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Constellation Energy Group, Inc. 2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan

Equity Incentive Plan Agreement

Constellation Energy Group, Inc. 2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan | Document Parties: BALTIMORE GAS & ELECTRIC CO | Constellation Energy Group, Inc You are currently viewing:
This Equity Incentive Plan Agreement involves

BALTIMORE GAS & ELECTRIC CO | Constellation Energy Group, Inc

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Title: Constellation Energy Group, Inc. 2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan
Governing Law: Maryland     Date: 5/8/2009

Constellation Energy Group, Inc. 2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan, Parties: baltimore gas & electric co , constellation energy group  inc
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Exhibit No. 10 (a)

 

This document constitutes part of a prospectus covering securities

that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933.

 

Constellation Energy Group, Inc.

2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan

(Plan)

Amended and Restated Effective February 26, 2009

 

1.                                        Purpose .  The purpose of this Plan is to increase shareholder value by providing a long-term incentive to reward officers and key employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries, who are mainly responsible for the continued growth, development, and financial success of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and for the continued profitable performance of the Company and its Subsidiaries.  The Plan is also designed to permit the Company and its Subsidiaries to attract and retain talented and motivated directors, officers, consultants and employees and to increase their ownership of Company common stock.  The Plan also provides the ability to award long-term incentives that qualify for federal income tax deduction.  Upon the adoption of this Plan, no new Awards shall be granted under any prior long-term incentive plan.

 

2.                                        Definitions .  All singular terms defined in this Plan will include the plural and  vice versa .  As used herein, the following terms will have the meaning specified below:

 

“Award” means individually or collectively, Cash-Based Award, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Options, Performance Units, Stock Appreciation Rights, Dividend Equivalents, or Other Equity granted under this Plan.

 

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

 

“Cash-Based Award” means an Award granted to a Participant as described in Section 12A.

 

“Change in Control” means the occurrence of any one of the following events:

 

(i)            individuals who, on the effective date of the adoption of the Plan, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board, provided that any person becoming a director subsequent to such adoption date, whose election or nomination for election was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Incumbent Directors then on the Board (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which such person is named as a nominee for director, without written objection to such nomination) shall be an Incumbent Director; provided , however , that no individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to directors or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies by or on behalf of any person other than the Board shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Director;

 



 

(ii)           any “person” (as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the 1934 Act and as used in Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the 1934 Act) is or becomes a “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 20% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities eligible to vote for the election of the Board (the “Company Voting Securities”); provided , however , that the event described in this paragraph (ii) shall not be deemed to be a Change in Control by virtue of any of the following acquisitions:  (A) by the Company or any corporation with respect to which the Company owns a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock or has the power to vote or direct the voting of sufficient securities to elect a majority of the directors (a “Subsidiary Company”), (B) by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Subsidiary Company, (C) by any underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities, (D) pursuant to a Non-Qualifying Transaction (as defined in paragraph (iii)), or (E) pursuant to any acquisition by a Participant or any group of persons including a Participant (or any entity controlled by a Participant or any group of persons including a Participant);

 

(iii)          consummation of a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company (a “Business Combination”), unless immediately following such Business Combination:  (A) more than 60% of the total voting power of (x) the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (the “Surviving Corporation”), or (y) if applicable, the ultimate parent corporation that directly or indirectly has beneficial ownership of at least 95% of the voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Surviving Corporation (the “Parent Corporation”), is represented by Company Voting Securities that were outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination (or, if applicable, is represented by shares into which such Company Voting Securities were converted pursuant to such Business Combination), and such voting power among the holders thereof is in substantially the same proportion as the voting power of such Company Voting Securities among the holders thereof immediately prior to the Business Combination, (B) no person (other than any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Surviving Corporation or the Parent Corporation), is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 20% or more of the total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) following the consummation of the Business Combination were Incumbent Directors at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such Business Combination (any Business Combination which satisfies all of the criteria specified in (A), (B), and (C) above shall be deemed to be a “Non-Qualifying Transaction”); or

 

(iv)          the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company, or the consummation of a sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control of the Company shall not be deemed to occur solely because any person acquires beneficial ownership of more than 20% of the Company Voting Securities as a result of the acquisition of Company Voting Securities by the Company which reduces the number of Company Voting Securities outstanding; provided , that if after such acquisition by the Company such person becomes the beneficial owner of additional Company Voting Securities that increases the percentage of outstanding Company Voting Securities beneficially owned by such person, a Change in Control of the Company shall then occur.

 

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.  Reference in the Plan to any section of the Code will be deemed to include any amendments or successor provisions to such section and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

“Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or such other committee as the Board shall appoint from time to time to administer the Plan and to otherwise exercise and perform the authority and functions assigned to the Committee under the terms of the Plan, at least two members of which qualify as non-employee directors (within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under Section 16 of the 1934 Act), and as “outside directors” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(e)(3) and as “independent” within the meaning of any rules or regulations promulgated by an applicable stock exchange or similar regulatory authority.

 

“Company” means Constellation Energy Group, Inc., a Maryland corporation, or its successor, including any “New Company” as provided in Section 16J.

 

“Covered Employee” means a Participant, who at the time of reference, is a “covered employee”, as described in Code Section 162(m).

 

“Date of Grant” means the date on which the granting of an Award is authorized by the Plan Administrator or such later date as may be specified by the Plan Administrator in such authorization.

 

“Disability” means the determination that a Participant is “disabled” under the Company disability plan in effect at that time or, if applicable to such Participant, a Subsidiary disability plan in effect at that time.

 

“Dividend Equivalent” means an Award granted under Section 11.

 

“Eligible Person” means any person who satisfies all of the requirements of Section 5.

 

“Exercise Period” means the period or periods during which a Stock Appreciation Right is exercisable.

 

“Fair Market Value” means the value of the Stock determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Plan Administrator; provided, that to the extent required to avoid the imposition of a

 

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tax under Section 409A of the Code in respect of an Award, such method shall conform to the requirements of Section 409A.

 

“Incentive Stock Option” means an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

 

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

 

“Option” or “Stock Option” means either a nonqualified stock option or an Incentive Stock Option.

 

“Option Period” or “Option Periods” means the period or periods during which an Option is exercisable.

 

“Other Equity” means an Award granted under Section 12B.

 

“Participant” means an individual who has been granted an Award under this Plan.

 

“Pension Plan” means the Pension Plan of Constellation Energy Group, Inc. as may be amended from time to time, or other qualified retirement plan of Constellation Energy Group, Inc. or a Subsidiary designated by the Committee from time to time.

 

“Performance-Based Compensation” means compensation under an award that satisfies the requirements of Section 162(m) of the code for deductibility of remuneration paid to Covered Employees.

 

“Performance Measures” means measures as described in Section 13 on which the performance goals are based and which are approved by the Company’s shareholders pursuant to the Plan in order to qualify Awards as Performance-Based Compensation.

 

“Performance Period” means the taxable year of the Company or any other period designated by the Plan Administrator with respect to which an Award may be granted.

 

“Performance Target(s)” means the specific objective goal or goals that are timely set in writing by the Committee pursuant to Section 13B for each Participant for the applicable Performance Period in respect of any one or more of the Performance Measures.

 

“Performance Unit” means a unit of measurement equivalent to such amount or measure as defined by the Plan Administrator which may include, but is not limited to, dollars or market value shares.

 

“Plan Administrator” means, as set forth in Section 4, the Committee or its designee.

 

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“Restricted Stock” means Stock issued in the name of a Participant that bears a restrictive legend prohibiting sale, transfer, pledge or hypothecation of the Stock until the expiration of the restriction period as described in Section 7.

 

“Restricted Stock Unit” means a right granted that is denominated in shares of stock, each of which represents a right to receive the value of a share of stock (or a percentage of such value, which percentage may be higher than 100%) upon the terms and conditions set forth by the Plan Administrator.

 

“Retirement” means retirement on or after the earlier of: (i) eligibility to receive an early retirement benefit under a Pension Plan, (ii) eligibility to receive retirement benefits under a Company supplemental retirement plan; or (iii) such time as is specified in an applicable employment arrangement.

 

“Stock” means the common stock, without par value, of the Company.

 

“Stock Appreciation Right” means an Award granted under Section 10.

 

“Subsidiary” means any entity that is directly or indirectly controlled by the Company or any entity, including an acquired entity, in which the Company has a significant equity interest, as determined by the Plan Administrator, in its discretion.

 

“Termination” means resignation or discharge from employment (or cessation of board membership in the case of a director or cessation of the performance of services in the case of a consultant) with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries except in the event of death, Disability, or Retirement.

 

“Year” means a fiscal year of the Company commencing on or after May 18, 2007 that constitutes all or part of the applicable Performance Period.

 

3.                                       Effective Date, Duration and Stockholder Approval .

 

A.                                    Effective Date and Stockholder Approval.   Subject to the approval of the Plan by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with Maryland law at the Company’s 2007 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the Plan will be effective as of May 18, 2007.  The Plan was amended and restated effective February 21, 2008 and February 26, 2009.

 

B.                                      Period for Grants of Awards.   Awards may be made as provided herein for a period of 10 years after May 18, 2007.

 

C.                                      Termination.   The Plan will continue in effect until all matters relating to the payment of outstanding Awards and administration of the Plan have been settled.

 

4.                                       Plan Administration .  The Committee is the Plan Administrator and has sole authority (except as specified otherwise herein) to determine all questions of interpretation and application of the Plan, or of the terms and conditions pursuant to which Awards are granted, exercised or forfeited under the Plan provisions,

 

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and, in general, to make all determinations advisable for the administration of the Plan to achieve its stated purpose.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, on or after the date of grant of an Award the Plan Administrator may modify, amend, extend, renew or accelerate the vesting or settlement of outstanding Awards, or accept the surrender of outstanding Awards and substitute new Awards or otherwise amend an outstanding Award in whole or in part from time-to-time in such manner as the Committee determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, to be necessary or appropriate, which amendments may be made retroactively or prospectively, provided, however, that, (i) no modification, amendment or substitution that results in repricing a Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right that is settled in shares to a lower exercise price, other than to reflect an adjustment made pursuant to Section 14, shall be made without prior stockholder approval; (ii) except as provided in Section 14 of the Plan, any modification that would materially adversely affect any outstanding Award shall not be made without the consent of the Participant and, (iii) the Committee shall not have any such authority to the extent that the grant or exercise of such authority would cause any tax to become due under Section 409A of the Code).  In addition, the Committee will have the authority to determine whether an authorized leave of absence, absence in the military or government service, or other break in the continuous service of an employee or consultant constitutes a termination of employment (or provision of services, in the case of a consultant).  The employment of an employee (or provision of services in respect of a consultant) with the Company shall be deemed to have terminated for all purposes of the Plan if such person is employed by or provides services to an entity that is a Subsidiary of the Company and such entity ceases to be a Subsidiary of the Company, unless the Committee determines otherwise.

 

The Plan Administrator’s determinations under the Plan (including without limitation, determinations of the persons to receive Awards, the form, amount and timing of such Awards, the terms and provisions of such Awards and any agreements evidencing such Awards) need not be uniform and may be made by the Plan Administrator selectively among persons who receive, or are eligible to receive, Awards under the Plan, whether or not such persons are similarly situated.  Such determinations shall be final and not subject to further appeal.

 

The Committee may delegate its authority under the Plan to one or more subcommittees, which may be comprised of one or more directors, officers or employees of the Company to the extent permitted by applicable law, with respect to Participants who are not directors or executive officers of the Company.

 

5.                                       Eligibility .  Each officer, employee, consultant or director of the Company and its Subsidiaries may be designated by the Plan Administrator as a Participant, from time to time, with respect to one or more Awards.  No officer, employee, consultant or director of the Company or its Subsidiaries shall have any right to be granted an Award under this Plan.  The Plan Administrator may also grant Awards to individuals in connection with hiring (as an officer, employee, consultant or director), retention or otherwise[, prior to the date the individual first performs services for the Company or a Subsidiary; provided, however, that such Awards shall not become vested or exercisable prior to the date the individual first commences performance of such services

 

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6.                                       Grant of Awards and Limitation of Number of Shares Awarded The Plan Administrator may, from time to time, grant Awards to one or more Eligible Persons, provided that subject to any adjustment pursuant to Section 14, the aggregate number of shares of Stock subject to Awards that may be delivered under this Plan may not exceed 9,000,000 shares.   Shares delivered by the Company under the Plan may be authorized and unissued Stock or Stock purchased on the open market (including private purchases) in accordance with applicable securities laws.

 

Any shares of Stock covered by an Award (or portion of an Award) granted under the Plan that are forfeited or canceled, expire or are not issued due to the cash-settlement of such Award, shall be deemed not to have been delivered for purposes of determining the maximum number of shares available for delivery under the Plan Any shares of Stock covered by an Award (or portion of an Award) granted under a prior long-term incentive plan that are forfeited or canceled, expire or are not issued due to the cash-settlement of such prior long-term incentive plan Award shall be available for delivery under this Plan.

 

The maximum number of shares of Stock that may be issued in conjunction with  Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit Awards under Section 7 of the Plan,  Performance Unit Awards under Section 9 of the Plan and other Equity Awards under Section 12 of the Plan shall in the aggregate be 4,500,000.  The maximum number of shares of Stock subject to Awards of any combination that may be granted during any calendar year under the Plan to any one person is 2,000,000 and the maximum amount of cash that may be granted pursuant to an Award during any calendar year under the Plan to any one person is $20,000,000; provided, however, that to the extent the maximum permissible award is not made in a year, such amount may be carried over to subsequent years.  Such per-individual limit shall not be adjusted to effect a restoration of shares of Stock with respect to which the related Award is terminated, surrendered or canceled.   Shares of Stock covered by Awards granted pursuant to the Plan in connection with the assumption, replacement, conversion or adjustment of outstanding equity-based awards in the context of a corporate acquisition or merger (within the meaning of Section 303A.08 of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual or any successor provision) shall not count as used under the Plan for purposes of this Section 6..

 

The Plan Administrator may permit or require a recipient of an Award to defer all or part of such individual’s receipt of the payment of cash or the delivery of Stock that would otherwise be due to such individual by virtue of the exercise of, payment of, or lapse or waiver of restrictions respecting, any Award.  If any such payment deferral is required or permitted, the Plan Administrator shall, in its sole discretion, establish rules and procedures for such payment deferrals.

 

7.                                       Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit Awards .

 

A.            Grants of Restricted Shares or Units. One or more shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units may be granted to any Eligible Person.  The Restricted Stock may be issued or Restricted Stock Unit granted to the Participant on the Date of Grant without the payment of consideration by the Participant.  The Restricted Stock will be issued or Restricted Stock Unit granted

 

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in the name of the Participant and will bear a restrictive legend prohibiting sale, transfer, pledge or hypothecation of the Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit until the expiration of the restriction period.  Each Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit Award may have a different restriction period, at the discretion of the Plan Administrator.

 

The Plan Administrator may also impose such other restrictions and conditions on the Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit as it deems appropriate including, without limitation, a requirement that a Participant pay a stipulated purchase price for each share of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit, restrictions based upon the achievement of specific performance goals, service-based restrictions on vesting following attainment of performance goals or service-based restrictions.

 

Upon issuance to the Participant of the Restricted Stock the Participant will have the right to vote the Restricted Stock.  Upon issuance to the Participant of the Restricted Stock or grant of the Restricted Stock Unit and subject to the Plan Administrator’s discretion, the Participant will have the right to receive the cash dividends (or Dividend Equivalents as provided in Section 11) distributable with respect to such shares or units, with such dividends or Dividend Equivalents treated as compensation to the Participant. The Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion, may direct the accumulation and payment of distributable dividends to the Participant at such times, and in such form and manner, as determined by the Plan Administrator.

 

B.            Forfeiture or Payout of Award.   For Awards that are subject to restrictions based upon achievement of specific performance goals, as soon as practicable after the end of each Performance Period, the Plan Administrator will determine whether the performance objectives and other material terms of the Award were satisfied.  The Plan Administrator’s determination of all such matters will be final and conclusive.

 

As soon as practicable after the date the Plan Administrator makes the above determination, the Plan Administrator will determine the Award payment for each Participant. In the event a Participant ceases employment (or ceases board membership in the case of a director or ceases the performance of services in the case of a consultant) during a restriction period, a Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit Award is subject to forfeiture or payout (i.e., removal of restrictions) as follows: (a)  involuntary Termination by the Company without cause (as determined in the sole discretion of the Company) - payout of the Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit Award is prorated for service during the period; (b)  Retirement, Disability or death - payout of the Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit Award is prorated for service during the period; or (c)  other Termination - the Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit Award is completely forfeited.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Plan Administrator may modify the above in its sole discretion in the actual Award.

 

Any shares of Restricted Stock which are forfeited will be transferred to the Company.

 

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C.            Form and Timing of Payment.   With respect to shares of Restricted Stock, upon completion of the restriction period and satisfaction of any other conditions related to the Award, all Award restrictions will expire and new certificates representing the Award will be issued (the payout) without the restrictive legend described in Section 7A.  With respect to Restricted Stock Units, upon completion of the restriction period and satisfaction of any other conditions related to the Award, such Units may be paid out in cash or shares of Stock or in a combination of cash and Stock, as determined by the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion.  Such payouts will be made as soon as practicable after the Award payment is determined.

 

D.            Waiver of Section 83(b) Election .  Unless otherwise directed by the Plan Administrator, as a condition of receiving an Award of Restricted Stock, a Participant must waive in writing the right to make an election under Section 83(b) of the Code to report the value of the Restricted Stock as income on the Date of Grant.

 

8.                                       Stock Options .

 

A.            Grants of Options.   One or more Options may be granted to any Eligible Person on the Date of Grant with or without the payment of consideration by the Participant.

 

B.            Stock Option Agreement.   Each Option granted under the Plan will be evidenced by a “Stock Option Agreement” between the Company and the Participant containing provisions determined by the Plan Administrator, including, without limitation, provisions to qualify Incentive Stock Options as such under Section 422 of the Code if directed by the Plan Administrator at the Date of Grant; provided, however, that each Incentive Stock Option Agreement must include the following terms and conditions:  (i) that the Options are exercisable, either in total or in part, with a partial exercise not affecting the exercisability of the balance of the Option;  (ii) every share of Stock purchased through the exercise of an Option will be paid for in full at the time of the exercise; (iii) each Option will cease to be exercisable, as to any share of Stock, at the earliest of (a) the Participant’s purchase of the Stock to which the Option relates, (b) the Participant’s exercise of a related Stock Appreciation Right, or (c) the lapse of the Option; (iv) Options will not be transferable by the Participant except by will or the laws of descent and distribution and will be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant or by the Participant’s guardian or legal representative; and (v) notwithstanding any other provision, in the event of a public tender for all or any portion of the Stock or in the event that any proposal to merge or consolidate the Company with another company is submitted to the stockholders of the Company for a vote, the Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion, may declare any previously granted Options to be immediately exercisable.

 

C.            Option Price.   The Option price per share of Stock will be set by the grant, but will be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value at the Date of Grant.

 

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D.            Form of Payment.   At the time of the exercise of the Option, the Option price will be payable in cash or in shares of Stock or in a combination of cash and shares of Stock, in a form and manner as required by the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion.  When Stock is used in full or partial payment of the Option price, it will be valued at the Fair Market Value on the applicable date.

 

E.             Other Terms and Conditions.   The Option will become exercisable in such manner and within such Option Period or Periods, not to exceed 10 years from its Date of Grant, as set forth in the Stock Option Agreement upon payment in full.  Except as otherwise provided in this Plan or in the Stock Option Agreement, any vested Option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time.  In the event of a Change in Control, any vested option will remain exercisable for the duration of the Option Period.

 

F.             Lapse of Option.   An Option will lapse upon the earlier of:  (i) 10 years from the Date of Grant, or (ii) at the expiration of the Option Period set by the grant.  If the Participant ceases employment (or ceases board membership in the case of a director or ceases the performance of services in the case of a consultant) within the Option Period and prior to the lapse of the Option, the Option will lapse as follows: (a)  Retirement (for Awards granted on or after February&n


 
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