Exhibit 10.2
Avid Technology, Inc.
Nonstatutory Stock Option
Agreement
This Nonstatutory Stock Option Agreement (the
“Agreement”) is entered into as of December 19, 2007
(the “Grant Date”), by and between Avid Technology,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), with its
principal executive offices at Avid Technology Park, One Park West,
Tewksbury, MA 01876, and Gary G. Greenfield (the
“Optionee”), an individual residing at 9800 Bent Cross
Drive, Potomac, Maryland 20854.
It is intended that the option evidenced hereby
shall not be an incentive stock option as defined in Section 422 of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any regulations
promulgated thereunder (the “Code”). As used herein,
except as otherwise indicated by the context, the term
“Optionee” shall be deemed to include any person who
acquires the right to exercise this option validly under the terms
of this Agreement and the term “Company” shall include
any of the Company’s present or future parent or subsidiary
corporations as defined in Sections 424(e) and 424(f) of the
Code.
1.
Grant of Option . The
Company hereby grants to the Optionee on the Grant Date an option
to purchase seven hundred twenty-five thousand (725,000) shares of
common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Company
(“Common Stock”) at an exercise price of $25.42 per
share (the “Exercise Price”) and subject to the terms
and conditions set forth herein.
2.
Vesting Schedule .
Except as otherwise provided herein, this option may be exercised
in whole or in part prior to the seventh (7 th )
anniversary of the Grant Date (the “Final Exercise
Date”), subject to the vesting schedule set forth below. The
right of exercise shall be cumulative so that to the extent the
option is not exercised in any period to the maximum extent
permissible, it shall continue to be exercisable, in whole or in
part, with respect to all shares for which it is vested until the
earlier of the Final Exercise Date or the termination of this
option under Sections 3 or 9.
(a)
One hundred thousand (100,000) shares subject to
this option shall vest on a time-based schedule in equal 6.25%
increments every three months, with the first vesting date on March
19, 2008 and the last vesting date on December 19, 2011, as long as
Executive is employed by the Company on each such vesting
date;
(b)
One hundred fifty thousand (150,000) shares subject
to this option shall vest at the end of the first 20 consecutive
trading day period following December 19, 2007 during which the
Common Stock, as quoted on Nasdaq (or on such other exchange as
such shares may be traded), trades (without regard to the closing
price) at a price per share of at least twice the Exercise Price,
as adjusted for stock splits and stock dividends; and
(c)
One hundred fifty thousand (150,000) shares subject
to this option shall vest at the end of the first 20 consecutive
trading day period following the Effective Date during which
the
- 1 -
Common Stock, as quoted on Nasdaq (or on such other
exchange as such shares may be traded), trades (without regard to
the closing price) at a price per share of at least three times the
Exercise Price, as adjusted for stock splits and stock
dividends.
(d)
Three hundred twenty-five thousand (325,000) shares
subject to this option (the “ROE Option Shares”) shall
vest in accordance with the following table, based upon improvement
in the Company’s Return on Equity, or ROE (as defined below),
in calendar year periods, commencing with calendar year 2008.
Improvements for each calendar year shall be measured against a
baseline ROE for the 12-month period ended September 30, 2007
(“Baseline”).
|
ROE Percentage Point
Improvement in
Calendar Year
Compared to Baseline
|
Percentage of
ROE Option
Shares to Vest
|
|
|
|
|
14%
|
100%
|
|
12%
|
90%
|
|
10%
|
75%
|
|
8%
|
60%
|
|
6%
|
45%
|
|
4%
|
30%
|
|
2%
|
15%
|
|
0%
|
0%
|
The Board (excluding Executive if he is a member of
the Board) shall make the final determination of ROE and the ROE
percentage point improvement for purposes hereof for each calendar
year no later then the 1st day of March following the end of such
calendar year. The determination of ROE shall be based upon the
Company’s audited financial statements for the applicable
calendar year and the unaudited financial statements for the
Baseline period. The ROE Option Shares, if any, that are not vested
at the end of the seventh calendar year (2014) shall be
forfeited.
“Return on Equity” or “ROE”
shall be determined using the Company’s published non-GAAP
net income, adding the provision for income taxes and subtracting
the non-GAAP related tax adjustments for the applicable period and
dividing by the average common stockholder equity during the same
period.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the ROE Option Shares
shall vest in full at the end of the first 20 consecutive trading
day period following December 19, 2007 during which the Common
Stock, as quoted on Nasdaq (or on such other exchange as such
shares may be traded), trades (without regard to the closing price)
at a price per share at least four times the Exercise Price, as
adjusted for stock splits and stock dividends.
(a)
Form of Exercise . Each
election to exercise this option shall be in a manner as determined
by the Company from time to time, and shall be accompanied by
payment in full in accordance with Section 4 for the number of
shares for which the option is exercised. Prior to April 1, 2008,
the Company shall provide the Optionee with instructions as to how
this option may be exercised. Any change to such instructions shall
be communicated to the Optionee in writing before such change takes
effect. The Optionee may purchase fewer than the number of shares
covered hereby, provided that no partial exercise of this option
may be for any fractional share or for fewer than ten (10) whole
shares.
(b)
Continuous Relationship with the Company
Required . Except as otherwise provided
in this Section 3, this option may not be exercised unless the
Optionee, at the time he exercises this option, is, and has been at
all times since the Grant Date, an employee, officer or director
of, or consultant or advisor to, the Company (an “Eligible
Optionee”).
(c)
Termination of Relationship with the
Company . If the Optionee ceases to be an
Eligible Optionee for any reason, then, except as provided in
Sections 3(d)-(g) below, the right to exercise this option shall
terminate three (3) months after such
cessation (but in no event after the Final Exercise Date), provided
that this option shall be exercisable only to the extent that the
Optionee was entitled to exercise this option on the date of such
cessation.
(d)
Exercise Period Upon Death or
Disability . If the Optionee dies or
becomes disabled (within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of
the Code) prior to the Final Exercise Date while he is an Eligible
Optionee and the Company has not terminated such relationship for
Cause (as defined in the Employment Agreement (defined in Section
3(g)), this option shall be exercisable, within the period of one
(1) year following the date of death or disability of the Optionee,
by the Optionee (or, in the case of death, by an authorized
transferee), provided that this option shall be exercisable only to
the extent that this option was exercisable by the Optionee on the
date of his death or disability, and further provided that this
option shall not be exercisable after the Final Exercise
Date.
(e)
Discharge for Cause .
If the Optionee, prior to the Final Exercise Date, is discharged by
the Company for Cause (as defined in the Executive Employment
Agreement, dated December 18, 2007, between the Optionee and the
Company, or any successor agreement thereto (the “Employment
Agreement”)), the right to exercise this option shall
terminate immediately upon the effective date of such
discharge.
(f)
Effect of Breach of Covenants
. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in
Sections 3(c) and (d), if the Optionee, prior to the Final Exercise
Date, violates the non-competition, non-solicitation or
confidentiality provisions of any employment contract,
confidentiality and nondisclosure agreement or other agreement
between the Optionee and the Company, the right to exercise this
option shall terminate immediately upon such
violation.
(g)
Employment Agreement .
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 3 or in
Section 9, this option shall be subject to any applicable,
superseding right-to-
exercise and vesting terms set forth in the
Employment Agreement; provided, however, that in no event shall the
right to exercise this option extend beyond the Final
Exerci