Exhibit 10.4
METHES ENERGIES INTERNATIONAL
LTD.
NON-STATUTORY STOCK OPTION
AGREEMENT
This AGREEMENT is between Methes Energies
International Ltd., a Nevada corporation (the
“Company”), and ___________________________ (the
“Optionee”), pursuant to the Company’s Amended
and Restated 2008 Directors, Officers and Employees Stock Option
Plan (the “Plan”). The Company and the
Optionee agree as follows:
1.
Option Grant. The Company grants to the Optionee on the
terms and conditions of this Agreement the right and the option
(the “Option”) to purchase all or any part of ________
shares of the Company’s Common Stock at a purchase price of
$_____ per share. The terms and conditions of the Option
grant set forth in attached Exhibit A are incorporated into and
made a part of this Agreement. The Option will not be
treated as an Incentive Stock Option as defined in Section 422 of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and is therefore a
Non-Statutory Stock Option.
2.
Grant Date; Expiration Date. The Grant Date for this Option
is _________, 2008. The Option shall continue in effect
until the tenth anniversary of the Grant Date (the
“Expiration Date”) unless earlier terminated as
provided in Sections 2, 7 or 8 of Exhibit A. The Option
shall not be exercisable on or after the Expiration
Date.
3.
Exercise of Option. The Vesting Reference Date of this
Option is ________, 2008. The Option will become exercisable in
accordance with Section 1 of Exhibit A.
The parties have executed this Agreement in
duplicate as of the Grant Date.
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Methes
Energies International Ltd.
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Optionee
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By:
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Title:
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[print
name]
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[address]
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[address]
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Methes Energies International
Ltd.
EXHIBIT A TO
STOCK OPTION
AGREEMENT
1.
Time of Exercise of Option.
1.1
Vesting Schedule. Until it expires or is
terminated as provided in Sections 2, 7 or 8 of this Exhibit A,
this Option may be exercised from time to time to purchase whole
shares up to the following limits:
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Months After Vesting
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Reference Date
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Percentage
Exercisable
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0%
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3
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12.5%
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6
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25%
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9
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37.5%
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12
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50%
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15
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62.5%
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18
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75%
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21
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87.5%
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24 or
more
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100%
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1.2
Special Acceleration Of Option .
(a) This option, to the extent outstanding at
the time of a Corporate Transaction but not otherwise fully
exercisable, shall automatically accelerate so that this option
shall, immediately prior to the effective date of such Corporate
Transaction, become exercisable for all of the Option shares at the
time subject to this option and may be exercised for any or all of
those Option shares as fully vested shares of Common Stock. No such
acceleration of this option shall occur, however, if and to the
extent: (i) this option is, in connection with the Corporate
Transaction, to be assumed by the successor company (or parent
thereof) or (ii) this option is to be replaced with a cash
incentive program of the successor company which preserves the
spread existing at the time of the Corporate Transaction on the
Option shares for which this option is not otherwise at that time
exercisable (the excess of the Fair Market Value of those Option
shares over the aggregate Exercise Price payable for such shares)
and provides for subsequent payout in accordance with the same
option exercise/vesting schedule set forth in this
Agreement.
(b) Immediately
following the Corporate Transaction, this option shall terminate
and cease to be outstanding, except to the extent assumed by the
successor company (or parent thereof) in connection with the
Corporate Transaction.
(c) If this
option is assumed in connection with a Corporate Transaction, then
this option shall be appropriately adjusted, immediately after such
Corporate Transaction, to apply to the number and class of
securities which would have been issuable to Optionee in
consummation of such Corporate Transaction had the option been
exercised immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction, and
appropriate adjustments shall also be made to the Exercise Price,
PROVIDED the aggregate Exercise Price shall remain the
same. (d) This Agreement shall not in any way affect the
right of the Company to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or otherwise
change its capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate,
dissolve, liquidate or sell or transfer all or any part of its
business or assets.
(d) Certain Definitions.
(i) “Corporate
Transaction” shall mean either of the following
stockholder-approved transactions to which the Company is a party:
(i) a merger or consolidation in which securities possessing more
than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the
Company’s outstanding securities are transferred to a person
or persons different from the persons holding those securities
immediately prior to such transaction, or (ii) the sale, transfer
or other disposition of all or substantially all of the
Company’s assets in complete liquidation or dissolution of
the Company.
(ii)
“Exercise Price” shall mean the exercise price per
Option Share as specified in this Agreement.
(iii) “Fair Market Value”
per share of Common Stock on any relevant date shall be the closing
price of the Common Stock last reported before the time in question
if the Common Stock is publicly traded, or another value of the
Common Stock as specified by the Board of Directors.
(iv)
“Option Shares” shall mean the number of shares of
Common Stock subject to the option as specified in this
Agreement.
2.
Termination of Employment or Service.
2.1
General Rule. Except as provided in this Section
2, the Option may not be exercised unless at the time of exercise
the Optionee is employed by or in the service of the Company and
shall have been so employed or provided such service continuously
since the Grant Date. For purposes of this Exhibit A,
the Optionee is considered to be employed by or in the service of
the Company if the Optionee is employed by or in the service of the
Company or any parent or subsidiary of the Company (an
“Employer”).
2.2
Termination Generally . If the Optionee’s employment
or service with the Company terminates for any reason other than
because of total disability or death as provided in Sections 2.3 or
2.4, the Option may be exercised at any time before the Expiration
Date or the expiration of 90 days after the date of termination,
whichever is the shorter period, but only if and to the extent the
Optionee was entitled to exercise the Option at the date of
termination, provided however, if the Optionee's is terminated for
Misconduct, then this option shall terminate immediately and cease
to remain outstanding on the date of termination.
“Misconduct” shall mean the commission of any act of
fraud, embezzlement or dishonesty by Optionee, any unauthorized use
or disclosure by Optionee of confidential information or trade
secrets of the Company (or any parent or subsidiary), or any other
intentional misconduct by Optionee adversely affecting the business
or affairs of the Company (or any parent or subsidiary) in a
material manner. The foregoing definition shall not be deemed to be
inclusive of all the acts or omissions which the Company (or any
parent or subsidiary) may consider as grounds for the dismissal or
discharge of Optionee or any other individual in the service of the
Company (or any parent or subsidiary).
2.3
Termination Because of Total Disability. If the
Optionee’s employment or service with the Company terminates
because of total disability, the Option may be exercised at any
time before the Expirat