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Form 8-K LABORATORY CORP OF AMERI For: May 11

May 16, 2016 5:41 PM EDT

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 11, 2016

 

 

LABORATORY CORPORATION OF AMERICA HOLDINGS

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   1-11353   13-3757370
(state or other jurisdiction of incorporation)   (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

358 South Main Street

Burlington, North Carolina

  27215   336-229-1127
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)  

(Registrant’s telephone number,

including area code)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

q Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

q Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

q Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

q Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 


Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On May 11, 2016, the stockholders of Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (the “Company”) approved the Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan”) and the Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2016 ESPP”) at the Company’s 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”). Descriptions of the 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan and the 2016 ESPP are set forth in the Company’s definitive proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 1, 2016 (the “Proxy Statement”), in the sections entitled “Proposal Three: Vote to Approve 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan,” and “Proposal Four: Vote to Approve the 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan,” which are incorporated in this report by reference. The descriptions are qualified in their entirety by reference to the copies of the 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan and the 2016 ESPP that are attached to this current report as Exhibit 10.1 and Exhibit 10.2, respectively.

 

Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

The Annual Meeting was held on May 11, 2016. As of March 14, 2016, the date of record for determining the Company’s stockholders entitled to vote on the proposals presented at the Annual Meeting, there were 102,093,692 shares of the Company’s common stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. The holders of 85,033,776 shares of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock were represented in person or by proxy at the Annual Meeting, constituting a quorum. The proposals presented at the Annual Meeting are described in detail in the Proxy Statement. The vote results detailed below represent final results as certified by the Inspector of Elections.

Proposal 1.

The Company’s stockholders elected the following persons, who were listed in the Proxy Statement, to the Company’s Board of Directors to hold office for the term expiring at the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders or until their successors are elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal:

 

     Votes For      Votes Against      Abstentions      Broker Non-Votes  

David P. King

     73,171,975         4,954,132         241,193         6,666,476   

Kerrii B. Anderson

     77,140,201         1,124,948         102,151         6,666,476   

Jean-Luc Bélingard

     69,032,628         9,232,779         101,893         6,666,476   

D. Gary Gilliland, M.D., Ph.D.

     77,341,447         923,723         102,130         6,666,476   

Garheng Kong, M.D., Ph.D.

     77,050,990         1,213,200         103,110         6,666,476   

Robert E. Mittelstaedt, Jr.

     77,258,819         1,001,837         106,644         6,666,476   

Peter M. Neupert

     76,968,637         1,295,177         103,486         6,666,476   

Richelle P. Parham

     77,110,338         630,046         626,916         6,666,476   

Adam H. Schechter

     78,059,338         206,277         101,685         6,666,476   

R. Sanders Williams, M.D.

     77,340,423         924,829         102,048         6,666,476   

Proposal 2.

The Company’s stockholders approved, in an advisory (non-binding) vote, the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers. The votes regarding this proposal were as follows:

 

Votes For

  Votes Against   Abstentions   Broker Non-Votes
74,434,456   3,771,064   161,780   6,666,476


Proposal 3.

The Company’s stockholders approved the adoption of the 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan and certain material terms and conditions relating to performance-based compensation under the 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The votes regarding this proposal were as follows:

 

Votes For

  Votes Against   Abstentions   Broker Non-Votes
70,858,476   6,901,464   607,360   6,666,476

Proposal 4.

The Company’s stockholders approved the adoption of the 2016 ESPP. The votes regarding this proposal were as follows:

 

Votes For

  Votes Against   Abstentions   Broker Non-Votes
77,715,713   349,118   302,469   6,666,476

Proposal 5.

The Company’s stockholders ratified the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2016. The votes regarding this proposal were as follows:

 

Votes For

  Votes Against   Abstentions   Broker Non-Votes
81,993,449   2,913,760   126,567  

Proposal 6.

The Company’s stockholders did not approve the shareholder proposal described in the Proxy Statement. The votes regarding this proposal were as follows:

 

Votes For

  Votes Against   Abstentions   Broker Non-Votes
3,445,563   61,228,806   13,692,931   6,666,476

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description

Exhibit 10.1    Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan
Exhibit 10.2    Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

LABORATORY CORPORATION OF AMERICA HOLDINGS
Registrant
By:   /s/ F. Samuel Eberts III
  F. Samuel Eberts III
  Chief Legal Officer and Secretary

Dated: May 16, 2016


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description

Exhibit 10.1    Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan
Exhibit 10.2    Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Exhibit 10.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LABORATORY CORPORATION OF AMERICA HOLDINGS

2016 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

             Page  

1.

  PURPOSE      1   

2.

  DEFINITIONS      1   

3.

  ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN      6   
  3.1   Committee      6   
   

3.1.1    Powers and Authorities

     6   
   

3.1.2    Composition of the Committee

     6   
   

3.1.3    Other Committees

     7   
   

3.1.4    Delegation by the Committee.

     7   
  3.2   Board      7   
  3.3   Terms of Awards      7   
   

3.3.1    Committee Authority

     7   
   

3.3.2    Forfeiture; Recoupment

     8   
  3.4   No Repricing      8   
  3.5   Deferral Arrangement      8   
  3.6   Registration; Share Certificates      8   

4.

  STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN      9   
  4.1   Number of Shares of Stock Available for Awards      9   
  4.2   Adjustments in Authorized Shares of Stock      9   
  4.3   Share Usage      9   

5.

  TERM; AMENDMENT, SUSPENSION, AND TERMINATION      10   
  5.1   Term      10   
  5.2   Amendment, Suspension, and Termination      10   

6.

  AWARD ELIGIBILITY AND LIMITATIONS      10   
  6.1   Eligible Grantees      10   
  6.2   Limitation on Shares of Stock Subject to Awards and Cash Awards      10   
  6.3   Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem, and Substitute Awards      11   

7.

  AWARD AGREEMENT      11   

8.

  TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTIONS      11   
  8.1   Option Price      11   
  8.2   Vesting and Exercisability      11   
  8.3   Term      12   
  8.4   Termination of Service      12   
  8.5   Limitations on Exercise of Option      12   
  8.6   Method of Exercise      12   
  8.7   Rights of Holders of Options      12   
  8.8   Delivery of Stock      12   
  8.9   Transferability of Options      12   
  8.10   Family Transfers      13   
  8.11   Limitations on Incentive Stock Options.      13   
  8.12   Notice of Disqualifying Disposition.      13   

9.

  TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS      13   
  9.1   Right to Payment and SAR Price      13   
  9.2   Other Terms      13   
  9.3   Term      14   
  9.4   Rights of Holders of SARs.      14   
  9.5   Transferability of SARs      14   
  9.6   Family Transfers      14   

10.

  TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF RESTRICTED STOCK, RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS, AND DEFERRED STOCK UNITS      14   
  10.1   Grant of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, and Deferred Stock Units      14   
  10.2   Restrictions      14   
  10.3   Registration; Restricted Stock Certificates      15   
  10.4   Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock      15   
  10.5   Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units      15   
   

10.5.1    Voting and Dividend Rights

     15   
   

10.5.2    Creditor’s Rights

     15   

 

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             Page  
  10.6   Termination of Service      15   
  10.7   Purchase of Restricted Stock and Shares of Stock Subject to Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units      16   
  10.8   Delivery of Shares of Stock      16   

11.

  TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF UNRESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS AND OTHER EQUITY-BASED AWARDS      16   
  11.1   Unrestricted Stock Awards      16   
  11.2   Other Equity-Based Awards      16   

12.

  TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF DIVIDEND EQUIVALENT RIGHTS      16   
  12.1   Dividend Equivalent Rights      16   
  12.2   Termination of Service      17   

13.

  TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PERFORMANCE-BASED AWARDS      17   
  13.1   Grant of Performance-Based Awards      17   
  13.2   Value of Performance-Based Awards      17   
  13.3   Earning of Performance-Based Awards      17   
  13.4   Form and Timing of Payment of Performance-Based Awards      17   
  13.5   Performance Conditions      17   
  13.6   Performance-Based Awards Granted to Designated Covered Employees      18   
   

13.6.1    Performance Goals Generally

     18   
   

13.6.2    Timing For Establishing Performance Goals

     18   
   

13.6.3    Payment of Awards; Other Terms

     18   
   

13.6.4    Performance Measures

     18   
   

13.6.5    Evaluation of Performance

     19   
   

13.6.6    Adjustment of Performance-Based Compensation

     20   
   

13.6.7    Committee Discretion

     20   
   

13.6.8    Status of Awards Under Code Section 162(m)

     20   

14.

  FORMS OF PAYMENT      20   
  14.1   General Rule      20   
  14.2   Surrender of Shares of Stock      20   
  14.3   Cashless Exercise      20   
  14.4   Other Forms of Payment      20   

15.

  REQUIREMENTS OF LAW      21   
  15.1   General      21   
  15.2   Rule 16b-3      21   

16.

  EFFECT OF CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION      21   
  16.1   Changes in Stock      21   
  16.2   Reorganization in Which the Company Is the Surviving Entity Which Does Not Constitute a Change in Control      22   
  16.3   Change in Control in Which Awards Are Not Assumed      22   
  16.4   Change in Control in Which Awards Are Assumed      23   
  16.5   Adjustments.      23   
  16.6   No Limitations on Company      23   

17.

  PARACHUTE LIMITATIONS      24   

18.

  GENERAL PROVISIONS      24   
  18.1   Disclaimer of Rights      24   
  18.2   Nonexclusivity of the Plan      24   
  18.3   Withholding Taxes      24   
  18.4   Captions      25   
  18.5   Construction      25   
  18.6   Other Provisions      25   
  18.7   Number and Gender      25   
  18.8   Severability      25   
  18.9   Governing Law      25   
  18.10   Foreign Jurisdictions      25   
  18.11   Section 409A of the Code      26   
  18.12   Limitation on Liability.      26   

 

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Exhibit 10.1

LABORATORY CORPORATION OF AMERICA HOLDINGS

2016 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

1. PURPOSE

The Plan is intended to (a) provide eligible individuals with an incentive to contribute to the success of the Company and to operate and manage the Company’s business in a manner that will provide for the Company’s long-term growth and profitability and that will benefit its shareholders and other important stakeholders, including its employees and customers, and (b) provide a means of recruiting, rewarding, and retaining key personnel. To this end, the Plan provides for the grant of Awards of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, Unrestricted Stock, Dividend Equivalent Rights, Performance Shares and other Performance-Based Awards, Other Equity-Based Awards, and cash bonus awards. Any of these Awards may, but need not, be made as performance incentives to reward the holders of such Awards for the achievement of performance goals in accordance with the terms of the Plan. Options granted under the Plan may be Non-qualified Stock Options or Incentive Stock Options, as provided herein.

2. DEFINITIONS

For purposes of interpreting the Plan documents, including the Plan and Award Agreements, the following capitalized terms shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

2.1 Affiliate” shall mean any Person that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Rule 405 of Regulation C under the Securities Act, including any Subsidiary. For purposes of grants of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, an entity may not be considered an Affiliate unless the Company holds a Controlling Interest in such entity.

2.2 Applicable Laws” shall mean the legal requirements relating to the Plan and the Awards under (a) applicable provisions of the Code, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any rules or regulations thereunder, and any other laws, rules, regulations, and government orders of any jurisdiction applicable to the Company or its Affiliates, (b) applicable provisions of the corporate, securities, tax, and other laws, rules, regulations, and government orders of any jurisdiction applicable to Awards granted to residents thereof, and (c) the rules of any Stock Exchange or Securities Market on which the Stock is listed or publicly traded.

2.3 Award” shall mean a grant under the Plan of an Option, a Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, a Restricted Stock Unit, a Deferred Stock Unit, Unrestricted Stock, a Dividend Equivalent Right, a Performance Share or other Performance-Based Award, an Other Equity-Based Award, or cash.

2.4 Award Agreement” shall mean the written agreement, in such written, electronic, or other form as determined by the Committee, between the Company and a Grantee that evidences and sets forth the terms and conditions of an Award.

2.5 Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act.

2.6 Benefit Arrangement” shall mean any formal or informal plan or other arrangement for the direct or indirect provision of compensation to a Grantee (including groups or classes of Grantees or beneficiaries of which the Grantee is a member), whether or not such compensation is deferred, is in cash, or is in the form of a benefit to or for the Grantee.

2.7 Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

2.8 Cause” shall have the meaning set forth in an applicable agreement between a Grantee and the Company or an Affiliate, and in the absence of any such agreement, shall mean, with respect to any Grantee and as determined by the Committee, (a) gross negligence or willful misconduct in connection with the performance of duties; (b) conviction of, or pleading guilty or nolo contendere to, a criminal offense (other than minor traffic offenses); or (c) material breach of any term of any employment, consulting or other services, confidentiality, intellectual property, or non-competition agreements, if any, between such Grantee and the Company or an Affiliate. Any determination by the Committee regarding whether an event constituting Cause shall have occurred shall be final, binding, and conclusive.

2.9 Capital Stock” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations, or other equivalents (however designated, whether voting or non-voting) in equity of such Person, whether outstanding on the Effective Date or issued thereafter, including, without limitation, all shares of Stock.

 

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2.10 Change in Control” shall mean, subject to Section 18.11, the occurrence of any of the following:

(a) Any transaction (including without limitation a merger or reorganization in which the Company is the surviving entity) which results in any Person (other than any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company) owning thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of all classes of Voting Stock; excluding, however, the following: (1) any acquisition directly from the Company, other than as a result of the exercise of a conversion privilege, (2) any repurchase by the Company, (3) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or any entity controlled by the Company, or (4) any acquisition pursuant to a transaction described in Section 2.10(c)(i), (ii) or (iii);

(b) Individuals who constitute the Board on the Effective Date (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof, provided that any Person becoming a director subsequent to the date hereof whose election was approved by a vote of at least three-quarters of the directors comprising the Incumbent Board, or whose nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders was approved by the Incumbent Board, shall be for purposes of this clause (b), considered as though he or she were a member of the Incumbent Board;

(c) The Company consolidates with, or merges with or into, any Person, or any Person consolidates with, or merges with or into, the Company (regardless of whether the Company is the surviving Person), other than any such transaction in which (i) all or substantially all of the Prior Shareholders own directly or indirectly at least a majority of the voting power of the Voting Stock of the surviving Person in such reorganization, merger, or consolidation transaction immediately after such transaction, (ii) no Person (other than the Company, any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or such corporation resulting from such reorganization, merger or consolidation) will beneficially own, directly or indirectly, 30% or more of the combined voting power of the Voting Stock of the surviving Person in such reorganization, merger or consolidation, except to the extent such ownership derives from ownership that existed prior to such reorganization, merger or consolidation, and (iii) individuals who were members of the Board immediately prior to such reorganization, consolidation or merger will constitute at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the surviving Person resulting from such reorganization, merger or consolidation;

(d) The dissolution or liquidation of the Company; or

(e) Sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company to another Person.

The Board shall have full and final authority, in its sole discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control has occurred pursuant to the above definition, the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control, and any incidental matters relating thereto.

2.11 Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, as now in effect or as hereafter amended, and any successor thereto. References in the Plan to any Code Section shall be deemed to include, as applicable, regulations and guidance promulgated under such Code Section.

2.12 Committee” shall mean a committee of, and designated from time to time by resolution of, the Board, which shall be constituted as provided in Section 3.1.2 and Section 3.1.3 (or, if no Committee has been so designated, the Board).

2.13 Company” shall mean Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings and any successor thereto.

2.14 Controlling Interest” shall have the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2(b)(2)(i); provided that (a) except as specified in clause (b) below, an interest of “at least 50 percent” shall be used instead of an interest of “at least 80 percent” in each case where “at least 80 percent” appears in Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2(b)(2)(i), and (b) where a grant of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights is based upon a legitimate business criterion, an interest of “at least 20 percent” shall be used instead of an interest of “at least 80 percent” in each case where “at least 80 percent” appears in Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2(b)(2)(i).

2.15 Covered Employee” shall mean a Grantee who is, or could become, a “covered employee” within the meaning of Code Section 162(m)(3).

2.16 Deferred Stock Unit” shall mean a Restricted Stock Unit, the terms of which provide for delivery of the underlying shares of Stock, cash, or a combination thereof subsequent to the date of vesting, at a time or times consistent with the requirements of Code Section 409A.

2.17 Disability” shall mean the inability of a Grantee to perform each of the essential duties of such Grantee’s position by reason of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment which is potentially permanent in

 

2


character or which can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months; provided that, with respect to rules regarding the expiration of an Incentive Stock Option following termination of a Grantee’s Service, Disability shall mean the inability of such Grantee to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months.

2.18 Disqualified Individual” shall have the meaning set forth in Code Section 280G(c).

2.19 Dividend Equivalent Right” shall mean a right, granted to a Grantee pursuant to Article 12, entitling the Grantee thereof to receive, or to receive credits for the future payment of, cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property equal in value to dividend payments or distributions, or other periodic payments, declared or paid with respect to a number of shares of Stock specified in such Dividend Equivalent Right (or other Award to which such Dividend Equivalent Right relates) as if such shares of Stock had been issued to and held by the Grantee of such Dividend Equivalent Right as of the record date.

2.20 Effective Date” shall mean May 11, 2016, subject to approval of the Plan by the Company’s shareholders on such date, the Plan having been approved by the Board on March 25, 2016.

2.21 Employee” shall mean, as of any date of determination, an employee (including an officer) of the Company or an Affiliate.

2.22 Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as now in effect or as hereafter amended, and any successor thereto.

2.23 Fair Market Value” shall mean the fair market value of a share of Stock for purposes of the Plan, which shall be, as of any date of determination:

(a) If on such date the shares of Stock are listed on a Stock Exchange, or are publicly traded on another Securities Market, the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock shall be the closing price of the Stock as reported on such Stock Exchange or such Securities Market (provided that, if there is more than one such Stock Exchange or Securities Market, the Committee shall designate the appropriate Stock Exchange or Securities Market for purposes of the Fair Market Value determination). If there is no such reported closing price on such date, the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock shall be the closing price of the Stock on the next preceding day on which any sale of Stock shall have been reported on such Stock Exchange or such Securities Market.

(b) If on such date the shares of Stock are not listed on a Stock Exchange or publicly traded on a Securities Market, the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock shall be the value of the Stock as determined by the Committee by the reasonable application of a reasonable valuation method, in a manner consistent with Code Section 409A.

Notwithstanding this Section 2.23 or Section 18.3, for purposes of determining taxable income and the amount of the related tax withholding obligation pursuant to Section 18.3, the Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Committee in good faith using any reasonable method as it deems appropriate, to be applied consistently with respect to Grantees; provided, further, that the Committee shall determine the Fair Market Value of shares of Stock for tax withholding obligations due in connection with sales, by or on behalf of a Grantee, of such shares of Stock subject to an Award to pay the Option Price, SAR Price, and/or any tax withholding obligation on the same date on which such shares may first be sold pursuant to the terms of the applicable Award Agreement (including broker-assisted cashless exercises of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights, as described in Section 14.3, and sell-to-cover transactions) in any manner consistent with applicable provisions of the Code, including but not limited to using the sale price of such shares on such date (or if sales of such shares are effectuated at more than one sale price, the weighted average sale price of such shares on such date) as the Fair Market Value of such shares, so long as such Grantee has provided the Company, or its designee or agent, with advance written notice of such sale.

2.24 Family Member” shall mean, with respect to any Grantee as of any date of determination, (a) a Person who is a spouse, former spouse, child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother, sister, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships, of such Grantee, (b) any Person sharing such Grantee’s household (other than a tenant or employee), (c) a trust in which any one or more of the Persons specified in clauses (a) and (b) above (and such Grantee) own more than fifty percent (50%) of the beneficial interest, (d) a foundation in which any one or more of the Persons specified in clauses (a) and (b) above (and such Grantee) control the management of assets, and (e) any other entity in which one or more of the Persons specified in clauses (a) and (b) above (and such Grantee) own more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting interests.

 

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2.25 Grant Date” shall mean, as determined by the Committee, the latest to occur of (a) the date as of which the Committee approves the Award, (b) the date on which the recipient of an Award first becomes eligible to receive an Award under Article 6 hereof (e.g., in the case of a new hire, the first date on which such new hire performs any Service), or (c) such subsequent date specified by the Committee in the corporate action approving the Award.

2.26 Grantee” shall mean a Person who receives or holds an Award under the Plan.

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

2.28 Non-qualified Stock Option” shall mean an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option.

2.29 Non-Employee Director” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act.

2.30 Officer” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 16a-1(f) under the Exchange Act.

2.31 Option” shall mean an option to purchase one or more shares of Stock at a specified Option Price awarded to a Grantee pursuant to Article 8.

2.32 Option Price” shall mean the per share exercise price for shares of Stock subject to an Option.

2.33 Other Agreement” shall mean any agreement, contract, or understanding heretofore or hereafter entered into by a Grantee with the Company or an Affiliate, except an agreement, contract, or understanding that expressly addresses Code Section 280G and/or Code Section 4999.

2.34 Other Equity-Based Award” shall mean an Award representing a right or other interest that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to Stock, other than an Option, a Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, a Restricted Stock Unit, a Deferred Stock Unit, Unrestricted Stock, a Dividend Equivalent Right, or a Performance Share.

2.35 Outside Director” shall have the meaning set forth in Code Section 162(m)(4)(C)(i).

2.36 Parachute Payment” shall mean a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Code Section 280G(b)(2).

2.37 Performance-Based Award” shall mean an Award of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, Performance Shares, Other Equity-Based Awards, or cash made subject to the achievement of performance goals (as provided in Article 13) over a Performance Period specified by the Committee.

2.38 Performance-Based Compensation” shall mean compensation under an Award that is intended to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 162(m) for Qualified Performance-Based Compensation paid to Covered Employees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in the Plan shall be construed to mean that an Award which does not satisfy the requirements for Qualified Performance-Based Compensation does not constitute performance-based compensation for other purposes, including the purposes of Code Section 409A.

2.39 Performance Measures” shall mean measures as specified in Section 13.6.4 on which the performance goal or goals under Performance-Based Awards are based and which are approved by the Company’s shareholders pursuant to, and to the extent required by, the Plan in order to qualify such Performance-Based Awards as Performance-Based Compensation.

2.40 Performance Period” shall mean the period of time, up to ten (10) years, during or over which the performance goals under Performance-Based Awards must be met in order to determine the degree of payout and/or vesting with respect to any such Performance-Based Awards.

2.41 Performance Shares” shall mean a Performance-Based Award representing a right or other interest that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to Stock, made subject to the achievement of performance goals (as provided in Article 13) over a Performance Period.

2.42 Person” shall mean an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, an association, a trust, or any other entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof; provided that, for purposes of Section 2.10(a), Section 2.10(c) and Section 2.10(d), Person shall have the meaning set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act.

 

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2.43 Plan” shall mean this Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

2.44 Prior Plans” shall mean the Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 2012 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended, the Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 2008 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended, the Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 2000 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended and restated, the Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings Amended and Restated 1999 Stock Incentive Plan, and the Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 1994 Stock Option Plan.

2.45 Prior Shareholders” shall mean the holders of equity securities that represented one hundred percent (100%) of the Voting Stock of the Company immediately prior to a reorganization, merger, or consolidation involving the Company (or other equity securities into which such equity securities are converted as part of such reorganization, merger, or consolidation transaction).

2.46 Qualified Performance-Based Compensation” shall have the meaning set forth in Code Section 162(m).

2.47 Restricted Period” shall mean a period of time established by the Committee during which an Award of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units is subject to restrictions.

2.48 Restricted Stock” shall mean shares of Stock awarded to a Grantee pursuant to Article 10.

2.49 Restricted Stock Unit” shall mean a bookkeeping entry representing the equivalent of one (1) share of Stock awarded to a Grantee pursuant to Article 10 that may be settled, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable Award Agreement, in shares of Stock, cash, or a combination thereof.

2.50 SAR Price” shall mean the per share exercise price of a SAR.

2.51 Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as now in effect or as hereafter amended, and any successor thereto.

2.52 Securities Market” shall mean an established securities market.

2.53 Separation from Service” shall have the meaning set forth in Code Section 409A.

2.54 Service” shall mean service qualifying a Grantee as a Service Provider to the Company or an Affiliate. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a Grantee’s change in position or duties shall not result in interrupted or terminated Service, so long as such Grantee continues to be a Service Provider to the Company or an Affiliate. Subject to the preceding sentence, any determination by the Committee whether a termination of Service shall have occurred for purposes of the Plan shall be final, binding, and conclusive. If a Service Provider’s employment or other Service relationship is with an Affiliate and the applicable entity ceases to be an Affiliate, a termination of Service shall be deemed to have occurred when such entity ceases to be an Affiliate unless the Service Provider transfers his or her employment or other Service relationship to the Company or any other Affiliate.

2.55 Service Provider” shall mean (a) an Employee or director of the Company or an Affiliate, or (b) a consultant or adviser to the Company or an Affiliate (i) who is a natural person, (ii) who is currently providing bona fide services to the Company or an Affiliate, and (iii) whose services are not in connection with the Company’s sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s Capital Stock.

2.56 Service Recipient Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in Code Section 409A.

2.57 Share Limit” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.

2.58 Short-Term Deferral Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Code Section 409A.

2.59 Stock” shall mean the common stock, par value $0.10 per share, of the Company, or any security into which shares of Stock may be changed or for which shares of Stock may be exchanged as provided in Section 16.1.

2.60 Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” shall mean a right granted to a Grantee pursuant to Article 9.

 

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2.61 Stock Exchange” shall mean the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Capital Market, the NASDAQ Global Market, the NASDAQ Global Select Market, or another established national or regional stock exchange.

2.62 Subsidiary” shall mean any corporation (other than the Company) or non-corporate entity with respect to which the Company owns, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of Voting Stock. In addition, any other entity may be designated by the Committee as a Subsidiary, provided that (a) such entity could be considered as a subsidiary according to generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and (b) in the case of an Award of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, such Award would be considered to be granted in respect of Service Recipient Stock under Code Section 409A.

2.63 Substitute Award” shall mean an Award granted upon assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted under a compensatory plan of the Company, an Affiliate, or a business entity acquired or to be acquired by the Company or an Affiliate or with which the Company or an Affiliate has combined or will combine.

2.64 Ten Percent Shareholder” shall mean a natural Person who owns more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of Voting Stock of the Company, the Company’s parent (if any), or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries. In determining stock ownership, the attribution rules of Code Section 424(d) shall be applied.

2.65 Unrestricted Stock” shall mean Stock that is free of any restrictions.

2.66 Voting Stock” shall mean, with respect to any Person, Capital Stock of any class or kind ordinarily having the power to vote for the election of directors, managers, or other voting members of the governing body of such Person.

3. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN

3.1 Committee.

3.1.1 Powers and Authorities.

The Committee shall administer the Plan and shall have such powers and authorities related to the administration of the Plan as are consistent with the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws and Applicable Laws. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee shall have full power and authority to take all actions and to make all determinations required or provided for under the Plan, any Award, or any Award Agreement and shall have full power and authority to take all such other actions and to make all such other determinations not inconsistent with the specific terms and provisions of the Plan which the Committee deems to be necessary or appropriate to the administration of the Plan, any Award, or any Award Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the Committee reserves the right to accelerate the vesting of all Awards granted under the Plan. All such actions and determinations shall be made by (a) the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present, or (b) the unanimous consent of the members of the Committee executed in writing or evidenced by electronic transmission in accordance with the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws and Applicable Laws. Unless otherwise expressly determined by the Board, the Committee shall have the authority to interpret and construe all provisions of the Plan, any Award, and any Award Agreement, and any such interpretation or construction, and any other determination contemplated to be made under the Plan or any Award Agreement, by the Committee shall be final, binding, and conclusive on all Persons, whether or not expressly provided for in any provision of the Plan, such Award, or such Award Agreement.

In the event that the Plan, any Award, or any Award Agreement provides for any action to be taken by the Board or any determination to be made by the Board, such action may be taken or such determination may be made by the Committee constituted in accordance with this Section 3.1 if the Board has delegated the power and authority to do so to such Committee.

3.1.2 Composition of the Committee.

The Committee shall be a committee composed of not fewer than two (2) directors of the Company designated by the Board to administer the Plan. Each member of the Committee shall be (a) a Non-Employee Director, (b) an Outside Director, and (c) an independent director in accordance with the rules of any Stock Exchange on which the Stock is listed; provided that any action taken by the Committee shall be valid and effective whether or not members of the Committee at the time of such action are later determined not to have satisfied the requirements for membership set

 

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forth in this Section 3.1.2 or otherwise provided in any charter of the Committee. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee may be the Compensation Committee of the Board or a subcommittee thereof if the Compensation Committee of the Board or such subcommittee satisfies the foregoing requirements.

3.1.3 Other Committees.

The Board also may appoint one or more committees of the Board, each composed of one or more directors of the Company who need not be Outside Directors, which (a) may administer the Plan with respect to Grantees who are not Officers or directors of the Company, (b) may grant Awards under the Plan to such Grantees, and (c) may determine all terms of such Awards, in each case, excluding (for the avoidance of doubt) Performance-Based Awards intending to constitute Qualified Performance-Based Compensation and subject, if applicable, to the requirements of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act and the rules of any Stock Exchange or Securities Market on which the Stock is listed or publicly traded.

3.1.4 Delegation by the Committee.

To the extent permitted by Applicable Laws, the Committee may, by resolution, delegate some or all of its authority with respect to the Plan and Awards to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and/or any other officer of the Company designated by the Committee, provided that the Committee may not delegate its authority hereunder (a) to make Awards to directors of the Company, (b) to make Awards to Employees who are (i) Officers, (ii) Covered Employees, or (iii) officers of the Company who are delegated authority by the Committee pursuant to this Section 3.1.4, or (c) to interpret the Plan, any Award, or any Award Agreement. Any delegation hereunder shall be subject to the restrictions and limits that the Committee specifies at the time of such delegation or thereafter. Nothing in the Plan shall be construed as obligating the Committee to delegate authority to any officer of the Company, and the Committee may at any time rescind the authority delegated to an officer of the Company appointed hereunder and delegate authority to one or more other officers of the Company. At all times, an officer of the Company delegated authority pursuant to this Section 3.1.4 shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of the Committee. Any action undertaken by any such officer of the Company in accordance with the Committee’s delegation of authority shall have the same force and effect as if undertaken directly by the Committee, and any reference in the Plan to the “Committee” shall, to the extent consistent with the terms and limitations of such delegation, be deemed to include a reference to each such officer.

3.2 Board.

The Board, from time to time, may exercise any or all of the powers and authorities related to the administration and implementation of the Plan, as set forth in Section 3.1 and other applicable provisions of the Plan, as the Board shall determine, consistent with the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws and Applicable Laws.

3.3 Terms of Awards.

3.3.1 Committee Authority.

Subject to the other terms and conditions of the Plan, the Committee shall have full and final authority to:

(a) designate Grantees;

(b) determine the type or types of Awards to be made to a Grantee;

(c) determine the number of shares of Stock to be subject to an Award or to which an Award relates;

(d) establish the terms and conditions of each Award (including the Option Price, the SAR Price, and the purchase price for applicable Awards; the nature and duration of any restriction or condition (or provision for lapse thereof) relating to the vesting, exercise, transfer, or forfeiture of an Award or the shares of Stock subject thereto; the treatment of an Award in the event of a Change in Control (subject to applicable agreements); and any terms or conditions that may be necessary to qualify Options as Incentive Stock Options);

(e) prescribe the form of each Award Agreement evidencing an Award;

(f) subject to the limitation on repricing in Section 3.4, amend, modify, or supplement the terms of any outstanding Award, which authority shall include the authority, in order to effectuate the purposes of the Plan but

 

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without amending the Plan, to make Awards or to modify outstanding Awards made to eligible natural Persons who are foreign nationals or are natural Persons who are employed outside the United States to reflect differences in local law, tax policy, or custom; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, no amendment, modification, or supplement of the terms of any outstanding Award shall, without the consent of the Grantee thereof, materially impair such Grantee’s rights under such Award; and

(g) make Substitute Awards.

3.3.2 Forfeiture; Recoupment.

The Committee may reserve the right in an Award Agreement to cause a forfeiture of the gain realized by a Grantee with respect to an Award thereunder on account of actions taken by, or failed to be taken by, such Grantee in violation or breach of, or in conflict with, any (a) employment agreement, (b) non-competition agreement, (c) agreement prohibiting solicitation of Employees or clients of the Company or an Affiliate, (d) confidentiality obligation with respect to the Company or an Affiliate, (e) Company or Affiliate policy or procedure, (f) other agreement, or (g) other obligation of such Grantee to the Company or an Affiliate, as and to the extent specified in such Award Agreement. If the Grantee of an outstanding Award is an Employee of the Company or an Affiliate and such Grantee’s Service is terminated for Cause, the Committee may annul such Grantee’s outstanding Award as of the date of the Grantee’s termination of Service for Cause.

Any Award granted pursuant to the Plan shall be subject to mandatory repayment by the Grantee to the Company (x) to the extent set forth in this Plan or an Award Agreement or (y) to the extent the Grantee is, or in the future becomes, subject to (1) any Company or Affiliate “clawback” or recoupment policy that is adopted to comply with the requirements of any Applicable Laws, or (2) any Applicable Laws which impose mandatory recoupment, under circumstances set forth in such Applicable Laws.

3.4 No Repricing.

Except in connection with a corporate transaction involving the Company (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, distribution (whether in the form of cash, shares of Stock, other securities, or other property), stock split, extraordinary dividend, recapitalization, Change in Control, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of shares of Stock, or other securities or similar transaction), the Company may not: (a) amend the terms of outstanding Options or SARs to reduce the Option Price or SAR Price, as applicable, of such outstanding Options or SARs; (b) cancel outstanding Options or SARs in exchange for or substitution of Options or SARs with an Option Price or SAR Price, as applicable, that is less than the Option Price or SAR Price, as applicable, of the original Options or SARs; or (c) cancel outstanding Options or SARs with an Option Price or SAR Price, as applicable, above the current Fair Market Value in exchange for cash or other securities, in each case, unless such action is subject to and approved by the Company’s shareholders.

3.5 Deferral Arrangement.

The Committee may permit or require the deferral of any payment pursuant to any Award into a deferred compensation arrangement, subject to such rules and procedures as it may establish, which may include provisions for the payment or crediting of interest or Dividend Equivalent Rights and, in connection therewith, provisions for converting such credits into Deferred Stock Units and for restricting deferrals to comply with hardship distribution rules affecting tax-qualified retirement plans subject to Code Section 401(k)(2)(B)(IV); provided that no Dividend Equivalent Rights may be granted in connection with, or related to, an Award of Options or SARs. Any such deferrals shall be made in a manner that complies with Code Section 409A, including, if applicable, with respect to when a Separation from Service occurs.

3.6 Registration; Share Certificates.

Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, the ownership of the shares of Stock issued under the Plan may be evidenced in such a manner as the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, including by book-entry or direct registration (including transaction advices) or the issuance of one or more share certificates.

 

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4. STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

4.1 Number of Shares of Stock Available for Awards.

Subject to adjustment pursuant to Article 16, the maximum number of shares of Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan shall be equal to eleven million two hundred thousand (11,200,000), less one (1) share for every one (1) share that was subject to an option or stock appreciation right granted after December 31, 2015 under any Prior Plan and 2.62 shares for every one (1) share that was subject to an award other than an option or stock appreciation right granted after December 31, 2015, in each case using the share usage provisions set forth in Section 4.3 (the “Share Limit”). Such shares of Stock may be authorized and unissued shares of Stock, treasury shares of Stock, or any combination of the foregoing, as may be determined from time to time by the Board or by the Committee. Any of the shares of Stock reserved and available for issuance under the Plan may be used for any type of Award under the Plan, and any or all of the shares of Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan shall be available for issuance pursuant to Incentive Stock Options.

4.2 Adjustments in Authorized Shares of Stock.

In connection with mergers, reorganizations, separations, or other transactions to which Code Section 424(a) applies, the Committee shall have the right to cause the Company to assume awards previously granted under a compensatory plan of another business entity that is a party to such transaction and to grant Substitute Awards under the Plan for such awards. The Share Limit shall neither be increased nor decreased by the number of shares of Stock subject to any such assumed awards and Substitute Awards. Shares available for issuance under a shareholder-approved plan of a business entity that is a party to such transaction (as appropriately adjusted, if necessary, to reflect such transaction) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the number of shares of Stock otherwise available for issuance under the Plan, subject to applicable rules of any Stock Exchange or Securities Market on which the Stock is listed or publicly traded.

4.3 Share Usage.

(a) Shares of Stock subject to an Award shall be counted as used as of the Grant Date for purposes of calculating the number of shares of Stock available for issuance under Section 4.1.

(b) Any shares of Stock that are subject to Awards, including shares of Stock acquired through dividend reinvestment pursuant to Article 10, shall be counted against the Share Limit as: (i) 2.62 shares of Stock for every one (1) share of Stock subject to an Award other than Options or SARs and (ii) one (1) share of Stock for every one (1) share of Stock subject to an Award of Options or SARs. The number of shares of Stock subject to an Award of stock-settled SARs shall be counted against the Share Limit as one (1) share of Stock for every one (1) share of Stock subject to such Award regardless of the number of shares of Stock actually issued to settle such SARs upon the exercise of the SARs. A number of shares of Stock at least equal to the target number of shares issuable under Performance Shares shall be counted against the Share Limit as of the Grant Date, but such number shall be adjusted to equal the actual number of shares issued upon settlement of the Performance Shares to the extent different from such number of shares.

(c) If any shares of Stock subject to an Award or to awards outstanding under the Prior Plans after December 31, 2015, are not purchased or are forfeited or expire or otherwise terminate without delivery of any Stock subject thereto or are settled in cash in lieu of shares, then the number of shares of Stock counted against the Share Limit with respect to such Award shall, to the extent of any such forfeiture, termination, expiration, or settlement, again be available for making Awards under the Plan, provided that any shares subject to an award granted under the Prior Plans shall be available for making Awards under the Plan in the same number as Awards under Section 4.3(b) (that is, as if such awards had been originally granted under the Plan). Shares of Stock tendered or withheld or subject to an Award (other than an Option or SAR), or to awards (other than options or stock appreciation rights) outstanding under the Prior Plans after December 31, 2015, surrendered in connection with the purchase of shares of Stock or deducted or delivered from payment of such Award in connection with the Company’s tax withholding obligations shall again be available for making Awards under the Plan in the same number as such shares were counted against the Share Limit, provided that any such shares subject to an award granted under the Prior Plans shall be available for making Awards under the Plan in the same number as Awards under Section 4.3(b) (that is, as if such awards had been originally granted under the Plan).

(d) The number of shares of Stock available for issuance under the Plan shall not be increased by the number of shares of Stock (i) tendered, withheld, or subject to an Option granted under the Plan surrendered in connection with the payment of the Option Price upon exercise of an Option or in connection with the Company’s tax withholding obligations with respect to Options or stock-settled SARs, (ii) that were not issued upon the net settlement or net exercise of a Stock-settled SAR granted under the Plan, or (iii) purchased by the Company with proceeds from Option exercises.

 

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5. TERM; AMENDMENT, SUSPENSION, AND TERMINATION

5.1 Term.

The Plan shall become effective as of the Effective Date. Following the Effective Date, no awards shall be made under the Prior Plans. Notwithstanding the foregoing, shares of Stock reserved under the Prior Plans to settle awards, including performance-based awards, which are made under the Prior Plans prior to the Effective Date may be issued and delivered following the Effective Date to settle such awards. The Plan shall terminate on the first to occur of (a) the day before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date, (b) the date determined in accordance with Section 5.2, and (c) the date determined in accordance with Section 16.3; provided, however, that Incentive Stock Options may not be granted under the Plan after the tenth (10th) anniversary of the date of the Board’s adoption of the Plan. Upon such termination of the Plan, all outstanding Awards shall continue to have full force and effect in accordance with the provisions of the terminated Plan and the applicable Award Agreement (or other documents evidencing such Awards).

5.2 Amendment, Suspension, and Termination.

The Board may, at any time and from time to time, amend, suspend, or terminate the Plan; provided that, with respect to Awards theretofore granted under the Plan, no amendment, suspension, or termination of the Plan shall, without the consent of the Grantee, materially impair the rights or obligations under any such Award. The effectiveness of any amendment to the Plan shall be contingent on approval of such amendment by the Company’s shareholders to the extent provided by the Board or required by Applicable Laws; provided that no amendment shall be made to the no-repricing provisions of Section 3.4, the Option Pricing provisions of Section 8.1, or the SAR Pricing provisions of Section 9.1 without the approval of the Company’s shareholders.

6. AWARD ELIGIBILITY AND LIMITATIONS

6.1 Eligible Grantees.

Subject to this Article 6, Awards may be made under the Plan to (a) any Service Provider, as the Committee shall determine and designate from time to time, and (b) any other individual whose participation in the Plan is determined to be in the best interests of the Company by the Committee.

6.2 Limitation on Shares of Stock Subject to Awards and Cash Awards.

During any time when the Company has any class of common equity securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, but subject to adjustment as provided in Article 16:

(a) The maximum number of shares of Stock that may be granted under the Plan, pursuant to Options or SARs, in a calendar year to any Person eligible for an Award under Section 6.1, other than a non-employee director of the Company, is three hundred thousand (300,000) shares;

(b) The maximum number of shares of Stock that may be granted under the Plan, pursuant to Awards other than Options or SARs that are intended to be Qualified Performance-Based Compensation and are Stock-denominated and are either Stock- or cash-settled, in a calendar year to any Person eligible for an Award under Section 6.1 who is a Covered Employee is two hundred thousand (200,000) shares;

(c) The maximum number of shares of Stock subject to Awards granted during a single fiscal year to any non-employee director, taken together with any cash fees paid to such non-employee director during the fiscal year, shall not exceed $600,000 in total value (calculating the value of any such Awards based on the grant date fair value of such Awards for financial reporting purposes); provided, that the Board may make exceptions to this limit for individual non-employee directors in extraordinary circumstances as the Board may determine in its sole discretion, so long as (x) the aggregate limit does not exceed $750,000 in total value during a fiscal year and (y) the non-employee director receiving such additional compensation does not participate in the decision to award such compensation or in other contemporaneous compensation decisions involving non-employee directors; and

(d) The maximum amount that may be paid as a cash-denominated Performance-Based Award (whether or not cash-settled) that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation for a Performance Period of twelve (12) months or less to any Person eligible for an Award under Section 6.1 who is a Covered Employee shall be ten million dollars ($10,000,000), and the maximum amount that may be paid as a cash-denominated Performance-Based

 

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Award (whether or not cash-settled) that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation for a Performance Period of greater than twelve (12) months to any Person eligible for an Award under Section 6.1 who is a Covered Employee shall be ten million dollars ($10,000,000) times the number of years in the Performance Period.

6.3 Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem, and Substitute Awards.

Subject to Section 3.4, Awards granted under the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution or exchange for, (a) any other Award, (b) any award granted under another plan of the Company, an Affiliate, or any business entity that has been a party to a transaction with the Company or an Affiliate, or (c) any other right of a Grantee to receive payment from the Company or an Affiliate. Such additional, tandem, exchange, or Substitute Awards may be granted at any time. If an Award is granted in substitution or exchange for another Award, or for an award granted under another plan of the Company, an Affiliate, or any business entity that has been a party to a transaction with the Company or an Affiliate, the Committee shall require the surrender of such other Award or award under such other plan in consideration for the grant of such exchange or Substitute Award. In addition, Awards may be granted in lieu of cash compensation, including in lieu of cash payments under other plans of the Company or an Affiliate. Notwithstanding Section 8.1 and Section 9.1, but subject to Section 3.4, the Option Price of an Option or the SAR Price of a SAR that is a Substitute Award may be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the original Grant Date; provided that such Option Price or SAR Price is determined in accordance with the principles of Code Section 424 for any Incentive Stock Option and consistent with Code Section 409A for any other Option or SAR.

7. AWARD AGREEMENT

Each Award granted pursuant to the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which shall be in such form or forms as the Committee shall from time to time determine. Award Agreements utilized under the Plan from time to time or at the same time need not contain similar provisions but shall be consistent with the terms of the Plan. Each Award Agreement evidencing an Award of Options shall specify whether such Options are intended to be Non-qualified Stock Options or Incentive Stock Options, and, in the absence of such specification, such Options shall be deemed to constitute Non-qualified Stock Options. In the event of any inconsistency between the Plan and an Award Agreement, the provisions of the Plan shall control.

8. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTIONS

8.1 Option Price.

The Option Price of each Option shall be fixed by the Committee and stated in the Award Agreement evidencing such Option. Except in the case of Substitute Awards, the Option Price of each Option shall be at least the Fair Market Value of one (1) share of Stock on the Grant Date; provided that, in the event that a Grantee is a Ten Percent Shareholder, the Option Price of an Option granted to such Grantee that is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall be not less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of one (1) share of Stock on the Grant Date. In no case shall the Option Price of any Option be less than the par value of one (1) share of Stock.

8.2 Vesting and Exercisability.

(a) Subject to Sections 8.3 and 16.3, each Option granted under the Plan shall become vested and/or exercisable at such times and under such conditions as shall be determined by the Committee and stated in the Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or otherwise in writing; provided that no Option shall be granted to Grantees who are entitled to overtime under Applicable Laws that will vest or be exercisable within a six (6)-month period starting on the Grant Date.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 8.2(a), for Options (other than Substitute Awards) granted on or after the Effective Date, (i) the grant, issuance, retention, vesting, and/or exercise, of an Option that is based solely upon performance criteria and level of achievement versus such criteria shall be subject to a performance period of not less than twelve (12) months, and (ii) the grant, issuance, retention, vesting, and/or exercise, of an Option that is based solely upon continued Service and/or the passage of time may not vest or be exercised in full or in part prior to the satisfaction of a one (1) year minimum vesting period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may provide for the earlier vesting and/or exercisability under any such Option (i) in the event of the Grantee’s death or Disability, or (ii) in connection with a Change in Control.

 

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(c) Notwithstanding the limitations in Section 8.2(b) and Section 9.2(b), up to five percent (5%) of the Share Limit may be granted pursuant to the Plan without being subject to the limitations in Section 8.2(b) and Section 9.2(b). The foregoing five percent (5%) share issuance limit shall be subject to adjustment consistent with the adjustment provisions of Section 16 and the share usage rules of Section 4.3.

8.3 Term.

Each Option granted under the Plan shall terminate, and all rights to purchase shares of Stock thereunder shall cease, on the day before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Grant Date of such Option, or under such circumstances and on such date prior thereto as is set forth in the Plan or as may be fixed by the Committee and stated in the Award Agreement relating to such Option; provided that, in the event that the Grantee is a Ten Percent Shareholder, an Option granted to such Grantee that is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall not be exercisable after the day before the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Grant Date of such Option.

8.4 Termination of Service.

Each Award Agreement with respect to the grant of an Option shall set forth the extent to which the Grantee thereof, if at all, shall have the right to exercise such Option following termination of such Grantee’s Service. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, need not be uniform among all Options issued pursuant to the Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination of Service.

8.5 Limitations on Exercise of Option.

Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in no event may any Option be exercised, in whole or in part, after the occurrence of an event referred to in Article 16 which results in the termination of such Option.

8.6 Method of Exercise.

Subject to the terms of Article 14 and Section 18.3, an Option that is exercisable may be exercised by the Grantee’s delivery to the Company or its designee or agent of notice of exercise on any business day, at the Company’s principal office or the office of such designee or agent, on the form specified by the Company and in accordance with any additional procedures specified by the Committee. Such notice shall specify the number of shares of Stock with respect to which such Option is being exercised and shall be accompanied by payment in full of the Option Price of the shares of Stock for which such Option is being exercised, plus the amount (if any) of federal and/or other taxes which the Company may, in its judgment, be required to withhold with respect to the exercise of such Option.

8.7 Rights of Holders of Options.

Unless otherwise stated in the applicable Award Agreement, a Grantee or other Person holding or exercising an Option shall have none of the rights of a shareholder of the Company (for example, the right to receive cash or dividend payments or distributions attributable to the shares of Stock subject to such Option, to direct the voting of the shares of Stock subject to such Option, or to receive notice of any meeting of the Company’s shareholders) until the shares of Stock subject thereto are fully paid and issued to such Grantee or other Person. Except as provided in Article 16, no adjustment shall be made for dividends, distributions, or other rights with respect to any shares of Stock subject to an Option for which the record date is prior to the date of issuance of such shares of Stock.

8.8 Delivery of Stock.

Promptly after the exercise of an Option by a Grantee and the payment in full of the Option Price with respect thereto, such Grantee shall be entitled to receive such evidence of such Grantee’s ownership of the shares of Stock subject to such Option as shall be consistent with Section 3.6.

8.9 Transferability of Options.

Except as provided in Section 8.10, during the lifetime of a Grantee of an Option, only such Grantee (or, in the event of such Grantee’s legal incapacity or incompetency, such Grantee’s guardian or legal representative) may exercise such Option. Except as provided in Section 8.10, no Option shall be assignable or transferable by the Grantee to whom it is granted, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

 

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8.10 Family Transfers.

If authorized in the applicable Award Agreement or by the Committee, in its sole discretion, a Grantee may transfer, not for value, all or part of an Option which is not an Incentive Stock Option to any Family Member. For the purpose of this Section 8.10, a transfer “not for value” is a transfer which is (a) a gift, (b) a transfer under a domestic relations order in settlement of marital property rights, or (c) unless Applicable Laws do not permit such transfer, a transfer to an entity in which more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting interests are owned by Family Members (and/or the Grantee) in exchange for an interest in such entity. Following a transfer under this Section 8.10, any such Option shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions as were applicable immediately prior to such transfer. Subsequent transfers of transferred Options shall be prohibited except to Family Members of the original Grantee in accordance with this Section 8.10 or by will or the laws of descent and distribution. The provisions of Section 8.4 relating to termination of Service shall continue to be applied with respect to the original Grantee of the Option, following which such Option shall be exercisable by the transferee only to the extent, and for the periods specified, in Section 8.4.

8.11 Limitations on Incentive Stock Options.

An Option shall constitute an Incentive Stock Option only (a) if the Grantee of such Option is an Employee of the Company or any corporate Subsidiary, (b) to the extent specifically provided in the related Award Agreement, and (c) to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time such Option is granted) of the shares of Stock with respect to which all Incentive Stock Options held by such Grantee become exercisable for the first time during any calendar year (under the Plan and all other plans of the Company and its Affiliates) does not exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000). Except to the extent provided in the regulations under Code Section 422, this limitation shall be applied by taking Options into account in the order in which they were granted.

8.12 Notice of Disqualifying Disposition.

If any Grantee shall make any disposition of shares of Stock issued pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option under the circumstances provided in Code Section 421(b) (relating to certain disqualifying dispositions), such Grantee shall notify the Company of such disposition immediately but in no event later than ten (10) days thereafter.

9. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

9.1 Right to Payment and SAR Price.

A SAR shall confer on the Grantee to whom it is granted a right to receive, upon exercise thereof, the excess of (a) the Fair Market Value of one (1) share of Stock on the date of exercise, over (b) the SAR Price as determined by the Committee. The Award Agreement for a SAR shall specify the SAR Price, which shall be no less than the Fair Market Value of one (1) share of Stock on the Grant Date of such SAR. SARs may be granted in tandem with all or part of an Option granted under the Plan or at any subsequent time during the term of such Option, in combination with all or any part of any other Award, or without regard to any Option or other Award; provided that a SAR that is granted in tandem with all or part of an Option shall have the same term, and expire at the same time, as the related Option.

9.2 Other Terms.

(a) The Committee shall determine, on the Grant Date or thereafter, the time or times at which, and the circumstances under which, a SAR may be exercised in whole or in part (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future Service requirements); the time or times at which SARs shall cease to be or become exercisable following termination of Service or upon other conditions; the method of exercise, method of settlement, form of consideration payable in settlement, method by or forms in which shares of Stock shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Grantees, whether or not a SAR shall be granted in tandem or in combination with any other Award; and any and all other terms and conditions of any SAR; provided that no SARs shall be granted to Grantees who are entitled to overtime under Applicable Laws that will vest or be exercisable within a six (6)-month period starting on the Grant Date.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 9.2(a), for SARs (other than Substitute Awards) granted on or after the Effective Date, (i) the grant, issuance, retention, vesting, and/or exercise, of a SAR that is based solely upon performance criteria and level of achievement versus such criteria shall be subject to a performance period of not less than twelve (12) months, and (ii) the grant, issuance, retention, vesting, and/or exercise, of a SAR that is based solely upon continued Service and/or the passage of time may not vest or be exercised in full or in part prior to the satisfaction of a one (1) year

 

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minimum vesting period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may provide for the earlier vesting and/or exercisability under any such SAR (i) in the event of the Grantee’s death or Disability, or (ii) in connection with a Change in Control.

(c) Notwithstanding the limitations in Section 8.2(b) and Section 9.2(b), up to five percent (5%) of the Share Limit may be granted pursuant to the Plan without being subject to the limitations in Section 8.2(b) and Section 9.2(b). The foregoing five percent (5%) share issuance limit shall be subject to adjustment consistent with the adjustment provisions of Section 16 and the share usage rules of Section 4.3.

9.3 Term.

Each SAR granted under the Plan shall terminate, and all rights thereunder shall cease, on the day before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Grant Date of such SAR or under such circumstances and on such date prior thereto as is set forth in the Plan or as may be fixed by the Committee and stated in the Award Agreement relating to such SAR.

9.4 Rights of Holders of SARs.

Unless otherwise stated in the applicable Award Agreement, a Grantee or other Person holding or exercising a SAR shall have none of the rights of a shareholder of the Company (for example, the right to receive cash or dividend payments or distributions attributable to the shares of Stock underlying such SAR, to direct the voting of the shares of Stock underlying such SAR, or to receive notice of any meeting of the Company’s shareholders) until the shares of Stock underlying such SAR, if any, are issued to such Grantee or other Person. Except as provided in Article 16, no adjustment shall be made for dividends, distributions, or other rights with respect to any shares of Stock underlying a SAR for which the record date is prior to the date of issuance of such shares of Stock, if any.

9.5 Transferability of SARs.

Except as provided in Section 9.6, during the lifetime of a Grantee of a SAR, only the Grantee (or, in the event of such Grantee’s legal incapacity or incompetency, such Grantee’s guardian or legal representative) may exercise such SAR. Except as provided in Section 9.6, no SAR shall be assignable or transferable by the Grantee to whom it is granted, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

9.6 Family Transfers.

If authorized in the applicable Award Agreement or by the Committee, in its sole discretion, a Grantee may transfer, not for value, all or part of a SAR to any Family Member. For the purpose of this Section 9.6, a transfer “not for value” is a transfer which is (a) a gift, (b) a transfer under a domestic relations order in settlement of marital property rights, or (c) unless Applicable Laws do not permit such transfer, a transfer to an entity in which more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting interests are owned by Family Members (and/or the Grantee) in exchange for an interest in such entity. Following a transfer under this Section 9.6, any such SAR shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions as were in effect immediately prior to such transfer. Subsequent transfers of transferred SARs shall be prohibited except to Family Members of the original Grantee in accordance with this Section 9.6 or by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

10. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF RESTRICTED STOCK, RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS, AND DEFERRED STOCK UNITS

10.1 Grant of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, and Deferred Stock Units.

Awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, and Deferred Stock Units may be made for consideration or for no consideration, other than the par value of the shares of Stock, which shall be deemed paid by past Service or, if so provided in the related Award Agreement or a separate agreement, the promise by the Grantee to perform future Service to the Company or an Affiliate.

10.2 Restrictions.

At the time a grant of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units is made, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, (a) establish a Restricted Period applicable to such Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units and (b) prescribe restrictions in addition to or other than the expiration of the Restricted Period, including the achievement of corporate or individual performance goals, which may be applicable to all or any portion of such Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units as provided in Article 13. Awards of

 

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Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, and Deferred Stock Units may not be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, or otherwise encumbered or disposed of during the Restricted Period or prior to the satisfaction of any other restrictions prescribed by the Committee with respect to such Awards.

10.3 Registration; Restricted Stock Certificates.

Pursuant to Section 3.6, to the extent that ownership of Restricted Stock is evidenced by a book-entry registration or direct registration (including transaction advices), such registration shall be notated to evidence the restrictions imposed on such Award of Restricted Stock under the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement. Subject to Section 3.6 and the immediately following sentence, the Company may issue, in the name of each Grantee to whom Restricted Stock has been granted, certificates representing the total number of shares of Restricted Stock granted to the Grantee, as soon as reasonably practicable after the Grant Date of such Restricted Stock. The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement with respect to an Award of Restricted Stock that either (a) the Secretary of the Company shall hold such certificates for such Grantee’s benefit until such time as such shares of Restricted Stock are forfeited to the Company or the restrictions applicable thereto lapse and such Grantee shall deliver a stock power to the Company with respect to each certificate, or (b) such certificates shall be delivered to such Grantee, provided that such certificates shall bear legends that comply with Applicable Laws and make appropriate reference to the restrictions imposed on such Award of Restricted Stock under the Plan and such Award Agreement.

10.4 Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock.

Unless the Committee provides otherwise in an Award Agreement and subject to the restrictions set forth in the Plan, any applicable Company program, and the applicable Award Agreement, holders of Restricted Stock shall have the right to vote such shares of Restricted Stock and the right to receive any dividend payments or distributions declared or paid with respect to such shares of Restricted Stock. The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement evidencing a grant of Restricted Stock that (a) any cash dividend payments or distributions paid on Restricted Stock shall be reinvested in shares of Stock, which may or may not be subject to the same vesting conditions and restrictions as applicable to such underlying shares of Restricted Stock or (b) any dividend payments or distributions declared or paid on shares of Restricted Stock shall only be made or paid upon satisfaction of the vesting conditions and restrictions applicable to such shares of Restricted Stock. Dividend payments or distributions declared or paid on shares of Restricted Stock which vest or are earned based upon the achievement of performance goals shall not vest unless such performance goals for such shares of Restricted Stock are achieved, and if such performance goals are not achieved, the Grantee of such shares of Restricted Stock shall promptly forfeit and, to the extent already paid or distributed, repay to the Company such dividend payments or distributions. All stock dividend payments or distributions, if any, received by a Grantee with respect to shares of Restricted Stock as a result of any stock split, stock dividend, combination of stock, or other similar transaction shall be subject to the same vesting conditions and restrictions as applicable to such underlying shares of Restricted Stock.

10.5 Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units.

10.5.1 Voting and Dividend Rights.

Holders of Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units shall have no rights as shareholders of the Company (for example, the right to receive dividend payments or distributions attributable to the shares of Stock underlying such Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units, to direct the voting of the shares of Stock underlying such Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units, or to receive notice of any meeting of the Company’s shareholders). The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement evidencing an Award of Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units that the holder thereof shall be entitled to receive Dividend Equivalent Rights with respect to each Restricted Stock Unit or Deferred Stock Unit.

10.5.2 Creditor’s Rights.

A holder of Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units shall have no rights other than those of a general unsecured creditor of the Company. Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units represent unfunded and unsecured obligations of the Company, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable Award Agreement.

10.6 Termination of Service.

Unless the Committee provides otherwise in an Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or otherwise in writing after such Award Agreement is issued, but prior to termination of Grantee’s Service, upon the termination of such Grantee’s Service, any Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units held by

 

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such Grantee that have not vested, or with respect to which all applicable restrictions and conditions have not lapsed, shall immediately be deemed forfeited. Upon forfeiture of such Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units, the Grantee thereof shall have no further rights with respect thereto, including any right to vote such Restricted Stock or any right to receive dividends or Dividend Equivalent Rights, as applicable, with respect to such Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units.

10.7 Purchase of Restricted Stock and Shares of Stock Subject to Restricted Stock Units and Deferred Stock Units.

The Grantee of an Award of Restricted Stock, vested Restricted Stock Units, or vested Deferred Stock Units shall be required, to the extent required by Applicable Laws, to purchase such Restricted Stock or the shares of Stock subject to such vested Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units from the Company at a purchase price equal to the greater of (x) the aggregate par value of the shares of Stock represented by such Restricted Stock or such vested Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units or (y) the purchase price, if any, specified in the Award Agreement relating to such Restricted Stock or such vested Restricted Stock Units or Deferred Stock Units. Such purchase price shall be payable in a form provided in Article 14 or, in the sole discretion of the Committee, in consideration for Service rendered or to be rendered by the Grantee to the Company or an Affiliate.

10.8 Delivery of Shares of Stock.

Upon the expiration or termination of any Restricted Period and the satisfaction of any other conditions prescribed by the Committee, including, without limitation, any performance goals or delayed delivery period, the restrictions applicable to Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units settled in shares of Stock shall lapse, and, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a book-entry or direct registration (including transaction advices) or a certificate evidencing ownership of such shares of Stock shall, consistent with Section 3.6, be issued, free of all such restrictions, to the Grantee thereof or such Grantee’s beneficiary or estate, as the case may be. Neither the Grantee, nor the Grantee’s beneficiary or estate, shall have any further rights with regard to a Restricted Stock Unit or Deferred Stock Unit once the shares of Stock represented by such Restricted Stock Unit or Deferred Stock Unit have been delivered in accordance with this Section 10.8.

11. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF UNRESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS AND OTHER EQUITY-BASED AWARDS

11.1 Unrestricted Stock Awards.

The Committee may, in its sole discretion, grant (or sell at the par value of a share of Stock or at such other higher purchase price as shall be determined by the Committee) an Award to any Grantee pursuant to which such Grantee may receive shares of Unrestricted Stock under the Plan. Awards of Unrestricted Stock may be granted or sold to any Grantee as provided in the immediately preceding sentence in respect of Service rendered or, if so provided in the related Award Agreement or a separate agreement, to be rendered by the Grantee to the Company or an Affiliate or other valid consideration, in lieu of or in addition to any cash compensation due to such Grantee.

11.2 Other Equity-Based Awards.

The Committee may, in its sole discretion, grant Awards in the form of Other Equity-Based Awards, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan. Awards granted pursuant to this Section 11.2 may be granted with vesting, value, and/or payment contingent upon the achievement of one or more performance goals. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of Other Equity-Based Awards on the Grant Date or thereafter. Unless the Committee provides otherwise in an Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or otherwise in writing after such Award Agreement is issued, but prior to termination of Grantee’s Service, upon the termination of a Grantee’s Service, any Other Equity-Based Awards held by such Grantee that have not vested, or with respect to which all applicable restrictions and conditions have not lapsed, shall immediately be deemed forfeited. Upon forfeiture of any Other Equity-Based Award, the Grantee thereof shall have no further rights with respect to such Other Equity-Based Award.

12. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF DIVIDEND EQUIVALENT RIGHTS

12.1 Dividend Equivalent Rights.

A Dividend Equivalent Right may be granted hereunder, provided that no Dividend Equivalent Rights may be granted in connection with, or related to, an Award of Options or SARs. The terms and conditions of Dividend

 

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Equivalent Rights shall be specified in the Award Agreement therefor. Dividend equivalents credited to the holder of a Dividend Equivalent Right may be paid currently (with or without being subject to forfeiture or a repayment obligation) or may be deemed to be reinvested in additional shares of Stock or Awards, which may thereafter accrue additional Dividend Equivalent Rights (with or without being subject to forfeiture or a repayment obligation). Dividend Equivalent Rights may be settled in cash, shares of Stock, or a combination thereof, in a single installment or in multiple installments, all as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee. A Dividend Equivalent Right granted as a component of another Award may (a) provide that such Dividend Equivalent Right shall be settled upon exercise, settlement, or payment of, or lapse of restrictions on, such other Award and that such Dividend Equivalent Right shall expire or be forfeited or annulled under the same conditions as such other Award or (b) contain terms and conditions which are different from the terms and conditions of such other Award, provided that Dividend Equivalent Rights credited pursuant to a Dividend Equivalent Right granted as a component of another Award which vests or is earned based upon the achievement of performance goals shall not vest unless such performance goals for such underlying Award are achieved, and if such performance goals are not achieved, the Grantee of such Dividend Equivalent Rights shall promptly forfeit and, to the extent already paid or distributed, repay to the Company payments or distributions made in connection with such Dividend Equivalent Rights.

12.2 Termination of Service.

Unless the Committee provides otherwise in an Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or otherwise in writing after such Award Agreement is issued, a Grantee’s rights in all Dividend Equivalent Rights shall automatically terminate upon such Grantee’s termination of Service for any reason.

13. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PERFORMANCE-BASED AWARDS

13.1 Grant of Performance-Based Awards.

Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Performance-Based Awards in such amounts and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine.

13.2 Value of Performance-Based Awards.

Each grant of a Performance-Based Award shall have an initial cash value or an actual or target number of shares of Stock that is established by the Committee as of the Grant Date. The Committee shall set performance goals in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are achieved, shall determine the value and/or number of shares of Stock subject to a Performance-Based Award that shall be paid out to the Grantee thereof.

13.3 Earning of Performance-Based Awards.

Subject to the terms of the Plan, in particular Section 13.6.3, after the applicable Performance Period has ended, the Grantee of a Performance-Based Award shall be entitled to receive a payout of the value earned under such Performance-Based Award by such Grantee over such Performance Period.

13.4 Form and Timing of Payment of Performance-Based Awards.

Payment of the value earned under Performance-Based Awards shall be made, as determined by the Committee, in the form, at the time, and in the manner described in the applicable Award Agreement. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee, in its sole discretion, (i) may pay the value earned under Performance-Based Awards in the form of cash, shares of Stock, other Awards, or a combination thereof, including shares of Stock and/or Awards that are subject to any restrictions deemed appropriate by the Committee, and (ii) shall pay the value earned under Performance-Based Awards at the close of the applicable Performance Period, or as soon as reasonably practicable after the Committee has determined that the performance goal or goals relating thereto have been achieved; provided that, unless specifically provided in the Award Agreement for such Performance-Based Awards, such payment shall occur no later than the fifteenth (15th) day of the third (3rd) month following the end of the calendar year in which such Performance Period ends. The determination of the Committee with respect to the form of payout of such Performance-Based Awards shall be set forth in the Award Agreement therefor.

13.5 Performance Conditions.

The right of a Grantee to exercise or to receive a grant or settlement of any Performance-Based Award, and the timing thereof, may be subject to such performance conditions as may be specified by the Committee. The Committee may use such business criteria and other measures of performance as it may deem appropriate in establishing any

 

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performance conditions. If and to the extent required under Code Section 162(m), any power or authority relating to an Award intended to qualify under Code Section 162(m) shall be exercised by the Committee and not by the Board.

13.6 Performance-Based Awards Granted to Designated Covered Employees.

If and to the extent that the Committee determines that a Performance-Based Award to be granted to a Grantee should constitute Qualified Performance-Based Compensation for purposes of Code Section 162(m), the grant, exercise, and/or settlement of such Performance-Based Award shall be contingent upon achievement of pre-established performance goals and other terms set forth in this Section 13.6.

13.6.1 Performance Goals Generally.

The performance goals for Performance-Based Awards shall consist of one or more business criteria and a targeted level or levels of performance with respect to each of such criteria, as specified by the Committee consistent with this Section 13.6. Performance goals shall be objective and shall otherwise meet the requirements of Code Section 162(m), including the requirement that the level or levels of performance targeted by the Committee result in the achievement of performance goals being “substantially uncertain.” The Committee may determine that such Awards shall be granted, exercised, and/or settled upon achievement of any single performance goal or of two (2) or more performance goals. Performance goals may differ for Performance-Based Awards granted to any one Grantee or to different Grantees.

13.6.2 Timing For Establishing Performance Goals.

Performance goals for any Performance-Based Award shall be established not later than the earlier of (a) ninety (90) days after the beginning of any Performance Period applicable to such Performance-Based Award, and (b) the date on which twenty-five percent (25%) of any Performance Period applicable to such Performance-Based Award has expired, or at such other date as may be required or permitted for compensation payable to a Covered Employee to constitute Performance-Based Compensation.

13.6.3 Payment of Awards; Other Terms.

Payment of Performance-Based Awards shall be in cash, shares of Stock, other Awards, or a combination thereof, including shares of Stock and/or Awards that are subject to any restrictions deemed appropriate by the Committee, in each case as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, reduce the amount of a payment otherwise to be made in connection with such Performance-Based Awards. The Committee shall specify the circumstances in which such Performance-Based Awards shall be paid or forfeited in the event of termination of Service by the Grantee prior to the end of a Performance Period or settlement of such Performance-Based Awards. In the event payment of the Performance-Based Award is made in the form of another Award subject to Service-based vesting, the Committee shall specify the circumstances in which the payment Award shall be paid or forfeited in the event of a termination of Service.

13.6.4 Performance Measures.

The performance goals upon which the vesting or payment of a Performance-Based Award to a Covered Employee that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation may be conditioned shall be limited to the following Performance Measures, with or without adjustment (including pro forma adjustments):

(a) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and/or amortization;

(b) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and/or amortization as adjusted to exclude any one or more of the following: (i) stock-based compensation expense, (ii) income from discontinued operations, (iii) gain on cancellation of debt, (iv) debt extinguishment and related costs, (v) restructuring, separation, and/or integration charges and costs, (vi) reorganization and/or recapitalization charges and costs, (vii) impairment charges, (viii) merger-related events, (ix) gain or loss related to investments, (x) sales and use tax settlements, and (xi) gain on non-monetary transactions;

(c) operating income, earnings, or profits;

(d) return measures, including return on equity, assets, revenue, capital, capital employed, or investment;

(e) pre-tax or after-tax operating income, earnings, or profits;

(f) net income;

 

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(g) earnings or book value per share;

(h) cash flow(s), including (i) operating cash flow, (ii) free cash flow, (iii) levered cash flow, (iv) cash flow return on equity, and (v) cash flow return on investment;

(i) total sales or revenues growth or targets or sales or revenues per employee, product, service, or customer;

(j) Stock price, including growth measures and total shareholder return;

(k) dividends;

(l) strategic business objectives, consisting of one or more objectives based on meeting specified cost targets, business expansion goals, and goals relating to acquisitions or divestitures or any combination thereof. Each goal may be expressed on an absolute and/or relative basis, may be based on or otherwise employ comparisons based on internal targets, the past performance of the Company and/or the past or current performance of other companies, and in the case of earnings-based measures, may use or employ comparisons relating to capital, shareholders’ equity and/or shares outstanding, or to assets or net assets;

(m) gross or operating margins;

(n) productivity ratios;

(o) costs, reductions in cost, and cost control measures;

(p) expense targets;

(q) market or market segment share or penetration;

(r) financial ratios as provided in credit agreements of the Company and its subsidiaries;

(s) working capital targets;

(t) regulatory achievements or compliance;

(u) customer satisfaction measurements;

(v) execution of contractual arrangements or satisfaction of contractual requirements or milestones;

(w) product development achievements; and

(x) any combination of the foregoing business criteria.

Performance under any of the foregoing Performance Measures (a) may be used to measure the performance of (i) the Company, its Subsidiaries, and other Affiliates as a whole, (ii) the Company, any Subsidiary, any other Affiliate, or any combination thereof, or (iii) any one or more business units or operating segments of the Company, any Subsidiary, and/or any other Affiliate, in each case as the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate and (b) may be compared to the performance of one or more other companies or one or more published or special indices designated or approved by the Committee for such comparison, as the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate. In addition, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may select performance under the Performance Measure specified in clause (j) above for comparison to performance under one or more stock market indices designated or approved by the Committee. The Committee shall also have the authority to provide for accelerated vesting of any Performance-Based Award based on the achievement of performance goals pursuant to the Performance Measures specified in this Article 13.

13.6.5 Evaluation of Performance.

The Committee may provide in any Performance-Based Award that any evaluation of performance may include or exclude any of the following events that occur during a Performance Period: (a) asset write-downs; (b) litigation or claims, judgments, or settlements; (c) the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or provisions affecting reported results; (d) any reorganization or restructuring events or programs; (e) extraordinary, non-core, non-operating, or non-recurring items and items that are either of an unusual nature or of a type that indicates infrequency of occurrence as a separate component of income from continuing operations; (f) acquisitions or divestitures; (g) foreign exchange gains and losses; (h) impact of shares of Stock purchased through share repurchase

 

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programs; (i) tax valuation allowance reversals; (j) impairment expense; and (k) environmental expense. To the extent such inclusions or exclusions affect Awards to Covered Employees that are intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, such inclusions or exclusions shall be prescribed in a form that meets the requirements of Code Section 162(m) for deductibility.

13.6.6 Adjustment of Performance-Based Compensation.

The Committee shall have the sole discretion to adjust Awards that are intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, either on a formula or discretionary basis, or on any combination thereof, as the Committee determines consistent with the requirements of Code Section 162(m) for deductibility.

13.6.7 Committee Discretion.

In the event that Applicable Laws change to permit Committee discretion to alter the governing Performance Measures without obtaining shareholder approval of such changes, the Committee shall have sole discretion to make such changes without obtaining shareholder approval, provided that the exercise of such discretion shall not be inconsistent with the requirements of Code Section 162(m). In addition, in the event that the Committee determines that it is advisable to grant Awards that shall not qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the Committee may make such grants without satisfying the requirements of Code Section 162(m) and base vesting on Performance Measures other than those set forth in Section 13.6.4.

13.6.8 Status of Awards Under Code Section 162(m).

It is the intent of the Company that Performance-Based Awards under Section 13.6 granted to Grantees who are designated by the Committee as likely to be Covered Employees shall, if so designated by the Committee, constitute Qualified Performance-Based Compensation. Accordingly, the terms of Section 13.6, including the definitions of Covered Employee and other terms used therein, shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with Code Section 162(m). If any provision of the Plan, the applicable Award Agreement, or any other agreement relating to any such Performance-Based Award does not comply or is inconsistent with the requirements of Code Section 162(m), such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such requirements.

14. FORMS OF PAYMENT

14.1 General Rule.

Payment of the Option Price for the shares of Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option or the purchase price, if any, for Restricted Stock, vested Restricted Stock Units, and/or vested Deferred Stock Units shall be made in cash or in cash equivalents acceptable to the Company.

14.2 Surrender of Shares of Stock.

To the extent that the applicable Award Agreement so provides, payment of the Option Price for shares of Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option or the purchase price, if any, for Restricted Stock, vested Restricted Stock Units, and/or vested Deferred Stock Units may be made all or in part through the tender or attestation to the Company of shares of Stock, which shall be valued, for purposes of determining the extent to which such Option Price or purchase price has been paid thereby, at their Fair Market Value on the date of such tender or attestation.

14.3 Cashless Exercise.

To the extent permitted by Applicable Laws and to the extent the Award Agreement so provides, payment of the Option Price for shares of Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option may be made all or in part by delivery (on a form acceptable to the Committee) of an irrevocable direction to a licensed securities broker acceptable to the Company to sell shares of Stock and to deliver all or part of the proceeds of such sale to the Company in payment of such Option Price and/or any withholding taxes described in Section 18.3.

14.4 Other Forms of Payment.

To the extent that the applicable Award Agreement so provides and/or unless otherwise specified in an Award Agreement, payment of the Option Price for shares of Stock purchased pursuant to exercise of an Option or the purchase price, if any, for Restricted Stock, vested Restricted Stock Units, and/or vested Deferred Stock Units may be made in any other form that is consistent with Applicable Laws, including (a) with respect to Restricted Stock, vested Restricted Stock Units, and/or vested Deferred Stock Units only, Service rendered or to be rendered by the Grantee

 

20


thereof to the Company or an Affiliate and (b) with the consent of the Company, by withholding the number of shares of Stock that would otherwise vest or be issuable in an amount equal in value to the Option Price or purchase price and/or the required tax withholding amount.

15. REQUIREMENTS OF LAW

15.1 General.

The Company shall not be required to offer, sell, or issue any shares of Stock under any Award, whether pursuant to the exercise of an Option, a SAR, or otherwise, if the offer, sale, or issuance of such shares of Stock would constitute a violation by the Grantee, the Company, an Affiliate, or any other Person of any provision of the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws or of Applicable Laws, including any federal or state securities laws or regulations. If at any time the Company shall determine, in its discretion, that the listing, registration, or qualification of any shares of Stock subject to an Award upon any Stock Exchange or Securities Market or under any governmental regulatory body is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the offering, sale, issuance, or purchase of shares of Stock in connection with any Award, no shares of Stock may be offered, sold, or issued to the Grantee or any other Person under such Award, whether pursuant to the exercise of an Option, a SAR, or otherwise, unless such listing, registration, or qualification shall have been effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company, and any delay caused thereby shall in no way affect the date of termination of such Award. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, upon the exercise of any Option or any SAR that may be settled in shares of Stock or the delivery of any shares of Stock underlying an Award, unless a registration statement under the Securities Act is in effect with respect to the shares of Stock subject to such Award, the Company shall not be required to offer, sell, or issue such shares of Stock unless the Committee shall have received evidence satisfactory to it that the Grantee or any other Person exercising such Option or SAR or accepting delivery of such shares may acquire such shares of Stock pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Any determination by the Committee in connection with the foregoing shall be final, binding, and conclusive. The Company may register, but shall in no event be obligated to register, any shares of Stock or other securities issuable pursuant to the Plan pursuant to the Securities Act. The Company shall not be obligated to take any affirmative action in order to cause the exercise of an Option or a SAR or the issuance of shares of Stock or other securities issuable pursuant to the Plan or any Award to comply with any Applicable Laws. As to any jurisdiction that expressly imposes the requirement that an Option or SAR that may be settled in shares of Stock shall not be exercisable until the shares of Stock subject to such Option or SAR are registered under the securities laws thereof or are exempt from such registration, the exercise of such Option or SAR under circumstances in which the laws of such jurisdiction apply shall be deemed conditioned upon the effectiveness of such registration or the availability of such an exemption.

15.2 Rule 16b-3.

During any time when the Company has any class of common equity securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, it is the intention of the Company that Awards pursuant to the Plan and the exercise of Options and SARs granted hereunder that would otherwise be subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act shall qualify for the exemption provided by Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act. To the extent that any provision of the Plan or action by the Committee does not comply with the requirements of such Rule 16b-3, such provision or action shall be deemed inoperative with respect to such Awards to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws and deemed advisable by the Committee and shall not affect the validity of the Plan. In the event that such Rule 16b-3 is revised or replaced, the Committee may exercise its discretion to modify the Plan in any respect necessary or advisable in its judgment to satisfy the requirements of, or to permit the Company to avail itself of the benefits of, the revised exemption or its replacement.

16. EFFECT OF CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION

16.1 Changes in Stock.

If the number of outstanding shares of Stock is increased or decreased or the shares of Stock are changed into or exchanged for a different number of shares or kind of Capital Stock or other securities of the Company on account of any merger, reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, stock split, reverse stock split, spin-off, combination of stock, exchange of stock, stock dividend or other distribution payable in capital stock, or other increase or decrease in shares of Stock effected without receipt of consideration by the Company occurring after the Effective Date, the number and kinds of shares of Capital Stock for which grants of Options and other Awards may be made under the Plan, including the Share Limit set forth in Section 4.1, the individual share limitations set forth in Section 6.2, and the

 

21


share limitations in Section 8.2(c), shall be adjusted proportionately and accordingly by the Committee. In addition, the number and kind of shares of Capital Stock for which Awards are outstanding shall be adjusted proportionately and accordingly by the Committee so that the proportionate interest of the Grantee therein immediately following such event shall, to the extent practicable, be the same as immediately before such event. Any such adjustment in outstanding Options or SARs shall not change the aggregate Option Price or SAR Price payable with respect to shares that are subject to the unexercised portion of such outstanding Options or SARs, as applicable, but shall include a corresponding proportionate adjustment in the per share Option Price or SAR Price, as the case may be. The conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be treated as an increase in shares effected without receipt of consideration. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of any distribution to the Company’s shareholders of securities of any other entity or other assets (including an extraordinary dividend, but excluding a non-extraordinary dividend, declared and paid by the Company) without receipt of consideration by the Company, the Board or the Committee constituted pursuant to Section 3.1.2 shall, in such manner as the Board or the Committee deems appropriate, adjust (a) the Share limit set forth in Section 4.1, the individual share limitations set forth in Section 6.2, and the share limitations in Section 8.2(c), (b) the number and kind of shares of Capital Stock subject to outstanding Awards and/or (c) the aggregate and per share Option Price of outstanding Options and the aggregate and per share SAR Price of outstanding SARs as required to reflect such distribution.

16.2 Reorganization in Which the Company Is the Surviving Entity Which Does Not Constitute a Change in Control.

Subject to Section 16.3, if the Company shall undergo any reorganization, merger, or consolidation of the Company with one or more other entities which does not constitute a Change in Control, any Award theretofore granted pursuant to the Plan shall pertain to and apply to the Capital Stock to which a holder of the number of shares of Stock subject to such Award would have been entitled immediately following such reorganization, merger, or consolidation, with a corresponding proportionate adjustment of the per share Option Price or SAR Price of any outstanding Option or SAR so that the aggregate Option Price or SAR Price thereafter shall be the same as the aggregate Option Price or SAR Price of the shares of Stock remaining subject to the Option or SAR as in effect immediately prior to such reorganization, merger, or consolidation. Subject to any contrary language in an Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or as otherwise set forth in writing, any restrictions applicable to such Award shall apply as well to any replacement shares of Capital Stock subject to such Award, or received by the Grantee, as a result of such reorganization, merger, or consolidation. In the event of any reorganization, merger, or consolidation of the Company referred to in this Section 16.2, Performance-Based Awards shall be adjusted (including any adjustment to the Performance Measures applicable to such Awards deemed appropriate by the Committee) so as to apply to the Capital Stock that a holder of the number of shares of Stock subject to the Performance-Based Awards would have been entitled to receive immediately following such reorganization, merger, or consolidation.

16.3 Change in Control in Which Awards Are Not Assumed.

Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or as otherwise set forth in writing, upon the occurrence of a Change in Control in which outstanding Awards are not being assumed or continued, the following provisions shall apply to such Award, to the extent not assumed or continued:

(a) Immediately prior to the occurrence of such Change in Control, in each case with the exception of Performance-Based Awards, all outstanding shares of Restricted Stock, and all Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, and Dividend Equivalent Rights shall be deemed to have vested, and all shares of Stock and/or cash subject to such Awards shall be delivered; and either or both of the following two (2) actions shall be taken:

(i) At least fifteen (15) days prior to the scheduled consummation of such Change in Control, all Options and SARs outstanding hereunder shall become immediately exercisable and shall remain exercisable for a period of fifteen (15) days. Any exercise of an Option or SAR during this fifteen (15)-day period shall be conditioned upon the consummation of the applicable Change in Control and shall be effective only immediately before the consummation thereof, and upon consummation of such Change in Control, the Plan and all outstanding but unexercised Options and SARs shall terminate, with or without consideration (including, without limitation, consideration in accordance with clause (ii) below) as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. The Committee shall send notice of an event that shall result in such a termination to all Persons who hold Options and SARs not later than the time at which the Company gives notice thereof to its shareholders.

and/or

(ii) The Committee may elect, in its sole discretion, to cancel any outstanding Awards of Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, and/or Dividend Equivalent Rights and pay or

 

22


deliver, or cause to be paid or delivered, to the holder thereof an amount in cash or Capital Stock having a value (as determined by the Committee acting in good faith), in the case of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, and Dividend Equivalent Rights (for shares of Stock subject thereto), equal to the formula or fixed price per share paid to holders of shares of Stock pursuant to such Change in Control and, in the case of Options or SARs, equal to the product of the number of shares of Stock subject to such Options or SARs multiplied by the amount, if any, by which (x) the formula or fixed price per share paid to holders of shares of Stock pursuant to such transaction exceeds (y) the Option Price or SAR Price applicable to such Options or SARs.

(b) For Performance-Based Awards, if less than half of the Performance Period has lapsed, such Performance-Based Awards shall be treated as though target performance has been achieved. If at least half of the Performance Period has lapsed, actual performance to date shall be determined as of a date reasonably proximal to the date of consummation of the Change in Control as determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion, and that level of performance thus determined shall be treated as achieved immediately prior to occurrence of the Change in Control. For purposes of the preceding sentence, if, based on the discretion of the Committee, actual performance is not determinable, the Performance-Based Awards shall be treated as though target performance has been achieved. After application of this Section 16.3(b), if any Awards arise from application of this Article 16, such Awards shall be settled under the applicable provision of Section 16.3(a).

(c) Other Equity-Based Awards shall be governed by the terms of the applicable Award Agreement.

16.4 Change in Control in Which Awards Are Assumed.

Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or as otherwise set forth in writing, upon the occurrence of a Change in Control in which outstanding Awards are being assumed or continued, the following provisions shall apply to such Award, to the extent assumed or continued:

The Plan and the Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, Dividend Equivalent Rights, and Other Equity-Based Awards granted under the Plan shall continue in the manner and under the terms so provided in the event of any Change in Control to the extent that provision is made in writing in connection with such Change in Control for the assumption or continuation of such Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, Dividend Equivalent Rights, and Other Equity-Based Awards, or for the substitution for such Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Deferred Stock Units, Dividend Equivalent Rights, and Other Equity-Based Awards of new stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, deferred stock units, dividend equivalent rights, and other equity-based awards relating to the Capital Stock of a successor entity, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number of shares (disregarding any consideration that is not common stock) and exercise prices of options and stock appreciation rights.

In the event an Award is assumed, continued, or substituted upon the consummation of any Change in Control and the Service of such Grantee with the Company or an Affiliate is terminated without Cause within one (1) year (or such longer or shorter period as may be determined by the Committee) following the consummation of such Change in Control, such Award shall be fully vested and may be exercised in full, to the extent applicable, beginning on the date of such termination and for the one (1)-year period (or such longer or shorter period as may be determined by the Committee) immediately following such termination or for such longer period as the Committee shall determine.

16.5 Adjustments.

Adjustments under this Article 16 related to shares of Stock or other Capital Stock of the Company shall be made by the Committee, whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding, and conclusive. No fractional shares or other securities shall be issued pursuant to any such adjustment, and any fractions resulting from any such adjustment shall be eliminated in each case by rounding downward to the nearest whole share. The Committee may provide in the applicable Award Agreement as of the Grant Date, in another agreement with the Grantee, or otherwise in writing at any time thereafter with the consent of the Grantee, for different provisions to apply to an Award in place of those provided in Sections 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, and 16.4. This Article 16 shall not limit the Committee’s ability to provide for alternative treatment of Awards outstanding under the Plan in the event of an internal reorganization change in control event involving the Company that is not a Change in Control.

16.6 No Limitations on Company.

The making of Awards pursuant to the Plan shall not affect or limit in any way the right or power of the Company to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations, or changes of its capital or business structure or to merge,

 

23


consolidate, dissolve, or liquidate, or to sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets (including all or any part of the business or assets of any Subsidiary or other Affiliate) or to engage in any other transaction or activity.

17. PARACHUTE LIMITATIONS

If any Grantee is a Disqualified Individual, then, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or of any Other Agreement to the contrary and notwithstanding any Benefit Arrangement, any right of the Grantee to any exercise, vesting, payment, or benefit under the Plan shall be reduced or eliminated:

(a) to the extent that such right to exercise, vesting, payment, or benefit, taking into account all other rights, payments, or benefits to or for the Grantee under the Plan, all Other Agreements, and all Benefit Arrangements, would cause any exercise, vesting, payment, or benefit to the Grantee under the Plan to be considered a Parachute Payment; and

(b) if, as a result of receiving such Parachute Payment, the aggregate after-tax amounts received by the Grantee from the Company under the Plan, all Other Agreements, and all Benefit Arrangements would be less than the maximum after-tax amount that could be received by the Grantee without causing any such payment or benefit to be considered a Parachute Payment.

Except as required by Code Section 409A or to the extent that Code Section 409A permits discretion, the Committee shall have the right, in the Committee’s sole discretion, to designate those rights, payments, or benefits under the Plan, all Other Agreements, and all Benefit Arrangements that should be reduced or eliminated so as to avoid having such rights, payments, or benefits be considered a Parachute Payment; provided, however, to the extent any payment or benefit constitutes deferred compensation under Code Section 409A, in order to comply with Code Section 409A, the Company shall instead accomplish such reduction by first reducing or eliminating any cash payments (with the payments to be made furthest in the future being reduced first), then by reducing or eliminating any accelerated vesting of Performance-Based Awards, then by reducing or eliminating any accelerated vesting of Options or SARs, then by reducing or eliminating any accelerated vesting of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Deferred Stock Units, then by reducing or eliminating any other remaining Parachute Payments.

18. GENERAL PROVISIONS

18.1 Disclaimer of Rights.

No provision in the Plan, any Award, or any Award Agreement shall be construed (a) to confer upon any individual the right to remain in the Service of the Company or an Affiliate, (b) to interfere in any way with any contractual or other right or authority of the Company or an Affiliate either to increase or decrease the compensation or other payments to any Person at any time, or (c) to terminate any Service or other relationship between any Person and the Company or an Affiliate. In addition, notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, unless otherwise stated in the applicable Award Agreement, in another agreement with the Grantee, or otherwise in writing, no Award granted under the Plan shall be affected by any change of duties or position of the Grantee thereof, so long as such Grantee continues to provide Service. The obligation of the Company to pay any benefits pursuant to the Plan shall be interpreted as a contractual obligation to pay only those amounts provided herein, in the manner and under the conditions prescribed herein. The Plan and Awards shall in no way be interpreted to require the Company to transfer any amounts to a third-party trustee or otherwise hold any amounts in trust or escrow for payment to any Grantee or beneficiary under the terms of the Plan.

18.2 Nonexclusivity of the Plan.

Neither the adoption of the Plan nor the submission of the Plan to the shareholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations upon the right and authority of the Board or the Committee to adopt such other incentive compensation arrangements (which arrangements may be applicable either generally to a class or classes of individuals or specifically to a particular individual or particular individuals) as the Board or the Committee in their discretion determine desirable.

18.3 Withholding Taxes.

The Company or an Affiliate, as the case may be, shall have the right to deduct from payments of any kind otherwise due to a Grantee any federal, state, or local taxes of any kind required by Applicable Laws to be withheld

 

24


with respect to the vesting of or other lapse of restrictions applicable to an Award or upon the issuance of any shares of Stock upon the exercise of an Option or pursuant to any other Award. At the time of such vesting, lapse, or exercise, the Grantee shall pay in cash to the Company or an Affiliate, as the case may be, any amount that the Company or such Affiliate may reasonably determine to be necessary to satisfy such withholding obligation; provided that if there is a same-day sale of shares of Stock subject to an Award, the Grantee shall pay such withholding obligation on the day on which such same-day sale is completed. Subject to the prior approval of the Company or an Affiliate, which may be withheld by the Company or such Affiliate, as the case may be, in its sole discretion, the Grantee may elect to satisfy such withholding obligation, in whole or in part, (a) by causing the Company or such Affiliate to withhold shares of Stock otherwise issuable to the Grantee or (b) by delivering to the Company or such Affiliate shares of Stock already owned by the Grantee. The shares of Stock so withheld or delivered shall have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to such withholding obligation. The Fair Market Value of the shares of Stock used to satisfy such withholding obligation shall be determined by the Company or such Affiliate as of the date on which the amount of tax to be withheld is to be determined. A Grantee who has made an election pursuant to this Section 18.3 may satisfy such Grantee’s withholding obligation only with shares of Stock that are not subject to any repurchase, forfeiture, unfulfilled vesting, or other similar requirements. The maximum number of shares of Stock that may be withheld from any Award to satisfy any federal, state, or local tax withholding requirements upon the exercise, vesting, or lapse of restrictions applicable to any Award or payment of shares of Stock pursuant to such Award, as applicable, may not exceed such number of shares of Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum statutory amount (or, if permitted by the Company, such other rate as will not cause adverse accounting consequences and is permitted under applicable IRS withholding rules) required by the Company or the applicable Affiliate to be withheld and paid to any such federal, state, or local taxing authority with respect to such exercise, vesting, lapse of restrictions, or payment of shares of Stock.

18.4 Captions.

The use of captions in the Plan or any Award Agreement is for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the meaning of any provision of the Plan or such Award Agreement.

18.5 Construction.

Unless the context otherwise requires, all references in the Plan to “including” shall mean “including without limitation.”

18.6 Other Provisions.

Each Award granted under the Plan may contain such other terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion.

18.7 Number and Gender.

With respect to words used in the Plan, the singular form shall include the plural form, and the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender, as the context requires.

18.8 Severability.

If any provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement shall be determined to be illegal or unenforceable by any court of law in any jurisdiction, the remaining provisions hereof and thereof shall be severable and enforceable in accordance with their terms, and all provisions shall remain enforceable in any other jurisdiction.

18.9 Governing Law.

The validity and construction of the Plan and the instruments evidencing the Awards hereunder shall be governed by, and construed and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, other than any conflicts or choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of the Plan and the instruments evidencing the Awards granted hereunder to the substantive laws of any other jurisdiction.

18.10 Foreign Jurisdictions.

To the extent the Committee determines that the material terms set by the Committee imposed by the Plan preclude the achievement of the material purposes of the Plan in jurisdictions outside the United States, the Committee shall have the authority and discretion to modify those terms and provide for such additional terms and conditions as the Committee determines to be necessary, appropriate, or desirable to accommodate differences in local law, policy, or custom or to facilitate administration of the Plan. The Committee may adopt or approve sub-plans,

 

25


appendices, or supplements to, or amendments, restatements, or alternative versions of the Plan as in effect for any other purposes. The special terms and any appendices, supplements, amendments, restatements, or alternative versions, however, shall not include any provisions that are inconsistent with the terms of the Plan as in effect, unless the Plan could have been amended to eliminate such inconsistency without further approval by the Company’s shareholders.

18.11 Section 409A of the Code.

The Plan is intended to comply with Code Section 409A to the extent subject thereto, and, accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted, the Plan shall be interpreted and administered to be in compliance with Code Section 409A. Any payments described in the Plan that are due within the Short-Term Deferral Period shall not be treated as deferred compensation unless Applicable Laws require otherwise. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, to the extent required to avoid accelerated taxation and tax penalties under Code Section 409A, amounts that would otherwise be payable and benefits that would otherwise be provided pursuant to the Plan during the six (6)-month period immediately following the Grantee’s Separation from Service shall instead be paid on the first payroll date after the six (6)-month anniversary of the Grantee’s Separation from Service (or the Grantee’s death, if earlier).

Furthermore, notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, in the case of an Award that is characterized as deferred compensation under Code Section 409A, and pursuant to which settlement and delivery of the cash or shares of Stock subject to the Award is triggered based on a Change in Control, in no event shall a Change in Control be deemed to have occurred for purposes of such settlement and delivery of cash or shares of Stock if the transaction is not also a “change in the ownership or effective control of” the Company or “a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of” the Company as determined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) (without regard to any alternative definition thereunder). If an Award characterized as deferred compensation under Code Section 409A is not settled and delivered on account of the provision of the preceding sentence, the settlement and delivery shall occur on the next succeeding settlement and delivery triggering event that is a permissible triggering event under Code Section 409A. No provision of this paragraph shall in any way affect the determination of a Change in Control for purposes of vesting in an Award that is characterized as deferred compensation under Code Section 409A.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the Company nor the Committee shall have any obligation to take any action to prevent the assessment of any excise tax or penalty on any Grantee under Code Section 409A, and neither the Company or an Affiliate nor the Board or the Committee shall have any liability to any Grantee for such tax or penalty.

18.12 Limitation on Liability.

No member of the Board or the Committee shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan, any Award, or any Award Agreement. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, neither the Company, an Affiliate, the Board, the Committee, nor any person acting on behalf of the Company, an Affiliate, the Board, or the Committee shall be liable to any Grantee or to the estate or beneficiary of any Grantee or to any other holder of an Award under the Plan by reason of any acceleration of income, or any additional tax (including any interest and penalties), asserted by reason of the failure of an Award to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 422 or Code Section 409A or by reason of Code Section 4999, or otherwise asserted with respect to the Award; provided, that this Section 18.12 shall not affect any of the rights or obligations set forth in an applicable agreement between the Grantee and the Company or an Affiliate.

 

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Exhibit 10.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LABORATORY CORPORATION OF AMERICA HOLDINGS

2016 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


LABORATORY CORPORATION OF AMERICA HOLDINGS

2016 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

1. PURPOSE AND INTERPRETATION

(a) The purpose of the Plan is to encourage and to enable Eligible Employees of the Company and its Participating Affiliates, through after-tax payroll deductions or periodic cash contributions, to acquire proprietary interests in the Company through the purchase and ownership of shares of Stock. The Plan is intended to benefit the Company and its shareholders (a) by incentivizing Participants to contribute to the success of the Company and to operate and manage the Company’s business in a manner that will provide for the Company’s long-term growth and profitability and that will benefit its shareholders and other important stakeholders and (b) by encouraging Participants to remain in the employ of the Company or its Participating Affiliates.

(b) The Plan and the Options granted under the Plan are intended to satisfy the requirements for an “employee stock purchase plan” under Code Section 423. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company makes no undertaking to, nor representation that it will, maintain the qualified status of the Plan or any Options granted under the Plan. In addition, Options that do not satisfy the requirements for an “employee stock purchase plan” under Code Section 423 may be granted under the Plan pursuant to the rules, procedures, or sub-plans adopted by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, for certain Eligible Employees.

2. DEFINITIONS

(a) “Account” shall mean a bookkeeping account established and maintained to record the amount of funds accumulated pursuant to the Plan with respect to a Participant for the purpose of purchasing shares of Stock under the Plan.

(b) “Administrator” shall mean the Board, the Compensation Committee of the Board, or any other committee of the Board designated by the Board.

(c) “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

(d) “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, as now in effect or as hereafter amended, and any successor thereto. References in the Plan to any Code Section shall be deemed to include, as applicable, regulations and guidance promulgated under such Code Section.

(e) “Company” shall mean Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, a Delaware corporation, and any successor thereto.

(f) “Custodian” shall mean the third-party administrator designated by the Administrator from time to time.

(g) “Effective Date” shall mean May 11, 2016, subject to approval of the Plan by the Company’s shareholders on such date, the Plan having been adopted by the Board on March 25, 2016.

(h) “Eligible Compensation” shall mean, unless otherwise established by the Administrator prior to the start of an Offering Period, regular base pay (including any shift differentials) but excludes any bonus, overtime payment, sales commission, contribution to any Code Section 125 or 401(k) plan, or other form of extra compensation.

(i) “Eligible Employee” shall mean a natural person who has been an employee (including an officer) of the Company or a Participating Affiliate for at least six (6) months as of an Offering Date, except the following, who shall not be eligible to participate under the Plan: (i) an employee whose customary employment is twenty (20) hours or less per week, (ii) an employee whose customary employment is for not more than five (5) months in any calendar year, (iii) an employee who, after exercising his or her rights to purchase shares of Stock under the Plan, would own (directly or by attribution pursuant to Code Section 424(d)) shares of Stock (including shares that may be acquired under any outstanding Options) representing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company, (iv) an employee who is a citizen or resident of a foreign jurisdiction (without regard to whether such employee is also a U.S. citizen or resident alien), if the grant of an Option under the Plan or an Offering Period to such employee is prohibited under the laws of such foreign jurisdiction or compliance with the laws of such foreign jurisdiction would cause the Plan or an Offering Period to violate the requirements of Code Section 423 and (v) any other natural person whom the Administrator determine to exclude from an offering designed to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 423 provided such exclusion is permitted by Code Section 423 and the guidance issued

 

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thereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of a Non-423(b) Offering under the Plan, if any, the Administrator shall have the authority, in its sole discretion, to establish a different definition of Eligible Employee as it may deem advisable or necessary.

(j) “Enrollment Form” shall mean the agreement(s) between the Company and an Eligible Employee, in such written, electronic, or other format and/or pursuant to such written, electronic, or other process as may be established by the Administrator from time to time, pursuant to which an Eligible Employee elects to participate in the Plan or to which a Participant elects to make changes with respect to the Participant’s participation as permitted by the Plan.

(k) “Enrollment Period” shall mean that period of time prescribed by the Administrator, which period shall conclude prior to the Offering Date, during which Eligible Employees may elect to participate in an Offering Period. The duration and timing of Enrollment Periods may be changed or modified by the Administrator from time to time.

(l) “Fair Market Value” shall mean the value of each share of Stock subject to the Plan on a given date determined as follows: (i) if on such date the shares of Stock are listed on an established national or regional stock exchange or are publicly traded on an established securities market, the Fair Market Value of the shares of Stock shall be the closing price of the shares of Stock on such exchange or in such market (the exchange or market selected by the Administrator if there is more than one such exchange or market) on such date or, if such date is not a Trading Day, on the Trading Day immediately preceding such date, or, if no sale of the shares of Stock is reported for such trading day, on the next preceding day on which any sale shall have been reported; or (ii) if the shares of Stock are not listed on such an exchange or traded on such a market, the Fair Market Value of the shares of Stock shall be determined by the Board in good faith.

(m) “Holding Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10(c)(i).

(n) “Non-423(b) Offering” shall mean the rules, procedures, or sub-plans, if any, adopted by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, as a part of the Plan, pursuant to which Options that do not satisfy the requirements for “employee stock purchase plans” that are set forth under Code Section 423 may be granted to Eligible Employees as a separate offering under the Plan.

(o) “Offering Date” shall mean the first day of any Offering Period under the Plan.

(p) “Offering Period” shall mean the period determined by the Administrator pursuant to Section 7, which period shall not exceed twenty-seven (27) months, during which payroll deductions or periodic cash contributions are accumulated for the purpose of purchasing Stock under the Plan.

(q) “Option” shall mean the right granted to Participants to purchase shares of Stock pursuant to an offering under the Plan.

(r) “Outstanding Election” shall mean a Participant’s then-current election to purchase shares of Stock in an Offering Period, or that part of such an election which has not been cancelled (including any voluntary cancellation under Section 5 and deemed cancellation under Section 11) prior to the close of business on the last Trading Day of the Offering Period (or if an Offering Period has multiple Purchase Periods, the last Trading Day of the Purchase Period) or such other date as determined by the Administrator.

(s) “Participating Affiliate” shall mean any Subsidiary designated by the Administrator from time to time, in its sole discretion, whose employees may participate in the Plan or in a specific Offering Period under the Plan, if such employees otherwise qualify as Eligible Employees.

(t) “Participant” shall mean an Eligible Employee who has elected to participate in the Plan pursuant to Section 5.

(u) “Plan” shall mean this Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as it may be amended from time to time.

(v) “Prior Plan” shall mean the Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 1997 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended.

(w) “Purchase Period” shall mean the period during an Offering Period designated by the Administrator on the last Trading Day of which purchases of Stock are made under the Plan. An Offering Period may have one or more Purchase Periods.

(x) “Purchase Price” shall mean the purchase price of each share of Stock purchased under the Plan; provided, however, that the Purchase Price shall not be less than the lesser of eighty-five percent (85%) of the average of the

 

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high and low sales price of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on the Offering Date or the last Trading Day of the Offering Period (or if an Offering Period has multiple Purchase Periods, on the last Trading Day of the Purchase Period).

(y) “Stock” shall mean the common stock, par value $0.10 per share, of the Company, or any security into which shares of Stock may be changed or for which shares of Stock may be exchanged as provided in Section 12.

(z) “Subsidiary” shall mean any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain owns stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain. A corporation that attains the status of a Subsidiary on a date after the Effective Date shall be considered a Subsidiary commencing as of such date.

(aa) “Termination of Employment” shall mean, with respect to a Participant, a cessation of the employee-employer relationship between the Participant and the Company or a Participating Affiliate for any reason,

(i) including, without limitation, (A) a termination by resignation, discharge, death, disability, retirement, or the disaffiliation of a Subsidiary, (B) unless otherwise determined or provided by the Administrator, a transfer of employment to a Subsidiary that is not a Participating Affiliate as of the first day immediately following the three (3)-month period following such transfer, and (C) a termination of employment where the individual continues to provide certain services to the Company or a Subsidiary in a non-employee role, but

(ii) excluding (A) such termination of employment where there is a simultaneous reemployment of the Participant by the Company or a Participating Affiliate and (B) any bona fide and Company-approved or Participating Affiliate-approved leave of absence, such as family leave, medical leave, personal leave, and military leave, or such other leave that meets the requirements of Treasury Regulations section 1.421-1(h)(2); provided, however, where the period of leave exceeds three (3) months and the employee’s right to reemployment is not guaranteed either by statute or by contract, the employee-employer relationship will be deemed to have terminated on the first day immediately following such three (3)-month period.

(bb) “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.

3. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

(a) Share Reserve. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12, the maximum number of shares of Stock that may be issued pursuant to Options granted under the Plan (including any Non-423(b) Offering established hereunder) is two million five hundred thousand (2,500,000) shares. The shares of Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan may be authorized but unissued shares, treasury shares, or shares purchased on the open market.

(b) Participation Adjustment as a Result of the Share Reserve. If the Administrator determines that the total number of shares of Stock remaining available under the Plan is insufficient to permit the number of shares of Stock to be purchased by all Participants on the last Trading Day of an Offering Period (or if an Offering Period has multiple Purchase Periods, on the last Trading Day of the Purchase Period) pursuant to Section 9, the Administrator shall make a participation adjustment, where the number of shares of Stock purchasable by all Participants shall be reduced proportionately in as uniform and equitable a manner as is reasonably practicable, as determined in the Administrator’s sole discretion. After such adjustment, the Administrator shall refund in cash all affected Participants’ Account balances for such Offering Period as soon as practicable thereafter.

(c) Applicable Law Limitations on the Share Reserve. If the Administrator determines that some or all of the shares of Stock to be purchased by Participants on the last Trading Day of an Offering Period (or if an Offering Period has multiple Purchase Periods, the last Trading Day of the Purchase Period) would not be issued in accordance with applicable laws or any approval by any regulatory body as may be required or the shares of Stock would not be issued pursuant to an effective Form S-8 registration statement or that the issuance of some or all of such shares of Stock pursuant to a Form S-8 registration statement is not advisable due to the risk that such issuance will violate applicable laws, the Administrator may, without Participants’ consent, terminate any outstanding Offering Period and the Options granted thereunder and refund in cash all affected Participants’ Account balances for such Offering Period as soon as practicable thereafter.

 

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4. ADMINISTRATION

(a) Generally. The Plan shall be administered under the direction of the Administrator. Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Administrator shall have full authority, in its sole discretion, to take any actions it deems necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan, including, without limitation:

(i) Interpreting and construing the Plan and Options granted under the Plan; prescribing, adopting, amending, waiving, and rescinding rules and regulations it deems appropriate to implement the Plan, including amending any outstanding Option, as it may deem advisable or necessary to comply with applicable laws; correcting any defect or supplying any omission or reconciling any inconsistency in the Plan or Options granted under the Plan; and making all other decisions relating to the operation of the Plan;

(ii) Establishing the timing and length of Offering Periods and Purchase Periods;

(iii) Establishing minimum and maximum contribution rates;

(iv) Establishing new or changing existing limits on the number of shares of Stock a Participant may elect to purchase with respect to any Offering Period, if such limits are announced prior to the first Offering Period to be affected;

(v) Adopting such rules, procedures, or sub-plans as may be deemed advisable or necessary to comply with the laws of countries other than the United States, to allow for tax-preferred treatment of the Options or otherwise to provide for the participation by Eligible Employees who reside outside of the United States, including determining which Eligible Employees are eligible to participate in the Non-423(b) Offering or other sub-plans established by the Administrator;

(vi) Establishing the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars and permitting payroll withholding in excess of the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the processing of properly completed Enrollment Forms; and

(vii) Furnishing to the Custodian such information as the Custodian may require.

The Administrator’s determinations under the Plan shall be final, binding, and conclusive upon all persons.

(b) Custodian. If the Administrator designates a Custodian for the Plan, the Custodian shall act as custodian under the Plan and shall perform such duties as requested by the Administrator in accordance with any agreement between the Company and the Custodian. The Custodian shall establish and maintain, as agent for each Participant, an Account and any subaccounts as may be necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.

(c) No Liability. Neither the Board, the Compensation Committee of the Board, any other committee of the Board, or the Custodian, nor any of their agents or designees, shall be liable to any person (i) for any act, failure to act, or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or Options granted under the Plan or (ii) for any tax (including any interest and penalties) by reason of the failure of the Plan, an Option, or an Offering Period to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 423, the failure of the Participant to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 423, or otherwise asserted with respect to the Plan, Options granted under the Plan, or shares of Stock purchased or deemed purchased under the Plan.

5. PARTICIPATION IN THE PLAN AND IN AN OFFERING PERIOD

(a) Generally. An Eligible Employee may become a Participant for an Offering Period under the Plan by completing the prescribed Enrollment Form and submitting such Enrollment Form to the Company (or the Company’s designee), in the format and pursuant to the process as prescribed by the Administrator, during the Enrollment Period prior to the commencement of the Offering Period to which it relates. If properly completed and timely submitted, the Enrollment Form will become effective for the first Offering Period following submission of the Enrollment Form and all subsequent Offering Periods as provided by Section 5(b) until (i) it is terminated in accordance with Section 11, (ii) it is modified by filing another Enrollment Form in accordance with this Section 5(a) (including an election is made to cease payroll deductions or periodic cash contributions in accordance with Section 6(c)), or (iii) the Participant is otherwise ineligible to participate in the Plan or in a subsequent Offering Period.

 

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(b) Automatic Re-Enrollment. Following the end of each Offering Period, each Participant shall automatically be re-enrolled in the next Offering Period at the applicable rate of payroll deductions or periodic cash contributions in effect on the last Trading Day of the prior Offering Period or otherwise as provided under Section 6, unless (i) the Participant has experienced a Termination of Employment, or (ii) the Participant is otherwise ineligible to participate in the Plan or in the next Offering Period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may require current Participants to complete and submit a new Enrollment Form at any time it deems necessary or desirable to facilitate Plan administration or for any other reason.

6. PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS OR PERIODIC CASH CONTRIBUTIONS

(a) Generally. Each Participant’s Enrollment Form shall contain a payroll deduction authorization pursuant to which he or she shall elect to have a designated whole percentage of Eligible Compensation between one percent (1%) and ten percent (10%) deducted, on an after-tax basis, on each payday during the Offering Period and credited to the Participant’s Account for the purchase of shares of Stock pursuant to the offering. The Administrator shall also have the authority, but not the obligation, to permit a Participant to elect to make periodic cash contributions, in lieu of payroll deductions, for the purchase of shares of Stock pursuant to the offering. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if local law prohibits payroll deductions, a Participant may elect to participate in an Offering Period through contributions to his or her Account in a format and pursuant to a process acceptable to the Administrator. In such event, any such Participant shall be deemed to participate in a separate offering under the Plan, unless the Administrator otherwise expressly provides.

(b) Insufficiency of Contributions. Subject to Section 6(e), if in any payroll period a Participant has no pay or his or her pay is insufficient (after other authorized deductions) to permit deduction of the full amount of his or her payroll deduction election, then (i) the payroll deduction election for such payroll period shall be reduced to the amount of pay remaining, if any, after all other authorized deductions, and (ii) the percentage or dollar amount of Eligible Compensation shall be deemed to have been reduced by the amount of the reduction in the payroll deduction election for such payroll period. Deductions of the full amount originally elected by the Participant will recommence as soon as his or her pay is sufficient to permit such payroll deductions; provided, however, no additional amounts shall be deducted to satisfy the Outstanding Election. If the Administrator authorizes a Participant to elect to make periodic cash contributions in lieu of payroll deductions, the failure of a Participant to make any such contributions shall reduce, to the extent of the deficiency in such payments, the number of shares purchasable under the Plan by the Participant.

(c) Cessation after Offering Date. A Participant may cease his or her payroll deductions or periodic cash contributions during an Offering Period by properly completing and timely submitting a new Enrollment Form to the Company (or the Company’s designee), in the format and pursuant to the process as prescribed by the Administrator, at any time prior to the last day of such Offering Period (or if an Offering Period has multiple Purchase Periods, the last day of such Purchase Period). Any such cessation in payroll deductions or periodic cash contributions shall be effective as soon as administratively practicable thereafter and shall remain in effect for successive Offering Periods as provided in Section 5(b) unless the Participant submits a new Enrollment Form for a later Offering Period in accordance with Section 5(a). A Participant may only increase his or her rate of payroll deductions or periodic cash contributions in accordance with Section 6(d).

 

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(d) Modification Prior to Offering Date. A Participant may increase or decrease his or her rate of payroll deductions or periodic cash contributions, to take effect on the Offering Date of the Offering Period following submission of the Enrollment Form, by properly completing and timely submitting a new Enrollment Form in accordance with Section 5(a).

(e) Authorized Leave or Disability after Offering Date. Subject to Section 11, if a Participant is absent from work due to an authorized leave of absence or disability (and has not experienced a Termination of Employment), such Participant shall have the right to elect (i) to remain a Participant in the Plan for the then-current Offering Period (or if an Offering Period has multiple Purchase Periods, the then-current Purchase Period) but to cease his or her payroll deductions or periodic cash contributions in accordance with Section 6(c), or (ii) to remain a Participant in the Plan for the then-current Offering Period (or if an Offering Period has multiple Purchase Periods, the then-current Purchase Period) but to authorize payroll deductions to be made from payments made by the Company or a Participating Affiliate to the Participant during such leave of absence or disability and to undertake to make additional cash payments to the Plan at the end of each payroll period during the Offering Period to the extent that the payroll deductions from payments made by the Company or a Participating Affiliate to such Participant are insufficient to meet such Participant’s Outstanding Election. Neither the Company nor a Participating Affiliate shall advance funds to a Participant if the Participant’s payroll deductions and additional cash payments during the Participant’s leave of absence or disability are insufficient to fund the Participant’s Account at his or her Outstanding Election.

7. OFFERING PERIODS AND PURCHASE PERIODS; PURCHASE PRICE

(a) The Administrator shall determine from time to time, in its sole discretion, the Offering Periods and Purchase Periods under the Plan. Each Offering Period shall consist of one or more Purchase Periods, as determined by the Administrator. Unless otherwise established by the Administrator prior to the start of an Offering Period, the Plan shall have two (2) Offering Periods (with concurrent Purchase Periods) that commence each calendar year, and each Offering Period shall be of approximately six (6) months’ duration, with the first such Offering Period beginning on the first Trading Day of January and ending on the last Trading Day of the immediately following June, and the second such Offering Period beginning on the first Trading Day of July and ending on the last Trading Day of the immediately following December; provided, however, that the first Offering Period under the Plan shall commence on the first Trading Day of July following the Effective Date and shall end on the last Trading Day of the immediately following December.

(b) The Administrator shall determine from time to time, in its sole discretion, the Purchase Price of each share of Stock for an Offering Period. Unless otherwise established by the Administrator prior to the start of an Offering Period, the Purchase Price shall be the lesser of eighty-five percent (85%) of the average of the high and low sales price of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on the Offering Date or the last Trading Day of the Offering Period (or if an Offering Period has multiple Purchase Periods, on the last Trading Day of the Purchase Period).

8. GRANT OF OPTION

(a) Grant of Option. On each Offering Date, each Participant in such Offering Period shall automatically be granted an Option to purchase as many whole or, provided the participant purchases at least one whole share, fractional shares of Stock as the Participant will be able to purchase with the payroll deductions or periodic cash contributions credited to the Participant’s Account during the applicable Offering Period.

(b) 5% Owner Limit. Notwithstanding any provisions of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant shall be granted an Option to purchase shares of Stock under the Plan if such Participant (or any other person whose Stock would be attributed to such Participant pursuant to Code Section 424(d)), immediately after such Option is granted, would own or hold Options to purchase shares of Stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

(c) Other Limitation. The Administrator may determine, as to any Offering Period, that the offering shall not be extended to “highly compensated employees” within the meaning of Code Section 414(q).

9. PURCHASE OF SHARES OF STOCK; PURCHASE LIMITATIONS

(a) Purchase. Unless the Participant’s participation in the Plan has otherwise been terminated as provided in Section 11, such Participant will be deemed to have automatically exercised his or her Option to purchase Stock on the last Trading Day of the Offering Period (or if an Offering Period has multiple Purchase Periods, the last Trading Day of the Purchase Period) for the maximum number of shares of Stock that may be purchased at the Purchase Price with the

 

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Participant’s Account balance at that time; provided, however, the number of shares of Stock purchased is subject to adjustment by Section 3, this Section 9, and Section 12. The Administrator shall cause the amount credited to each Participant’s Account to be applied to such purchase, and the amount applied to purchase shares of Stock pursuant to an Option shall be deducted from the applicable Participant’s Account.

(b) Limit on Number of Shares Purchased. Notwithstanding Section 8(a) or Section 9(a), in no event may a Participant purchase more than fifty thousand (50,000) shares of Stock in any one Offering Period; provided, however, that the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, prior to the start of an Offering Period, set a different limit on the number of shares of Stock a Participant may purchase during such Offering Period.

(c) Limit on Value of Shares Purchased. Notwithstanding any provisions of the Plan to the contrary, excluding Options granted pursuant to any Non-423(b) Offering, no Participant shall be granted an Option to purchase shares of Stock under the Plan which permits the Participant’s rights to purchase shares under all “employee stock purchase plans” (described in Code Section 423) of the Company and its Subsidiaries to accrue at a rate which exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) of the Fair Market Value of such shares of Stock (determined at the time such Options are granted) for each calendar year in which such Options are outstanding at any time.

(d) No Fractional Shares. Notwithstanding any provisions of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant may exercise an Option to purchase less than one whole share of Stock, and any Option to purchase less than one whole share of Stock shall be automatically terminated on the last Trading Day of the Offering Period (or if an Offering Period has multiple Purchase Periods, the last Trading Day of the Purchase Period). Unless the Participant’s participation in the Plan has otherwise been terminated as provided in Section 11, the portion of a Participant’s Account balance remaining as a result of a Participant’s inability to exercise an Option to purchase less than one whole share of Stock shall be transferred to the Participant’s brokerage account.

10. STOCK ISSUANCE; SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS; AND SALES OF PLAN SHARES

(a) Stock Issuance and Account Statements. Shares of Stock purchased under the Plan will be held by the Custodian. The Custodian may hold the shares of Stock purchased under the Plan by book entry or in the form of stock certificates in nominee names and may commingle shares held in its custody in a single account without identification as to individual Participants. The Company shall cause the Custodian to deliver to each Participant a statement for each Offering Period during which the Participant purchases Stock under the Plan, which statement shall reflect, for each such Participant, (i) the amount of payroll deductions withheld or periodic cash contributions made during the Offering Period, (ii) the number of shares of Stock purchased, (iii) the Purchase Price of the shares of Stock purchased, and (iv) the total number of shares of Stock held by the Custodian for the Participant as of the end of the Offering Period.

(b) Shareholder Rights. A Participant shall not be a shareholder or have any rights as a shareholder with respect to shares of Stock subject to the Participant’s Options under the Plan until the shares of Stock are purchased pursuant to the Options and such shares of Stock are transferred into the Participant’s name on the Company’s books and records. No adjustment will be made for dividends or other rights for which the record date is prior to such time. Following purchase of shares of Stock under the Plan and transfer of such shares of Stock into the Participant’s name on the Company’s books and records, a Participant shall become a shareholder with respect to the shares of Stock purchased during such Offering Period (or, if applicable, Purchase Period) and, except as otherwise provided in Section 10(c), shall thereupon have all dividend, voting, and other ownership rights incident thereto.

(c) Sales of Plan Shares. The Administrator shall have the right to require any or all of the following with respect to shares of Stock purchased under the Plan:

(i) that a Participant may not request that all or part of the shares of Stock be reissued in the Participant’s own name and shares be delivered to the Participant until two (2) years (or such shorter period of time as the Administrator may designate) have elapsed since the Offering Date of the Offering Period in which the shares were purchased and one (1) year has elapsed since the day the shares were purchased (the “Holding Period”);

(ii) that all sales of shares of Stock during the Holding Period applicable to such purchased shares be performed through a licensed broker acceptable to the Company; and

 

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(iii) that Participants abstain from selling or otherwise transferring shares of Stock purchased pursuant to the Plan for a period lasting up to two (2) years from the date the shares of Stock were purchased pursuant to the Plan.

11. DEEMED CANCELLATION OR TERMINATION OF PARTICIPATION

(a) Termination of Employment Other than Death. In the event a Participant who holds outstanding Options to purchase shares of Stock under the Plan experiences a Termination of Employment for any reason other than death prior to the last Trading Day of the Offering Period, the Participant’s outstanding Options to purchase shares of Stock under the Plan shall automatically terminate, and the Administrator shall refund in cash the Participant’s Account balance as soon as practicable thereafter.

(b) Death. In the event of the death of a Participant while the Participant holds outstanding Options to purchase shares of Stock under the Plan, the legal representatives of such Participant’s estate (or, if the Administrator permits a beneficiary designation, the beneficiary or beneficiaries most recently designated by the Participant prior to his or her death) may, within three (3) months after the Participant’s death (but no later than the last Trading Day of the Offering Period (or if an Offering Period has multiple Purchase Periods, the last Trading Day of the then-current Purchase Period)) by written notice to the Company (or the Company’s designee), elect one of the following alternatives. In the event the Participant’s legal representatives (or, if applicable, beneficiary or beneficiaries) fail to deliver such written notice to the Company (or the Company’s designee) within the prescribed period, the alternative in Section 11(b)(ii) shall apply.

(i) The Participant’s outstanding Options shall be reduced to the number of shares of Stock that may be purchased, as of the last day of the Offering Period (or if an Offering Period has multiple Purchase Periods, the last Trading Day of the then-current Purchase Period), with the amount then credited to the Participant’s Account; or

(ii) The Participant’s Options to purchase shares of Stock under the Plan shall automatically terminate, and the Administrator shall refund in cash, to the Participant’s legal representatives, the Participant’s Account balance as soon as practicable thereafter.

(c) Other Termination of Participation. If a Participant ceases to be eligible to participate in the Plan for any reason, the Administrator shall refund in cash the affected Participant’s Account balance as soon as practicable thereafter. Once terminated, participation may not be reinstated for the then-current Offering Period, but, if otherwise eligible, the Eligible Employee may elect to participate in a subsequent Offering Period in accordance with Section 5.

12. CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION

(a) Changes in Stock. If the number of outstanding shares of Stock is increased or decreased or the shares of Stock are changed into or exchanged for a different number or kind of shares or other securities of the Company by reason of any recapitalization, reclassification, stock split, reverse stock split, spin-off, combination of shares, exchange of shares, stock dividend, or other distribution payable in capital stock, or other increase or decrease in such shares effected without receipt of consideration by the Company occurring after the Effective Date, the number and kinds of shares that may be purchased under the Plan shall be adjusted proportionately and accordingly by the Company. In addition, the number and kind of shares for which Options are outstanding shall be similarly adjusted so that the proportionate interest of a Participant immediately following such event shall, to the extent practicable, be the same as immediately prior to such event. Any such adjustment in outstanding Options shall not change the aggregate Purchase Price payable by a Participant with respect to shares subject to such Options but shall include a corresponding proportionate adjustment in the Purchase Price per share. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a spin-off that results in no change in the number of outstanding shares of Stock, the Company may, in such manner as the Company deems appropriate, adjust (i) the number and kind of shares for which Options are outstanding under the Plan and (ii) the Purchase Price per share.

(b) Reorganization in Which the Company Is the Surviving Corporation. Subject to Section 12(c), if the Company shall be the surviving corporation in any reorganization, merger, or consolidation of the Company with one or more other corporations, all outstanding Options under the Plan shall pertain to and apply to the securities to which a holder of the number of shares of Stock subject to such Options would have been entitled immediately following such reorganization, merger, or consolidation, with a corresponding proportionate adjustment of the Purchase Price per share so that the aggregate Purchase Price thereafter shall be the same as the aggregate Purchase Price of the shares subject to such Options immediately prior to such reorganization, merger, or consolidation.

(c) Reorganization in Which the Company Is Not the Surviving Corporation, Sale of Assets or Stock, and Other Corporate Transactions. Upon any dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or upon a merger, consolidation, or

 

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reorganization of the Company with one or more other corporations in which the Company is not the surviving corporation, or upon a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to another corporation, or upon any transaction (including, without limitation, a merger, consolidation, or reorganization in which the Company is the surviving corporation) approved by the Board that results in any person or entity owning more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company, the Plan and all Options outstanding hereunder shall terminate, except to the extent provision is made in writing in connection with such transaction for the continuation of the Plan and/or the assumption of the Options theretofore granted, or for the substitution for such Option of new rights covering the stock of a successor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kinds of shares and purchase prices, in which event the Plan and rights theretofore granted shall continue in the manner and under the terms so provided. In the event of any such termination of the Plan, the Offering Period shall be deemed to have ended on the last Trading Day prior to such termination, and in accordance with Section 9, the Options of each Participant then outstanding shall be deemed to be automatically exercised on such last Trading Day. The Administrator shall send written notice of an event that will result in such a termination to all Participants at least five (5) days prior to the date upon which the Plan will be terminated.

(d) Adjustments. Adjustments under this Section 12 related to stock or securities of the Company shall be made by the Administrator, whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding, and conclusive.

(e) No Limitations on Company. The grant of an Option pursuant to the Plan shall not affect or limit in any way the right or power of the Company to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations, or changes of its capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve or liquidate, or to sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets.

13. TERM; AMENDMENT, SUSPENSION, AND TERMINATION OF THE PLAN

(a) Term. The Plan shall be effective as of the Effective Date. The outstanding offering period under the Prior Plan shall be the last offering period under the Prior Plan which ends on June 30, 2016. The Plan shall terminate on the first to occur of (i) the day before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the date of adoption of the Plan by the Board, (ii) the date on which all shares of Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 3 have been issued, (iii) the date determined in accordance with Section 12, and (iv) the date determined in accordance with Section 13(b).

(b) Amendment, Suspension, and Termination of the Plan. The Administrator may, at any time and from time to time, amend, suspend, or terminate the Plan or an Offering Period under the Plan; provided, however, that no amendment, suspension, or termination shall, without the consent of the Participant, impair any rights of a Participant that have vested at the time of such amendment, suspension, or termination. Without approval of the shareholders of the Company, no amendment shall be made (i) increasing the number of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 3 (except as provided in Section 12) or (ii) changing the eligibility requirements for participating in the Plan.

14. GENERAL PROVISIONS

(a) Withholding of Taxes. To the extent that a Participant recognizes ordinary income in connection with a sale or other transfer of any shares of Stock purchased under the Plan, the Company may withhold amounts needed to cover such taxes from any payments otherwise due and owing to the Participant or from shares that would otherwise be issued to the Participant under the Plan.

(b) Options Not Transferable or Assignable. A Participant’s Options under the Plan may not be sold, pledged, assigned, or transferred in any manner, whether voluntarily, by operation of law, or otherwise. If a Participant sells, pledges, assigns, or transfers his or her Options in violation of this Section 14(b), such Options shall immediately terminate, and the Participant shall immediately receive a refund of the amount then credited to the Participant’s Account. Any payment of cash or issuance of shares of Stock under the Plan may be made only to the Participant (or, in the event of the Participant’s death, to the Participant’s estate or, if the Administrator permits a beneficiary designation, the beneficiary or beneficiaries most recently designated by the Participant prior to his or her death). During a Participant’s lifetime, only such Participant may exercise his or her Options under the Plan.

(c) No Right to Continued Employment. Neither the Plan nor any Option to purchase Stock under the Plan confers upon any Eligible Employee or Participant any right to continued employment with the Company or any of its

 

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Subsidiaries, nor will a Participant’s participation in the Plan restrict or interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to terminate the Participant’s employment at any time.

(d) No Interest on Payments. No interest shall be paid on sums withheld from a Participant’s pay or otherwise contributed for the purchase of shares of Stock under the Plan unless otherwise determined necessary by the Administrator.

(e) Governmental Regulation. The Company’s obligation to issue, sell, and deliver shares of Stock pursuant to the Plan is subject to such approval of any governmental authority and any national securities exchange or other market quotation system as may be required in connection with the authorization, issuance, or sale of such shares.

(f) Rule 16b-3. Transactions under this Plan are intended to comply with all applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3 or any successor provision under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. If any provision of the Plan or action by the Administrator fails to so comply, it shall be deemed null and void to the extent permitted by applicable law and deemed advisable by the Board. Moreover, in the event the Plan does not include a provision required by Rule 16b-3 to be stated in the Plan, such provision (other than one relating to eligibility requirements or the price and amount of awards) shall be deemed automatically to be incorporated by reference into the Plan.

(g) Payment of Plan Expenses. The Company shall bear all costs of administering and carrying out the Plan.

(h) Application of Funds. All funds received or held by the Company under the Plan may be used for any corporate purpose until applied to the purchase of Stock and/or refunded to Participants.

(i) Governing Law. The validity and construction of the Plan and the Options granted hereunder shall be governed by, and construed and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware (other than any conflicts or choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of the Plan and the Options granted under the Plan to the substantive laws of any other jurisdiction), except to the extent superseded by applicable U.S. federal laws.

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