UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

The Alkaline Water Company Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Nevada 99-0367049
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

7730 E Greenway Road Ste. 203
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)(Zip Code)

2013 Equity Incentive Plan
(Full title of the plan)

InCorp Services, Inc.
2360 Corporate Circle Ste. 400
Henderson, NV 89074-7722
(Name and address of agent for service)

(702) 866-2500
(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copies of all communications to:

Clark Wilson LLP
Suite 900 - 885 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3H1, Canada
Telephone: (604) 687-5700
Attention: Mr. Virgil Z. Hlus

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer [ ] Accelerated filer [ ]
Non-accelerated filer [ ] (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) Smaller reporting company [X]


CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

          Proposed     Proposed        
          maximum     maximum     Amount of  
Title of securities to   Amount to be     offering price     aggregate offering     registration  
be registered   registered(1),(2)   per share(3)   price(3)   fee  
Common Stock   7,000,000     $0.90     $6,300,000     $634.41  

(1)

An indeterminate number of additional shares of common stock shall be issuable pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933 to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions and in such an event the number of shares registered shall automatically be increased to cover the additional shares in accordance with Rule 416.

 

 

(2)

Consists of up to an additional 7,000,000 shares of our common stock issuable pursuant to our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan. Our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan provides for the grant of awards covering a maximum of 7,700,000 shares of our common stock, 300,000 of which (on a post-split basis) have been previously registered under a registration statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-200837) filed on December 10, 2014, and 400,000 of which (on a post-split basis) have been previously registered under a registration statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-192601) filed on November 27, 2013.

 

 

(3)

Estimated in accordance with Rule 457 (h) under the Securities Act of 1933 solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the registration fee, and based on the closing price per share ($0.90) for our common stock on January 19, 2016, as reported by OTC Markets Group’s OTCQB.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Effective as of October 7, 2013, our company adopted the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, pursuant to which a total of 20,000,000 shares of our common stock were issuable pursuant to the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan. Effective as of October 31, 2014, our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan was amended to increase the number of shares of common stock issuable under the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan by 15,000,000 shares. Effective as of December 30, 2015, our company effected a fifty for one reverse stock split of our authorized and issued and outstanding shares of common stock which decreased the number of shares of our common stock issuable pursuant to the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan from 35,000,000 shares to 700,000 shares.

Effective as of January 20, 2016, our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan was amended to increase the number of shares of common stock issuable under the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan by 7,000,000 shares.

We prepared this registration statement in accordance with the requirements of Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933, to register an aggregate of an additional 7,000,000 shares of our common stock that are issuable pursuant to our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan. We have previously filed registration statements on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-200837 and Registration No. 333-192601) to register 700,000 shares of our common stock (on a post-split basis) that are issuable pursuant to our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.

The additional shares being registered in this registration statement on Form S-8 are of the same class as securities covered by the registration statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-200837) filed on December 10, 2014 and the registration statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-192601) filed on November 27, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in accordance with General Instruction E to Form S-8, to the extent not otherwise amended or superseded by the content of this registration statement.

The purpose of our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan is to (a) enable our company and any of our affiliates to attract and retain the types of employees, consultants and directors who will contribute to our company’s long range success; (b) provide incentives that align the interests of employees, consultants and directors with those of the stockholders of our company; and (c) promote the success of our company’s business. A total of 7,700,000 shares of our stock are available for the grant of awards under the 2013 Equity Incentive Plan and awards that may be granted under the plan includes incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted awards and performance compensation awards.


Pursuant to Rule 429 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, a prospectus relating to this registration statement is a combined prospectus relating also to the registration statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-192601) filed on November 27, 2013, and the registration statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-200837) filed on December 10, 2014. In addition, this registration statement, which is a new registration statement, also constitutes a post-effective amendment to the registration statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-192601) filed on November 27, 2013, and the registration statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-200837) filed on December 10, 2014.

The combined Section 10(a) prospectus for our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan updates, among other things, certain information regarding our equity incentive plan, including the increase in the number of shares issuable under our equity incentive plan.

Under cover of this registration statement on Form S-8 is a combined reoffer prospectus prepared in accordance with Part I of Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933 (in accordance with Section C of the General Instructions to Form S-8). The reoffer prospectus may be used for reoffers and resales of up to an aggregate of 296,000 “control securities” (as such term is defined in Form S-8) issuable upon exercise of the stock options granted pursuant to our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan on a continuous or delayed basis in the future. The combined reoffer prospectus updates, among other things, certain information regarding the ownership of our common stock by the selling stockholders and the number of shares of our common stock available for resale by each selling shareholder.


Part I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1. Plan Information.*

Item 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.*

* The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8 will be sent or given to participants of our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act of 1933. Such documents are not being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, but constitute, along with the documents incorporated by reference into this registration statement, a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933.


Reoffer Prospectus

296,000 Shares

The Alkaline Water Company Inc.

Common Stock

_________________________________

The selling stockholders identified in this reoffer prospectus may offer and sell up to 296,000 shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of stock options. We granted the stock options to such selling stockholders pursuant to our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.

The selling stockholders may sell all or a portion of the shares being offered pursuant to this reoffer prospectus at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at varying prices or at negotiated prices.

The selling stockholders and any brokers executing selling orders on their behalf may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, in which event commissions received by such brokers may be deemed to be underwriting commissions under the Securities Act of 1933.

We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares of our common stock by the selling stockholders. We may, however, receive proceeds upon exercise of the stock options by the selling stockholders. We will pay for expenses of this offering, except that the selling stockholders will pay any broker discounts or commissions or equivalent expenses and expenses of their legal counsel applicable to the sale of their shares.

Our common stock is quoted on the OTC Markets Group’s OTCQB under the symbol “WTERD”. On January 20, 2016, the closing price of our common stock on the OTCQB was $0.76 per share.

_________________________________

Investing in our common stock involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 8.

_________________________________

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

_________________________________

The date of this reoffer prospectus is January 20, 2016.

5


Table of Contents

  Page Number
Prospectus Summary 7
Risk Factors 8
   Risks Related to Our Business 8
   Risks Related to Our Stock 8
Forward-Looking Statements 14
The Offering 14
Use of Proceeds 15
Determination of Offering Price 15
Selling Stockholders 15
Plan of Distribution 17
Experts and Counsel 19
Interest of Named Experts and Counsel 19
Material Changes 19
Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference 19
Where You Can Find More Information 20

6


As used in this reoffer prospectus, the terms “we”, “us” “our” and “Alkaline” refer to The Alkaline Water Company Inc., a Nevada corporation, and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Alkaline Water Corp., and Alkaline Water Corp.’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Alkaline 88, LLC, unless otherwise specified. All dollar amounts refer to U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.

Prospectus Summary

Our Business

Our company offers retail consumers bottled alkaline water in 500ml, 700ml, 1-liter, 3-liter and 1-gallon sizes under the trade name Alkaline88. Our product is produced through an electrolysis process that uses specialized electronic cells coated with a variety of rare earth minerals to produce our 8.8 pH drinking water without the use of any chemicals. Our product also incorporates 84 trace Himalayan salts. The main reason consumers drink our product is for the perceived benefit that a proper pH balance helps fight disease and boosts the immune system and the perception that alkaline water helps to maintain a proper body pH and keeps cells young and hydrated.

Alkaline 88, LLC, our operating subsidiary, operates primarily as a marketing and distribution company. Alkaline 88, LLC has entered into exclusive arrangements with Water Engineering Solutions LLC, an entity that is controlled and owned by our President, Chief Executive Officer, Director and major stockholder, Steven P. Nickolas, and our Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Director, Richard A. Wright, for the manufacture and production of our alkaline generating electrolysis system machines. Alkaline 88, LLC has entered into one-year agreement(s) with six different bottling companies in Ohio, Georgia, California, Texas and Arizona to act as co-packers for our product. Our current capacity at all plants exceeds $2,000,000 per month wholesale. Our branding is being coordinated through 602 Design, LLC and our component materials are readily available through multiple vendors. Our principal suppliers are Plastipack Packaging, Polyplastics Co., West Coast Manufacturing and Cactus Containers.

Our product is currently at the expansion phase of its lifecycle. In March 2012 Alkaline 88, LLC did market research on the demand for a bulk alkaline product at the Natural Product Expo West in Anaheim, California. In January 2013, we began the formal launching of our product in Southern California and Arizona. Since then, we have begun to deliver product through approximately 16,000 retail outlets throughout the United States. We are presently in all 50 States and the District of Columbia, although over 50% of our current sales are concentrated in the Southwest and Texas. We have distribution agreements with large national distributors (UNFI, KeHe, Tree of Life and Natures Best, CoreMark and C&S), representing over 150,000 retail establishments. Our current stores include convenience stores, natural food products stores, large ethnic markets and national retailers. Currently, we sell all of our products to our retailers through brokers and distributors. Our larger retail clients bring the water in through their own warehouse distribution network. Our current retail clients are made up of a variety of the following; convenience stores, including 7-11’s; large national retailers, including Albertson’s/Safeway, Kroger companies, and regional grocery chains such as Schnucks, Smart & Final, Jewel-Osco, Sprouts, Bashas’, Bristol Farms, Vallarta, Superior Foods, Brookshire’s, HEB and other companies throughout the United States. In total we are now in 34 of the top 75 (by sales) grocery retailers in the United States.

In April 2014 we entered into an exclusive territorial distribution agreement with Kalil Bottling Co. on a new single serve 700ml Bottle with a sport cap. This exclusivity is in Arizona and other areas in the Southwestern United States. Kalil Bottling Co. is a direct to store distributor (DSD). In the past fiscal year we have added a number of additional DSD’s in the Southwest and have expanded our product offering to include 500ml and 1 liter bottles.

In order to continue our expansion, we anticipate that we will be required, in most cases, to continue to give promotional deals throughout 2016 and in subsequent years on a quarterly basis ranging from a 5%-15% discount similar to all other beverage company promotional programs. It has been our experience that most of the retailers have requested some type of promotional introductory program which has included either a $0.25 -$0.50 per unit discount on an initial order; a buy one get one free program; or a free-fill program which includes 1-2 cases of free product per store location. Slotting has only been presented and negotiated in the larger national grocery chains and, in most cases, is offset by product sales. Our slotting fees with our current national retailers do not exceed $400,000 in the aggregate and are offset through product sales. In addition we participate in promotional activities of our distributors, but these fees are not in excess of $500,000 and are offset through product sales.

7


We have not yet established an ongoing source of revenues sufficient to cover our operating costs and to allow us to continue as a going concern. As of September 30, 2015, we had an accumulated deficit of $14,201,657. Our ability to continue as a going concern is dependent on our company obtaining adequate capital to fund operating losses until we become profitable. If we are unable to obtain adequate capital, we could be forced to significantly curtail or cease operations. In its report on the financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2015, our independent registered public accounting firm included an explanatory paragraph regarding substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Our financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

The principal offices of our company are located at 7730 E Greenway Road, Ste. 203, Scottsdale, AZ 85260. Our telephone number is (480) 656-2423.

The Offering

The selling stockholders identified in this reoffer prospectus may offer and sell up to 296,000 shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of stock options. We granted the stock options to such selling stockholders pursuant to our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.

The selling stockholders may sell all or a portion of the shares being offered pursuant to this reoffer prospectus at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at varying prices or at negotiated prices.

Number of Shares Outstanding

As of January 20, 2016, there were 3,819,039 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding and 20,000,000 shares of our Series A Preferred Stock issued and outstanding.

Use of Proceeds

We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of any shares of our common stock by the selling stockholders. We may, however, receive proceeds upon exercise of the stock options by the selling stockholders. If we receive proceeds upon exercise of these stock options, we intend to use these proceeds for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Risk Factors

An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. The risks described below include material risks to our company or to investors purchasing shares of our common stock that are known to our company. If any of the following risks actually occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially harmed. As a result, the trading price of our common stock could decline and you might lose all or part of your investment. When determining whether to buy our common stock, you should also refer to the other information contained in or incorporated by reference in this reoffer prospectus.

Risks Related to Our Business

Because we have a limited operating history, our ability to fully and successfully develop our business is unknown.

We were incorporated in June 6, 2011, and we have only begun producing and distributing alkaline bottled water in 2013, and we have a limited operating history from which investors can evaluate our business. Our ability to successfully develop our products, and to realize consistent, meaningful revenues and profit has not been established and cannot be assured. For us to achieve success, our products must receive broad market acceptance by consumers. Without this market acceptance, we will not be able to generate sufficient revenue to continue our business operation. If our products are not widely accepted by the market, our business may fail.

Our ability to achieve and maintain profitability and positive cash flow is dependent upon our ability to generate revenues, manage development costs and expenses, and compete successfully with our direct and indirect competitors. We anticipate operating losses in upcoming future periods. This will occur because there are expenses associated with the development, production, marketing, and sales of our product.

8


Our independent registered public accounting firm has expressed substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.

Our financial statements are prepared using generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America applicable to a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and liquidation of liabilities in the normal course of business. We have not yet established an ongoing source of revenues sufficient to cover our operating costs and to allow us to continue as a going concern. As of September 30, 2015, we had an accumulated deficit of $14,201,657. Our ability to continue as a going concern is dependent on our company obtaining adequate capital to fund operating losses until we become profitable. If we are unable to obtain adequate capital, we could be forced to significantly curtail or cease operations. In its report on the financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2015, our independent registered public accounting firm included an explanatory paragraph regarding substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Our financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

We will need additional funds to produce, market, and distribute our product.

We will have to spend additional funds to produce, market and distribute our product. If we cannot raise sufficient capital, we may have to cease operations and you could lose your investment. We will need additional funds to produce our product for distribution to our target market. Even after we have produced our product, we will have to spend substantial funds on distribution, marketing and sales efforts before we will know if we have commercially viable and marketable/sellable products.

There is no guarantee that sufficient sale levels will be achieved.

There is no guarantee that the expenditure of money on distribution and marketing efforts will translate into sufficient sales to cover our expenses and result in profits. Consequently, there is a risk that you may lose all of your investment.

Our development, marketing, and sales activities are limited by our size.

Because we are small and do not have much capital, we must limit our product development, marketing, and sales activities. As such we may not be able to complete our production and business development program in a manner that is as thorough as we would like. We may not ever generate sufficient revenues to cover our operating and expansion costs and you may, therefore, lose your entire investment.

Changes in the non-alcoholic beverage business environment and retail landscape could adversely impact our financial results.

The non-alcoholic beverage business environment is rapidly evolving as a result of, among other things, changes in consumer preferences, including changes based on health and nutrition considerations and obesity concerns; shifting consumer tastes and needs; changes in consumer lifestyles; and competitive product and pricing pressures. In addition, the non-alcoholic beverage retail landscape is very dynamic and constantly evolving, not only in emerging and developing markets, where modern trade is growing at a faster pace than traditional trade outlets, but also in developed markets, where discounters and value stores, as well as the volume of transactions through e-commerce, are growing at a rapid pace. If we are unable to successfully adapt to the rapidly changing environment and retail landscape, our share of sales, volume growth and overall financial results could be negatively affected.

Intense competition and increasing competition in the commercial beverage market could hurt our business.

The commercial retail beverage industry, and in particular its non-alcoholic beverage segment, is highly competitive. Market participants are of various sizes, with various market shares and geographical reach, some of whom have access to substantially more sources of capital.

We compete generally with all liquid refreshments, including bottled water and numerous specialty beverages, such as: SoBe; Snapple; Arizona; Vitamin Water; Gatorade; and Powerade.

We compete indirectly with major international beverage companies including but not limited to: the Coca-Cola Company; PepsiCo, Inc.; Nestlé; Dr Pepper Snapple Group; Groupe Danone; Kraft Foods Group, Inc.; and Unilever. These companies have established market presence in the United States, and offer a variety of beverages that are substitutes to our product.

9


We face potential direct competition from such companies, because they have the financial resources, and access to manufacturing and distribution channels to rapidly enter the alkaline water market. We compete directly with other alkaline water producers and brands focused on the emerging alkaline beverage market including: Eternal; Essentia; Icelandic; Real Water; Aqua Hydrate; Mountain Valley; Qure; Penta; and Alka Power. These companies could bolster their position in the alkaline water market through additional expenditure and promotion.

As a result of both direct and indirect competition, our ability to successfully distribute, market and sell our product, and to gain sufficient market share in the United States to realize profits may be limited, greatly diminished, or totally diminished, which may lead to partial or total loss of your investments in our company.

Alternative non-commercial beverages or processes could hurt our business.

The availability of non-commercial beverages, such as tap water, and machines capable of producing alkaline water at the consumer’s home or at store-fronts could hurt our business, market share, and profitability.

Expansion of the alkaline beverage market or sufficiency of consumer demand in that market for operations to be profitable are not guaranteed.

The alkaline water market is an emerging market and there is no guarantee that this market will expand or that consumer demand will be sufficiently high to allow our company to successfully market, distribute and sell our product, or to successfully compete with current or future competition, all of which may result in total loss of your investment.

Our growth and profitability depends on the performance of third-parties and our relationship with them.

Our distribution network and its success depend on the performance of third parties. Any non-performance or deficient performance by such parties may undermine our operations, profitability, and result in total loss to your investment. To distribute our product, we use a broker-distributor-retailer network whereby brokers represent our products to distributors and retailers who will in turn sell our product to consumers. The success of this network will depend on the performance of the brokers, distributors and retailers of this network. There is a risk that a broker, distributor, or retailer may refuse to or cease to market or carry our product. There is a risk that the mentioned entities may not adequately perform their functions within the network by, without limitation, failing to distribute to sufficient retailers or positioning our product in localities that may not be receptive to our product. Furthermore, such third-parties’ financial position or market share may deteriorate, which could adversely affect our distribution, marketing and sale activities. We also need to maintain good commercial relationships with third-party brokers, distributors and retailers so that they will promote and carry our product. Any adverse consequences resulting from the performance of third-parties or our relationship with them could undermine our operations, profitability and may result in total loss of your investment.

The loss of one or more of our major customers or a decline in demand from one or more of these customers could harm our business.

We have 3 major customers that together account for 59% (31%, 18%, 10%, respectively) of accounts receivable at September 30, 2015, and 4 customers that together account for 58% (19% 15%, 14%, and 10%, respectively) of the total revenues earned for the three months ended September 30, 2015. There can be no assurance that such customers will continue to order our products in the same level or at all. A reduction or delay in orders from such customers, including reductions or delays due to market, economic or competitive conditions, could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.

Health benefits of alkaline water is not guaranteed or proven, rather it is perceived by consumers.

Health benefits of alkaline water are not guaranteed and have not been proven. There is a consumer perception that drinking alkaline water has beneficial health effects. Consequently, negative changes in consumers’ perception of the benefits of alkaline water or negative publicity surrounding alkaline water may result in loss of market share or potential market share and hence loss of your investment.

10


Water scarcity and poor quality could negatively impact our production costs and capacity.

Water is the main ingredient in our product. It is also a limited resource, facing unprecedented challenges from overexploitation, increasing pollution, poor management, and climate change. As demand for water continues to increase, as water becomes scarcer, and as the quality of available water deteriorates, we may incur increasing production costs or face capacity constraints that could adversely affect our profitability or net operating revenues in the long run.

Increase in the cost, disruption of supply or shortage of ingredients, other raw materials or packaging materials could harm our business.

We and our bottlers will use water, 84 trace Himalayan salts, packaging materials for bottles such as plastic and paper products. The prices for these ingredients, other raw materials and packaging materials fluctuate depending on market conditions. Substantial increases in the prices of our or our bottlers’ ingredients, other raw materials and packaging materials, to the extent they cannot be recouped through increases in the prices of finished beverage products, would increase our operating costs and could reduce our profitability. Increases in the prices of our finished products resulting from a higher cost of ingredients, other raw materials and packaging materials could affect the affordability of our product and reduce sales.

An increase in the cost, a sustained interruption in the supply, or a shortage of some of these ingredients, other raw materials, or packaging materials and containers that may be caused by a deterioration of our or our bottlers’ relationships with suppliers; by supplier quality and reliability issues; or by events such as natural disasters, power outages, labor strikes, political uncertainties or governmental instability, or the like, could negatively impact our net revenues and profits.

Changes in laws and regulations relating to beverage containers and packaging could increase our costs and reduce demand for our products.

We and our bottlers intend to offer our product in nonrefillable, recyclable containers in the United States. Legal requirements have been enacted in various jurisdictions in the United States requiring that deposits or certain ecotaxes or fees be charged for the sale, marketing and use of certain nonrefillable beverage containers. Other proposals relating to beverage container deposits, recycling, ecotax and/or product stewardship have been introduced in various jurisdictions in the United States and overseas, and we anticipate that similar legislation or regulations may be proposed in the future at local, state and federal levels in the United States. Consumers’ increased concerns and changing attitudes about solid waste streams and environmental responsibility and the related publicity could result in the adoption of such legislation or regulations. If these types of requirements are adopted and implemented on a large scale in the geographical regions in which we operate or intend to operate, they could affect our costs or require changes in our distribution model, which could reduce our net operating revenues or profitability.

Significant additional labeling or warning requirements or limitations on the availability of our product may inhibit sales of affected products.

Various jurisdictions may seek to adopt significant additional product labeling or warning requirements or limitations on the availability of our product relating to the content or perceived adverse health consequences of our product. If these types of requirements become applicable to our product under current or future environmental or health laws or regulations, they may inhibit sales of our product.

Unfavorable general economic conditions in the United States could negatively impact our financial performance.

Unfavorable general economic conditions, such as a recession or economic slowdown, in the United States could negatively affect the affordability of, and consumer demand for, our product in the United States. Under difficult economic conditions, consumers may seek to reduce discretionary spending by forgoing purchases of our products or by shifting away from our beverages to lower-priced products offered by other companies, including non-alkaline water. Consumers may also cease purchasing bottled water and consume tap water. Lower consumer demand for our product in the United States could reduce our profitability.

11


Adverse weather conditions could reduce the demand for our products.

The sales of our products are influenced to some extent by weather conditions in the markets in which we operate. Unusually cold or rainy weather during the summer months may have a temporary effect on the demand for our product and contribute to lower sales, which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations for such periods.

Changes in, or failure to comply with, the laws and regulations applicable to our products or our business operations could increase our costs or reduce our net operating revenues.

The advertising, distribution, labeling, production, safety, sale, and transportation in the United States of our product will be subject to: the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; the Federal Trade Commission Act; the Lanham Act; state consumer protection laws; competition laws; federal, state, and local workplace health and safety laws, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Act; various federal, state and local environmental protection laws; and various other federal, state, and local statutes and regulations. Legal requirements also apply in many jurisdictions in the United States requiring that deposits or certain ecotaxes or fees be charged for the sale, marketing, and use of certain non-refillable beverage containers. The precise requirements imposed by these measures vary. Other types of statutes and regulations relating to beverage container deposits, recycling, ecotaxes and/or product stewardship also apply in various jurisdictions in the United States. We anticipate that additional, similar legal requirements may be proposed or enacted in the future at the local, state and federal levels in the United States. Changes to such laws and regulations could increase our costs or reduce our net operating revenues.

In addition, failure to comply with environmental, health or safety requirements and other applicable laws or regulations could result in the assessment of damages, the imposition of penalties, suspension of production, changes to equipment or processes, or a cessation of operations at our or our bottlers’ facilities, as well as damage to our image and reputation, all of which could harm our profitability.

Our products are considered premium and healthy beverages and are being sold at premium prices compared to our competitors; we cannot provide any assurances as to consumers’ continued market acceptance of our current and future products.

We will compete directly with other alkaline water producers and brands focused on the emerging alkaline beverage market including Eternal, Essentia, Icelandic, Real Water, Aqua Hydrate, Mountain Valley, Qure, Penta, and Alka Power. Products offered by our direct competitors are sold in various volumes and prices with prices ranging from approximately $1.39 for a half-liter bottle to $2.99 for a one-liter bottle, and volumes ranging from half-liter bottles to one-and-a half liter bottles. We currently offer our product in a three-liter bottle for an SRP of $3.99, one-gallon bottle for an SRP of $4.99, 700 milliliter single serving at an SRP of $1.29, 1 liter at an SRP of $1.79 and a 500 milliliter at an SRP of $.99. Our competitors may introduce larger sizes and offer them at an SRP that is lower than our product. We can provide no assurances that consumers will continue to purchase our product or that they will not prefer to purchase a competitive product.

We rely on key executive officers, and their knowledge of our business would be difficult to replace.

We are highly dependent on our two executive officers, Steven P. Nickolas and Richard A. Wright. We do not have “key person” life insurance policies for any of our officers. The loss of management and industry expertise of any of our key executive officers could result in delays in product development, loss of any future customers and sales and diversion of management resources, which could adversely affect our operating results.

Our executive officers are not subject to supervision or review by an independent board or audit committee.

Our board of directors consists of Steven P. Nickolas and Richard A. Wright, our executive officers. Accordingly, we do not have any independent directors. Also we do not have an independent audit committee. As a result, the activities of our executive officers are not subject to the review and scrutiny of an independent board of directors or audit committee.

12


Risk Related to Our Stock

Because Steven P. Nickolas controls a large percentage of our voting stock, he has the ability to influence matters affecting our stockholders.

Steven P. Nickolas, our President, Chief Executive Officer and a director, exercises voting and dispositive power with respect to 776,000 shares of our common stock, which are beneficially owned by WiN Investments, LLC and Lifewater Industries, LLC, and owns 10,000,000 shares of our Series A Preferred Stock, which has 0.2 votes per share upon any matter submitted to our stockholders for a vote. Accordingly, he controls a large percentage of the votes attached to our outstanding voting securities. As a result, he has the ability to influence matters affecting our stockholders, including the election of our directors, the acquisition or disposition of our assets, and the future issuance of our securities. Because he controls such large percentage of votes, investors may find it difficult to replace our management if they disagree with the way our business is being operated. Because the influence by Mr. Nickolas could result in management making decisions that are in the best interest of Mr. Nickolas and not in the best interest of the investors, you may lose some or all of the value of your investment in our common stock.

Because we can issue additional shares of common stock, our stockholders may experience dilution in the future.

We are authorized to issue up to 22,500,000 shares of common stock and 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, of which 3,819,039 shares of common stock are issued and outstanding and 20,000,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock are issued and outstanding as of January 20, 2016. Our board of directors has the authority to cause us to issue additional shares of common stock and preferred stock, and to determine the rights, preferences and privileges of shares of our preferred stock, without consent of our stockholders. Consequently, the stockholders may experience more dilution in their ownership of our stock in the future.

Trading on the OTCQB may be volatile and sporadic, which could depress the market price of our common stock and make it difficult for our stockholders to resell their shares.

Our common stock is quoted on the OTCQB operated by the OTC Markets Group. Trading in stock quoted on the OTCQB is often thin and characterized by wide fluctuations in trading prices, due to many factors that may have little to do with our operations or business prospects. This volatility could depress the market price of our common stock for reasons unrelated to operating performance. Moreover, the OTCQB is not a stock exchange, and trading of securities on the OTCQB is often more sporadic than the trading of securities listed on a national securities exchange like the NASDAQ or the NYSE. Accordingly, stockholders may have difficulty reselling any of our shares.

A decline in the price of our common stock could affect our ability to raise further working capital, it may adversely impact our ability to continue operations and we may go out of business.

A prolonged decline in the price of our common stock could result in a reduction in the liquidity of our common stock and a reduction in our ability to raise capital. Because we plan to acquire a significant portion of the funds we need in order to conduct our planned operations through the sale of equity securities, a decline in the price of our common stock could be detrimental to our liquidity and our operations because the decline may cause investors not to choose to invest in our stock. If we are unable to raise the funds we require for all our planned operations, we may be forced to reallocate funds from other planned uses and may suffer a significant negative effect on our business plan and operations, including our ability to develop new products and continue our current operations. As a result, our business may suffer, and not be successful and we may go out of business. We also might not be able to meet our financial obligations if we cannot raise enough funds through the sale of our equity securities and we may be forced to go out of business.

Because we do not intend to pay any cash dividends on our shares of common stock in the near future, our stockholders will not be able to receive a return on their shares unless they sell them.

We intend to retain any future earnings to finance the development and expansion of our business. We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the near future. The declaration, payment and amount of any future dividends will be made at the discretion of the board of directors, and will depend upon, among other things, the results of operations, cash flows and financial condition, operating and capital requirements, and other factors as the board of directors considers relevant. There is no assurance that future dividends will be paid, and if dividends are paid, there is no assurance with respect to the amount of any such dividend. Unless we pay dividends, our stockholders will not be able to receive a return on their shares unless they sell them.

13


Our stock is a penny stock. Trading of our stock may be restricted by the SEC’s penny stock regulations, which may limit a stockholder’s ability to buy and sell our stock.

Our stock is a penny stock. The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has adopted Rule 15g-9 which generally defines “penny stock” to be any equity security that has a market price (as defined in Rule 15g-9) less than $5.00 per share or an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions. Our securities are covered by the penny stock rules, which impose additional sales practice requirements on broker-dealers who sell to persons other than established customers and “accredited investors”. The term “accredited investor” refers generally to institutions with assets in excess of $5,000,000 or individuals with a net worth in excess of $1,000,000 or annual income exceeding $200,000 or $300,000 jointly with their spouse. The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, prior to a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from the rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document in a form prepared by the SEC, which provides information about penny stocks and the nature and level of risks in the penny stock market. The broker-dealer also must provide the customer with current bid and offer quotations for the penny stock, the compensation of the broker-dealer and its salesperson in the transaction and monthly account statements showing the market value of each penny stock held in the customer’s account. The bid and offer quotations, and the broker-dealer and salesperson compensation information, must be given to the customer orally or in writing prior to effecting the transaction and must be given to the customer in writing before or with the customer’s confirmation. In addition, the penny stock rules require that prior to a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from these rules; the broker-dealer must make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive the purchaser’s written agreement to the transaction. These disclosure requirements may have the effect of reducing the level of trading activity in the secondary market for the stock that is subject to these penny stock rules. Consequently, these penny stock rules may affect the ability of broker-dealers to trade our securities. We believe that the penny stock rules discourage investor interest in and limit the marketability of our common stock.

FINRA sales practice requirements may also limit a stockholder’s ability to buy and sell our stock.

In addition to the “penny stock” rules promulgated by the SEC, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) has adopted rules that require that in recommending an investment to a customer, a broker-dealer must have reasonable grounds for believing that the investment is suitable for that customer. Prior to recommending speculative low priced securities to their non-institutional customers, broker-dealers must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the customer’s financial status, tax status, investment objectives and other information. Under interpretations of these rules, FINRA believes that there is a high probability that speculative low priced securities will not be suitable for at least some customers. FINRA requirements make it more difficult for broker-dealers to recommend that their customers buy our common stock, which may limit your ability to buy and sell our stock.

Forward-Looking Statements

This reoffer prospectus contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are projections in respect of future events or our future financial performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may”, “should”, “intend”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “predict”, “potential”, or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, including the risks in the section entitled “Risk Factors”, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause our company’s or our industry’s actual results, levels of activity or performance to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity or performance expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity or performance. Except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States, we do not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform these statements to actual results.

14


The Offering

The selling stockholders identified in this reoffer prospectus may offer and sell up to 296,000 shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of stock options. We granted the stock options to such selling stockholders pursuant to our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.

Use of Proceeds

We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares of our common stock by the selling stockholders. We may, however, receive proceeds upon exercise of the stock options granted to the selling stockholders. If we receive proceeds upon exercise of stock options, we intend to use these proceeds for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Determination of Offering Price

The selling stockholders may sell all or a portion of the shares being offered pursuant to this reoffer prospectus at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of sale, at varying prices or at negotiated prices.

Selling Stockholders

The selling stockholders may offer and sell, from time to time, any or all of shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of the stock options granted pursuant to our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.

The following table identifies the selling stockholders and indicates (i) the nature of any material relationship that such selling stockholder has had with us for the past three years, (ii) the number of shares of our common stock held by the selling stockholders, (iii) the amount to be offered for each of the selling stockholder’s account, and (iv) the number of shares of our common stock and percentage of outstanding shares of our common stock to be owned by each selling stockholder after the sale of the shares of our common stock offered by them pursuant to this offering. The selling stockholders are not obligated to sell the shares offered in this reoffer prospectus and may choose not to sell any of the shares or only a part of the shares that they receive.

The information provided in the following table with respect to the selling stockholders has been obtained from each of the selling stockholders. Because the selling stockholders may offer and sell all or only some portion of the shares of our common stock being offered pursuant to this reoffer prospectus, the numbers in the table below representing the amount and percentage of these shares of our common stock that will be held by the selling stockholders upon termination of the offering are only estimates based on the assumption that each selling stockholder will sell all of his or her shares of our common stock being offered in the offering. In addition, the selling stockholders may have sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of, or may sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of, at any time or from time to time since the date on which he or she provided the information regarding the shares of common stock beneficially owned by them, all or some portion of the shares of common stock beneficially owned by them in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933.

None of the selling stockholders is a broker-dealer or an affiliate of a broker-dealer. We may require the selling stockholders to suspend the sales of the shares of our common stock being offered pursuant to this reoffer prospectus upon the occurrence of any event that makes any statement in this reoffer prospectus or the related registration statement untrue in any material respect or that requires the changing of statements in those documents in order to make statements in those documents not misleading.

15








Name of
Selling Stockholder
Shares Owned
by the
Selling
Stockholder
before the
Offering(1)




Total Shares
Offered
in the Offering
Number of Shares to Be Owned
by Selling Stockholder and Percent
of Total Issued and Outstanding
Shares After the Offering (1)
# of
Shares(2)
% of
Class(2),(3)
Steven P. Nickolas(4) 924,000(5) 148,000(6) 776,000(7) 18.9%
Richard A. Wright(8) 148,000(9) 148,000(10) Nil *
Totals 1,072,000 296,000 776,000 18.9%

Notes  
   
*

Less than 1%.

 

(1)

Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission rules and generally includes voting or investment power with respect to shares of common stock. Shares of common stock subject to options, warrants and convertible preferred stock currently exercisable or convertible, or exercisable or convertible within 60 days, are counted as outstanding for computing the percentage of the person holding such options, warrants or convertible preferred stock but are not counted as outstanding for computing the percentage of any other person. We believe that the selling stockholders have sole voting and investment powers over their shares.

 

(2)

We have assumed that the selling stockholders will sell all of the shares being offered in this offering.

 

(3)

Based on 3,819,039 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding as of January 20, 2016. Shares of our common stock being offered pursuant to this reoffer prospectus by a selling stockholder are counted as outstanding for computing the percentage of that particular selling stockholder but are not counted as outstanding for computing the percentage of any other person.

 

(4)

Effective as of May 31, 2013, Steven P. Nickolas was appointed as chairman, president, chief executive officer, secretary and a director of our company. On August 7, 2013, our board of directors replaced Mr. Nickolas as secretary of our company with Richard A. Wright.

 

(5)

Consists of 148,000 shares of our common stock subject to vested stock options exercisable within 60 days, 430,000 shares of our common stock owned by WiN Investments, LLC and 346,000 shares of our common stock owned by Lifewater Industries, LLC. Steven P. Nickolas exercises voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares of our common stock that are beneficially owned by WiN Investments, LLC and Lifewater Industries, LLC. Does not include 10,000,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock. The Series A Preferred Stock has 0.2 votes per share and is not convertible into shares of our common stock.

 

(6)

Consists of 60,000 shares of our common stock issuable at an exercise price of $7.50 per share until October 9, 2023 upon exercise of the stock options granted pursuant to the stock option agreement dated October 9, 2013 as amended October 31, 2014, 12,000 shares of our common stock issuable at an exercise price of $8.25 per share until May 12, 2019 upon exercise of the stock options granted pursuant to the stock option agreement dated May 12, 2014, 60,000 shares of our common stock issuable at an exercise price of $7.275 per share until May 21, 2024 upon exercise of the stock options granted pursuant to the stock option agreement dated May 21, 2014, and 16,000 shares of our common stock issuable at an exercise price of $5.75 per share until February 18, 2020 upon exercise of the stock options granted pursuant to the stock option agreement dated February 18, 2015. We granted these stock options pursuant to our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.

16



(7)

Consists of 430,000 shares of our common stock owned by WiN Investments, LLC and 346,000 shares of our common stock owned by Lifewater Industries, LLC. Steven P. Nickolas exercises voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares of our common stock that are beneficially owned by WiN Investments, LLC and Lifewater Industries, LLC. Does not include 10,000,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock. The Series A Preferred Stock has 0.2 votes per share and is not convertible into shares of our common stock.

   
(8)

Effective as of May 31, 2013, Richard A. Wright was appointed as vice-president, treasurer and a director of our company. On August 7, 2013, our board of directors appointed Mr. Wright as secretary of our company.

   
(9)

Consists of 148,000 shares of our common stock subject to vested stock options exercisable within 60 days. Does not include 10,000,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock. The Series A Preferred Stock has 0.2 votes per share and is not convertible into shares of our common stock.

   
(10)

Consists of 60,000 shares of our common stock issuable at an exercise price of $7.50 per share until October 9, 2023 upon exercise of the stock options granted pursuant to the stock option agreement dated October 9, 2013 as amended October 31, 2014, 12,000 shares of our common stock issuable at an exercise price of $8.25 per share until May 12, 2019 upon exercise of the stock options granted pursuant to the stock option agreement dated May 12, 2014, 60,000 shares of our common stock issuable at an exercise price of $7.275 per share until May 21, 2024 upon exercise of the stock options granted pursuant to the stock option agreement dated May 21, 2014, and 16,000 shares of our common stock issuable at an exercise price of $5.75 per share until February 18, 2020 upon exercise of the stock options granted pursuant to the stock option agreement dated February 18, 2015. We granted these stock options pursuant to our 2013 Equity Incentive Plan.

Plan of Distribution

The selling stockholders may, from time to time, sell all or a portion of the shares of our common stock on any market upon which our common stock may be listed or quoted (currently the OTC Markets Group’s OTCQB), in privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. Such sales may be at fixed prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the market prices or at negotiated prices. The shares of our common stock being offered for resale pursuant to this reoffer prospectus may be sold by the selling stockholders by one or more of the following methods, without limitation:

  1.

block trades in which the broker or dealer so engaged will attempt to sell the shares of our common stock as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;

     
  2.

purchases by broker or dealer as principal and resale by the broker or dealer for its account pursuant to this reoffer prospectus;

     
  3.

an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange or quotation system;

     
  4.

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker solicits purchasers;

     
  5.

privately negotiated transactions;

     
  6.

market sales (both long and short to the extent permitted under the federal securities laws);

     
  7.

at the market to or through market makers or into an existing market for the shares;

     
  8.

through transactions in options, swaps or other derivatives (whether exchange listed or otherwise);

     
  9.

a combination of any aforementioned methods of sale; and

     
  10.

Any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.

In effecting sales, brokers and dealers engaged by the selling stockholders may arrange for other brokers or dealers to participate. Brokers or dealers may receive commissions or discounts from a selling stockholder or, if any of the broker-dealers act as an agent for the purchaser of such shares, from a purchaser in amounts to be negotiated which are not expected to exceed those customary in the types of transactions involved. Broker-dealers may agree with a selling stockholder to sell a specified number of the shares of our common stock at a stipulated price per share. Such an agreement may also require the broker-dealer to purchase as principal any unsold shares of our common stock at the price required to fulfill the broker-dealer commitment to the selling stockholder if such broker-dealer is unable to sell the shares on behalf of the selling stockholder. Broker-dealers who acquire shares of our common stock as principal may thereafter resell the shares of our common stock from time to time in transactions which may involve block transactions and sales to and through other broker-dealers, including transactions of the nature described above. Such sales by a broker-dealer could be at prices and on terms then prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the then-current market price or in negotiated transactions. In connection with such resale, the broker-dealer may pay to or receive from the purchasers of the shares commissions as described above.

17


The selling stockholders and any broker-dealers or agents that participate with the selling stockholders in the sale of the shares of our common stock may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with these sales. In that event, any commissions received by the broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the shares of common stock purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act of 1933.

From time to time, any of the selling stockholders may pledge shares of our common stock pursuant to the margin provisions of customer agreements with brokers. Upon a default by a selling stockholder, his or her broker may offer and sell the pledged shares of our common stock from time to time. Upon a sale of the shares of our common stock, we believe that the selling stockholders will satisfy the prospectus delivery requirements under the Securities Act of 1933. We intend to file any amendments or other necessary documents in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933 which may be required in the event any of the selling stockholders defaults under any customer agreement with brokers.

To the extent required under the Securities Act of 1933, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which this reoffer prospectus forms a part will be filed disclosing the name of any broker-dealers, the number of shares of our common stock involved, the price at which our common stock is to be sold, the commissions paid or discounts or concessions allowed to such broker-dealers, where applicable, that such broker-dealers did not conduct any investigation to verify the information set out or incorporated by reference in this reoffer prospectus and other facts material to the transaction.

We and the selling stockholders will be subject to applicable provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations under it, including, without limitation, Rule 10b-5 and, insofar as a selling stockholder is a distribution participant and we, under certain circumstances, may be a distribution participant, under Regulation M. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of our common stock.

All expenses for this reoffer prospectus and related registration statement including legal, accounting, printing and mailing fees are and will be borne by us. Any commissions, discounts or other fees payable to brokers or dealers in connection with any sale of the shares of common stock will be borne by the selling stockholders, the purchasers participating in such transaction, or both.

Any shares of our common stock being offered pursuant to this reoffer prospectus which qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, may be sold under Rule 144 rather than pursuant to this reoffer prospectus.

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, any person engaged in a distribution of the shares offered by this reoffer prospectus may not simultaneously engage in market making activities with respect to our common shares during the applicable “cooling off” periods prior to the commencement of such distribution. In addition, and without limiting the foregoing, the selling stockholders will be subject to applicable provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations thereunder, which provisions may limit the timing of purchases and sales of the shares by the selling stockholders.

18


Experts and Counsel

Our consolidated financial statements for the years ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 have been incorporated by reference in this reoffer prospectus from our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2015 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 14, 2015 in reliance on the report of Seale and Beers, CPAs, an independent registered public accounting firm, which has also been incorporated by reference in this reoffer prospectus, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

Clark Wilson LLP, of Suite 900 – 885 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada has provided an opinion on the validity of the shares of our common stock being offered pursuant to this reoffer prospectus.

Interest of Named Experts and Counsel

No expert named in the registration statement of which this reoffer prospectus forms a part as having prepared or certified any part thereof (or is named as having prepared or certified a report or valuation for use in connection with such registration statement) or counsel named in this reoffer prospectus as having given an opinion upon the validity of the securities being offered pursuant to this reoffer prospectus or upon other legal matters in connection with the registration or offering such securities was employed for such purpose on a contingency basis. Also at the time of such preparation, certification or opinion or at any time thereafter, through the date of effectiveness of such registration statement or that part of such registration statement to which such preparation, certification or opinion relates, no such person had, or is to receive, in connection with the offering, a substantial interest, direct or indirect, in our company or any of its parents or subsidiaries. Nor was any such person connected with our company or any of its parents or subsidiaries as a promoter, managing or principal underwriter, voting trustee, director, officer or employee.

Material Changes

There have been no material changes to the affairs of our company since March 31, 2015 which have not previously been described in a report on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference

The following documents filed by our company with the Securities and Exchange Commission are incorporated into this reoffer prospectus by reference:

1.

our annual report on Form 10-K filed on July 14, 2015;

   
2.

our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed on August 18, 2015 and November 23, 2015;

   
3.

our current reports on Form 8-K filed on April 14, 2015, June 26, 2015, July 15, 2015, December 1, 2015, December 4, 2015 and December 30, 2015; and

   
4.

the description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed on October 25, 2013, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

In addition to the foregoing, all documents that we subsequently file pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment indicating that all of the securities offered pursuant to the registration statement of which this reoffer prospectus forms a part have been sold or deregistering all securities then remaining unsold, will be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this reoffer prospectus and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference in this reoffer prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this reoffer prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this reoffer prospectus or in any subsequently filed document that is also incorporated by reference in this reoffer prospectus modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this reoffer prospectus.

19


Where You Can Find More Information

We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this reoffer prospectus is delivered, at no cost, upon written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in this reoffer prospectus but not delivered with this reoffer prospectus. Requests for documents should be directed to The Alkaline Water Company Inc., 7730 E Greenway Road, Ste. 203, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260, Attention: President, telephone number (480) 656-2423. Exhibits to these filings will not be sent unless those exhibits have been specifically incorporated by reference in such filings.

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such filings are available to the public over the internet at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The public may also read and copy any materials we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission at its public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the public reference room by calling the Securities and Exchange Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330.

We have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to the securities offered under this reoffer prospectus. This reoffer prospectus, which forms a part of that registration statement, does not contain all information included in the registration statement. Certain information is omitted and you should refer to the registration statement and its exhibits.

You should only rely on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this reoffer prospectus or any supplement. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. This reoffer prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities offered hereby by anyone in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation. You should not assume that the information in this reoffer prospectus or any supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date of this reoffer prospectus.

20


296,000 Shares

The Alkaline Water Company Inc.

Common Stock

 _______________________________

Reoffer Prospectus

_________________________________

January 20, 2016

21


Part II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The following documents filed by our company with the Securities and Exchange Commission are incorporated into this registration statement by reference:

1.

our annual report on Form 10-K filed on July 14, 2015;

   
2.

our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed on August 18, 2015 and November 23, 2015;

   
3.

our current reports on Form 8-K filed on April 14, 2015, June 26, 2015, July 15, 2015, December 1, 2015, December 4, 2015 and December 30, 2015; and

   
4.

the description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed on October 25, 2013, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

In addition to the foregoing, all documents that we subsequently file pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment indicating that all of the securities offered pursuant to this registration statement have been sold or deregistering all securities then remaining unsold, will be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this registration statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference in this registration statement will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this registration statement to the extent that a statement contained in this registration statement or in any subsequently filed document that is also incorporated by reference in this registration statement modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

No expert named in this registration statement as having prepared or certified any part thereof (or is named as having prepared or certified a report or valuation for use in connection with this registration statement) or counsel named in this registration statement as having given an opinion upon the validity of the securities being offered pursuant to this registration statement or upon other legal matters in connection with the registration or offering such securities was employed for such purpose on a contingency basis. Also at the time of such preparation, certification or opinion or at any time thereafter, through the date of effectiveness of such registration statement or that part of such registration statement to which such preparation, certification or opinion relates, no such person had, or is to receive, in connection with the offering, a substantial interest, direct or indirect, in our company or any of its parents or subsidiaries. Nor was any such person connected with our company or any of its parents or subsidiaries as a promoter, managing or principal underwriter, voting trustee, director, officer or employee.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The Nevada Revised Statutes provide that:

a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, except an action by or in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the action, suit or proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful;

22



 

a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses, including amounts paid in settlement and attorneys’ fees actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the defense or settlement of the action or suit if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation. Indemnification may not be made for any claim, issue or matter as to which such a person has been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of all appeals therefrom, to be liable to the corporation or for amounts paid in settlement to the corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the action or suit was brought or other court of competent jurisdiction determines upon application that in view of all the circumstances of the case, the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court deems proper; and

   

 

to the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, the corporation must indemnify him or her against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the defense.

The Nevada Revised Statutes provide that we may make any discretionary indemnification only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances. The determination must be made:

  •   by our stockholders;
     
  •   by our board of directors by majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the action, suit or proceeding;
     
  •   if a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the action, suit or proceeding so orders, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion;
     
  •   if a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the action, suit or proceeding cannot be obtained, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion; or
     
  •   by court order.

Our bylaws provide for the mandatory indemnification of our directors and officers to the fullest extent legally permissible under the Nevada Revised Statutes from time to time against all expenses, liability and loss reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection with he or she having been or being a party to, threatening to be made a party to, or involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or an officer of the company. Advance payment of expenses by the company to such director or officer, as these expenses are incurred in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding, are subject to an undertaking by or on behalf of the director or officer to repay the amount of such payment if it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified by our company. The right of indemnification under our bylaws is not exclusive of any other right to indemnification a director or an officer may have.

Our bylaws allow us to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director or officer of our company against any liability asserted against such person and incurred in any such capacity or arising out of such status, whether or not we would have the power to indemnify such person. We have not purchased such insurance.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

23


Item 8. Exhibits.

Exhibit  
Number Description
   
(4) Instruments Defining the Rights of Security Holders, including Indentures
   
4.1 Articles of Incorporation (incorporated by reference from our Form S-1 Registration Statement, filed on October 28, 2011)
   
4.2 Certificate of Change (incorporated by reference from our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on August 13, 2013)
   
4.3 Articles of Merger (incorporated by reference from our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on August 13, 2013)
   
4.4 Certificate of Amendment (incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on October 11, 2013)
   
4.5 Certificate of Designation (incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on October 11, 2013)
   
4.6 Certificate of Designation (incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on November 12, 2013)
   
4.7 Certificate of Change (incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on December 30, 2015)
   
4.8 Amended and Restated Bylaws (incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on March 15, 2013)
   
4.9* 2013 Equity Incentive Plan
   
4.10 Stock Option Agreement dated October 9, 2013 with Steven P. Nickolas (incorporated by reference from our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on November 13, 2013)
   
4.11 Stock Option Agreement dated October 9, 2013 with Richard A. Wright (incorporated by reference from our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed on November 13, 2013)
   
4.12 Stock Option Agreement dated May 12, 2014 with Steven P. Nickolas (incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on May 14, 2014)
   
4.13 Stock Option Agreement dated May 12, 2014 with Richard A. Wright (incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on May 14, 2014)
   
4.14 Stock Option Agreement dated May 21, 2014 with Steven P. Nickolas (incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on May 23, 2014)
   
4.15 Stock Option Agreement dated May 21, 2014 with Richard A. Wright (incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on May 23, 2014)
   
4.16 Form of Amending Agreement to Stock Option Agreement (incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on November 4, 2014)
   
4.17 Stock Option Agreement dated February 18, 2015 with Steven P. Nickolas (incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on April 14, 2015)

24



4.18 Stock Option Agreement dated February 18, 2015 with Richard A. Wright (incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on April 14, 2015)
   
(5) Opinion regarding Legality
   
5.1* Opinion of Clark Wilson LLP regarding the legality of the securities being registered
   
(23) Consents of Experts and Counsel
   
23.1* Consent of Seale and Beers, CPAs
   
23.2* Consent of Clark Wilson LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)

*Filed herewith.

25


Item 9. Undertakings.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

1.      to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

i.       to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 ii.       to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

iii.       to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement;

2.       that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; and

3.       to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

26


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Scottsdale, State of Arizona on January 20, 2016.

The Alkaline Water Company Inc.

By:

/s/ Steven P. Nickolas
Steven P. Nickolas
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

/s/ Steven P. Nickolas
Steven P. Nickolas
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)
Date: January 20, 2016

/s/ Richard A. Wright
Richard A. Wright
Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Director
(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)
Date: January 20, 2016

27





THE ALKALINE WATER COMPANY INC.
2013 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

1.           Purpose; Eligibility.

1.1                     General Purpose. The name of this plan is The Alkaline Water Company Inc. 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The purposes of the Plan are to (a) enable The Alkaline Water Company Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and any Affiliate to attract and retain the types of Employees, Consultants and Directors who will contribute to the Company’s long range success; (b) provide incentives that align the interests of Employees, Consultants and Directors with those of the shareholders of the Company; and (c) promote the success of the Company’s business.

1.2                      Eligible Award Recipients. The persons eligible to receive Awards are the Employees, Consultants and Directors of the Company and its Affiliates and such other individuals designated by the Committee who are reasonably expected to become Employees, Consultants and Directors after the receipt of Awards.

1.3                      Available Awards. Awards that may be granted under the Plan include: (a) Incentive Stock Options, (b) Non-qualified Stock Options, (c) Stock Appreciation Rights, (d) Restricted Awards and (e) Performance Compensation Awards.

2.            Definitions.

Affiliate” means a corporation or other entity that, directly or through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Company.

Applicable Laws” means the requirements related to or implicated by the administration of the Plan under applicable state corporate law, United States federal and state securities laws, the Code, any stock exchange or quotation system on which the shares of Common Stock are listed or quoted, and the applicable laws of any foreign country or jurisdiction where Awards are granted under the Plan.

Award” means any right granted under the Plan, including an Incentive Stock Option, a Non-qualified Stock Option, a Stock Appreciation Right, a Restricted Award, or a Performance Compensation Award.

Award Agreement” means a written agreement, contract, certificate or other instrument or document evidencing the terms and conditions of an individual Award granted under the Plan which may, in the discretion of the Company, be transmitted electronically to any Participant. Each Award Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

Beneficial Owner” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), such “person” shall be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such “person” has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only after the passage of time. The terms “Beneficially Owns” and “Beneficially Owned” have a corresponding meaning.

Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company, as constituted at any time.


- 2 -

Cause” means:

With respect to any Employee or Consultant:

  (a)

If the Employee or Consultant is a party to an employment or service agreement with the Company or its Affiliates and such agreement provides for a definition of Cause or other similar term, the definition contained therein; or

     
  (b)

If no such agreement exists, or if such agreement does not define Cause or other similar term: (i) the commission of, or plea of guilty or no contest to, a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude or the commission of any other act involving willful malfeasance or material fiduciary breach with respect to the Company or an Affiliate; (ii) conduct that results in or is reasonably likely to result in harm to the reputation or business of the Company or any of its Affiliates; (iii) gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to the Company or an Affiliate; or (iv) material violation of state or federal securities laws.

With respect to any Director, a determination by a majority of the disinterested Board members that the Director has engaged in any of the following:

  (a)

malfeasance in office;

     
  (b)

gross misconduct or neglect;

     
  (c)

false or fraudulent misrepresentation inducing the director’s appointment;

     
  (d)

wilful conversion of corporate funds; or

     
  (e)

repeated failure to participate in Board meetings on a regular basis despite having received proper notice of the meetings in advance.

The Committee, in its absolute discretion, shall determine the effect of all matters and questions relating to whether a Participant has been discharged for Cause.

Change in Control

  (a)

The direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any Person that is not a subsidiary of the Company;

     
  (b)

The Incumbent Directors cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board;

     
  (c)

The date which is 10 business days prior to the consummation of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company;

     
  (d)

The acquisition by any Person of Beneficial Ownership of 50% or more (on a fully diluted basis) of either (i) the then outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company, taking into account as outstanding for this purpose such Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or warrants, the conversion of convertible stock or debt, and the exercise of any similar right to acquire such Common Stock (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or (ii) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this Plan, the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (A) any acquisition by the Company or any Affiliate, (B) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Company or any subsidiary, (C) any acquisition which complies with clauses, (i), (ii) and (iii) of subsection (e) of this definition or (D) in respect of an Award held by a particular Participant, any acquisition by the Participant or any group of persons including the Participant (or any entity controlled by the Participant or any group of persons including the Participant); or



- 3 -

  (e)

The consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company that requires the approval of the Company’s shareholders, whether for such transaction or the issuance of securities in the transaction (a “Business Combination”), unless immediately following such Business Combination: (i) more than 50% of the total voting power of (A) the entity resulting from such Business Combination (the “Surviving Company”), or (B) if applicable, the ultimate parent entity that directly or indirectly has beneficial ownership of sufficient voting securities eligible to elect a majority of the members of the board of directors (or the analogous governing body) of the Surviving Company (the “Parent Company”), is represented by the Outstanding Company Voting Securities that were outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination (or, if applicable, is represented by shares into which the Outstanding Company Voting Securities were converted pursuant to such Business Combination), and such voting power among the holders thereof is in substantially the same proportion as the voting power of the Outstanding Company Voting Securities among the holders thereof immediately prior to the Business Combination; (ii) no Person (other than any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Surviving Company or the Parent Company) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect members of the board of directors of the Parent Company (or the analogous governing body) (or, if there is no Parent Company, the Surviving Company); and (iii) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors (or the analogous governing body) of the Parent Company (or, if there is no Parent Company, the Surviving Company) following the consummation of the Business Combination were Board members at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such Business Combination.

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as it may be amended from time to time. Any reference to a section of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any regulations promulgated thereunder.

Committee” means the Board or a committee of one or more members of the Board appointed by the Board to administer the Plan in accordance with Section 3.3 and Section 3.4.


- 4 -

Common Stock” means the common stock, $0.001 par value per share, of the Company, the preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share, of the Company, or such other securities of the Company as may be designated by the Committee from time to time in substitution thereof.

Company” means The Alkaline Water Company Inc., a Nevada corporation, and any successor thereto.

Consultant” means any individual who is engaged by the Company or any Affiliate to render consulting or advisory services.

Continuous Service” means that the Participant’s service with the Company or an Affiliate, whether as an Employee, Consultant or Director, is not interrupted or terminated. The Participant’s Continuous Service shall not be deemed to have terminated merely because of a change in the capacity in which the Participant renders service to the Company or an Affiliate as an Employee, Consultant or Director or a change in the entity for which the Participant renders such service, provided that there is no interruption or termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service; provided further that if any Award is subject to Section 409A of the Code, this sentence shall only be given effect to the extent consistent with Section 409A of the Code. For example, a change in status from an Employee of the Company to a Director of an Affiliate will not constitute an interruption of Continuous Service. The Committee or its delegate, in its sole discretion, may determine whether Continuous Service shall be considered interrupted in the case of any leave of absence approved by that party, including sick leave, military leave or any other personal or family leave of absence.

Covered Employee” has the same meaning as set forth in Section 162(m)(3) of the Code, as interpreted by Internal Revenue Service.

Director” means a member of the Board.

Disability” means that the Participant is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment; provided, however, for purposes of determining the term of an Incentive Stock Option pursuant to Section 6.9 hereof, the term Disability shall have the meaning ascribed to it under Section 22(e)(3) of the Code. The determination of whether an individual has a Disability shall be determined under procedures established by the Committee. Except in situations where the Committee is determining Disability for purposes of the term of an Incentive Stock Option pursuant to Section 6.9 hereof within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, the Committee may rely on any determination that a Participant is disabled for purposes of benefits under any long-term disability plan maintained by the Company or any Affiliate in which a Participant participates.

Disqualifying Disposition” has the meaning set forth in Section 14.11.

Effective Date” shall mean the date as of which this Plan is adopted by the Board.

Employee” means any person, including an Officer or Director, employed by the Company or an Affiliate; provided, that, for purposes of determining eligibility to receive Incentive Stock Options, an Employee shall mean an employee of the Company or a parent or subsidiary corporation within the meaning of IRC Section 424. Mere service as a Director or payment of a director’s fee by the Company or an Affiliate shall not be sufficient to constitute “employment” by the Company or an Affiliate.


- 5 -

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of the Common Stock as determined below. If the Common Stock is listed or quoted on any established stock exchange or public market, including without limitation, the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Stock Market, the OTC Bulletin Board operated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or one of marketplaces operated by the OTC Markets Group, the Fair Market Value shall be the closing price of a share of Common Stock (or if no sales were reported the closing price on the date immediately preceding such date) as quoted on such exchange or public market on the day of determination, as reported in the source as the Committee deems reliable. In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value shall be determined in good faith by the Committee and such determination shall be conclusive and binding on all persons.

Free Standing Rights” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1(a) .

Good Reason” means:

  (a)

If an Employee or Consultant is a party to an employment or service agreement with the Company or its Affiliates and such agreement provides for a definition of Good Reason or other similar term, the definition contained therein; or

     
  (b)

If no such agreement exists or if such agreement does not define Good Reason, the occurrence of one or more of the following without the Participant’s express written consent, which circumstances are not remedied by the Company within thirty (30) days of its receipt of a written notice from the Participant describing the applicable circumstances (which notice must be provided by the Participant within ninety (90) days of the Participant’s knowledge of the applicable circumstances): (i) any material, adverse change in the Participant’s duties, responsibilities, authority, title, status or reporting structure; (ii) a material reduction in the Participant’s base salary or bonus opportunity; or (iii) a geographical relocation of the Participant’s principal office location by more than fifty (50) miles.

Grant Date” means the date on which the Committee adopts a resolution, or takes other appropriate action, expressly granting an Award to a Participant that specifies the key terms and conditions of the Award or, if a later date is set forth in such resolution, then such date as is set forth in such resolution.

Incentive Stock Option” means an Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

Incumbent Directors” means individuals who, on the Effective Date, constitute the Board, provided that any individual becoming a Director subsequent to the Effective Date whose election or nomination for election to the Board was approved by a vote of at least two- thirds of the Incumbent Directors then on the Board (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company in which such person is named as a nominee for Director without objection to such nomination) shall be an Incumbent Director. No individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the Company as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to Directors or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies by or on behalf of any person other than the Board shall be an Incumbent Director.


- 6 -

Negative Discretion” means the discretion authorized by the Plan to be applied by the Committee to eliminate or reduce the size of a Performance Compensation Award in accordance with Section 7.3(d)(iv) of the Plan; provided, that, the exercise of such discretion would not cause the Performance Compensation Award to fail to qualify as “performance- based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.

Non-Employee Director” means a Director who is a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3.

Non-qualified Stock Option” means an Option that by its terms does not qualify or is not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.

Officer” means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-qualified Stock Option granted pursuant to the Plan.

Optionholder” means a person to whom an Option is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Option.

Option Exercise Price” means the price at which a share of Common Stock may be purchased upon the exercise of an Option.

Outside Director” means a Director who is an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and Treasury Regulations Section 1.162 -27(e)(3) or any successor to such statute and regulation.

Participant” means an eligible person to whom an Award is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Award.

Performance Compensation Award” means any Award designated by the Committee as a Performance Compensation Award pursuant to Section 7.3 of the Plan.

Performance Criteria” means the criterion or criteria that the Committee shall select for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal(s) for a Performance Period with respect to any Performance Compensation Award under the Plan. The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goal(s) shall be based on the attainment of specific levels of performance of the Company (or Affiliate, division, business unit or operational unit of the Company) and shall be limited to the following:

  (a)

net earnings or net income (before or after taxes);

     
  (b)

basic or diluted earnings per share (before or after taxes);

     
  (c)

net revenue or net revenue growth;

     
  (d)

gross revenue;



- 7 -

  (e)

gross profit or gross profit growth;

     
  (f)

net operating profit (before or after taxes);

     
  (g)

return on assets, capital, invested capital, equity, or sales;

     
  (h)

cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow, and cash flow return on capital);

     
  (i)

earnings before or after taxes, interest, depreciation and/or amortization;

     
  (j)

gross or operating margins;

     
  (k)

improvements in capital structure;

     
  (l)

budget and expense management;

     
  (m)

productivity ratios;

     
  (n)

economic value added or other value added measurements;

     
  (o)

share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total shareholder return);

     
  (p)

expense targets;

     
  (q)

margins;

     
  (r)

operating efficiency;

     
  (s)

working capital targets;

     
  (t)

enterprise value;

     
  (u)

safety record; and

     
  (v)

completion of acquisitions or business expansion.

Any one or more of the Performance Criteria may be used on an absolute or relative basis to measure the performance of the Company and/or an Affiliate as a whole or any division, business unit or operational unit of the Company and/or an Affiliate or any combination thereof, as the Committee may deem appropriate, or as compared to the performance of a group of comparable companies, or published or special index that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, or the Committee may select Performance Criterion (o) above as compared to various stock market indices. The Committee also has the authority to provide for accelerated vesting of any Award based on the achievement of Performance Goals pursuant to the Performance Criteria specified in this paragraph. To the extent required under Section 162 (m) of the Code, the Committee shall, within the first 90 days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code), define in an objective fashion the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for such Performance Period. In the event that applicable tax and/or securities laws change to permit the Committee discretion to alter the governing Performance Criteria without obtaining shareholder approval of such changes, the Committee shall have sole discretion to make such changes without obtaining shareholder approval.


- 8 -

Performance Formula” means, for a Performance Period, the one or more objective formulas applied against the relevant Performance Goal to determine, with regard to the Performance Compensation Award of a particular Participant, whether all, some portion but less than all, or none of the Performance Compensation Award has been earned for the Performance Period.

Performance Goals” means, for a Performance Period, the one or more goals established by the Committee for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria. The Committee is authorized at any time during the first 90 days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code), or at any time thereafter (but only to the extent the exercise of such authority after such period would not cause the Performance Compensation Awards granted to any Participant for the Performance Period to fail to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code), in its sole and absolute discretion, to adjust or modify the calculation of a Performance Goal for such Performance Period to the extent permitted under Section 162(m) of the Code in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants based on the following events:

  (a)

asset write-downs;

     
  (b)

litigation or claim judgments or settlements;

     
  (c)

the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or regulatory rules affecting reported results;

     
  (d)

any reorganization and restructuring programs;

     
  (e)

extraordinary nonrecurring items as described in Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 30 (or any successor or pronouncement thereto) and/or in management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations appearing in the Company’s annual report to shareholders for the applicable year;

     
  (f)

acquisitions or divestitures;

     
  (g)

any other specific unusual or nonrecurring events, or objectively determinable category thereof;

     
  (h)

foreign exchange gains and losses; and

     
  (i)

a change in the Company’s fiscal year.

Performance Period” means the one or more periods of time not less than one fiscal quarter in duration, as the Committee may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to and the payment of a Performance Compensation Award.


- 9 -

Permitted Transferee” means:

  (a)

a member of the Optionholder’s immediate family (child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships), any person sharing the Optionholder’s household (other than a tenant or employee), a trust in which these persons have more than 50% of the beneficial interest, a foundation in which these persons (or the Optionholder) control the management of assets, and any other entity in which these persons (or the Optionholder) own more than 50% of the voting interests;

   

 

  (b)

third parties designated by the Committee in connection with a program established and approved by the Committee pursuant to which Participants may receive a cash payment or other consideration in consideration for the transfer of a Non-qualified Stock Option; and

   

 

  (c)

such other transferees as may be permitted by the Committee in its sole discretion.

Plan” means this The Alkaline Water Company Inc. 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and/or amended and restated from time to time.

Related Rights” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1(a) .

Restricted Award” means any Award granted pursuant to Section 7.2(a) .

Restricted Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.2(a) .

Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect from time to time.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Stock Appreciation Right” means the right pursuant to an Award granted under Section 7.1 to receive, upon exercise, an amount payable in cash or shares equal to the number of shares subject to the Stock Appreciation Right that is being exercised multiplied by the excess of (a) the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date the Award is exercised, over (b) the exercise price specified in the Stock Appreciation Right Award Agreement.

Stock for Stock Exchange” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.3.

Ten Percent Shareholder” means a person who owns (or is deemed to own pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of any of its Affiliates.

3.            Administration.

3.1                       Authority of Committee. The Plan shall be administered initially by the Board, except that the Board may, in its discretion, establish a committee composed of two (2) or more members of the Board to administer the Plan, which committee may be an executive, compensation or other committee, including a separate committee especially created for this purpose. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee’s charter and Applicable Laws, and in addition to other express powers and authorization conferred by the Plan, the Committee shall have the authority:


- 10 -

  (a)

to construe and interpret the Plan and apply its provisions;

   

 

  (b)

to promulgate, amend, and rescind rules and regulations relating to the administration of the Plan;

   

 

  (c)

to authorize any person to execute, on behalf of the Company, any instrument required to carry out the purposes of the Plan;

   

 

  (d)

to delegate its authority to one or more Officers of the Company with respect to Awards that do not involve Covered Employees or “insiders” within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act;

   

 

  (e)

to determine when Awards are to be granted under the Plan and the applicable Grant Date;

   

 

  (f)

from time to time to select, subject to the limitations set forth in this Plan, those Participants to whom Awards shall be granted;

   

 

  (g)

to determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be made subject to each Award;

   

 

  (h)

to determine whether each Option is to be an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-qualified Stock Option;

   

 

  (i)

to prescribe the terms and conditions of each Award, including, without limitation, the exercise price and medium of payment and vesting provisions, and to specify the provisions of the Award Agreement relating to such grant;

   

 

  (j)

to designate an Award (including a cash bonus) as a Performance Compensation Award and to select the Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goals;

   

 

  (k)

to amend any outstanding Awards, including for the purpose of modifying the time or manner of vesting, or the term of any outstanding Award; provided, however, that if any such amendment impairs a Participant’s rights or increases a Participant’s obligations under his or her Award or creates or increases a Participant’s federal income tax liability with respect to an Award, such amendment shall also be subject to the Participant’s consent;

   

 

  (l)

to determine the duration and purpose of leaves of absences which may be granted to a Participant without constituting termination of their employment for purposes of the Plan, which periods shall be no shorter than the periods generally applicable to Employees under the Company’s employment policies;



- 11 -

  (m)

to make decisions with respect to outstanding Awards that may become necessary upon a change in corporate control or an event that triggers anti-dilution adjustments;

   

 

  (n)

to interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any defect in and/or supply any omission in the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award granted under, the Plan; and

   

 

  (o)

to exercise discretion to make any and all other determinations which it determines to be necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.

The Committee also may modify the purchase price or the exercise price of any outstanding Award, provided that shareholder approval shall be required before the repricing is effective if such shareholder approval is necessary to satisfy any Applicable Laws.

3.2                       Committee Decisions Final. All decisions made by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan shall be final and binding on the Company and the Participants, unless such decisions are determined by a court having jurisdiction to be arbitrary and capricious.

3.3                       Delegation. The Committee, or if no Committee has been appointed, the Board, may delegate administration of the Plan to a committee or committees of one or more members of the Board, and the term “Committee” shall apply to any person or persons to whom such authority has been delegated. The Committee shall have the power to delegate to a subcommittee any of the administrative powers the Committee is authorized to exercise (and references in this Plan to the Board or the Committee shall thereafter be to the committee or subcommittee), subject, however, to such resolutions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as may be adopted from time to time by the Board. The Board may abolish the Committee at any time and revest in the Board the administration of the Plan. The members of the Committee shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Board. From time to time, the Board may increase or decrease the size of the Committee, add additional members to, remove members (with or without cause) from, appoint new members in substitution therefor, and fill vacancies, however caused, in the Committee. The Committee shall act pursuant to a vote of the majority of its members or, in the case of a Committee comprised of only two members, the unanimous consent of its members, whether present or not, or by the written consent of the majority of its members and minutes shall be kept of all of its meetings and copies thereof shall be provided to the Board. Subject to the limitations prescribed by the Plan and the Board, the Committee may establish and follow such rules and regulations for the conduct of its business as it may determine to be advisable.

3.4                       Committee Composition. If the Board establishes a committee to administer the Plan, except as otherwise determined by the Board, the Committee shall consist solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors who are also Outside Directors. The Board shall have discretion to determine whether or not it intends to comply with the exemption requirements of Rule 16b-3 and/or Section 162(m) of the Code. However, if the Board intends to satisfy such exemption requirements, with respect to Awards to any Covered Employee and with respect to any insider subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Committee shall be a compensation committee of the Board that at all times consists solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors who are also Outside Directors. Within the scope of such authority, the Board or the Committee may (a) delegate to a committee of one or more members of the Board who are not Outside Directors the authority to grant Awards to eligible persons who are either (i) not then Covered Employees and are not expected to be Covered Employees at the time of recognition of income resulting from such Award or (ii) not persons with respect to whom the Company wishes to comply with Section 162(m) of the Code or (b) delegate to a committee of one or more members of the Board who are not Non-Employee Directors the authority to grant Awards to eligible persons who are not then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act. Nothing herein shall create an inference that an Award is not validly granted under the Plan in the event Awards are granted under the Plan by a compensation committee of the Board that does not at all times consist solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors who are also Outside Directors.


- 12 -

3.5                       Indemnification. In addition to such other rights of indemnification as they may have as Directors or members of the Committee, and to the extent allowed by Applicable Laws, the Committee shall be indemnified by the Company against the reasonable expenses, including attorney’s fees, actually incurred in connection with any action, suit or proceeding or in connection with any appeal therein, to which the Committee may be party by reason of any action taken or failure to act under or in connection with the Plan or any Award granted under the Plan, and against all amounts paid by the Committee in settlement thereof (provided, however, that the settlement has been approved by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) or paid by the Committee in satisfaction of a judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding, except in relation to matters as to which it shall be adjudged in such action, suit or proceeding that such Committee did not act in good faith and in a manner which such person reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the Company, or in the case of a criminal proceeding, had no reason to believe that the conduct complained of was unlawful; provided, however, that within 60 days after institution of any such action, suit or proceeding, such Committee shall, in writing, offer the Company the opportunity at its own expense to handle and defend such action, suit or proceeding.

4.            Shares Subject to the Plan.

4.1                       Subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 11, a total of 7,700,000 shares of Common Stock shall be available for the grant of Awards under the Plan. During the terms of the Awards, the Company shall keep available at all times the number of shares of Common Stock required to satisfy such Awards.

4.2                       Shares of Common Stock available for distribution under the Plan may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued shares, treasury shares or shares reacquired by the Company in any manner.

4.3                       Any shares of Common Stock subject to an Award that is canceled, forfeited or expires prior to exercise or realization, either in full or in part, shall again become available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein: shares subject to an Award under the Plan shall not again be made available for issuance or delivery under the Plan if such shares are (a) shares tendered in payment of an Option, (b) shares delivered or withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax withholding obligation, or (c) shares covered by a stock-settled Stock Appreciation Right or other Awards that were not issued upon the settlement of the Award.

5.            Eligibility.

5.1                       Eligibility for Specific Awards. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees. Awards other than Incentive Stock Options may be granted to Employees, Consultants and Directors and those individuals whom the Committee determines are reasonably expected to become Employees, Consultants and Directors following the Grant Date.


- 13 -

5.2                       Ten Percent Shareholders. A Ten Percent Shareholder shall not be granted an Incentive Stock Option unless the Option Exercise Price is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock at the Grant Date and the Option is not exercisable after the expiration of five years from the Grant Date.

6.            Option Provisions.

Each Option granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement. Each Option so granted shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 6, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement. All Options shall be separately designated Incentive Stock Options or Non-qualified Stock Options at the time of grant, and, if certificates are issued, a separate certificate or certificates will be issued for shares of Common Stock purchased on exercise of each type of Option. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have no liability to any Participant or any other person if an Option designated as an Incentive Stock Option fails to qualify as such at any time or if an Option is determined to constitute “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and the terms of such Option do not satisfy the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. The provisions of separate Options need not be identical, but each Option shall include (through incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the Option or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:

6.1                       Term. Subject to the provisions of Section 5.2 regarding Ten Percent Shareholders, no Incentive Stock Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of 10 years from the Grant Date. The term of a Non-qualified Stock Option granted under the Plan shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, no Non-qualified Stock Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of 10 years from the Grant Date.

6.2                       Exercise Price of an Incentive Stock Option. Subject to the provisions of Section 5.2 regarding Ten Percent Shareholders, the Option Exercise Price of each Incentive Stock Option shall be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Option on the Grant Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Incentive Stock Option may be granted with an Option Exercise Price lower than that set forth in the preceding sentence if such Option is granted pursuant to an assumption or substitution for another option in a manner satisfying the provisions of Section 424(a) of the Code.

6.3                       Consideration. The Option Exercise Price of Common Stock acquired pursuant to an Option shall be paid, to the extent permitted by applicable statutes and regulations, either (a) in cash or by certified or bank check at the time the Option is exercised or (b) in the discretion of the Committee, upon such terms as the Committee shall approve, the Option Exercise Price may be paid: (i) by delivery to the Company of other Common Stock, duly endorsed for transfer to the Company, with a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the Option Exercise Price (or portion thereof) due for the number of shares being acquired, or by means of attestation whereby the Participant identifies for delivery specific shares of Common Stock that have an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of attestation equal to the Option Exercise Price (or portion thereof) and receives a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the difference between the number of shares thereby purchased and the number of identified attestation shares of Common Stock (a “Stock for Stock Exchange”); (ii) a “cashless” exercise program established with a broker; (iii) by reduction in the number of shares of Common Stock otherwise deliverable upon exercise of such Option with a Fair Market Value equal to the aggregate Option Exercise Price at the time of exercise; (iv) any combination of the foregoing methods; or (v) in any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Committee. Unless otherwise specifically provided in the Option, the exercise price of Common Stock acquired pursuant to an Option that is paid by delivery (or attestation) to the Company of other Common Stock acquired, directly or indirectly from the Company, shall be paid only by shares of the Common Stock of the Company that have been held for more than six months (or such longer or shorter period of time required to avoid a charge to earnings for financial accounting purposes). Notwithstanding the foregoing, during any period for which the Common Stock is publicly traded an exercise by a Director or Officer that involves or may involve a direct or indirect extension of credit or arrangement of an extension of credit by the Company, directly or indirectly, in violation of Section 402(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 shall be prohibited with respect to any Award under this Plan.


- 14 -

6.4                       Transferability of an Incentive Stock Option. An Incentive Stock Option shall not be transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and shall be exercisable during the lifetime of the Optionholder only by the Optionholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Optionholder may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form satisfactory to the Company, designate a third party who, in the event of the death of the Optionholder, shall thereafter be entitled to exercise the Option.

6.5                       Transferability of a Non-qualified Stock Option. A Non-qualified Stock Option may, in the sole discretion of the Committee, be transferable to a Permitted Transferee, upon written approval by the Committee to the extent provided in the Award Agreement. If the Non- qualified Stock Option does not provide for transferability, then the Non-qualified Stock Option shall not be transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and shall be exercisable during the lifetime of the Optionholder only by the Optionholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Optionholder may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form satisfactory to the Company, designate a third party who, in the event of the death of the Optionholder, shall thereafter be entitled to exercise the Option.

6.6                       Vesting of Options. Each Option may, but need not, vest and therefore become exercisable in periodic installments that may, but need not, be equal. The Option may be subject to such other terms and conditions on the time or times when it may be exercised (which may be based on performance or other criteria) as the Committee may deem appropriate. The vesting provisions of individual Options may vary. No Option may be exercised for a fraction of a share of Common Stock. The Committee may, but shall not be required to, provide for an acceleration of vesting and exercisability in the terms of any Award Agreement upon the occurrence of a specified event.

6.7                       Termination of Continuous Service. Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement or in an employment agreement the terms of which have been approved by the Committee, in the event an Optionholder’s Continuous Service terminates (other than upon the Optionholder’s death or Disability), the Optionholder may exercise his or her Option (to the extent that the Optionholder was entitled to exercise such Option as of the date of termination) but only within such period of time ending on the earlier of (a) the date three months following the termination of the Optionholder’s Continuous Service or (b) the expiration of the term of the Option as set forth in the Award Agreement; provided that, if the termination of Continuous Service is by the Company for Cause, all outstanding Options (whether or not vested) shall immediately terminate and cease to be exercisable. If, after termination, the Optionholder does not exercise his or her Option within the time specified in the Award Agreement, the Option shall terminate.


- 15 -

6.8                       Extension of Termination Date. An Optionholder’s Award Agreement may also provide that if the exercise of the Option following the termination of the Optionholder’s Continuous Service for any reason would be prohibited at any time because the issuance of shares of Common Stock would violate the registration requirements under the Securities Act or any other state or federal securities law or the rules of any securities exchange or interdealer quotation system, then the Option shall terminate on the earlier of (a) the expiration of the term of the Option in accordance with Section 6.1 or (b) the expiration of a period after termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service that is three months after the end of the period during which the exercise of the Option would be in violation of such registration or other securities law requirements.

6.9                       Disability of Optionholder. Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, in the event that an Optionholder’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Optionholder’s Disability, the Optionholder may exercise his or her Option (to the extent that the Optionholder was entitled to exercise such Option as of the date of termination), but only within such period of time ending on the earlier of (a) the date 12 months following such termination or (b) the expiration of the term of the Option as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after termination, the Optionholder does not exercise his or her Option within the time specified herein or in the Award Agreement, the Option shall terminate.

6.10                       Death of Optionholder. Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, in the event an Optionholder’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Optionholder’s death, then the Option may be exercised (to the extent the Optionholder was entitled to exercise such Option as of the date of death) by the Optionholder’s estate, by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance or by a person designated to exercise the Option upon the Optionholder’s death, but only within the period ending on the earlier of (a) the date 12 months following the date of death or (b) the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after the Optionholder’s death, the Option is not exercised within the time specified herein or in the Award Agreement, the Option shall terminate.

6.11                       Incentive Stock Option $100,000 Limitation. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time of grant) of Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Optionholder during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and its Affiliates) exceeds $100,000, the Options or portions thereof which exceed such limit (according to the order in which they were granted) shall be treated as Non-qualified Stock Options.

7.            Provisions of Awards Other Than Options.

7.1                       Stock Appreciation Rights.

  (a)

General. Each Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement. Each Stock Appreciation Right so granted shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 7.1, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement. Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted alone (“Free Standing Rights”) or in tandem with an Option granted under the Plan (“Related Rights”).

   

 

  (b)

Grant Requirements. Any Related Right that relates to a Non-qualified Stock Option may be granted at the same time the Option is granted or at any time thereafter but before the exercise or expiration of the Option. Any Related Right that relates to an Incentive Stock Option must be granted at the same time the Incentive Stock Option is granted.



- 16 -

  (c)

Term of Stock Appreciation Rights. The term of a Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan shall be determined by the Committee; provided, however, no Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable later than the tenth anniversary of the Grant Date.

   

 

  (d)

Vesting of Stock Appreciation Rights. Each Stock Appreciation Right may, but need not, vest and therefore become exercisable in periodic installments that may, but need not, be equal. The Stock Appreciation Right may be subject to such other terms and conditions on the time or times when it may be exercised as the Committee may deem appropriate. The vesting provisions of individual Stock Appreciation Rights may vary. No Stock Appreciation Right may be exercised for a fraction of a share of Common Stock. The Committee may, but shall not be required to, provide for an acceleration of vesting and exercisability in the terms of any Stock Appreciation Right upon the occurrence of a specified event.

   

 

  (e)

Exercise and Payment. Upon exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, the holder shall be entitled to receive from the Company an amount equal to the number of shares of Common Stock subject to the Stock Appreciation Right that is being exercised multiplied by the excess of (i) the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date the Award is exercised, over (ii) the exercise price specified in the Stock Appreciation Right or related Option. Payment with respect to the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right shall be made on the date of exercise. Payment shall be made in the form of shares of Common Stock (with or without restrictions as to substantial risk of forfeiture and transferability, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion), cash or a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee.

   

 

  (f)

Exercise Price. The exercise price of a Free Standing Stock Appreciation Right shall be determined by the Committee. A Related Right granted simultaneously with or subsequent to the grant of an Option and in conjunction therewith or in the alternative thereto shall have the same exercise price as the related Option, shall be transferable only upon the same terms and conditions as the related Option, and shall be exercisable only to the same extent as the related Option; provided, however, that a Stock Appreciation Right, by its terms, shall be exercisable only when the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock subject to the Stock Appreciation Right and related Option exceeds the exercise price per share thereof and no Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted in tandem with an Option unless the Committee determines that the requirements of Section 7.1(b) are satisfied.

   

 

  (g)

Reduction in the Underlying Option Shares. Upon any exercise of a Related Right, the number of shares of Common Stock for which any related Option shall be exercisable shall be reduced by the number of shares for which the Stock Appreciation Right has been exercised. The number of shares of Common Stock for which a Related Right shall be exercisable shall be reduced upon any exercise of any related Option by the number of shares of Common Stock for which such Option has been exercised.



- 17 -

7.2                       Restricted Awards.

  (a)

General. A Restricted Award is an Award of actual shares of Common Stock (“Restricted Stock”) or hypothetical Common Stock units (“Restricted Stock Units”) having a value equal to the Fair Market Value of an identical number of shares of Common Stock, which may, but need not, provide that such Restricted Award may not be sold, assigned, transferred or otherwise disposed of, pledged or hypothecated as collateral for a loan or as security for the performance of any obligation or for any other purpose for such period (the “Restricted Period”) as the Committee shall determine. Each Restricted Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement. Each Restricted Award so granted shall be subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 7.2, and to such other conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable Award Agreement.

   

 

  (b)

Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units.


  (i)

Each Participant granted Restricted Stock shall execute and deliver to the Company an Award Agreement with respect to the Restricted Stock setting forth the restrictions and other terms and conditions applicable to such Restricted Stock. If the Committee determines that the Restricted Stock shall be held by the Company or in escrow rather than delivered to the Participant pending the release of the applicable restrictions, the Committee may require the Participant to additionally execute and deliver to the Company (A) an escrow agreement satisfactory to the Committee, if applicable and (B) the appropriate blank stock power with respect to the Restricted Stock covered by such agreement. If a Participant fails to execute an agreement evidencing an Award of Restricted Stock and, if applicable, an escrow agreement and stock power, the Award shall be null and void. Subject to the restrictions set forth in the Award, the Participant generally shall have the rights and privileges of a shareholder as to such Restricted Stock, including the right to vote such Restricted Stock and the right to receive dividends; provided that, any cash dividends and stock dividends with respect to the Restricted Stock shall be withheld by the Company for the Participant’s account, and interest may be credited on the amount of the cash dividends withheld at a rate and subject to such terms as determined by the Committee. The cash dividends or stock dividends so withheld by the Committee and attributable to any particular share of Restricted Stock (and earnings thereon, if applicable) shall be distributed to the Participant in cash or, at the discretion of the Committee, in shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends, if applicable, upon the release of restrictions on such share and, if such share is forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such dividends.

   

 

  (ii)

The terms and conditions of a grant of Restricted Stock Units shall be reflected in an Award Agreement. No shares of Common Stock shall be issued at the time a Restricted Stock Unit is granted, and the Company will not be required to set aside a fund for the payment of any such Award. A Participant shall have no voting rights with respect to any Restricted Stock Units granted hereunder. At the discretion of the Committee, each Restricted Stock Unit (representing one share of Common Stock) may be credited with cash and stock dividends paid by the Company in respect of one share of Common Stock (“Dividend Equivalents”). Dividend Equivalents shall be withheld by the Company for the Participant’s account, and interest may be credited on the amount of cash Dividend Equivalents withheld at a rate and subject to such terms as determined by the Committee. Dividend Equivalents credited to a Participant’s account and attributable to any particular Restricted Stock Unit (and earnings thereon, if applicable) shall be distributed in cash or, at the discretion of the Committee, in shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such Dividend Equivalents and earnings, if applicable, to the Participant upon settlement of such Restricted Stock Unit and, if such Restricted Stock Unit is forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such Dividend Equivalents.



- 18 -

  (c)

Restrictions


 

(i)

Restricted Stock awarded to a Participant shall be subject to the following restrictions until the expiration of the Restricted Period, and to such other terms and conditions as may be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement: (A) if an escrow arrangement is used, the Participant shall not be entitled to delivery of the stock certificate; (B) the shares shall be subject to the restrictions on transferability set forth in the Award Agreement; (C) the shares shall be subject to forfeiture to the extent provided in the applicable Award Agreement; and (D) to the extent such shares are forfeited, the stock certificates shall be returned to the Company, and all rights of the Participant to such shares and as a shareholder with respect to such shares shall terminate without further obligation on the part of the Company.

 

 

 

 

(ii)

Restricted Stock Units awarded to any Participant shall be subject to (A) forfeiture until the expiration of the Restricted Period, and satisfaction of any applicable Performance Goals during such period, to the extent provided in the applicable Award Agreement, and to the extent such Restricted Stock Units are forfeited, all rights of the Participant to such Restricted Stock Units shall terminate without further obligation on the part of the Company and (B) such other terms and conditions as may be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

 

 

 

(iii)

The Committee shall have the authority to remove any or all of the restrictions on the Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units whenever it may determine that, by reason of changes in Applicable Laws or other changes in circumstances arising after the date the Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units are granted, such action is appropriate.


  (d)

Restricted Period. With respect to Restricted Awards, the Restricted Period shall commence on the Grant Date and end at the time or times set forth on a schedule established by the Committee in the applicable Award Agreement.



- 19 -

No Restricted Award may be granted or settled for a fraction of a share of Common Stock. The Committee may, but shall not be required to, provide for an acceleration of vesting in the terms of any Award Agreement upon the occurrence of a specified event.

  (e)

Delivery of Restricted Stock and Settlement of Restricted Stock Units. Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any shares of Restricted Stock, the restrictions set forth in Section 7.2(c) and the applicable Award Agreement shall be of no further force or effect with respect to such shares, except as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. If an escrow arrangement is used, upon such expiration, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, or his or her beneficiary, without charge, the stock certificate evidencing the shares of Restricted Stock which have not then been forfeited and with respect to which the Restricted Period has expired (to the nearest full share) and any cash dividends or stock dividends credited to the Participant’s account with respect to such Restricted Stock and the interest thereon, if any. Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any outstanding Restricted Stock Units, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, or his or her beneficiary, without charge, one share of Common Stock for each such outstanding Restricted Stock Unit (“Vested Unit”) and cash equal to any Dividend Equivalents credited with respect to each such Vested Unit in accordance with Section 7.2(b)(ii) hereof and the interest thereon or, at the discretion of the Committee, in shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to such Dividend Equivalents and the interest thereon, if any; provided, however, that, if explicitly provided in the applicable Award Agreement, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, elect to pay cash or part cash and part Common Stock in lieu of delivering only shares of Common Stock for Vested Units. If a cash payment is made in lieu of delivering shares of Common Stock, the amount of such payment shall be equal to the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock as of the date on which the Restricted Period lapsed with respect to each Vested Unit.

     
  (f)

Stock Restrictions. Each certificate representing Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan shall bear a legend in such form as the Company deems appropriate.

7.3                      Performance Compensation Awards.

  (a)

General. The Committee shall have the authority, at the time of grant of any Award described in this Plan (other than Options and Stock Appreciation Rights granted with an exercise price equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the Grant Date), to designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award in order to qualify such Award as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code. In addition, the Committee shall have the authority to make an Award of a cash bonus to any Participant and designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award in order to qualify such Award as “performance- based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.

     
  (b)

Eligibility. The Committee will, in its sole discretion, designate within the first 90 days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code) which Participants will be eligible to receive Performance Compensation Awards in respect of such Performance Period. However, designation of a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder for a Performance Period shall not in any manner entitle the Participant to receive payment in respect of any Performance Compensation Award for such Performance Period. The determination as to whether or not such Participant becomes entitled to payment in respect of any Performance Compensation Award shall be decided solely in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.3. Moreover, designation of a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder for a particular Performance Period shall not require designation of such Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder in any subsequent Performance Period and designation of one person as a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder shall not require designation of any other person as a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder in such period or in any other period.



- 20 -

  (c)

Discretion of Committee with Respect to Performance Compensation Awards. With regard to a particular Performance Period, the Committee shall have full discretion to select the length of such Performance Period (provided any such Performance Period shall be not less than one fiscal quarter in duration), the type(s) of Performance Compensation Awards to be issued, the Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goal(s), the kind(s) and/or level(s) of the Performance Goal(s) that is (are) to apply to the Company and the Performance Formula. Within the first 90 days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code), the Committee shall, with regard to the Performance Compensation Awards to be issued for such Performance Period, exercise its discretion with respect to each of the matters enumerated in the immediately preceding sentence of this Section 7.3(c) and record the same in writing.

   

 

  (d)

Payment of Performance Compensation Awards


  (i)

Condition to Receipt of Payment. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant must be employed by the Company on the last day of a Performance Period to be eligible for payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award for such Performance Period.

   

 

  (ii)

Limitation. A Participant shall be eligible to receive payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award only to the extent that: (A) the Performance Goals for such period are achieved; and (B) the Performance Formula as applied against such Performance Goals determines that all or some portion of such Participant’s Performance Compensation Award has been earned for the Performance Period.

   

 

  (iii)

Certification. Following the completion of a Performance Period, the Committee shall review and certify in writing whether, and to what extent, the Performance Goals for the Performance Period have been achieved and, if so, calculate and certify in writing the amount of the Performance Compensation Awards earned for the period based upon the Performance Formula. The Committee shall then determine the actual size of each Participant’s Performance Compensation Award for the Performance Period and, in so doing, may apply Negative Discretion in accordance with Section 7.3(d)(iv) hereof, if and when it deems appropriate.



- 21 -

  (iv)

Use of Discretion. In determining the actual size of an individual Performance Compensation Award for a Performance Period, the Committee may reduce or eliminate the amount of the Performance Compensation Award earned under the Performance Formula in the Performance Period through the use of Negative Discretion if, in its sole judgment, such reduction or elimination is appropriate. The Committee shall not have the discretion to (A) grant or provide payment in respect of Performance Compensation Awards for a Performance Period if the Performance Goals for such Performance Period have not been attained or (B) increase a Performance Compensation Award above the maximum amount payable under Section 7.3(d)(i) of the Plan.

     
  (v)

Timing of Award Payments. Performance Compensation Awards granted for a Performance Period shall be paid to Participants as soon as administratively practicable following completion of the certifications required by this Section 7.3.

8.            Securities Law Compliance.

Each Award Agreement shall provide that no shares of Common Stock shall be purchased or sold thereunder unless and until (a) any then applicable requirements of state or federal laws and regulatory agencies have been fully complied with to the satisfaction of the Company and its counsel and (b) if required to do so by the Company, the Participant has executed and delivered to the Company a letter of investment intent in such form and containing such provisions as the Committee may require. The Company shall use reasonable efforts to seek to obtain from each regulatory commission or agency having jurisdiction over the Plan such authority as may be required to grant Awards and to issue and sell shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Awards; provided, however, that this undertaking shall not require the Company to register under the Securities Act the Plan, any Award or any Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any such Award. If, after reasonable efforts, the Company is unable to obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency the authority which counsel for the Company deems necessary for the lawful issuance and sale of Common Stock under the Plan, the Company shall be relieved from any liability for failure to issue and sell Common Stock upon exercise of such Awards unless and until such authority is obtained.

9.            Use of Proceeds from Stock.

Proceeds from the sale of Common Stock pursuant to Awards, or upon exercise thereof, shall constitute general funds of the Company.

10.            Miscellaneous.

10.1                       Acceleration of Exercisability and Vesting. The Committee shall have the power to accelerate the time at which an Award may first be exercised or the time during which an Award or any part thereof will vest in accordance with the Plan, notwithstanding the provisions in the Award stating the time at which it may first be exercised or the time during which it will vest.

10.2                       Shareholder Rights. Except as provided in the Plan or an Award Agreement, no Participant shall be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares of Common Stock subject to such Award unless and until such Participant has satisfied all requirements for exercise of the Award pursuant to its terms and no adjustment shall be made for dividends (ordinary or extraordinary, whether in cash, securities or other property) or distributions of other rights for which the record date is prior to the date such Common Stock certificate is issued, except as provided in Section 11 hereof.


- 22 -

10.3                       No Employment or Other Service Rights. Nothing in the Plan or any instrument executed or Award granted pursuant thereto shall confer upon any Participant any right to continue to serve the Company or an Affiliate in the capacity in effect at the time the Award was granted or shall affect the right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate (a) the employment of an Employee with or without notice and with or without Cause or (b) the service of a Director pursuant to the By-laws of the Company or an Affiliate, and any applicable provisions of the corporate law of the state in which the Company or the Affiliate is incorporated, as the case may be.

10.4                       Transfer; Approved Leave of Absence. For purposes of the Plan, no termination of employment by an Employee shall be deemed to result from either (a) a transfer to the employment of the Company from an Affiliate or from the Company to an Affiliate, or from one Affiliate to another, or (b) an approved leave of absence for military service or sickness, or for any other purpose approved by the Company, if the Employee’s right to reemployment is guaranteed either by a statute or by contract or under the policy pursuant to which the leave of absence was granted or if the Committee otherwise so provides in writing, in either case, except to the extent inconsistent with Section 409A of the Code if the applicable Award is subject thereto.

10.5                       Withholding Obligations. To the extent provided by the terms of an Award Agreement and subject to the discretion of the Committee, the Participant may satisfy any federal, state or local tax withholding obligation relating to the exercise or acquisition of Common Stock under an Award by any of the following means (in addition to the Company’s right to withhold from any compensation paid to the Participant by the Company) or by a combination of such means: (a) tendering a cash payment; (b) authorizing the Company to withhold shares of Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable to the Participant as a result of the exercise or acquisition of Common Stock under the Award, provided, however, that no shares of Common Stock are withheld with a value exceeding the minimum amount of tax required to be withheld by law; or (c) delivering to the Company previously owned and unencumbered shares of Common Stock of the Company.

11.            Adjustments Upon Changes in Stock.

In the event of changes in the outstanding Common Stock or in the capital structure of the Company by reason of any stock or extraordinary cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, an extraordinary corporate transaction such as any recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination, exchange, or other relevant change in capitalization occurring after the Grant Date of any Award, Awards granted under the Plan and any Award Agreements, the exercise price of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights and the maximum number of shares of Common Stock subject to all Awards stated in Section 4 will be equitably adjusted or substituted, as to the number, price or kind of a share of Common Stock or other consideration subject to such Awards to the extent necessary to preserve the economic intent of such Award. In the case of adjustments made pursuant to this Section 11, unless the Committee specifically determines that such adjustment is in the best interests of the Company or its Affiliates, the Committee shall, in the case of Incentive Stock Options, ensure that any adjustments under this Section 11 will not constitute a modification, extension or renewal of the Incentive Stock Options within the meaning of Section 424(h)(3) of the Code and in the case of Non-qualified Stock Options, ensure that any adjustments under this Section 11 will not constitute a modification of such Non-qualified Stock Options within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. Any adjustments made under this Section 11 shall be made in a manner which does not adversely affect the exemption provided pursuant to Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act. Further, with respect to Awards intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, any adjustments or substitutions will not cause the Company to be denied a tax deduction on account of Section 162(m) of the Code. The Company shall give each Participant notice of an adjustment hereunder and, upon notice, such adjustment shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes.


- 23 -

12.           Effect of Change in Control.

12.1                       Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary:

  (a)

In the event of a Change in Control, all Options and Stock Appreciation Rights shall become immediately exercisable with respect to 100% of the shares subject to such Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, and/or the Restricted Period shall expire immediately with respect to 100% of the shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units.

     
  (b)

With respect to Performance Compensation Awards, in the event of a Change in Control, all Performance Goals or other vesting criteria will be deemed achieved at 100% of target levels and all other terms and conditions will be deemed met.

To the extent practicable, any actions taken by the Committee under the immediately preceding clauses (a) and (b) shall occur in a manner and at a time which allows affected Participants the ability to participate in the Change in Control with respect to the shares of Common Stock subject to their Awards.

12.2                       In addition, in the event of a Change in Control, the Committee may in its discretion and upon at least 10 days’ advance notice to the affected persons, cancel any outstanding Awards and pay to the holders thereof, in cash or stock, or any combination thereof, the value of such Awards based upon the price per share of Common Stock received or to be received by other shareholders of the Company in the event. In the case of any Option or Stock Appreciation Right with an exercise price (or SAR Exercise Price in the case of a Stock Appreciation Right) that equals or exceeds the price paid for a share of Common Stock in connection with the Change in Control, the Committee may cancel the Option or Stock Appreciation Right without the payment of consideration therefor.

12.3                       The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be binding upon any successor corporation or organization resulting from the merger, consolidation or other reorganization of the Company, or upon any successor corporation or organization succeeding to all or substantially all of the assets and business of the Company and its Affiliates, taken as a whole.

13.            Amendment of the Plan and Awards.

13.1                       Amendment of Plan. The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend or terminate the Plan. However, except as provided in Section 11 relating to adjustments upon changes in Common Stock and Section 13.3, no amendment shall be effective unless approved by the shareholders of the Company to the extent shareholder approval is necessary to satisfy any Applicable Laws. At the time of such amendment, the Board shall determine, upon advice from counsel, whether such amendment will be contingent on shareholder approval.


- 24 -

13.2                       Shareholder Approval. The Board may, in its sole discretion, submit any other amendment to the Plan for shareholder approval, including, but not limited to, amendments to the Plan intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations thereunder regarding the exclusion of performance-based compensation from the limit on corporate deductibility of compensation paid to certain executive officers.

13.3                       Contemplated Amendments. It is expressly contemplated that the Board may amend the Plan in any respect the Board deems necessary or advisable to provide eligible Employees, Consultants and Directors with the maximum benefits provided or to be provided under the provisions of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder relating to Incentive Stock Options or to the nonqualified deferred compensation provisions of Section 409A of the Code and/or to bring the Plan and/or Awards granted under it into compliance therewith.

13.4                       No Impairment of Rights. Rights under any Award granted before amendment of the Plan shall not be impaired by any amendment of the Plan unless (a) the Company requests the consent of the Participant and (b) the Participant consents in writing.

13.5                       Amendment of Awards. The Committee at any time, and from time to time, may amend the terms of any one or more Awards; provided, however, that the Committee may not affect any amendment which would otherwise constitute an impairment of the rights under any Award unless (a) the Company requests the consent of the Participant and (b) the Participant consents in writing.

14.            General Provisions.

14.1                       Forfeiture Events. The Committee may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participant’s rights, payments and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain events, in addition to applicable vesting conditions of an Award. Such events may include, without limitation, breach of non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality, or other restrictive covenants that are contained in the Award Agreement or otherwise applicable to the Participant, a termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service for Cause, or other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company and/or its Affiliates.

14.2                       Clawback. Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Plan, any Award which is subject to recovery under any law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement, will be subject to such deductions and clawback as may be required to be made pursuant to such law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement (or any policy adopted by the Company pursuant to any such law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement).

14.3                       Other Compensation Arrangements. Nothing contained in this Plan shall prevent the Board from adopting other or additional compensation arrangements, subject to shareholder approval if such approval is required; and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

14.4                       Sub-plans. The Committee may from time to time establish sub-plans under the Plan for purposes of satisfying blue sky, securities, tax or other laws of various jurisdictions in which the Company intends to grant Awards. Any sub-plans shall contain such limitations and other terms and conditions as the Committee determines are necessary or desirable. All sub- plans shall be deemed a part of the Plan, but each sub-plan shall apply only to the Participants in the jurisdiction for which the sub-plan was designed.


- 25 -

14.5                       Deferral of Awards. The Committee may establish one or more programs under the Plan to permit selected Participants the opportunity to elect to defer receipt of consideration upon exercise of an Award, satisfaction of performance criteria, or other event that absent the election would entitle the Participant to payment or receipt of shares of Common Stock or other consideration under an Award. The Committee may establish the election procedures, the timing of such elections, the mechanisms for payments of, and accrual of interest or other earnings, if any, on amounts, shares or other consideration so deferred, and such other terms, conditions, rules and procedures that the Committee deems advisable for the administration of any such deferral program.

14.6                       Unfunded Plan. The Plan shall be unfunded. Neither the Company, the Board nor the Committee shall be required to establish any special or separate fund or to segregate any assets to assure the performance of its obligations under the Plan.

14.7                       Delivery. Upon exercise of a right granted under this Plan, the Company shall issue Common Stock or pay any amounts due within a reasonable period of time thereafter. Subject to any statutory or regulatory obligations the Company may otherwise have, for purposes of this Plan, 30 days shall be considered a reasonable period of time.

14.8                       No Fractional Shares. No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan. The Committee shall determine whether cash, additional Awards or other securities or property shall be issued or paid in lieu of fractional shares of Common Stock or whether any fractional shares should be rounded, forfeited or otherwise eliminated.

14.9                       Other Provisions. The Award Agreements authorized under the Plan may contain such other provisions not inconsistent with this Plan, including, without limitation, restrictions upon the exercise of the Awards, as the Committee may deem advisable.

14.10                       Section 409A. The Plan is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Code to the extent subject thereto, and, accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted, the Plan shall be interpreted and administered to be in compliance therewith. Any payments described in the Plan that are due within the “short-term deferral period” as defined in Section 409A of the Code shall not be treated as deferred compensation unless Applicable Laws require otherwise. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan, to the extent required to avoid accelerated taxation and tax penalties under Section 409A of the Code, 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 Participant’s termination of Continuous Service shall instead be paid on the first payroll date after the six-month anniversary of the Participant’s separation from service (or the Participant’s death, if earlier). 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 Participant under Section 409A of the Code and neither the Company nor the Committee will have any liability to any Participant for such tax or penalty.

14.11                       Disqualifying Dispositions. Any Participant who shall make a “disposition” (as defined in Section 424 of the Code) of all or any portion of shares of Common Stock acquired upon exercise of an Incentive Stock Option within two years from the Grant Date of such Incentive Stock Option or within one year after the issuance of the shares of Common Stock acquired upon exercise of such Incentive Stock Option (a “Disqualifying Disposition”) shall be required to immediately advise the Company in writing as to the occurrence of the sale and the price realized upon the sale of such shares of Common Stock.


- 26 -

14.12                       Section 16. It is the intent of the Company that the Plan satisfy, and be interpreted in a manner that satisfies, the applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3 as promulgated under Section 16 of the Exchange Act so that Participants will be entitled to the benefit of Rule 16b-3, or any other rule promulgated under Section 16 of the Exchange Act, and will not be subject to short-swing liability under Section 16 of the Exchange Act. Accordingly, if the operation of any provision of the Plan would conflict with the intent expressed in this Section 14.12, such provision to the extent possible shall be interpreted and/or deemed amended so as to avoid such conflict.

14.13                       Section 162(m). To the extent the Committee issues any Award that is intended to be exempt from the deduction limitation of Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee may, without shareholder or grantee approval, amend the Plan or the relevant Award Agreement retroactively or prospectively to the extent it determines necessary in order to comply with any subsequent clarification of Section 162(m) of the Code required to preserve the Company’s federal income tax deduction for compensation paid pursuant to any such Award.

14.14                       Beneficiary Designation. Each Participant under the Plan may from time to time name any beneficiary or beneficiaries by whom any right under the Plan is to be exercised in case of such Participant’s death. Each designation will revoke all prior designations by the same Participant, shall be in a form reasonably prescribed by the Committee and shall be effective only when filed by the Participant in writing with the Company during the Participant’s lifetime.

14.15                       Expenses. The costs of administering the Plan shall be paid by the Company.

14.16                       Severability. If any of the provisions of the Plan or any Award Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, whether in whole or in part, such provision shall be deemed modified to the extent, but only to the extent, of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability and the remaining provisions shall not be affected thereby.

14.17                       Plan Headings. The headings in the Plan are for purposes of convenience only and are not intended to define or limit the construction of the provisions hereof.

14.18                       Non-Uniform Treatment. The Committee’s determinations under the Plan need not be uniform and may be made by it selectively among persons who are eligible to receive, or actually receive, Awards. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee shall be entitled to make non-uniform and selective determinations, amendments and adjustments, and to enter into nonuniform and selective Award Agreements.

15.            Effective Date of Plan.

The Plan shall become effective as of the Effective Date, but no Award shall be exercised (or, in the case of a stock Award, shall be granted) unless and until the Plan has been approved by the shareholders of the Company, which approval shall be within twelve (12) months before or after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board.


- 27 -

16.            Termination or Suspension of the Plan.

The Plan shall terminate automatically on October 7, 2023. No Award shall be granted pursuant to the Plan after such date, but Awards theretofore granted may extend beyond that date. The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any earlier date pursuant to Section 13.1 hereof. No Awards may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after it is terminated. Unless the Company determines to submit Section 7.3 of the Plan and the definition of “Performance Goal” and “Performance Criteria” to the Company’s shareholders at the first shareholder meeting that occurs in the fifth year following the year in which the Plan was last approved by shareholders (or any earlier meeting designated by the Board), in accordance with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code, and such shareholder approval is obtained, then no further Performance Compensation Awards shall be made to Covered Employees under Section 7.3 after the date of such annual meeting, but the Plan may continue in effect for Awards to Participants not in accordance with Section 162(m) of the Code.

17.            Choice of Law.

The law of the State of Nevada shall govern all questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Plan, without regard to such state’s conflict of law rules.

As adopted by the Board of Directors of The Alkaline Water Company Inc. on October 7, 2013.

As approved by the shareholders of The Alkaline Water Company Inc. on October 7, 2013.

As amended by the Board of Directors of The Alkaline Water Company Inc. on October 31, 2014 and January 20, 2016.






    Clark Wilson LLP
        Barristers & Solicitors
        Patent & Trade-mark Agents
        900-885 W Georgia Street
  Our File No.    40610-0001 / CW9381889.1   Vancouver, BC Canada V6C 3H1
        Tel. 604.687.5700
        Fax 604.687.6314

January 20, 2016

The Alkaline Water Company Inc.
7730 E Greenway Road Ste. 203
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
U.S.A.

Dear Sirs:

  Re: The Alkaline Water Company Inc. –
    Registration Statement on Form S-8

We are counsel to The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (the “Company”), a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Nevada. In such capacity, we have assisted in the preparation of the Company’s registration statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of an aggregate of 7,000,000 shares (the “Registered Shares”) of common stock of the Company issuable pursuant to the Company’s 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”).

We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction of the resolutions of the directors of the Company with respect to the matters herein. We have also examined such statutes and public and corporate records of the Company, and have considered such questions of law as we have deemed relevant and necessary as a basis for the opinion expressed herein. We have, for the purposes of this opinion, assumed the genuineness of all signatures examined by us, the authenticity of all documents and records submitted to us as originals and the conformity to all original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, photostatic or facsimile copies. As to all questions of fact material to this opinion which have not been independently established, we have relied upon the statements or a certificate of an officer of the Company.

Based upon the foregoing and the examination of such legal authorities as we have deemed relevant, and subject to the qualifications and further assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that the Registered Shares will be, when issued pursuant to the terms of the Plan and any award agreement entered into pursuant to the Plan, duly and validly authorized and issued as fully paid and non-assessable shares in the capital of the Company.

This opinion letter is opining upon and is limited to the current federal laws of the United States and Nevada law including the statutory provisions, all applicable provisions of the Nevada constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting those laws, as such laws presently exist and to the facts as they presently exist. We express no opinion with respect to the effect or applicability of the laws of any other jurisdiction. We assume no obligation to revise or supplement this opinion letter should the laws of such jurisdiction be changed after the date hereof by legislative action, judicial decision or otherwise.

www.cwilson.com


- 2 -

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Yours truly,

/s/ Clark Wilson LLP





SEALE AND BEERS, CPAs
PCAOB & CPAB REGISTERED AUDITORS
www.sealebeers.com

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference, in this registration statement on Form S-8 of The Alkaline Water Company Inc., of our report dated July 13, 2015 on our audit of the financial statements of The Alkaline Water Company Inc. as of March 31, 2015 and 2014, and the related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the years in the period ended March 31, 2015, which appears in the annual report on Form 10-K of The Alkaline Water Company Inc. for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015 and the reference to us under the caption “Experts and Counsel.”

 

 

/s/ Seale & Beers, CPAs

Seale and Beers, CPAs
Las Vegas, Nevada
January 20, 2016

 

Seale and Beers, CPAs  PCAOB & CPAB Registered Auditors
8250 W. Charleston Blvd. Suite 100 - Las Vegas, NV 89145 Phone: (888)727-8251 Fax: (888)782-2351


Alkaline Water (NASDAQ:WTER)
Historical Stock Chart
From Feb 2024 to Mar 2024 Click Here for more Alkaline Water Charts.
Alkaline Water (NASDAQ:WTER)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2023 to Mar 2024 Click Here for more Alkaline Water Charts.