INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION
AGREEMENT
Pursuant to
the
United Fuel & Energy
Corporation
2005 Equity Incentive
Plan
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Name of
Optionee:
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William C.
Bousema
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Date of
Grant:
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September 16,
2008
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Number
of Shares:
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150,000
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Exercise Price Per Share:
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$0.70
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Expiration Date:
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September 16,
2018
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This Incentive Stock Option Agreement (this
“ Option Agreement
”), is made as of September 16, 2008 between United Fuel
& Energy Corporation, a Nevada corporation (the “
Company ”), and the above-named individual,
an employee of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries (the “
Optionee ”), to record the granting of an
incentive stock option pursuant to the Company’s 2005 Equity
Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”). Terms
used herein that are defined in the Plan shall have the meanings
ascribed to them in the Plan. If there is any inconsistency between
the terms of this Option Agreement and the terms of the Plan, the
Plan’s terms shall supersede and replace the conflicting
terms herein.
1.
Grant of
Option . The
Company hereby grants to the Optionee, as of the Grant Date, an
option to purchase up to the number of Option Shares specified
above (the “ Option ”). The Option
Shares shall be purchasable from time to time during the option
term specified in Section 2 at the Exercise Price. This Option is
intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” as
defined in Section 422 of the Code (“ Incentive Stock
Option ”). However, notwithstanding such
designation, to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of
Shares subject to Options designated as Incentive Stock Options
which become exercisable for the first time by the Optionee during
any calendar year (under all plans of the Company or any Parent or
Subsidiary) exceeds $100,000, such excess Options, to the extent of
the Shares covered thereby in excess of the foregoing limitation,
shall be treated as Non-Statutory Options. For this purpose,
Incentive Stock Options shall be taken into account in the order in
which they were granted, and the Fair Market Value of the Shares
shall be determined as of the date the Option with respect to such
Option Shares is awarded. For purposes hereof, “
Non-Statutory Stock Option ” means an Option
not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
2.
Option Term
. Unless the Optionee directly or
by attribution owns more than ten percent (10%) of the total
combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of
any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company, this Option shall have a
term of ten (10) years measured from the Grant Date and shall
accordingly expire at the close of business on the Expiration Date,
unless sooner terminated in accordance with Section 5 . If
the Optionee owns more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined
voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of any
Parent or Subsidiary of the Company, then this Option shall have a
term of five (5) years measured from the Grant Date.
3.
Limited
Transferability .
During Optionee’s lifetime, this Option shall be exercisable
only by Optionee and shall not be assignable or transferable other
than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution following
Optionee’s death.
4.
Dates of
Vesting . This
Option shall become exercisable for the Option Shares in twelve
equal quarterly installments on the last day of each calendar
quarter beginning on December 31, 2008. As the Option becomes
exercisable for such installments, those installments shall
accumulate and the Option shall remain exercisable for the
accumulated installments until the Expiration Date or sooner
termination of the option term under Section 5 .
5.
Cessation of
Service . The option
term specified in Section 2 shall terminate (and this Option
shall cease to be outstanding) prior to the Expiration Date should
any of the following events occur:
(a) If the Optionee’s service as an employee
of the Company is terminated (i) by the Company without Cause (as
the term “Cause” is defined in that certain Employment
Agreement between the Company and the Optionee dated the date
hereof (the “ Employment Agreement ”)),
or (ii) by the Optionee for Good Reason (as the term “Good
Reason” is defined in the Employment Agreement), then the
unvested portion of this Option shall fully vest and this Option
may be exercised in full but must be exercised by the Optionee no
later than twelve (12) months after the date the Optionee’s
employment is terminated (and in no event later than the Expiration
Date).
(b) If the Optionee’s service as an employee
of the Company is terminated because of the Optionee’s death
or Disability (as the term “Disability” is defined in
the Employment Agreement), then the unvested portion of this Option
shall fully vest and this Option may be exercised in full but must
be exercised by the Optionee (or the Optionee’s legal
representative or authorized assignee) no later than six (6) months
after the date the Optionee’s employment is terminated (and
in no event later than the Expiration Date).
(c) If the Optionee’s service as an employee
of the Company is terminated (i) by the Company for Cause (as the
term “Cause” is defined in the Employment Agreement),
or (ii) by the Optionee without Good Reason (as the term
“Good Reason” is defined in the Employment Agreement),
neither the Optionee, the Optionee’s estate nor such other
person who may then hold this Option shall be entitled to exercise
it as to any shares on or after the date the Optionee’s
employment is terminated.
6.
Incentive Stock Option
Provisions.
(a)
Change in Status of
Optionee . In the
event of the Optionee’s change in status from an Employee to
any other status of Director or Consultant, with respect to any
Incentive Stock Option that shall remain in effect after a change
in status from Employee to Director or Consultant, such Incentive
Stock Option shall cease to be treated as an Incentive Stock Option
and shall be treated as a Non-Statutory Option on the day three (3)
months and one (1) day following such change in status. Except as
provided in Sections 6(b) and (c) below, to the extent
that the Option was unvested on the Termination Date, or if the
Optionee does not exercise the vested portion of the Option within
the Post-Termination Exercise Period, the Option shall terminate.
For purposes hereof: “ Employee ” means
any person, including an Officer or Director, who is an employee of
the Company or any Related Entity; the payment of a
director’s fee by the Company or a Related Entity shall not
be sufficient to constitute “employment” by the
Company; “ Director ” means a member of
the Board or the board of directors of any Related Entity; “
Consultant ” means any person (other than an
Employee or a Director, solely with respect to rendering services
in such person’s capacity as a Director) who is engaged by
the Company or any Related Entity to render consulting or advisory
services to the Company or such Related Entity; and “
Related Entity ” means any Parent, Subsidiary
and any business, corporation, partnership, limited liability
company or other entity in which the Company, a Parent or a
Subsidiary holds a substantial ownership interest, directly or
indirectly.
(b)
Disability of
Optionee . In the
event the Optionee’s service as an employee of the Company is
terminated as a result of his Disability (as the term
“Disability” is defined in the Employment Agreement),
the Optionee may, but only within six (6) months from the date the
Optionee’s employment is terminated (and in no event later
than the Expiration Date), exercise the amount of the Option,
including any amount that was not vested on the date the
Optionee’s employment was terminated; provided, however, that
if such Disability is not a “disability” as such term
is defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code and the Option is
an Incentive Stock Option, such Incentive Stock Option shall cease
to be treated as an Incentive Stock Option and shall be treated as
a Non-Statutory Option on the day three (3) months and one (1)
day following date the Optionee’s employment was terminated.
In addition, in the event that the Optionee exercises any portion
of the Option that was not vested on the date the Optionee’s
employment was terminated, such Incentive Stock Option shall cease
to be treated as an Incentive Stock Option and shall be treated as
a Non-Statutory Option. To the extent that the Optionee does not
exercise the Option within the time specified herein, the Option
shall terminate.
(c)
Death of
Optionee . In the
event the Optionee’s service as an employee of the Company is
terminated as a result of his death, or in the event of the
Optionee’s death during the Post-Termination Exercise Period,
the Optionee’s estate, or a person who acquired the right to
exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance, may exercise the
amount of the Option, including any amount that was not vested on
the date the Optionee’s employment was terminated, within six
(6) months from the date of death (but in no event later than the
Expiration Date). In the event that the Optionee’s estate, or
a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest
or inheritance exercises any portion of the Option that was not
vested on the date the Optionee’s employment was terminated,
such Incentive Stock Option shall cease to be treated as an
Incentive Stock Option and shall be treated as a Non-Statutory
Option. To the extent that the Option is not exercised within the
time specified herein, the Option shall terminate. “
Post-Termination Exercise Period ” means the
period specified in this Agreement commencing on the date of
termination of the Optionee’s service as an employee (other
than termination by the Company for Cause or termination by the
Optionee without Good Reason), during which the Optionee or the
Optionee’s estate, or a person who acquired the right to
exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance, as the case may be,
may exercise the Option.
(d)
Transferability of
Option . The Option,
if an Incentive Stock Option, may not be transferred in any manner
other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and
may be exercised during the lifetime of the Optionee only by the
Optionee. The Option, if a Non-Statutory Option may be transferred
by will, by the laws of descent and distribution, and to the
ex