed to have occurred on the first day after the Company has
furnished its opinion of Disability to the Plan Administrator.
Employment shall not be deemed to continue beyond the first 90 days
of a leave of absence unless the Participant’s reemployment
rights are guaranteed by statute or contract.
8.6
Taxation of Incentive Stock Options. In order to
obtain certain tax benefits afforded to Incentive Stock Options
under Section 422 of the Code, the Participant must hold the shares
issued upon the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option for two years
after the Grant Date of the Incentive Stock Option and one year
from the date of exercise. A Participant may be subject to the
alternative minimum tax at the time of exercise of an Incentive
Stock Option. The Plan Administrator may require a Participant to
give the Company prompt notice of any disposition of shares
acquired by the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option prior to the
expiration of such holding periods.
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9.
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Restricted Stock Awards and Performance Stock
Awards .
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9.1
Grant of Restricted Stock Awards. The Plan
Administrator is authorized to make Awards of Common Stock or
Awards denominated in units of Common Stock on such terms and
conditions and subject to such restrictions and/or requirements, as
the Plan Administrator shall determine, in its sole discretion,
which terms, conditions and restrictions shall be set forth in the
instrument evidencing the Award. The terms, conditions and
restrictions that the Plan Administrator shall have the power to
determine shall include, without limitation, the manner in which
shares subject to Restricted Stock Awards are held during the
periods they are subject to restrictions and the circumstances
under which forfeiture of the Restricted Stock Award shall occur by
reason of termination of the Participant’s employment or
service relationship.
9.2
Performance Stock Awards . The Plan Administrator
in its sole discretion is authorized to subject Restricted Stock
Awards to performance restrictions and/or requirements which may be
based on continuous service with the Company or the achievement of
performance goals related to profits or loss, revenue or profit
growth or loss reduction, profit or loss related return ratios,
other balance sheet or income statement targets or ratios, market
share, project completion, operational or productivity efficiency
gains, cash flow, share price appreciation or total stockholder
return, where such goals may be stated in absolute terms or
relative to comparison companies. To the extent an Award subject to
performance goals is intended to be exempt under Section
162(m) of the Code, unless otherwise permitted in compliance with
Section 162(m) of the Code, the Plan Administrator shall establish
the performance goals (and any applicable performance award
formula) applicable to the Award no later than the earlier of (a)
the date ninety (90) days after the commencement of the applicable
performance period or (b) the date on which twenty five percent
(25%) of the performance period has elapsed, and, in any event, at
a time when the outcome of the performance goals remains
substantially uncertain.
9.3
Issuance of Shares. Upon the satisfaction of any
terms, conditions and restrictions prescribed in respect to a
Restricted Stock Award, or upon the Participant’s release
from any terms, conditions and restrictions of a Restricted Stock
Award, as determined by the Plan Administrator, the Company shall
release, as soon as practicable, to the Participant or, in the case
of the Participant’s death, to the personal representative of
the Participant’s estate or as the appropriate court directs,
the appropriate number of shares of Common Stock.
9.4
Waiver of Restrictions. Notwithstanding any
other provisions of the Plan, the Plan Administrator may, in its
sole discretion, waive the forfeiture period and any other terms,
conditions or restrictions on any Restricted Stock Award under such
circumstances and subject to such terms and conditions as the Plan
Administrator shall deem appropriate; provided, however ,
that the Plan Administrator may not adjust performance goals for
any Restricted Stock Award intended to be exempt under Section
162(m) of the Code for the year in which the Restricted Stock Award
is settled in such a manner as would increase the amount otherwise
payable to a Participant.
No Awards granted under the Plan or any interest
therein may be assigned, pledged or transferred by the Participant
other than by will or by the applicable laws of descent and
distribution, and, during the Participant’s lifetime, such
Award may be exercised only by the Participant or a permitted
assignee or transferee of the Participant (as provided below).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and to the extent permitted by
Section 422 of the Code, the Plan Administrator, in its sole
discretion, may permit such assignment, transfer and exercisability
and may permit a Participant to designate a beneficiary who may
exercise the Award or receive payment under the Award after the
Participant’s death; provided, however , that any
Award so assigned or transferred shall be subject to all the same
terms and conditions contained in the instrument evidencing the
Award.
11.1
Adjustment of Shares. In the event that, at any
time or from time to time, a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off,
combination or exchange of shares, recapitalization, merger,
consolidation, distribution to stockholders other than a normal
cash dividend, or other change in the Company’s corporate or
capital structure results in (a) the outstanding shares, or any
securities exchanged therefor or received in their place, being
exchanged for a different number or class of securities of the
Company or of any other corporation or (b) new, different or
additional securities of the Company or of any other corporation
being received by the holders of shares of Common Stock of the
Company, then the Plan Administrator shall make proportional
adjustments in (i) the maximum number and kind of securities
subject to the Plan as set forth in Sections 4.1; (ii)
the maximum number and kind of securities that may be made subject
to Awards to any individual as set forth in Section 4.2; and (iii)
the number and kind of securities that are subject to any
outstanding Award and the per share price of such securities,
without any change in the aggregate price to be paid therefor. The
determination by the Plan Administrator as to the terms of any of
the foregoing adjustments shall be conclusive and
binding.
11.2
Corporate Transaction.
(a)
Options. Except as otherwise provided in
the instrument that evidences the Option, in the event of a
Corporate Transaction, the Plan Administrator shall determine
whether provision will be made in connection with the Corporate
Transaction for an appropriate assumption of the Options
theretofore granted under the Plan (which assumption may be
effected by means of a payment to each Participant (by the Company
or any other person or entity involved in the Corporate
Transaction), in exchange for the cancellation of the Options held
by such Participant, of the difference between the then Fair Market
Value of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock then
subject to such Options and the aggregate exercise price that would
have to be paid to acquire such shares) or for substitution of
appropriate new options covering stock of a successor corporation
to the Company or stock of an affiliate of such successor
corporation. If the Plan Administrator determines that such an
assumption or substitution will be made, the Plan Administrator
shall give notice of such determination to the Participants, and
the provisions of such assumption or substitution, and any
adjustments made (i) to the number and kind of shares subject to
the outstanding Options (or to the options in substitution
therefor), (ii) to the exercise prices, and/or (iii) to the terms
and conditions of the stock options, shall be binding on the
Participants. Any such determination shall be made in the sole
discretion of the Plan Administrator and shall be final, conclusive
and binding on all Participants. If the Plan Administrator, in its
sole discretion, determines that no such assumption or substitution
will be made, the Plan Administrator shall give notice of such
determination to the Participants, and each Option that is at the
time outstanding shall automatically accelerate so that each such
Option shall, immediately prior to the specified effective date for
the Corporate Transaction, become 100% vested and exercisable. All
such Options shall terminate and cease to remain outstanding
immediately following the consummation of the Corporate
Transaction, except to the extent assumed by the successor
corporation or an affiliate thereof.
(b)
Performance Stock Awards or Restricted Stock Awards.
Except as otherwise provided in the instrument that
evidences the Award, in the event of a Corporate Transaction, the
vesting of shares subject to Performance Stock Awards or Restricted
Stock Awards shall accelerate, and the forfeiture provisions to
which such shares are subject shall lapse, if and to the same
extent that the vesting of outstanding Options accelerates in
connection with the Corporate Transaction. If unvested Options are
to be assumed, continued or substituted by a successor corporation
without acceleration upon the occurrence of a Corporate
Transaction, the forfeiture provisions to which such Performance
Stock Awards or Restricted Stock Awards are subject will continue
with respect to shares of the successor corporation that may be
issued in exchange for such shares subject to Performance Stock
Awards or Restricted Stock Awards.
11.3
Further Adjustment of Awards. Subject to Section
11.2, the Plan Administrator shall have the discretion, exercisable
at any time before a sale, merger, consolidation, reorganization,
liquidation or change in control of the Company, as defined by the
Plan Administrator, to take such further action as it determines to
be necessary or advisable, and fair and equitable to Participants,
with respect to Awards. Such authorized action may include (but
shall not be limited to) establishing, amending or waiving the
type, terms, conditions or duration of, o
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