PROPOSAL 4
APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT OF THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
to replace supermajority voting requirements with majority voting requirements in
Article VII, Section B (AmendmentS To our Bylaws)
(Item No. 4 on the Proxy Card)
AND
PROPOSAL 5
APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT OF THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
to replace supermajority voting requirements with majority voting requirementS in
Article IX (Certain amendments to our Certificate of Incorporation)
(Item No. 5 on the Proxy Card)
Our Board is committed to good corporate governance and has carefully considered the advantages and disadvantages of supermajority voting provisions.
Currently, our Certificate of Incorporation requires the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock entitled to vote generally in the election of directors in order to adopt, amend or repeal the provisions related to a small number of fundamental corporate governance matters, which are as follows: (i) an alteration, amendment or repeal of our Bylaws, and (ii) an alteration, amendment or repeal of certain provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation related to (a) the Board structure, election of directors and vacancies on the Board, (b) the amendment of our Bylaws, (c) the requirement that action by stockholders be taken at a duly called meeting, (d) the requirement for advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any stockholder meeting, (e) the requirements for calling a special meeting of the stockholders, (f) indemnification of our directors, and (g) the amendment of our Certificate of Incorporation.
Supermajority voting requirements are intended to facilitate corporate governance stability by requiring broad stockholder consensus to effect certain changes. However, some investors view supermajority voting provisions as conflicting with principles of good corporate governance. These investors assert that the elimination of supermajority voting provisions in a company’s constituent documents increases a board’s accountability to stockholders and provides stockholders greater ability to participate in the corporate governance of the company.
At our 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, a non-binding stockholder proposal was presented requesting that the Board take the steps necessary so that each voting requirement in our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws that calls for a greater than simple majority vote be eliminated, and replaced by a requirement for a majority of the votes cast for and against applicable proposals, or a simple majority in compliance with applicable laws.
The Board recommended last year that stockholders vote against the non-binding stockholder proposal, explaining that the supermajority voting provisions in the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws on the small number of identified fundamental corporate governance matters were more representative of all the stockholders and served important corporate governance objectives, including (i) ensuring broad stockholder consensus for key actions, (ii) ensuring that key actions reflect stockholder interests, and (iii) providing protection against certain takeovers.
The non-binding stockholder proposal was supported by stockholders representing approximately 75% of the votes cast on the proposal at the 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. After careful deliberation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
and the full Board, and taking into account the level of support for the stockholder proposal at the 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the
Board has determined that the elimination of the supermajority voting requirements in our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. Our Board believes that adopting majority vote requirements in place of the supermajority voting requirements balances the opportunity for stockholders to participate meaningfully in the corporate governance of the Company with the desire to protect the interest of all stockholders from action that may only be in the interest of a small percentage of stockholders.
The Board has unanimously adopted and is submitting for stockholder approval two amendments to our Certificate of Incorporation that would eliminate the supermajority voting requirements contained therein. Proposal 4 relates to an
amendment to
Article VII, Section B (amendments to our Bylaws)
and Proposal 5 relates to an amendment to
Article IX (certain amendments to our Certificate of Incorporation)
. Each of the two proposed amendments will be voted on separately and the effectiveness of any proposed amendment is not conditioned on the approval of any other proposed amendment.
The full text of the proposed amendments to
Article VII, Section B
and
Article IX
of our Certificate of Incorporation are set forth in
Appendix B
to this Proxy Statement, with additions indicated by underlining and deletions indicated by strikethroughs. The general description of provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation and the proposed amendments to
Article VII, Section B
and
Article IX
thereof set forth herein are qualified in their entirety by reference to the text of
Appendix B
.
Promptly following the Annual Meeting, the Certificate of Incorporation will be amended and restated to incorporate each amendment that receives the requisite stockholder approval and such amendments will become effective upon the filing of the Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, which is expected to occur shortly after the Annual Meeting if any such proposal is approved. In addition, if the Certificate of Incorporation is amended and restated as a result of the stockholders approving either Proposal 4 or Proposal 5, we will also amend Article II of the Certificate of Incorporation to refer to our current registered agent in the State of Delaware – Registered Agent Solutions, Inc.
Proposal 4 (Item No. 4 on the Proxy Card)
The following is a brief description of the proposed amendment to Article VII, Section B of the Certificate of Incorporation.
Article VII, Section B of the Certificate of Incorporation, which currently requires the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in an election of directors to adopt, amend or repeal any provision of the Bylaws of the Company, will be amended to provide for such adoption, amendment or repeal to be effected by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in an election of directors.
Subject to stockholder approval of Proposal 4, promptly following the Annual Meeting, the Board will also make conforming changes to our Bylaws to replace a corresponding supermajority voting requirement contained therein.
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THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE AMENDMENT OF THE COMPANY’S CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION to replace supermajority voting requirements with majority voting requirements in Article VII, Section B (AmendmentS TO our Bylaws)
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Proposal 5 (Item No. 5 on the Proxy Card)
The following is a brief description of the proposed amendment to Article IX of the Certificate of Incorporation.
Provisions of Article IX of the Certificate of Incorporation which require the affirmative vote of the holders at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in an election of directors to alter, amend or repeal Article VII of the Certificate of Incorporation (addressing the Board structure, election of directors and vacancies on the Board, the amendment of the Bylaws, the requirement that action by stockholders be taken at a duly called meeting, the requirement for advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any stockholder meeting, and the requirements for calling a special meeting of the stockholders), Article VIII of the Certificate of Incorporation (addressing the indemnification of our directors), and Article IX of the Certificate of Incorporation (addressing amendments to our Certificate of Incorporation) will be eliminated.
to replace supermajority voting requirements with majority voting requirements
in
ARTICLE IX (CERTAIN AMENDMENTS TO OUR CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION)
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THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE AMENDMENT OF THE COMPANY’S CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
to replace supermajority voting requirements with majority voting requirements in
ARTICLE IX (CERTAIN AMENDMENTS TO OUR CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION)
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PROPOSAL 6
APPROVAL OF Everi Holdings Inc. aMENDED AND RESTATED 2014 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
(Item No. 6 on the Proxy Card)
In 2014, our Board adopted, and our stockholders approved, the 2014 Plan to replace our then existing plan that was about to expire.
As of the date of this Proxy Statement, we estimate that the 2014 Plan has only enough shares reserved to provide for equity incentive grants through the 2017 fiscal year. Since our ability to grant equity incentive compensation to eligible individuals is an integral part of our compensation practices, we are requesting stockholder approval to add 3,500,000 shares of Common Stock to the 2014 Plan’s share reserve so that we may continue to grant awards after fiscal year 2017. At the same time, we are making several changes to the terms of the 2014 Plan that are favorable to stockholders.
Summary of the Proposal
We operate in a challenging marketplace in which our success depends to a great extent on our ability to attract and retain employees, directors and other service providers of the highest caliber. One of the tools our Board regards as essential in addressing these human resource challenges is a competitive equity incentive program. Our employee equity incentive program provides a range of incentive tools and sufficient flexibility to permit the Compensation Committee of the Board to implement them in ways that will make the most effective use of the shares our stockholders authorize for incentive purposes.
In March 2017, our Board adopted an amendment and restatement of the 2014 Plan (the “Amended 2014 Plan”), subject to approval by our stockholders at the Annual Meeting, that increases by 3,500,000 the aggregate maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Amended 2014 Plan, so that the new total share reserve for grants under the Amended 2014 Plan will be 11,875,000 shares of Common Stock. With the addition of the estimated available shares that remained from the predecessor 2005 Equity Plan of 1,900,000, the total shares allowed under the Amended 2014 Plan would be 13,775,000. As of March 14, 2017, a total of 13,175,259 shares had been issued with 3,168,750 shares canceled and forfeited that were returned to the available pool of shares under the 2014 Plan, which resulted in a net 10,006,509 shares subject to outstanding awards under the 2014 Plan, inclusive of approximately 4,000,000 shares underlying the options in connection with the 2017 annual grant that occurred on March 8, 2017. Therefore, we had 268,491 shares that remained available for the future grant of awards under the 2014 Plan, in addition to the requested shares of 3,500,000 under the Amended 2014 Plan subject to approval by our stockholders at the Annual Meeting.
We believe that increasing the shares reserved for issuance under the 2014 Plan is necessary for us to continue to offer a competitive equity incentive program. Based upon recent equity award requirements, we believe that the additional shares will provide us with enough shares to continue to offer competitive equity compensation through fiscal year 2018.
If the stockholders do not approve the proposed share increase, we believe we will not be able to continue to offer competitive equity packages to retain our current employees and hire new employees in fiscal year 2018 and future years. This could significantly hamper our plans for growth and adversely affect our ability to operate our business. In addition, if we were unable to grant competitive equity awards, we may be required to offer additional cash-based incentives to replace equity as a means of competing for talent. This could have a significant effect upon our quarterly results of operations and balance sheet and not be competitive with other companies that offer equity.
The Board believes that the Amended 2014 Plan will serve a critical role in attracting and retaining the high caliber employees, consultants and directors essential to our success and in motivating these individuals to strive to meet our goals. Therefore, the Board urges you to vote to approve the adoption of the Amended 2014 Plan.
Stockholder-Favorable Amendments to the 2014 Plan
In connection with this proposal, we made several changes to the 2014 Plan, as reflected in the Amended 2014 Plan, that are favorable to our stockholders, as follows:
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We added a one-year minimum vesting requirement for 95% of the shares subject to awards granted under the plan.
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We changed the share recycling provision so that shares withheld from “full value” awards (i.e., an award settled in stock, other than an option, stock appreciation right or other award that requires the participant to purchase shares for monetary consideration equal to their fair market value at grant) for taxes are not added back to the pool for future awards.
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We confirmed that shares purchased in the open market with proceeds from the exercise of options will not be added back to the pool for future awards.
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We changed the “change in control” provision so that our Compensation Committee only has discretion to accelerate vesting of awards if (i) the awards are not assumed, continued or substituted by an acquirer in a transaction, or (ii) the awards are assumed, continued or substituted by an acquirer in a transaction but the participant’s service is involuntarily terminated within the 24-month period after the transaction (so-called “double trigger” vesting), and, in the case of performance awards, the acceleration is limited to the greater of (a) assumed achievement of the applicable performance goals at 100% of target with the result prorated based on the period of the participant’s actual service during the applicable full performance period, or (b) actual achievement of the applicable performance goals.
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We changed the provisions on dividend equivalents so that they cannot be paid currently on any unvested “full value” award and cannot be paid at all with respect to options or stock appreciation rights.
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Other Key Features of the Amended 2014 Plan
The following is a summary of other key features of the Amended 2014 Plan of particular interest to our stockholders that we believe reflect best practices:
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There is no “evergreen” annual share increase provision.
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The Amended 2014 Plan requires all equity awards issued under the Amended 2014 Plan to be approved by the Compensation Committee and does not permit authority to grant equity awards to be delegated to individual officers of the Company.
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The Amended 2014 Plan prohibits repricing of stock options and stock appreciation rights without the approval of our stockholders.
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No discount from fair market value is permitted in setting the exercise price of stock options and stock appreciation rights.
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Each share subject to a “full value” award will reduce the number of shares remaining available for grant under the Amended 2014 Plan by 2.5 shares.
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The Amended 2014 Plan provide for gross share counting. The number of shares remaining for grant under the Amended 2014 Plan is reduced by the gross number of shares subject to options and stock appreciation rights settled on a net basis, and shares withheld for taxes in connection with options or stock appreciation rights or tendered in payment of an option’s exercise price are not recycled.
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The number of shares for which awards may be granted to any non-employee member of our Board in a fiscal year is limited.
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The Amended 2014 Plan does not contain a “liberal” change in control definition (e.g., mergers require actual consummation).
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Performance awards require the achievement of pre-established goals. The Amended 2014 Plan establishes a list of measures of business and financial performance from which the Compensation Committee may construct predetermined performance goals that must be met for an award to vest.
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The Amended 2014 Plan has a fixed term of ten years.
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Significant Historical Award Information
Common measures of an equity incentive plan’s cost include burn rate, dilution and overhang. The burn rate, or run rate, refers to how fast a company uses the supply of shares authorized for issuance under its equity incentive plan. Over the last three years, the Company has maintained an average equity run rate of only 9.0% of shares of Common Stock outstanding per year. Dilution measures the degree to which our stockholders’ ownership has been diluted by stock-based compensation awarded under the 2014 Plan and also includes shares that may be awarded under the Amended 2014 Plan in the future (“overhang”).
The following table shows how our key equity metrics have changed over the past two years:
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Key Equity Metrics:
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2016
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2015
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Equity Run Rate
(1)
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6.6
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%
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9.9
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%
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Overhang
(2)
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35.2
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%
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36.6
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%
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Dilution
(3)
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27.7
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%
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26.8
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%
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(1)
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Equity run rate is calculated by dividing the number of shares subject to equity awards granted during the year by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding during the year.
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(2)
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Overhang is calculated by dividing (a) the sum of (x) the number of shares subject to equity awards outstanding at the end of the year and (y) the number of shares available for future grants, by (b) the number of shares outstanding at the end of the year.
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(3)
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Dilution is calculated by dividing the number of shares subject to equity awards outstanding at the end of the fiscal year by the number of shares outstanding at the end of the fiscal year.
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Authorized Shares Requested
The maximum aggregate number of shares we are requesting our stockholders to authorize under the Amended 2014 Plan is 11,875,000, which reflects an addition of 3,500,000 shares. The total overhang resulting from this share request represents approximately 40.5% of the number of shares of our Common Stock outstanding on March 14, 2017.
Our Board considered several factors in determining the amount of shares requested as set forth above, including the intention to authorize sufficient shares to provide for the needs of a reasonable incentive program through fiscal year 2018.
Summary of the Amended 2014 Plan
The following summary of the Amended 2014 Plan is qualified in its entirety by the specific language of the Amended 2014 Plan, a copy of which is attached to this Proxy Statement as
Appendix C
.
General.
The purpose of the Amended 2014 Plan is to advance the interests of the Company and its stockholders by providing an incentive program that will enable the Company to attract and retain employees, consultants and directors and to provide them with an equity interest in the growth and profitability of the Company. These incentives are provided through the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance units, other stock-based awards and cash-based awards.
Authorized Shares.
The maximum aggregate number of shares authorized for issuance under the Amended 2014 Plan is 11,875,000 shares, assuming the stockholders approve the addition of 3,500,000 shares of Common Stock to the reserve. In addition, the estimated shares of 1,900,000 that remained from the predecessor 2005 Plan were available to be issued under the 2014 Plan. Shares subject to any option or other award outstanding under the 2005 Plan that expires or is forfeited for any reason shall not be added to the reserve under the 2014 Plan.
Share Counting.
Each share subject to a stock option, stock appreciation right, or other award that requires the participant to purchase shares for their fair market value determined at the time of grant will reduce the number of shares remaining available for grant under the Amended 2014 Plan by one share. However, each share subject to a “full value” award will reduce the number of shares remaining available for grant under the Amended 2014 Plan by 2.5 shares.
If any award granted under the Amended 2014 Plan expires or otherwise terminates for any reason without having been exercised or settled in full, or if shares subject to forfeiture or repurchase are forfeited or repurchased by the Company for not more than the participant’s purchase price, any such shares reacquired or subject to a terminated award will again become available for issuance under the Amended 2014 Plan. Shares will not be treated as having been issued under the Amended 2014 Plan and will therefore not reduce the number of shares available for issuance to the extent an award is settled in cash. Shares purchased in the open market with proceeds from the exercise of options will not be added to the share reserve. Shares that are withheld or reacquired by the Company in satisfaction of a tax withholding obligation in connection with an option or a stock appreciation right or that are tendered in payment of the exercise price of an option will not be made available for new awards under the Amended 2014 Plan. Upon the exercise of a stock appreciation right or net-exercise of an option, the number of shares available under the Amended 2014 Plan will be reduced by the gross number of shares for which the award is exercised. Shares withheld or reacquired by the Company in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations pursuant to the vesting or settlement of “full value” awards will not again become available for issuance under the Amended 2014 Plan.
Adjustments for Capital Structure Changes.
Appropriate and proportionate adjustments will be made to the number of shares authorized under the Amended 2014 Plan, to the numerical limits on certain types of awards described below, and to outstanding awards in the event of any change in our Common Stock through merger, consolidation, reorganization, reincorporation, recapitalization, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, split-up, split-off, spin-off, combination of shares, exchange of shares or similar change in our capital structure, or if we make a distribution to our stockholders in a form other than Common Stock (excluding regular, periodic cash dividends) that has a material effect on the fair market value of our Common Stock. In such circumstances, the Compensation Committee also has the discretion under the Amended 2014 Plan to adjust other terms of outstanding awards as it deems appropriate.
Non-employee Director Award Limits.
A non-employee director may not be granted awards under the Amended 2014 Plan in any fiscal year for more than 300,000 shares.
Other Award Limits.
To enable compensation provided in connection with certain types of awards intended to qualify as “performance-based” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, the Amended 2014 Plan establishes a limit on the maximum aggregate number of shares or dollar value for which such awards may be granted to an employee in any fiscal year, as follows:
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No more than 4,000,000 shares under stock-based awards.
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No more than $3,000,000 for each full fiscal year contained in the performance period under cash-based awards.
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In addition, to comply with applicable tax rules, the Amended 2014 Plan also limits the number of shares that may be issued upon the exercise of incentive stock options granted under the Amended 2014 Plan to 11,875,000 shares of Common Stock.
Administration.
The Amended 2014 Plan generally will be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board, although the Board retains the right to appoint another of its committees to administer the Amended 2014 Plan or to administer the Amended 2014 Plan directly. In the case of awards intended to qualify for the performance-based compensation exemption under Section 162(m) of the Code, administration of the Amended 2014 Plan must be by a compensation committee comprised solely of two or more “outside directors” within the meaning of Section 162(m). (For purposes of this summary, the term “Committee” will refer to either such duly appointed committee or the Board.) Subject to the provisions of the Amended 2014 Plan, the Committee determines in its discretion the persons to whom and the times at which awards are granted, the types and sizes of awards, and all of their terms and conditions. The Committee may, subject to certain limitations on the exercise of its discretion required by Section 162(m) or otherwise provided by the Amended 2014 Plan, amend, cancel or renew any award, waive any restrictions or conditions applicable to any award, and accelerate, continue, extend or defer the vesting of any award.
The Amended 2014 Plan provides, subject to certain limitations, for indemnification by the Company of any director, officer or employee against all reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, incurred in connection with any legal action arising from such person’s action or failure to act in administering the Amended 2014 Plan. All awards granted under the Amended 2014 Plan will be evidenced by a written or digitally signed agreement between the Company and the participant specifying the terms and conditions of the award, consistent with the requirements of the Amended 2014 Plan. The Committee will interpret the Amended 2014 Plan and awards granted thereunder, and all determinations of the Committee generally will be final and binding on all persons having an interest in the Amended 2014 Plan or any award.
Prohibition of Option and SAR Repricing.
The Amended 2014 Plan expressly provides that, without the approval of a majority of the votes cast in person or by proxy at a meeting of our stockholders, the Committee may not provide for any of the following with respect to underwater options or stock appreciation rights: (i) either the cancellation of such outstanding options or stock appreciation rights in exchange for the grant of new options or stock appreciation rights at a lower exercise price or the amendment of outstanding options or stock appreciation rights to reduce the exercise price, (ii) the issuance of new full value awards in exchange for the cancellation of such outstanding options or stock appreciation rights, or (iii) the cancellation of such outstanding options or stock appreciation rights in exchange for payments in cash.
Minimum Vesting
. No more than 5% of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock authorized under the Amended 2014 Plan may be issued pursuant to awards that provide for service-based vesting over a period of less than one year or performance-based vesting over a performance period of less than one year.
Eligibility.
Awards may be granted to employees, directors and consultants of the Company or any present or future parent or subsidiary corporation or other affiliated entity of the Company. Incentive stock options may be granted only to employees who, as of the time of grant, are employees of the Company or any parent or subsidiary corporation of the Company. As of March 14, 2017, we had approximately 900 employees, including six executive officers, and five non-employee directors who would be eligible under the Amended 2014 Plan.
Stock Options.
The Committee may grant nonstatutory stock options, incentive stock options within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, or any combination of these. The exercise price of each option may not be less than the fair market value of a share of our Common Stock on the date of grant. However, any incentive stock option granted to a person who at the time of grant owns stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any parent or subsidiary corporation of the Company (a “10% Stockholder”) must have an exercise price equal to at least 110% of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant. On March 14, 2017, the closing price of our Common Stock as reported on the NYSE was $3.24 per share.
The Amended 2014 Plan provides that the option exercise price may be paid in cash, by check, or cash equivalent; by means of a broker-assisted cashless exercise; by means of a net-exercise procedure; to the extent legally permitted, by tender to the Company of shares of Common Stock owned by the participant having a fair market value not less than the
exercise price; by such other lawful consideration as approved by the Committee; or by any combination of these. Nevertheless, the Committee may restrict the forms of payment permitted in connection with any option grant. No option may be exercised unless the participant has made adequate provision for federal, state, local and foreign taxes, if any, relating to the exercise of the option, including, if permitted or required by the Company, through the participant’s surrender of a portion of the option shares to the Company.
Options will become vested and exercisable at such times or upon such events and subject to such terms, conditions, performance criteria or restrictions as specified by the Committee. The maximum term of any option granted under the Amended 2014 Plan is ten years, provided that an incentive stock option granted to a 10% Stockholder must have a term not exceeding five years. Unless otherwise permitted by the Committee, an option generally will remain exercisable for three months following the participant’s termination of service, provided that if service terminates as a result of the participant’s death or disability, the option generally will remain exercisable for 12 months, but in any event the option must be exercised no later than its expiration date, and provided further that an option will terminate immediately upon a participant’s termination for “Cause” (as defined by the Amended 2014 Plan).
Options are nontransferable by the participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and are exercisable during the participant’s lifetime only by the participant. However, an option may be assigned or transferred to certain family members or trusts for their benefit to the extent permitted by the Committee and, in the case of an incentive stock option, only to the extent that the transfer will not terminate its tax qualification.
Stock Appreciation Rights.
The Committee may grant stock appreciation rights either in tandem with a related option (a “Tandem SAR”) or independently of any option (a “Freestanding SAR”). A Tandem SAR requires the option holder to elect between the exercise of the underlying option for shares of Common Stock or the surrender of the option and the exercise of the related stock appreciation right. A Tandem SAR is exercisable only at the time and only to the extent that the related stock option is exercisable, while a Freestanding SAR is exercisable at such times or upon such events and subject to such terms, conditions, performance criteria or restrictions as specified by the Committee. The exercise price of each stock appreciation right may not be less than the fair market value of a share of our Common Stock on the date of grant.
Upon the exercise of any stock appreciation right, the participant is entitled to receive an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the underlying shares of Common Stock as to which the right is exercised over the aggregate exercise price for such shares. Payment of this amount upon the exercise of a Tandem SAR may be made only in shares of Common Stock whose fair market value on the exercise date equals the payment amount. At the Committee’s discretion, payment of this amount upon the exercise of a Freestanding SAR may be made in cash or shares of Common Stock. The maximum term of any stock appreciation right granted under the Amended 2014 Plan is ten years.
Stock appreciation rights are generally nontransferable by the participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and are generally exercisable during the participant’s lifetime only by the participant. If permitted by the Committee, a Tandem SAR related to a nonstatutory stock option and a Freestanding SAR may be assigned or transferred to certain family members or trusts for their benefit to the extent permitted by the Committee. Other terms of stock appreciation rights are generally similar to the terms of comparable stock options.
Restricted Stock Awards.
The Committee may grant restricted stock awards under the Amended 2014 Plan either in the form of a restricted stock purchase right, giving a participant an immediate right to purchase Common Stock, or in the form of a restricted stock bonus, in which stock is issued in consideration for services to the Company rendered by the participant. The Committee determines the purchase price payable under restricted stock purchase awards, which may be less than the then current fair market value of our Common Stock. Restricted stock awards may be subject to vesting conditions based on such service or performance criteria as the Committee specifies, including the attainment of one or more performance goals similar to those described below in connection with performance awards. Shares acquired pursuant to a restricted stock award may not be transferred by the participant until vested. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, a participant will forfeit any shares of restricted stock as to which the vesting restrictions have not lapsed prior to the participant’s termination of service. Participants holding restricted stock will have the right to vote the shares and to receive any dividends paid, except that dividends or other distributions paid in shares will be subject to the same restrictions as the original award and dividends paid in cash may be made subject to such restrictions.
Restricted Stock Units.
The Committee may grant restricted stock units under the Amended 2014 Plan, which represent rights to receive shares of our Common Stock at a future date determined in accordance with the participant’s award agreement. No monetary payment is required for receipt of restricted stock units or the shares issued in settlement of the award, the consideration for which is furnished in the form of the participant’s services to the Company. The Committee may grant restricted stock unit awards subject to the attainment of one or more performance goals similar to those described below in connection with performance awards, or may make the awards subject to vesting conditions similar to those applicable to restricted stock awards. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, a participant will forfeit any restricted stock units which have not vested prior to the participant’s termination of service. Participants have no voting rights or rights to receive cash dividends with respect to restricted stock unit awards until shares of Common Stock are issued in settlement of such awards. However, the Committee may grant restricted stock units that entitle their holders to dividend equivalent rights, which are rights to receive cash or additional restricted stock units whose value is equal to any cash dividends the Company pays. The dividend equivalent rights would be subject to the same vesting conditions and settlement terms as the original award.
Performance Awards.
The Committee may grant performance awards subject to such conditions and the attainment of such performance goals over such periods as the Committee determines in writing and sets forth in a written agreement between the Company and the participant. These awards may be designated as performance shares or performance units, which consist of unfunded bookkeeping entries generally having initial values equal to the fair market value determined on the grant date of a share of Common Stock in the case of performance shares and a monetary value established by the Committee at the time of grant in the case of performance units. Performance awards will specify a predetermined amount of performance shares or performance units that may be earned by the participant to the extent that one or more performance goals are attained within a predetermined performance period. To the extent earned, performance awards may be settled in cash, shares of Common Stock (including shares of restricted stock that are subject to additional vesting) or any combination of these.
Prior to the beginning of the applicable performance period or such later date as permitted under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee will establish one or more performance goals applicable to the award. Performance goals will be based on the attainment of specified target levels with respect to one or more measures of business or financial performance of the Company and each subsidiary corporation consolidated with the Company for financial reporting purposes, or such division or business unit of the Company as may be selected by the Committee. The Committee, in its discretion, may base performance goals on one or more of the following such measures: revenue; sales; expenses; operating income; gross margin; operating margin; earnings before any one or more of: stock-based compensation expense, interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; pre-tax profit; net operating income; net income; economic value added; free cash flow; operating cash flow; balance of cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities; stock price; earnings per share; return on stockholder equity; return on capital; return on assets; return on investment; total stockholder return, employee satisfaction; employee retention; market share; customer satisfaction; product development; research and development expense; completion of an identified special project and completion of a joint venture or other corporate transaction.
The target levels with respect to these performance measures may be expressed on an absolute basis or relative to an index, budget or other standard specified by the Committee. The degree of attainment of performance measures will be calculated in accordance with the Company’s financial statements, GAAP, if applicable, or other methodology established by the Committee, but prior to the accrual or payment of any performance award for the same performance period, and, according to criteria established by the Committee, excluding the effect (whether positive or negative) of changes in accounting standards or any unusual or infrequently occurring event or transaction occurring after the establishment of the performance goals applicable to a performance award.
Following completion of the applicable performance period, the Committee will certify in writing the extent to which the applicable performance goals have been attained and the resulting value to be paid to the participant. The Committee retains the discretion to eliminate or reduce, but not increase, the amount that would otherwise be payable on the basis of the performance goals attained to a participant who is a “covered employee” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code. However, no such reduction may increase the amount paid to any other participant. The Committee may make positive or negative adjustments to performance award payments to participants other than covered employees to reflect the participant’s individual job performance or other factors determined by the Committee. In its discretion, the Committee may
provide for a participant awarded performance shares to receive dividend equivalent rights with respect to cash dividends paid on the Company’s Common Stock to the extent that the performance shares become vested. The Committee may provide for performance award payments in lump sums or installments.
Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, if a participant’s service terminates due to the participant’s death or disability prior to completion of the applicable performance period, the final award value will be determined at the end of the performance period on the basis of the performance goals attained during the entire performance period but will be prorated for the number of months of the participant’s service during the performance period. If a participant’s service terminates prior to completion of the applicable performance period for any other reason, the Amended 2014 Plan provides that, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the performance award will be forfeited. No performance award may be sold or transferred other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution prior to the end of the applicable performance period.
Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards.
The Committee may grant cash-based awards or other stock-based awards in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee determines. Cash-based awards will specify a monetary payment or range of payments, while other stock-based awards will specify a number of shares or units based on shares or other equity-related awards. Such awards may be subject to vesting conditions based on continued performance of service or subject to the attainment of one or more performance goals similar to those described above in connection with performance awards. Settlement of awards may be in cash or shares of Common Stock, as determined by the Committee. A participant will have no voting rights with respect to any such award unless and until shares are issued pursuant to the award. The committee may grant dividend equivalent rights with respect to other stock-based awards. The effect on such awards of the participant’s termination of service will be determined by the Committee and set forth in the participant’s award agreement.
Change in Control.
Unless otherwise defined in a participant’s award or other agreement with the Company, the Amended 2014 Plan provides that a “Change in Control” occurs upon (i) a person or entity (with certain exceptions described in the Amended 2014 Plan) becoming the direct or indirect beneficial owner of more than 50% of the Company’s voting stock, (ii) stockholder approval of a liquidation or dissolution of the Company, or (iii) the occurrence of any of the following events upon which the stockholders of the Company immediately before the event do not retain immediately after the event direct or indirect beneficial ownership of more than 50% of the voting securities of the Company, its successor or the entity to which the assets of the company were transferred: (a) a sale or exchange by the stockholders in a single transaction or series of related transactions of more than 50% of the Company’s voting stock; (b) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is a party; or (c) the sale, exchange or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (other than a sale, exchange or transfer to one or more subsidiaries of the Company).
If a Change in Control occurs, the surviving, continuing, successor or purchasing entity or its parent may, without the consent of any participant, either assume or continue outstanding awards or substitute substantially equivalent awards for its stock. If so determined by the Committee, stock-based awards will be deemed assumed if, for each share subject to the award prior to the Change in Control, its holder is given the right to receive the same amount of consideration that a stockholder would receive as a result of the Change in Control. Any awards which are not assumed or continued in connection with a Change in Control or exercised or settled prior to the Change in Control will terminate effective as of the time of the Change in Control.
The Committee only has discretion to accelerate vesting of awards if (i) the awards are not assumed, continued or substituted by an acquirer in a transaction, or (ii) the awards are assumed, continued or substituted by an acquirer in a transaction but the participant’s service is involuntarily terminated within the 24-month period after the transaction (so-called “double trigger” vesting), and in the case of performance awards the acceleration is limited to the greater of (a) assumed achievement of the applicable performance goals at 100% of target with the result prorated based on the period of the participant’s actual service during the applicable full performance period, or (b) actual achievement of the applicable performance goals. The vesting of all awards held by non-employee directors will be accelerated in full upon a Change in Control.
The Amended 2014 Plan also authorizes the Committee, in its discretion and without the consent of any participant, to cancel each or any award denominated in shares of stock upon a Change in Control in exchange for a payment to the participant with respect each vested share (and each unvested share if so determined by the Committee) subject to the cancelled award of an amount equal to the excess of the consideration to be paid per share of Common Stock in the Change in Control transaction over the exercise price per share, if any, under the award.
Awards Subject to Section 409A of the Code.
Certain awards granted under the Amended 2014 Plan may be deemed to constitute “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, providing rules regarding the taxation of nonqualified deferred compensation plans, and the regulations and other administrative guidance issued pursuant to Section 409A. Any such awards will be required to comply with the requirements of Section 409A. Notwithstanding any provision of the Amended 2014 Plan to the contrary, the Committee is authorized, in its sole discretion and without the consent of any participant, to amend the Amended 2014 Plan or any award agreement as it deems necessary or advisable to comply with Section 409A.
Amendment, Suspension or Termination.
The Amended 2014 Plan will continue in effect until its termination by the Committee, provided that no awards may be granted under the Amended 2014 Plan following the tenth anniversary of the Amended 2014 Plan’s effective date, which was the date on which it is approved by the stockholders in 2014. The Committee may amend, suspend or terminate the Amended 2014 Plan at any time, provided that no amendment may be made without stockholder approval that would increase the maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Amended 2014 Plan, change the class of persons eligible to receive incentive stock options or require stockholder approval under any applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange on which the Company’s shares are then listed. No amendment, suspension or termination of the Amended 2014 Plan may affect any outstanding award unless expressly provided by the Committee, and, in any event, may not have a materially adverse effect an outstanding award without the consent of the participant unless necessary to comply with any applicable law, regulation or rule, including, but not limited to, Section 409A of the Code.
Summary of U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following summary is intended only as a general guide to the U.S. federal income tax consequences of participation in the Amended 2014 Plan and does not attempt to describe all possible federal or other tax consequences of such participation or tax consequences based on particular circumstances.
Incentive Stock Options.
A participant recognizes no taxable income for regular income tax purposes as a result of the grant or exercise of an incentive stock option qualifying under Section 422 of the Code. Participants who neither dispose of their shares within two years following the date the option was granted nor within one year following the exercise of the option will normally recognize a capital gain or loss upon the sale of the shares equal to the difference, if any, between the sale price and the purchase price of the shares. If a participant satisfies such holding periods upon a sale of the shares, we will not be entitled to any deduction for federal income tax purposes. If a participant disposes of shares within two years after the date of grant or within one year after the date of exercise (a “disqualifying disposition”), the difference between the fair market value of the shares on the option exercise date and the exercise price (not to exceed the gain realized on the sale if the disposition is a transaction with respect to which a loss, if sustained, would be recognized) will be taxed as ordinary income at the time of disposition. Any gain in excess of that amount will be a capital gain. If a loss is recognized, there will be no ordinary income, and such loss will be a capital loss. Any ordinary income recognized by the participant upon the disqualifying disposition of the shares generally should be deductible by us for federal income tax purposes, except to the extent such deduction is limited by applicable provisions of the Code.
In general, the difference between the option exercise price and the fair market value of the shares on the date of exercise of an incentive stock option is treated as an adjustment in computing the participant’s alternative minimum taxable income and may be subject to an alternative minimum tax which is paid if such tax exceeds the regular tax for the year. Special rules may apply with respect to certain subsequent sales of the shares in a disqualifying disposition, certain basis adjustments for purposes of computing the alternative minimum taxable income on a subsequent sale of the shares and certain tax credits which may arise with respect to participants subject to the alternative minimum tax.
Nonstatutory Stock Options.
Options not designated or qualifying as incentive stock options are nonstatutory stock options having no special tax status. A participant generally recognizes no taxable income upon receipt of such an option. Upon exercising a nonstatutory stock option, the participant normally recognizes ordinary income equal to the difference between the exercise price paid and the fair market value of the shares on the date when the option is exercised. If the participant is an employee, such ordinary income generally is subject to withholding of income and employment taxes. Upon the sale of stock acquired by the exercise of a nonstatutory stock option, any gain or loss, based on the difference between the sale price and the fair market value of the shares on the exercise date, will be taxed as capital gain or loss. We generally should be entitled to a tax deduction equal to the amount of ordinary income recognized by the participant as a result of the exercise of a nonstatutory stock option, except to the extent such deduction is limited by applicable provisions of the Code.
Stock Appreciation Rights.
A Participant recognizes no taxable income upon the receipt of a stock appreciation right. Upon the exercise of a stock appreciation right, the participant generally will recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the underlying shares of Common Stock on the exercise date over the exercise price. If the participant is an employee, such ordinary income generally is subject to withholding of income and employment taxes. We generally should be entitled to a deduction equal to the amount of ordinary income recognized by the participant in connection with the exercise of the stock appreciation right, except to the extent such deduction is limited by applicable provisions of the Code.
Restricted Stock.
A participant acquiring restricted stock generally will recognize ordinary income equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the “determination date” over the price paid, if any, for such shares. The “determination date” is the date on which the participant acquires the shares unless the shares are subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture and are not transferable, in which case the determination date is the earlier of (i) the date on which the shares become transferable or (ii) the date on which the shares are no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture (e.g., when they become vested). If the determination date follows the date on which the participant acquires the shares, the participant may elect, pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code, to designate the date of acquisition as the determination date by filing an election with the Internal Revenue Service no later than 30 days after the date on which the shares are acquired. If the participant is an employee, such ordinary income generally is subject to withholding of income and employment taxes. Upon the sale of shares acquired pursuant to a restricted stock award, any gain or loss, based on the difference between the sale price and the fair market value of the shares on the determination date, will be taxed as capital gain or loss. We generally should be entitled to a deduction equal to the amount of ordinary income recognized by the participant on the determination date, except to the extent such deduction is limited by applicable provisions of the Code.
Restricted Stock Unit, Performance, Cash-Based and Other Stock-Based Awards.
A participant generally will recognize no income upon the receipt of a restricted stock unit, performance share, performance unit, cash-based or other stock-based award. Upon the settlement of such awards, participants normally will recognize ordinary income in the year of settlement in an amount equal to the cash received and the fair market value of any substantially vested shares of stock received. If the participant is an employee, such ordinary income generally is subject to withholding of income and employment taxes. If the participant receives shares of restricted stock, the participant generally will be taxed in the same manner as described above under “Restricted Stock.” Upon the sale of any shares received, any gain or loss, based on the difference between the sale price and the fair market value of the shares on the determination date (as defined above under “Restricted Stock”), will be taxed as capital gain or loss. We generally should be entitled to a deduction equal to the amount of ordinary income recognized by the participant on the determination date, except to the extent such deduction is limited by applicable provisions of the Code.
Section 162(m) of the Code
The Amended 2014 Plan is designed to preserve the Company’s ability to deduct in full for federal income tax purposes the compensation recognized by its executive officers in connection with certain types of awards. Section 162(m) of the Code generally denies a corporate tax deduction for annual compensation exceeding $1,000,000 paid to any of the “covered employees,” consisting of the chief executive officer and any of the three other most highly compensated officers of a publicly held company other than the chief financial officer. However, qualified performance-based compensation is excluded from this limit. While we believe that compensation provided by such awards under the Amended 2014 Plan generally will be deductible by the Company for federal income tax purposes, under certain circumstances, such as a Change
in Control of the Company, compensation paid in settlement of certain awards may not qualify as performance-based. Further, the Committee will retain the discretion to grant awards to covered employees that are not intended to qualify for deduction in full under Section 162(m) of the Code.
Options Granted to Certain Persons
The aggregate number of shares of Common Stock subject to options granted, as of March 14, 2017, to the following persons under the 2014 Plan since its inception are as follows: (i) Michael D. Rumbolz, President, Chief Executive Officer and director, 887,209 shares; (ii) Randy L. Taylor, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, 877,000 shares; (iii) Juliet A. Lim, Executive Vice President, Payments Business Leader, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, 877,000 shares; (iv) David J. Lucchese, Executive Vice President, Digital and Interactive Business Leader, 877,000 shares; (v) Edward A. Peters, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, 977,000 shares; (vi) Ram Chary, Former President, Chief Executive Officer and director, 1,500,000 shares; (vii) all current executive officers as a group, 4,495,209 shares; (viii) all current non-employee directors as a group, 770,000 shares; (ix) Class III director nominee, zero shares, and (x) all employees (excluding executive officers) as a group, 5,505,050 shares. Since inception, no options have been granted under the 2014 Plan to any associate of any such director, nominee or executive officer, and no other person has been granted 5% or more of the total amount of options granted under the 2014 Plan. A substantial number of the granted options do not vest unless significant stock price increases are achieved. For more information on the realizable value of awards granted to our executives, see “Executive Compensation – Compensation Discussion and Analysis – Executive Summary – Realizable Pay.”
New Amended 2014 Plan Benefits
No awards will be granted under the Amended 2014 Plan prior to its approval by the stockholders of the Company. All awards will be granted at the discretion of the Committee, and, accordingly, are not yet determinable.
APPROVAL OF THE Everi Holdings Inc. aMENDED AND RESTATED 2014 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN.
|
THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE
APPROVAL OF THE Everi Holdings Inc. aMENDED AND RESTATED 2014 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN.
|
EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION
The following table provides information as of December 31, 2016 with respect to shares of our Common Stock that may be issued under the Company’s equity compensation plans:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of securities
|
|
exercise price of
|
|
Number of securities
|
|
|
|
|
to be issued upon
|
|
outstanding
|
|
remaining active for
|
|
|
|
|
exercise of outstanding
|
|
options,
|
|
future issuance under equity
|
|
Plan category
|
Equity Plan
|
|
options, warrants and rights
|
|
warrants and rights
|
|
compensation plans
|
|
Equity compensation plans approved by stockholders
|
2014 Plan
|
|
7,261,166
|
|
$
|
5.28
|
|
2,533,834
|
|
|
2005 Plan
|
|
9,327,722
|
|
$
|
7.16
|
|
—
|
(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity compensation plans not approved by stockholders
(2)
|
2012 Plan
|
|
1,643,636
|
(3)
|
$
|
2.83
|
|
2,474,276
|
(4)
|
Total
|
|
|
18,232,524
|
|
|
|
|
5,008,110
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
No further grants or awards may be made under the 2005 Plan.
|
|
(2)
|
|
In connection with its acquisition of Everi Games Holding (formerly known as Multimedia Games Holding Company, Inc.) in December 2014, the Company assumed awards in accordance with applicable NYSE listing standards under the Everi Games Holding 2012 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2012 Plan”), which has not been approved by the Company’s stockholders, but which was approved by the Everi Games Holding’s stockholders.
|
|
(3)
|
|
Consists of shares of our Common Stock subject to outstanding options assumed in connection with the acquisition of Everi Games Holding.
|
|
(4)
|
|
Represents shares of our Common Stock reserved for issuance under the 2014 Plan as a result of the assumption of the number of shares remaining available for grant under the 2012 Plan at the effective time of the acquisition. The Company elected to assume the available shares reserved for use under the 2012 Plan to grant awards following the acquisition to former employees of Everi Games Holding and its subsidiaries and others who were not employees, directors or consultants of the Company or its subsidiaries prior to the acquisition.
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PROPOSAL
7
APPROVAL OF THE MATERIAL TERMS OF THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES
THAT APPLY TO AWARDS INTENDED TO QUALIFY AS PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION UNDER
THE Everi Holdings Inc. AMENDED AND RESTATED 2014 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
(Item No. 7 on the Proxy Card)
In addition to the proposed amendments to the 2014 Plan described in “Proposal 6 – Approval of Everi Holdings Inc. Amended and Restated 2014 Equity Incentive Plan,” the stockholders are being asked to separately approve certain provisions of the Amended 2014 Plan solely for the purpose of preserving our ability to deduct in full for federal income tax purposes the compensation recognized by certain of our executive officers in connection with certain awards that may be granted in the future under the Amended 2014 Plan.
Section 162(m) of the Code limits a corporation’s income tax deduction for compensation paid to certain executive officers who are “covered employees” within the meaning of Section 162(m) to $1,000,000 per person per year unless the compensation qualifies as “performance-based compensation.” In general, for compensation under the Amended 2014 Plan to qualify as “performance-based compensation,” certain material terms of the Amended 2014 Plan must have been approved by our stockholders in a separate vote. Where, as in the case of the Amended 2014 Plan, the Compensation Committee has the authority to establish individual award performance goal targets after initial stockholder approval of the material terms of the performance goals, reapproval of the performance goals by the stockholders at least every five years is required to continue to preserve the exemption from the federal income tax deduction limit under Section 162(m) for performance-based compensation. Our stockholders last approved the material terms of the performance goals under the Amended 2014 Plan at the 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. To continue to preserve this exemption following the Annual Meeting, we are requesting our stockholders to again approve the material terms of the performance goals under the Amended 2014 Plan.
The Board believes that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to continue to preserve the ability of the Company to deduct in full compensation related to stock options, stock appreciation rights and other performance-based awards granted under the Amended 2014 Plan. Therefore, solely for the purpose of qualifying such compensation as performance-based under Section 162(m), the stockholders are asked to approve the following provisions of the Amended 2014 Plan:
|
·
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|
All employees of the Company and any parent or subsidiary corporation of the Company are eligible to be granted stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units and other awards under the Amended 2014 Plan.
|
|
·
|
|
The Amended 2014 Plan establishes a limit on the maximum aggregate number of shares or dollar value for which such awards may be granted to an employee in any fiscal year, as follows: (i) no more than 4,000,000 shares under stock-based awards, appropriately adjusted for any capitalization changes, and (ii) no more than $3,000,000 for each full fiscal year contained in the performance period under cash-based awards.
|
|
·
|
|
The vesting of certain awards intended to qualify as “performance-based” may be made subject to the attainment of performance goals established in writing by the Compensation Committee. Performance goals will be based on the attainment of specified target levels with respect to one or more measures of business or financial performance of the Company and each subsidiary corporation consolidated with the Company for financial reporting purposes, or such division or business unit of the Company as may be selected by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee, in its discretion, may base performance goals on one or more of the following such measures: revenue; sales; expenses; operating income; gross margin; operating margin; earnings before any one or more of: stock-based compensation expense, interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; pre-tax profit; net operating income; net income; economic value added; free cash flow; operating cash flow; balance of cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities; stock price; earnings per share; return on stockholder equity; return on capital; return on assets; return on investment; total stockholder return, employee satisfaction; employee retention; market share; customer satisfaction; product development;
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research and development expense; completion of an identified special project and completion of a joint venture or other corporate transaction.
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While we believe that compensation provided by such awards under the Amended 2014 Plan generally will be deductible by the Company for federal income tax purposes, under certain circumstances, such as a Change in Control of the Company, compensation paid in settlement of certain awards may not qualify as performance-based.
Summary of the Amended 2014 Plan
For a summary of material terms of the Amended 2014 Plan, please see “Proposal 6 – Approval of Everi Holdings Inc. Amended and Restated 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.” The summary of the Amended 2014 Plan is qualified in its entirety by the specific language of the Amended 2014 Plan, set forth in
Appendix C
.
Federal Income Tax Aspects of the Equity Plan
For a summary of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of participation in the Equity Plan, please see “Proposal 6 – Approval of Everi Holdings Inc. Amended and Restated 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.”
THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE
APPROVAL OF
CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE
Everi Holdings Inc.
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2014 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
.
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PROPOSAL 8
RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
(Item No. 8 on the Proxy Card)
Ratification of BDO USA, LLP
The Board has appointed BDO USA, LLP to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the Company’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2017.
Our Board and Audit Committee engaged BDO USA, LLP, effective March 18, 2015, as our independent registered public accounting firm, beginning with the audit for the year ending December 31, 2015, including the 2015 quarterly reviews.
Deloitte & Touche LLP previously was engaged to audit our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2014 and was dismissed as our independent registered public accounting firm on March 18, 2015. Deloitte & Touche LLP’s audit reports on the Company’s financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2014 did not contain an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles. During the year ended December 31, 2014, and through March 18, 2015, we had no disagreements with Deloitte & Touche LLP on any matter of accounting principle or practice, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure which, if not resolved to Deloitte & Touche LLP’s satisfaction, would have caused it to make reference to the matter in conjunction with its report on our consolidated financial statements for the relevant year; and there were no reportable events as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.
During the year ended December 31, 2014, and through March 18, 2015, neither we, nor anyone on our behalf, consulted with Deloitte & Touche LLP with respect to either (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on our consolidated financial statements, and no written report or oral advice was provided by Deloitte & Touche LLP to us that Deloitte & Touche LLP concluded was an important factor considered by us in reaching a decision as to the accounting, auditing, or financial reporting issue or (ii) any matter that was the subject of either a disagreement (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K) or a reportable event (as described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K).
Although the Company is not required to seek stockholder approval of its selection of an independent registered public accounting firm, the Board believes it to be sound corporate governance to do so. If the appointment is not ratified, the Board will investigate the reasons for stockholder rejection and will reconsider its selection of its independent registered public accounting firm. However, because of the difficulty in making any substitution so long after the beginning of the current year, the appointment of BDO USA, LLP for fiscal 2017 will stand, unless the Audit Committee finds other good reason for making a change. Even if the appointment is ratified, the Audit Committee, in its discretion, may direct the appointment of a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the fiscal year if the Audit Committee determines that such a change would be in the Company’s and its stockholders’ best interests. Proxies solicited by our Board will, unless otherwise directed, be voted to ratify the appointment of BDO USA, LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017.
Attendance at Annual Meeting
A representative of BDO USA, LLP is expected to be present at the Annual Meeting, will have an opportunity to make a statement, if he or she so desires, although we do not expect him or her to do so, and will be available to respond to appropriate questions from stockholders.
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THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF BDO USA, LLP AS THE COMPANY’S INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2017.
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Audit and Non-Audit Fees
The following table represents fees invoiced for professional audit services rendered by BDO USA, LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, for the audit of the Company’s annual financial statements and fees invoiced for other services rendered by BDO USA, LLP for each respective year (amounts in thousands):
The following table presents, for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, fees invoiced for professional audit services rendered by BDO USA, LLP for the audit of the Company’s annual financial statements and fees invoiced for other services rendered by BDO USA, LLP (amounts in thousands):
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended
|
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2016
|
|
2015
|
|
Audit fees
(1)
|
|
$
|
1,147
|
|
$
|
1,217
|
|
Audit-related fees
(2)
|
|
|
72
|
|
|
69
|
|
Tax fees
(3)
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
-
|
|
All other fees
(4)
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
-
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
1,224
|
|
$
|
1,286
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
Audit fees include amounts for the following professional services:
|
|
·
|
|
audit of the Company’s annual financial statements for fiscal years 2016 and 2015;
|
|
·
|
|
attestation services, technical consultations and advisory services in connection with Section 404 of the Sarbanes‑Oxley Act of 2002;
|
|
·
|
|
reviews of the financial statements included in the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10‑Q;
|
|
·
|
|
statutory and regulatory audits, consents and other services related to SEC matters; and
|
|
·
|
|
professional services provided in connection with other statutory and regulatory filings.
|
|
(2)
|
|
Audit-related fees include amounts for the following professional services:
|
|
·
|
|
audit of the Company’s employee benefit program;
|
|
·
|
|
evaluations of service organization controls under the Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) No. 16; and
|
|
·
|
|
professional services provided in connection with proposed accounting and reporting standards.
|
|
(3)
|
|
Tax fees include amounts for planning (domestic and international), advisory and compliance services. In connection with the Company’s change in auditors to BDO USA, LLP in 2015, we no longer use our external auditor for the performance of tax services
|
In making its recommendation to ratify the appointment of BDO USA, LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017, the Audit Committee has considered whether services other than audit and audit-related services provided by BDO USA, LLP are compatible with maintaining the independence of BDO USA, LLP.
Audit Committee Pre-Approval of Audit and Permissible Non-Audit Services of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Audit Committee pre-approves all audit and permissible non-audit services provided by its independent registered public accounting firm. These services may include audit services, audit-related services, tax services and other services. The Audit Committee has adopted a policy for the pre-approval of services provided by its independent registered public accounting firm. Under the policy, pre-approval is generally provided for up to one year and any pre-approval is detailed as to the particular service or category of services and is subject to a specific budget. In addition, the Audit Committee may also pre-approve particular services on a case-by-case basis. For each proposed service, the independent registered
public accounting firm is required to provide detailed back-up documentation at the time of approval. The hours expended on the engagement to audit the Company’s financial statements for fiscal year 2016 were not attributed to work performed by persons other than BDO USA, LLP’s full-time, permanent employees. All of the services described in the table above were approved in conformity with the Audit Committee’s pre-approval process for independent registered public accounting firm fees.
REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
The information contained in the following report shall not be deemed to be “soliciting material” or to be “filed” with the Securities and Exchange Commission, nor shall such information be incorporated by reference into any future filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except to the extent that the Company specifically incorporates it by reference in such filing.
The Audit Committee of the Board currently consists of Messrs. Kilburn, Fox, Judge, and Congemi and Ms. Raney. Mr. Fox serves as Chair of the Audit Committee. The Board has determined that each member of the Audit Committee meets the experience requirements of the rules and regulations of the NYSE and the SEC, as currently applicable to the Company. The Board has also determined that each member of the Audit Committee meets the independence requirements of the rules and regulations of the NYSE and the SEC, as currently applicable to the Company.
The Audit Committee operates under a written charter approved by the Board. A copy of the charter is available on our website at
ir.everi.com/investor-relations/corporate-governance/governance-documents
.
The primary function of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities by reviewing financial reports and other financial information provided by the Company to any governmental body or the public, the Company’s systems of internal controls regarding finance, accounting, legal compliance and ethics that management and the Board have established, and the Company’s auditing, accounting and financial reporting processes generally. The Audit Committee annually recommends to the Board the appointment of an independent registered public accounting firm to audit the consolidated financial statements and internal controls over financial reporting of the Company and meets with such personnel of the Company to review the scope and the results of the annual audits, the amount of audit fees, the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting, the Company’s consolidated financial statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and other related matters.
The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed with management the consolidated financial statements for fiscal year 2016 audited by BDO USA, LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, and management’s assessment of internal controls over financial reporting. The Audit Committee has discussed with BDO USA, LLP various matters related to the financial statements, including those matters required to be discussed under the Public Accounting Oversight Board Auditing Standard No. 16 Communication with Audit Committees. The Audit Committee has also received the written disclosures regarding auditors’ independence required by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Ethics and Independence rule 3526 “Communications with Audit Committees Concerning Independence”, and has discussed with BDO USA, LLP its independence. Based upon such review and discussions, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that the audited consolidated financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 for filing with the SEC.
The Audit Committee and the Board also has recommended, subject to stockholder ratification, the selection of BDO USA, LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2017.
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Members of the Audit Committee:
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Linster W. Fox (Chair)
E. Miles Kilburn
Geoffrey P. Judge
Ronald V. Congemi
Eileen F. Raney
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SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires the Company’s directors, executive officers and any persons who directly or indirectly hold more than 10% of our Common Stock (“Reporting Persons”) to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the SEC. Reporting Persons are required by SEC regulations to furnish the Company with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.
Based solely on its review of the copies of such forms received and written representations from certain Reporting Persons that no such forms were required, the Company believes that during fiscal year 2016, all Reporting Persons complied with the applicable filing requirements on a timely basis, except that (i) Eileen F. Raney, a director of the Company, filed a late Form 3 on April 8, 2016 with respect to the initial beneficial ownership requirements upon her appointment as a director of the Company and (ii) Michael D. Rumbolz, an executive officer and director of the Company, filed a late Form 4 on April 8, 2016 with respect to an option grant to purchase shares of the Company’s Common Stock.
OTHER MATTERS
As of the date of this Proxy Statement, the Company knows of no other matters that will be presented for consideration at the Annual Meeting. If any other matters properly come before the Annual Meeting, it is intended that proxies in the enclosed form will be voted in respect thereof in accordance with the judgments of the person voting the proxies.
ANNUAL REPORT TO STOCKHOLDERS AND ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
The 2016 Annual Report, including the Company’s audited financial statements, is being delivered with this Proxy Statement, but is not incorporated into this Proxy Statement and is not to be considered a part of these proxy materials or subject to Regulations 14A or 14C or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act. The information contained in the “Compensation Committee Report” and the “Report of the Audit Committee” shall not be deemed “filed” with the SEC or subject to Regulations 14A or 14C or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act.
We will provide a copy of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, to each stockholder as of the Record Date, without charge, upon written request to Corporate Secretary, Everi Holdings Inc., 7250 South Tenaya Way, Suite 100, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89113. Any exhibits listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 also will be furnished upon written request at the actual expense we incur in furnishing such exhibits.
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By Order of the Board of Directors,
/s/ Michael D. Rumbolz
Michael D. Rumbolz
President and Chief Executive Officer
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Las Vegas, Nevada
April 21, 2017
APPENDIX A
RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES
The following table presents a reconciliation of our non-GAAP financial measure of Adjusted EBITDA included in this Proxy Statement to the most comparable GAAP financial measure:
|
|
|
|
|
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Year Ended
|
|
|
December 31, 2016
|
|
|
Reconciliation of Net
|
|
|
Loss to EBITDA and
|
|
|
Adjusted EBITDA
|
|
|
(in thousands)
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss
|
|
$
|
(249,479)
|
Income tax provision (benefit)
|
|
|
31,696
|
Loss on extinguishment of debt
|
|
|
—
|
Interest expense, net of interest income
|
|
|
99,228
|
|
|
|
|
Operating (loss) income
|
|
$
|
(118,555)
|
|
|
|
|
Plus: depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
144,633
|
|
|
|
|
EBITDA
|
|
$
|
26,078
|
|
|
|
|
Non-cash stock compensation expense
|
|
|
6,733
|
Goodwill impairment
|
|
|
146,299
|
Accretion of contract rights
|
|
|
8,692
|
Separation costs for former President and Chief Executive Officer
|
|
|
4,687
|
Write-down of note receivable and warrant
|
|
|
4,289
|
Loss on sale of the aircraft
|
|
|
878
|
Manufacturing relocation costs
|
|
|
358
|
|
|
|
|
Adjusted EBITDA
(1)
|
|
$
|
198,014
|
|
(1)
|
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We define Adjusted EBITDA as earnings (loss) before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, non-cash stock compensation expense, goodwill impairment charges, accretion of contract rights, write-down of note receivable and warrant, loss on the sale of the aircraft, separation costs related to the Company’s former President and Chief Executive Officer, and manufacturing relocation costs.
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We present Adjusted EBITDA as we use this measure to manage our business and consider this measure to be supplemental to our operating performance. We also make certain compensation decisions based, in part, on our operating performance, as measured by Adjusted EBITDA; and our credit facility, senior secured notes and senior unsecured notes require us to comply with a consolidated secured leverage ratio that includes performance metrics substantially similar to Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP. Accordingly, Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, and should be read in conjunction with, our operating income data prepared in accordance with GAAP.
APPENDIX B
PROPOSED FORM OF
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
EVERI HOLDINGS INC.
Explanatory Note
The proposed form of Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Everi Holdings Inc. gives effect to amendments to the Certificate of Incorporation related to Proposals 4 and 5, the replacement of the supermajority voting requirements with majority voting requirements in Article VII, Section B and Article IX thereof, respectively. The actual Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware will reflect only those amendments approved by stockholders at the Annual Meeting.
In addition, if the Certificate of Incorporation is amended and restated as a result of the stockholders approving either Proposal 4 or Proposal 5, we will also amend Article II of the Certificate of Incorporation as set forth in the proposed form of Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Everi Holdings Inc. to refer to our current registered agent in the State of Delaware – Registered Agent Solutions, Inc.
Prior amendments to the Certificate of Incorporation approved in accordance with Delaware law and incorporated into this proposed form of Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Everi Holdings Inc. and other technical and non-substantive changes are not reflected in the blackline.
PROPOSED FORM OF
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
EVERI HOLDINGS INC.
Everi Holdings Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, does hereby certify as follows:
1.
The name of the corporation is Everi Holdings Inc. The corporation resulted from the conversion of GCA Holdings, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company. GCA Holdings, L.L.C. was formed under the same name and the original Certificate of Formation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on February 4, 2004. GCA Holdings, L.L.C. was converted to a corporation named GCA Holdings, Inc. pursuant to a Certificate of Conversion of GCA Holdings, L.L.C. and a Certificate of Incorporation of GCA Holdings, Inc., each filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on May 14, 2004. The name of the corporation was changed to Global Cash Access Holdings, Inc. pursuant to a Corrected Certificate of Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on March 2, 2005. The name of the corporation was further changed to Everi Holdings Inc. pursuant to a Certificate of Amendment of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on August 14, 2015.
2.
This Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (this “
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
”) was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “
Board of Directors
”) and by the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
3.
This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation restates and integrates and further amends the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, as heretofore amended or supplemented.
4.
The text of the Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
ARTICLE I
The name of the Corporation is Everi Holdings Inc.
(the “
Corporation
”).
ARTICLE II
The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 1679 S. Dupont Highway, Suite 100, in the City of Dover, 19901, County of Kent. The name of its registered agent at such address is Registered Agent Solutions, Inc.
ARTICLE III
The nature of the business or purposes to be conducted or promoted is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the Delaware General Corporation Law (“
DGCL
”).
ARTICLE IV
The Corporation is authorized to issue a total of 550,000,000 shares of capital stock, consisting of the following: one class designated “Common Stock” consisting of 500,000,000 shares, each with a par value of $0.001 per share, and one class designated “Preferred Stock” consisting of 50,000,000 shares, each with a par value of $0.001 per share.
The Preferred Stock authorized by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation may be issued from time to time in one or more series. Subject to compliance with applicable protective voting rights which have been or may be granted to the Preferred Stock or series thereof (“
Protective Provisions
”), the Board of Directors is hereby authorized to fix and determine or alter the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights, if any, or the qualifications, limitations or restrictions granted to or imposed upon and other matters relating to any wholly unissued series of Preferred Stock and the number of shares constituting any such series and the designation thereof. Subject to
compliance with applicable Protective Provisions, the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other rights, if any, or the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of any such additional series may be subordinated to,
pari passu
with (including, without limitation, inclusion in provisions with respect to liquidation and acquisition preferences, redemption and/or approval of matters by vote or written consent), or senior to any of those of any present or future series of Preferred Stock. Subject to compliance with applicable Protective Provisions, the Board of Directors is also authorized to increase or decrease the number of shares of any series, prior or subsequent to the issue of that series, but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding. In case the number of shares of any series shall be so decreased, the shares constituting such decrease shall resume the status which they had prior to the adoption of the resolution originally fixing the number of shares of such series.
Subject to
ARTICLE X
, each outstanding share of Common Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders of the Corporation for their vote;
provided, however
, that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation filed with respect to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon by law or pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation filed with respect to any series of Preferred Stock).
ARTICLE V
The Corporation is to have perpetual existence.
ARTICLE VI
Whenever a compromise or arrangement is proposed between the Corporation and its creditors or any class of them and/or between the Corporation and its stockholders or any class of them, any court of equitable jurisdiction within the State of Delaware may, on the application in a summary way of the Corporation or of any creditor or stockholder thereof or on the application of any receiver or receivers appointed for the Corporation under the provisions of Section 291 of the DGCL or on the application of trustees in dissolution or of any receiver or receivers appointed for the Corporation under the provisions of Section 279 of the DGCL, order a meeting of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Corporation, as the case may be, to be summoned in such manner as the said court directs. If a majority in number representing three-fourths in value of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Corporation, as the case may be, agree to any compromise or arrangement and to any reorganization of the Corporation as a consequence of such compromise or arrangement, the same compromise or arrangement and the said reorganization shall, if sanctioned by the court to which the said application has been made, be binding on all the creditors or class of creditors, and/or on all the stockholders or class of stockholders, of the Corporation, as the case may be, and also on the Corporation.
ARTICLE VII
For the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation, and in further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the Corporation, of its directors and of its stockholders or any class thereof, as the case may be, it is further provided that:
A.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
. The management of the business and the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation shall be vested in its Board of Directors. The number of directors which shall constitute the Board of Directors shall be fixed exclusively by resolutions adopted by a majority of the authorized number of directors constituting the Board of Directors.
No stockholder will be permitted to cumulate votes at any election of directors. No election of directors need be by written ballot, unless the Bylaws of the Corporation shall so provide. Any director may be removed from office by the stockholders of the Corporation only for cause.
The Board of Directors shall be divided into three classes designated as Class I, Class II, and Class III, respectively. Directors shall be assigned to each class in accordance with a resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors. If the number of directors is changed, any newly created directorships or decrease in directorships shall be so
apportioned among the classes as to make all classes as nearly equal in number as is practicable, provided that no decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
At the first annual meeting of stockholders following the date hereof, the term of office of the Class I directors shall expire and Class I directors shall be elected for a full term of three years. At the second annual meeting of stockholders following the date hereof, the term of office of the Class II directors shall expire and Class II directors shall be elected for a full term of three years. At the third annual meeting of stockholders following the date hereof, the term of office of the Class III directors shall expire and Class III directors shall be elected for a full term of three years. At each succeeding annual meeting of stockholders, directors shall be elected for a full term of three years to succeed the directors of the class whose terms expire at such annual meeting.
Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other causes and any newly-created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors, shall, unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly-created directorships shall be filled by the stockholders, except as otherwise provided by law, be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, or by a sole remaining director, and not by the stockholders. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the director for which the vacancy was created or occurred and until such director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified. If at the time of filling any vacancy or any newly created directorship, the directors then in office shall constitute less than a majority of the whole board (as constituted immediately prior to any such increase), the Delaware Court of Chancery may, upon application of any stockholder or stockholders holding at least ten percent (10%) of the total number of the shares at the time outstanding having the right to vote for such directors, summarily order an election to be held to fill any such vacancies or newly created directorships, or to replace the directors chosen by the directors then in offices as aforesaid, which election shall be governed by Section 211 of the DGCL.
B.
BYLAWS
. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Board of Directors is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation. The stockholders shall also have power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation;
provided, however
, that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least
sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66⅔%)
a majority
of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to adopt, amend or repeal any provision of the Bylaws of the Corporation.
C.
NO ACTIONS BY WRITTEN CONSENT
. The stockholders of the Corporation may not take any action by written consent or electronic transmission in lieu of a meeting, and must take any actions at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders, and the power of stockholders to act by written consent or electronic transmission without a meeting is specifically denied.
D.
ADVANCE NOTICE
. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation.
E.
BOOKS; MEETINGS
. The books of the Corporation may be kept outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors or in the Bylaws of the Corporation. Meetings of stockholders may be held within or without the State of Delaware, as the Bylaws of the Corporation may provide. Special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called, for any purpose or purposes, by (i) the Chairman of the Board of Directors, (ii) the Chief Executive Officer, or (iii) the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors.
ARTICLE VIII
To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, a director of the Corporation shall not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director. If the DGCL is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of
directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended. Any repeal or modification of this
ARTICLE VIII
shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification.
ARTICLE IX
The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation in the manner now or hereafter prescribed herein and by the laws of the State of Delaware, and all rights conferred upon stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the Corporation required by law or by this
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or any certificate of designation filed with respect to a series of Preferred Stock, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66⅔%) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to alter, amend or repeal Articles VII, VIII, and IX, or any provision thereof.
ARTICLE X
A.
REDEMPTION
.
1.
Redemption of Shares of an Unsuitable Person
. At the option of the Corporation, any or all shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation (“
Shares
”) owned by an Unsuitable Person may be redeemed by the Corporation for the Redemption Price out of funds lawfully available on the Redemption Date. Shares redeemable pursuant to this Section A.1. of this
ARTICLE X
shall be redeemable at any time and from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof.
2.
Partial Redemption
. In the case of a redemption of only some of the shares owned by a stockholder, the Board of Directors shall select the Shares to be redeemed, by lot or in any other manner determined in good faith by the Board of Directors.
3.
Redemption Notice
. In the case of a redemption pursuant to Section A.1. of this
ARTICLE X
, the Corporation shall send a written notice to the holder of the Shares called for redemption (the “
Redemption Notice
”), which shall set forth: (a) the Redemption Date, (b) the number of Shares to be redeemed on the Redemption Date, (c) the Redemption Price and the manner of payment therefor, (d) the place where any certificates for such Shares shall be surrendered for payment, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer, and (e) any other requirements of surrender of the certificates (if any) representing the Shares to be redeemed.
4.
Method of Payment of Redemption Price
. The Redemption Price may be paid in cash, by promissory note, or both, as required by any Gaming Authority and, if not so required, as the Corporation elects. If any portion of the Redemption Price is to be paid pursuant to a promissory note: (a) such note will have a face amount equal to the portion of the Redemption Price for which the note is given (i.e., if the Redemption Price is $1,000, and cash of $250 is paid, the note shall have a face amount of $750), and (b) unless the Corporation agrees to different terms, the note will (i) be unsecured, (ii) have a term of five years, (iii) bear interest, compounded annually, at the prime rate of interest as published in the Wall Street Journal on the Redemption Date, provided that if the Wall Street Journal ceases to publish the prime rate, the Corporation will reasonably determine a substitute method for determining the prime rate, and (iv) have such other terms as are determined to be customary and appropriate by the board, in its sole discretion, after consultation with a nationally recognized investment bank.
B.
RIGHTS OF HOLDERS OF SHARES
. On and after the date of a Redemption Notice, any Unsuitable Person owning Shares called for redemption shall cease to have any voting rights with respect to such Shares and, on and after the Redemption Date specified therein, such holder shall cease to have any rights whatsoever with respect to such Shares other than the right to receive the Redemption Price, without interest, on the Redemption Date;
provided, however
, that if any such Shares come to be owned solely by persons other than Unsuitable Persons, such persons may exercise voting rights of such Shares, and the Corporation may determine, in its discretion, not to redeem such Shares.
C.
NOTICES
. All notices given by the Corporation to holders of shares pursuant to this
ARTICLE X
, including the Redemption Notice, shall be in writing and shall be deemed given when delivered by personal service, overnight courier or first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the holder’s address as shown on the Corporation’s books and records.
D.
NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS
. The Corporation’s right to redeem shares pursuant to this
ARTICLE X
shall not be exclusive of any other rights the Corporation may have or hereafter acquire under any agreement, any provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation or otherwise with respect to the acquisition by the Corporation of shares or any restrictions on holders thereof.
E.
SEVERABILITY
. In the event that any provision (or portion of a provision) of this
ARTICLE X
or the application thereof becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of this
ARTICLE X
(including the remainder of such provision, as applicable) will continue in full force and effect.
F.
DEFINITIONS
. For purposes of this
ARTICLE X
, the following terms shall have the meanings specified below:
1. “
Fair Market Value
” shall equal: (a) the average closing sales price per share of the Shares to be redeemed during the thirty (30) Trading Day period immediately preceding the date of the Redemption Notice on the primary national securities exchange or national quotation system on which such Shares are listed or quoted, (b) in the event such Shares are not traded or quoted on a national securities exchange or national quotation system, the average of the means between the representative bid and asked prices as quoted by Pink OTC Markets Inc. or another generally recognized quotation reporting system during the thirty (30) Trading Day period immediately preceding the date of the Redemption Notice, or (c) if no such quotations are available, the fair market value per share of such Shares as determined in good faith by the Corporation’s Board of Directors.
2. “
Gaming
” shall mean the conduct of any gaming or gaming-related activities, including, without limitation, the use, manufacture, sale or distribution of gaming devices, ticket technology, ATMs, and cash access, check cashing, cash advance, wagering account funding, casino cage and casino credit equipment and services, and any related and associated equipment and services, and the provision of any type of services or equipment pursuant to a contract, agreement, relationship or otherwise with any holder or beneficiary of a Gaming License.
3. “
Gaming Authority
” shall mean any international, foreign, federal, state, local, tribal and other regulatory and licensing body or agency with authority over Gaming.
4. “
Gaming Licenses
” shall mean all licenses, permits, approvals, orders, authorizations, registrations, findings of suitability, franchises, exemptions, waivers and entitlements issued by a Gaming Authority required for, or relating to, the conduct of Gaming.
5. “
ownership
” (and derivatives thereof) shall mean (a) ownership of record, and (b) “beneficial ownership” as defined in Rule 13d-3 or Rule 16a-1(a)(2) promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
6. “
person
” shall mean an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, trust or any other entity.
7. “
Redemption Date
” shall mean the date on which Shares shall be redeemed by the Corporation pursuant to Section A.1. of this
ARTICLE X
. The Redemption Date shall be not less than sixty (60) Trading Days following the date of the Redemption Notice unless a Gaming Authority requires that the Shares be redeemed as of an earlier date, in which case, the Redemption Date shall be such earlier date and the Redemption Notice shall be sent on the first day following the day the Corporation becomes apprised of such earlier Redemption Date.
8. “
Redemption Price
” shall mean the price per Share to be paid by the Corporation on the Redemption Date for the redemption of Shares pursuant to Section A.1. of this
ARTICLE X
and shall be equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share, unless otherwise required by any Gaming Authority.
9. “
Trading Day
” means a day on which the Shares (a) are not suspended from trading on any national or regional securities exchange or association or over-the-counter market at the close of business on such day, and (b) have
traded at least once on the national or regional securities exchange or association or over-the-counter market that is the primary market for the trading of the Shares.
10. “
Unsuitable Person
” shall mean any person whose ownership of Shares or whose failure to make application to seek licensure from or otherwise comply with the requirements of a Gaming Authority will result in the Corporation losing a Gaming License, or the Corporation being unable to reinstate prior a Gaming License, or the Corporation being unable to obtain a new Gaming License, as determined by the Corporation’s Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, after consultation with counsel.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be executed on its behalf this [ ] day of May, 2017.
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EVERI HOLDINGS INC.
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By:
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Name:
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Juliet A. Lim
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Title:
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Corporate Secretary
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APPENDIX C
EVERI HOLDINGS INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED
2014 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
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Page
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1.
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Establishment, Purpose and Term of Plan
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C-1
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1.1
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Establishment
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C-1
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1.2
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Purpose
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C-1
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1.3
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Term of Plan
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C-1
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2.
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Definitions and Construction
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C-1
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2.1
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Definitions
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C-1
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2.2
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Construction
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C-6
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3.
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Administration
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C-6
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3.1
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Administration by the Committee
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C-6
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3.2
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Authority of Officers
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C-6
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3.3
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Administration with Respect to Insiders
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C-7
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3.4
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Committee Complying with Section 162(m)
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C-7
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3.5
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Powers of the Committee
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C-7
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3.6
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Option or SAR Repricing
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C-8
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3.7
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Indemnification
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C-8
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4.
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Shares Subject to Plan
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C-8
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4.1
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Maximum Number of Shares Issuable
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C-8
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4.2
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Adjustment for Unissued or Forfeited Predecessor Plan Shares
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C-8
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4.3
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Share Counting
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C-8
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4.4
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Adjustments for Changes in Capital Structure
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C-9
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4.5
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Assumption or Substitution of Awards
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C-9
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5.
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Eligibility, Participation and Award Limitations
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C-9
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5.1
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Persons Eligible for Awards
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C-9
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5.2
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Participation in the Plan
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C-10
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5.3
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Incentive Stock Option Limitations
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C-10
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5.4
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Section 162(m) Award Limits
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C-10
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5.5
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Nonemployee Director Award Limits
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C-10
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5.6
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Minimum Vesting
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C-10
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6.
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Stock Options
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C-10
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6.1
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Exercise Price
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C-10
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6.2
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Exercisability and Term of Options
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C-11
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6.3
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Payment of Exercise Price
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C-11
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6.4
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Effect of Termination of Service
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C-12
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6.5
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Transferability of Options
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C-12
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Page
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7.
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Stock Appreciation Rights
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C-13
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7.1
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Types of SARs Authorized
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C-13
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7.2
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Exercise Price
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C-13
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7.3
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Exercisability and Term of SARs
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C-13
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7.4
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Exercise of SARs
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C-13
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7.5
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Deemed Exercise of SARs
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C-13
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7.6
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Effect of Termination of Service
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C-14
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7.7
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Transferability of SARs
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C-14
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8.
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Restricted Stock Awards
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C-14
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8.1
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Types of Restricted Stock Awards Authorized
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C-14
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8.2
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Purchase Price
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C-14
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8.3
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Purchase Period
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C-14
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8.4
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Payment of Purchase Price
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C-14
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8.5
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Vesting and Restrictions on Transfer
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C-14
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8.6
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Voting Rights; Dividends and Distributions
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C-15
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8.7
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Effect of Termination of Service
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C-15
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8.8
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Nontransferability of Restricted Stock Award Rights
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C-15
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9.
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Restricted Stock Units
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C-15
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9.1
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Grant of Restricted Stock Unit Awards
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C-15
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9.2
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Purchase Price
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C-16
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9.3
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Vesting
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C-16
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9.4
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Voting Rights, Dividend Equivalent Rights and Distributions
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C-16
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9.5
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Effect of Termination of Service
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C-16
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9.6
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Settlement of Restricted Stock Unit Awards
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C-16
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9.7
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Nontransferability of Restricted Stock Unit Awards
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C-17
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10.
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Performance Awards
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C-17
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10.1
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Types of Performance Awards Authorized
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C-17
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10.2
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Initial Value of Performance Shares and Performance Units
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C-17
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10.3
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Establishment of Performance Period, Performance Goals and Performance Award Formula
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C-17
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10.4
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Measurement of Performance Goals
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C-17
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10.5
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Settlement of Performance Awards
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C-19
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10.6
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Voting Rights; Dividend Equivalent Rights and Distributions
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C-20
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10.7
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Effect of Termination of Service
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C-20
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10.8
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Nontransferability of Performance Awards
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C-21
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Page
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11.
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Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards
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C-21
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11.1
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Grant of Cash-Based Awards
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C-21
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11.2
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Grant of Other Stock-Based Awards
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C-21
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11.3
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Value of Cash-Based and Other Stock-Based Awards
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C-21
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11.4
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Payment or Settlement of Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards
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C-21
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11.5
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Voting Rights; Dividend Equivalent Rights and Distributions
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C-21
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11.6
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Effect of Termination of Service
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C-22
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11.7
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Nontransferability of Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards
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C-22
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12.
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Standard Forms of Award Agreement
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C-22
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12.1
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Award Agreements
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C-22
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12.2
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Authority to Vary Terms
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C-22
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13.
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Change in Control
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C-22
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13.1
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Effect of Change in Control on Awards
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C-22
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13.2
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Effect of Change in Control on Nonemployee Director Awards
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C-24
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13.3
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Federal Excise Tax Under Section 4999 of the Code
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C-24
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14.
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Compliance with Securities Law
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C-24
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15.
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Compliance with Section 409A
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C-24
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15.1
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Awards Subject to Section 409A
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C-24
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15.2
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Deferral and/or Distribution Elections
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C-25
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15.3
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Subsequent Elections
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C-25
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15.4
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Payment of Section 409A Deferred Compensation
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C-26
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16.
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Tax Withholding
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C-27
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16.1
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Tax Withholding in General
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C-27
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16.2
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Withholding in or Directed Sale of Shares
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C-27
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17.
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Amendment, Suspension or Termination of Plan
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C-27
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18.
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Miscellaneous Provisions
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C-28
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18.1
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Repurchase Rights
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C-28
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18.2
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Forfeiture Events
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C-28
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18.3
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Provision of Information
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C-28
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18.4
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Rights as Employee, Consultant or Director
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C-28
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18.5
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Rights as a Stockholder
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C-28
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18.6
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Delivery of Title to Shares
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C-29
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18.7
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Fractional Shares
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C-29
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18.8
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Retirement and Welfare Plans
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C-29
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Page
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18.9
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Beneficiary Designation
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C-29
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18.10
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Severability
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C-29
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18.11
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No Constraint on Corporate Action
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C-29
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18.12
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Unfunded Obligation
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C-29
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18.13
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Choice of Law
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C-29
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Everi Holdings Inc.
Amended and Restated 2014 Equity Incentive Plan
|
1.
Establishment, Purpose And Term Of Plan
.
|
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1.1
Establishment
.
The Everi Holdings Inc. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, originally effective as of May 15, 2014 (the
“
Effective Date
”
), is hereby amended and restated and continued as the Everi Holdings Inc. 2014 Amended and Restated Equity Incentive Plan (the
“
Plan
”
), effective as of May ____, 2017, the date of its approval by the stockholders of the Company.
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1.2
Purpose
.
The purpose of the Plan is to advance the interests of the Participating Company Group and its stockholders by providing an incentive to attract, retain and reward persons performing services for the Participating Company Group and by motivating such persons to contribute to the growth and profitability of the Participating Company Group. The Plan seeks to achieve this purpose by providing for Awards in the form of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock Awards, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units, Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards.
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1.3
Term of Plan.
The Plan shall continue in effect until its termination by the Committee; provided, however, that all Awards shall be granted, if at all, within ten (10) years from the Effective Date.
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2.
Definitions And Construction
.
|
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2.1
Definitions.
Whenever used herein, the following terms shall have their respective meanings set forth below:
|
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(a)
“
Affiliate
”
means (i) a parent entity, other than a Parent Corporation, that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediary entities, controls the Company or (ii) a subsidiary entity, other than a Subsidiary Corporation, that is controlled by the Company directly or indirectly through one or more intermediary entities. For this purpose, the terms “parent,” “subsidiary,” “control” and “controlled by” shall have the meanings assigned such terms for the purposes of registration of securities on Form S-8 under the Securities Act.
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(b)
“
Award
”
means any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Purchase Right, Restricted Stock Bonus, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Share, Performance Unit, Cash-Based Award or Other Stock-Based Award granted under the Plan.
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(c)
“
Award Agreement
”
means a written or electronic agreement between the Company and a Participant setting forth the terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to an Award.
|
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(d)
“
Board
”
means the Board of Directors of the Company.
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(e)
“
Cash-Based Award
”
means an Award denominated in cash and granted pursuant to Section 11.
|
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(f)
“
Cashless Exercise
”
means a Cashless Exercise as defined in Section 6.3(b)(i).
|
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(g)
“
Cause
”
means, unless such term or an equivalent term is otherwise defined by the applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and a Participating Company applicable to an Award, any of the following: (i) the Participant’s theft, dishonesty, willful misconduct, breach of fiduciary duty for personal profit, or falsification of any Participating Company documents or records; (ii) the Participant’s material failure to abide by a Participating Company’s code of conduct or other policies (including, without limitation, policies relating to confidentiality and reasonable workplace conduct); (iii) the Participant’s unauthorized use, misappropriation, destruction or diversion of any tangible or intangible asset or corporate opportunity of a Participating Company (including, without limitation, the Participant’s improper use or disclosure of a Participating Company’s confidential or proprietary information); (iv) any intentional act by the Participant which has a material detrimental effect on a Participating Company’s reputation or business; (v) the Participant’s repeated failure to perform any reasonable assigned duties after written notice from a Participating Company of, and a reasonable opportunity to cure, such failure; (vi) any material breach by the Participant of any
|
employment, service, non-disclosure, non-competition, non-solicitation or other similar agreement between the Participant and a Participating Company, which breach is not cured pursuant to the terms of such agreement; or (vii) the Participant’s conviction (including any plea of guilty or
nolo contendere
) of any criminal act involving fraud, dishonesty, misappropriation or moral turpitude, or which impairs the Participant’s ability to perform his or her duties with a Participating Company.
|
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(h)
“
Change in Control
”
means, unless such term or an equivalent term is otherwise defined by the applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement between the Participant and a Participating Company applicable to an Award, the occurrence of any one or a combination of the following:
|
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(i)
any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as such term is defined in Rule 13d‑3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total Fair Market Value or total combined voting power of the Company’s then‑outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors; provided, however, that a Change in Control shall not be deemed to have occurred if such degree of beneficial ownership results from any of the following: (A) an acquisition by any person who on the Effective Date is the beneficial owner of more than fifty percent (50%) of such voting power, (B) any acquisition directly from the Company, including, without limitation, pursuant to or in connection with a public offering of securities, (C) any acquisition by the Company, (D) any acquisition by a trustee or other fiduciary under an employee benefit plan of a Participating Company or (E) any acquisition by an entity owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the voting securities of the Company; or
|
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(ii)
an Ownership Change Event or series of related Ownership Change Events (collectively, a
“
Transaction
”
) in which the stockholders of the Company immediately before the Transaction do not retain immediately after the Transaction direct or indirect beneficial ownership of more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors or, in the case of an Ownership Change Event described in Section 2.1(ee)(iii), the entity to which the assets of the Company were transferred (the
“
Transferee
”
), as the case may be; or
|
|
(iii)
a date specified by the Committee following approval by the stockholders of a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company;
|
provided, however, that a Change in Control shall be deemed not to include a transaction described in subsections (i) or (ii) of this Section 2.1(h) in which a majority of the members of the board of directors of the continuing, surviving or successor entity, or parent thereof, immediately after such transaction is comprised of Incumbent Directors.
For purposes of the preceding sentence, indirect beneficial ownership shall include, without limitation, an interest resulting from ownership of the voting securities of one or more corporations or other business entities which own the Company or the Transferee, as the case may be, either directly or through one or more subsidiary corporations or other business entities. The Committee shall determine whether multiple events described in subsections (i), (ii) and (iii) of this Section 2.1(h) are related and to be treated in the aggregate as a single Change in Control, and its determination shall be final, binding and conclusive.
|
(i)
“
Code
”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any applicable regulations and administrative guidelines promulgated thereunder.
|
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(j)
“
Committee
”
means the Compensation Committee and such other committee or subcommittee of the Board, if any, duly appointed to administer the Plan and having such powers in each instance as shall be specified by the Board. If, at any time, there is no committee of the Board then authorized or properly constituted to administer the Plan, the Board shall exercise all of the powers of the Committee granted herein, and, in any event, the Board may in its discretion exercise any or all of such powers.
|
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(k)
“
Company
”
means Global Cash Access Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any successor corporation thereto.
|
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(l)
“
Consultant
”
means a person engaged to provide consulting or advisory services (other than as an Employee or a Director) to a Participating Company, provided that the identity of such person, the nature of such services or the entity to which such services are provided would not preclude the Company from offering or selling securities to such person pursuant to the Plan in reliance on registration on Form S‑8 under the Securities Act.
|
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(m)
“
Covered Employee
”
means, at any time the Plan is subject to Section 162(m), any Employee who is or may reasonably be expected to become a “covered employee” as defined in Section 162(m), or any successor statute, and who is designated, either as an individual Employee or a member of a class of Employees, by the Committee no later than the earlier of (i) the date that is ninety (90) days after the beginning of the Performance Period, or (ii) the date on which twenty-five percent (25%) of the Performance Period has elapsed, as a “Covered Employee” under this Plan for such applicable Performance Period.
|
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(n)
“
Director
”
means a member of the Board.
|
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(o)
“
Disability
”
means, unless such term or an equivalent term is otherwise defined by the applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement between the Participant and a Participating Company applicable to an Award, the permanent and total disability of the Participant, within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.
|
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(p)
“
Dividend Equivalent Right
”
means the right of a Participant, granted at the discretion of the Committee or as otherwise provided by the Plan, to receive a credit for the account of such Participant in an amount equal to the cash dividends paid on one share of Stock for each share of Stock represented by an Award held by such Participant.
|
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(q)
“
Employee
”
means any person treated as an employee (including an Officer or a Director who is also treated as an employee) in the records of a Participating Company and, with respect to any Incentive Stock Option granted to such person, who is an employee for purposes of Section 422 of the Code; provided, however, that neither service as a Director nor payment of a Director’s fee shall be sufficient to constitute employment for purposes of the Plan. The Company shall determine in good faith and in the exercise of its discretion whether an individual has become or has ceased to be an Employee and the effective date of such individual’s employment or termination of employment, as the case may be. For purposes of an individual’s rights, if any, under the terms of the Plan as of the time of the Company’s determination of whether or not the individual is an Employee, all such determinations by the Company shall be final, binding and conclusive as to such rights, if any, notwithstanding that the Company or any court of law or governmental agency subsequently makes a contrary determination as to such individual’s status as an Employee.
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(r)
“
Exchange Act
”
means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
|
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(s)
“
Fair Market Value
”
means, as of any date, the value of a share of Stock or other property as determined by the Committee, in its discretion, or by the Company, in its discretion, if such determination is expressly allocated to the Company herein, subject to the following:
|
|
(i)
Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, if, on such date, the Stock is listed or quoted on a national or regional securities exchange or quotation system, the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock shall be the closing price of a share of Stock as quoted on the national or regional securities exchange or quotation system constituting the primary market for the Stock, as reported in
The Wall Street Journal
or such other source as the Company deems reliable. If the relevant date does not fall on a day on which the Stock has traded on such securities exchange or quotation system, the date on which the Fair Market Value shall be established shall be the last day on which the Stock was so traded or quoted prior to the relevant date, or such other appropriate day as shall be determined by the Committee, in its discretion.
|
|
(ii)
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may, in its discretion, determine the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the basis of the opening, closing, or average of the high and low sale prices of a share of Stock on such date or the preceding trading day, the actual sale price of a share of Stock received by a Participant, any other reasonable basis using actual transactions in the Stock as reported on a national or regional securities exchange or quotation system, or on any other basis consistent with the requirements of Section 409A. The Committee may vary its
|
method of determination of the Fair Market Value as provided in this Section for different purposes under the Plan to the extent consistent with the requirements of Section 409A.
|
|
(iii)
If, on such date, the Stock is not listed or quoted on a national or regional securities exchange or quotation system, the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock shall be as determined by the Committee in good faith without regard to any restriction other than a restriction which, by its terms, will never lapse, and in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 409A.
|
|
(t)
“
Full Value Award
”
means any Award settled in Stock, other than (i) an Option, (ii) a Stock Appreciation Right, or (iii) a Restricted Stock Purchase Right or an Other Stock-Based Award under which the Company will receive monetary consideration equal to the Fair Market Value (determined on the effective date of grant) of the shares subject to such Award.
|
|
(u)
“
Incentive Stock Option
”
means an Option intended to be (as set forth in the Award Agreement) and which qualifies as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422(b) of the Code.
|
|
(v)
“
Incumbent Director
”
means a director who either (i) is a member of the Board as of the Effective Date or (ii) is elected, or nominated for election, to the Board with the affirmative votes of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors at the time of such election or nomination (but excluding a director who was elected or nominated in connection with an actual or threatened proxy contest relating to the election of directors of the Company).
|
|
(w)
“
Insider
”
means an Officer, a Director or other person whose transactions in Stock are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
|
|
(x)
“
Net Exercise
”
means a Net Exercise as defined in Section 6.3(b)(iii).
|
|
(y)
“
Nonemployee Director
”
means a Director who is not an Employee.
|
|
(z)
“
Nonemployee Director Award
”
means any Award granted to a Nonemployee Director.
|
|
(aa)
“
Nonstatutory Stock Option
”
means an Option not intended to be (as set forth in the Award Agreement) or which does not qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422(b) of the Code.
|
|
(bb)
“
Officer
”
means any person designated by the Board as an officer of the Company.
|
|
(cc)
“
Option
”
means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option granted pursuant to the Plan.
|
|
(dd)
“
Other Stock-Based Award
”
means an Award denominated in shares of Stock and granted pursuant to Section 11.
|
|
(ee)
“
Ownership Change Event
”
means the occurrence of any of the following with respect to the Company: (i) the direct or indirect sale or exchange in a single or series of related transactions by the stockholders of the Company of securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors; (ii) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is a party; or (iii) the sale, exchange, or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (other than a sale, exchange or transfer to one or more subsidiaries of the Company).
|
|
(ff)
“
Parent Corporation
”
means any present or future “parent corporation” of the Company, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.
|
|
(gg)
“
Participant
”
means any eligible person who has been granted one or more Awards.
|
|
(hh)
“
Participating Company
”
means the Company or any Parent Corporation, Subsidiary Corporation or Affiliate.
|
|
(ii)
“
Participating Company Group
”
means, at any point in time, the Company and all other entities collectively which are then Participating Companies.
|
|
(jj)
“
Performance Award
”
means an Award of Performance Shares or Performance Units.
|
|
(kk)
“
Performance Award Formula
”
means, for any Performance Award, a formula or table established by the Committee pursuant to Section 10.3 which provides the basis for computing the value of a Performance Award at one or more levels of attainment of the applicable Performance Goal(s) measured as of the end of the applicable Performance Period.
|
|
(ll)
“
Performance-Based Compensation
” means compensation under an Award that satisfies the requirements of Section 162(m) for certain performance-based compensation paid to Covered Employees.
|
|
(mm)
“
Performance Goal
”
means a performance goal established by the Committee pursuant to Section 10.3.
|
|
(nn)
“
Performance Period
”
means a period established by the Committee pursuant to Section 10.3 at the end of which one or more Performance Goals are to be measured.
|
|
(oo)
“
Performance Share
”
means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 10 to receive a payment equal to the value of a Performance Share, as determined by the Committee, based upon attainment of applicable Performance Goal(s).
|
|
(pp)
“
Performance Unit
”
means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 10 to receive a payment equal to the value of a Performance Unit, as determined by the Committee, based upon attainment of applicable Performance Goal(s).
|
|
(qq)
“
Predecessor Plan
”
means the Company’s 2005 Stock Incentive Plan.
|
|
(rr)
“
Restricted Stock Award
”
means an Award of a Restricted Stock Bonus or a Restricted Stock Purchase Right.
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(ss)
“
Restricted Stock Bonus
”
means Stock granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 8.
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(tt)
“
Restricted Stock Purchase Right
”
means a right to purchase Stock granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 8.
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(uu)
“
Restricted Stock Unit
”
means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 9 to receive on a future date or occurrence of a future event a share of Stock or cash in lieu thereof, as determined by the Committee.
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(vv)
“
Rule 16b‑3
”
means Rule 16b‑3 under the Exchange Act, as amended from time to time, or any successor rule or regulation.
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(ww)
“
SAR
”
or
“
Stock Appreciation Right
”
means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 7 to receive payment, for each share of Stock subject to such Award, of an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of exercise of the Award over the exercise price thereof.
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(xx)
“
Section 162(m)
”
means Section 162(m) of the Code.
|
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(yy)
“
Section 409A
”
means Section 409A of the Code.
|
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(zz)
“
Section 409A Deferred Compensation
”
means compensation provided pursuant to an Award that constitutes nonqualified deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A.
|
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(aaa)
“
Securities Act
”
means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
|
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(bbb)
“
Service
”
means a Participant’s employment or service with the Participating Company Group, whether as an Employee, a Director or a Consultant. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, a Participant’s Service shall not be deemed to have terminated merely because of a change in the capacity in which the Participant renders Service or a change in the Participating Company for which the Participant renders Service, provided that there is no interruption or termination of the Participant’s Service. Furthermore, a Participant’s Service shall not be deemed to have been interrupted or terminated if the Participant takes any military leave, sick leave, or other bona fide leave of absence approved by the Company. However, unless otherwise provided by the Committee, if any such leave taken by a Participant exceeds ninety (90) days, then on the ninety-first (91st) day following the commencement of such leave the Participant’s Service shall be deemed to have terminated, unless the Participant’s right to return to Service is guaranteed by statute or contract. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise designated by the Company or required by law, an unpaid leave of absence shall not be treated as Service for purposes of determining vesting under the Participant’s Award Agreement. A Participant’s Service shall be deemed to have terminated either upon an actual termination of Service or upon the business entity for which the Participant performs Service ceasing to be a Participating Company. Subject to the foregoing, the Company, in its discretion, shall determine whether the Participant’s Service has terminated and the effective date of and reason for such termination.
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(ccc)
“
Stock
”
means the Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company, as adjusted from time to time in accordance with Section 4.4.
|
|
(ddd)
“
Stock Tender Exercise
”
means a Stock Tender Exercise as defined in Section 6.3(b)(ii).
|
|
(eee)
“
Subsidiary Corporation
”
means any present or future “subsidiary corporation” of the Company, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.
|
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(fff)
“
Ten Percent Owner
”
means a Participant who, at the time an Option is granted to the Participant, owns stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of a Participating Company (other than an Affiliate) within the meaning of Section 422(b)(6) of the Code.
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(ggg)
“
Trading Compliance Policy
”
means the written policy of the Company pertaining to the purchase, sale, transfer or other disposition of the Company’s equity securities by Directors, Officers, Employees or other service providers who may possess material, nonpublic information regarding the Company or its securities.
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(hhh)
“
Vesting Conditions
”
mean those conditions established in accordance with the Plan prior to the satisfaction of which an Award or shares subject to an Award remain subject to forfeiture or a repurchase option in favor of the Company exercisable for the Participant’s monetary purchase price, if any, for such shares upon the Participant’s termination of Service or failure of a performance condition to be satisfied.
|
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2.2
Construction.
Captions and titles contained herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of the Plan. Except when otherwise indicated by the context, the singular shall include the plural and the plural shall include the singular. Use of the term “or” is not intended to be exclusive, unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
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3.1
Administration by the Committee.
The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. All questions of interpretation of the Plan, of any Award Agreement or of any other form of agreement or other document employed by the Company in the administration of the Plan or of any Award shall be determined by the Committee, and such determinations shall be final, binding and conclusive upon all persons having an interest in the Plan or such Award, unless fraudulent or made in bad faith. Any and all actions, decisions and determinations taken or made by the Committee in the exercise of its discretion pursuant to the Plan or Award Agreement or other agreement thereunder (other than determining questions of interpretation pursuant to the preceding sentence) shall be final, binding and conclusive upon all persons having an interest therein. All expenses incurred in connection with the administration of the Plan shall be paid by the Company.
|
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3.2
Authority of Officers.
Any Officer shall have the authority to act on behalf of the Company with respect to any matter, right, obligation, determination or election that is the responsibility of or that is allocated to the
|
Company herein, provided that the Officer has apparent authority with respect to such matter, right, obligation, determination or election.
|
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3.3
Administration with Respect to Insiders.
With respect to participation by Insiders in the Plan, at any time that any class of equity security of the Company is registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, the Plan shall be administered in compliance with the requirements, if any, of Rule 16b‑3.
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3.4
Committee Complying with Section 162(m).
If the Company is a “publicly held corporation” within the meaning of Section 162(m), the Board may establish a Committee of “outside directors” within the meaning of Section 162(m) to approve the grant of any Award intended to result in the payment of Performance-Based Compensation.
|
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3.5
Powers of the Committee
.
In addition to any other powers set forth in the Plan and subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have the full and final power and authority, in its discretion:
|
|
(a)
to determine the persons to whom, and the time or times at which, Awards shall be granted and the number of shares of Stock, units or monetary value to be subject to each Award;
|
|
(b)
to determine the type of Award granted;
|
|
(c)
to determine whether an Award granted to a Covered Employee shall be intended to result in Performance-Based Compensation;
|
|
(d)
to determine the Fair Market Value of shares of Stock or other property;
|
|
(e)
to determine the terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to each Award (which need not be identical) and any shares acquired pursuant thereto, including, without limitation, (i) the exercise or purchase price of shares pursuant to any Award, (ii) the method of payment for shares purchased pursuant to any Award, (iii) the method for satisfaction of any tax withholding obligation arising in connection with any Award, including by the withholding or delivery of shares of Stock, (iv) the timing, terms and conditions of the exercisability or vesting of any Award or any shares acquired pursuant thereto, (v) the Performance Measures, Performance Period, Performance Award Formula and Performance Goals applicable to any Award and the extent to which such Performance Goals have been attained, (vi) the time of expiration of any Award, (vii) the effect of any Participant’s termination of Service on any of the foregoing, and (viii) all other terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to any Award or shares acquired pursuant thereto not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan;
|
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(f)
to determine whether an Award will be settled in shares of Stock, cash, other property or in any combination thereof;
|
|
(g)
to approve one or more forms of Award Agreement;
|
|
(h)
to amend, modify, extend, cancel or renew any Award or to waive any restrictions or conditions applicable to any Award or any shares acquired pursuant thereto;
|
|
(i)
to accelerate, continue, extend or defer the exercisability or vesting of any Award or any shares acquired pursuant thereto, including with respect to the period following a Participant’s termination of Service;
|
|
(j)
to prescribe, amend or rescind rules, guidelines and policies relating to the Plan, or to adopt sub-plans or supplements to, or alternative versions of, the Plan, including, without limitation, as the Committee deems necessary or desirable to comply with the laws of, or to accommodate the tax policy, accounting principles or custom of, foreign jurisdictions whose residents may be granted Awards; and
|
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(k)
to correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or any Award Agreement and to make all other determinations and take such other actions with respect to the Plan or any Award as the Committee may deem advisable to the extent not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan or applicable law.
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3.6
Option or SAR Repricing.
Without the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the shares of Stock cast in person or by proxy at a meeting of the stockholders of the Company at which a quorum representing a majority of all outstanding shares of Stock is present or represented by proxy, the Committee shall not approve a program providing for either (a) the cancellation of outstanding Options or SARs having exercise prices per share greater than the then Fair Market Value of a share of Stock (“
Underwater Awards
”) and the grant in substitution therefor of new Options or SARs having a lower exercise price, Full Value Awards or payments in cash, or (b) the amendment of outstanding Underwater Awards to reduce the exercise price thereof. This Section shall not be construed to apply to (i) “issuing or assuming a stock option in a transaction to which Section 424(a) applies,” within the meaning of Section 424 of the Code, (ii) adjustments pursuant to the assumption of or substitution for an Option or SAR in a manner that would comply with Section 409A, or (iii) an adjustment pursuant to Section 4.4.
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3.7
Indemnification.
In addition to such other rights of indemnification as they may have as members of the Board or the Committee or as officers or employees of the Participating Company Group, to the extent permitted by applicable law, members of the Board or the Committee and any officers or employees of the Participating Company Group to whom authority to act for the Board, the Committee or the Company is delegated shall be indemnified by the Company against all reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and necessarily incurred in connection with the defense of any action, suit or proceeding, or in connection with any appeal therein, to which they or any of them may be a party by reason of any action taken or failure to act under or in connection with the Plan, or any right granted hereunder, and against all amounts paid by them in settlement thereof (provided such settlement is approved by independent legal counsel selected by the Company) or paid by them 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 person is liable for gross negligence, bad faith or intentional misconduct in duties; provided, however, that within sixty (60) days after the institution of such action, suit or proceeding, such person shall offer to the Company, in writing, the opportunity at its own expense to handle and defend the same.
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4.
Shares Subject to Plan
.
|
|
4.1
Maximum Number of Shares Issuable.
Subject to adjustment as provided in Sections 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4, the maximum aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be issued under the Plan shall be equal to Eleven Million Eight Hundred Seventy Five Thousand (11,875,000) shares and shall consist of authorized but unissued or reacquired shares of Stock or any combination thereof.
|
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4.2
Adjustment for Unissued or Forfeited Predecessor Plan Shares.
The maximum aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be issued under the Plan as set forth in Section 4.1 shall be cumulatively increased from time to time by:
|
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(a)
the aggregate number of shares of Stock that remain available for the future grant of awards under the Predecessor Plan immediately prior to its termination as of the Effective Date;
|
|
(b)
the number of shares of Stock subject to that portion of any option or other award outstanding pursuant to the Predecessor Plan as of the Effective Date which, on or after the Effective Date, expires or is terminated or canceled for any reason without having been exercised or settled in full; and
|
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(c)
the number of shares of Stock acquired pursuant to the Predecessor Plan subject to forfeiture or repurchase by the Company for an amount not greater than the Participant’s purchase price which
, on or after the Effective Date,
is so forfeited or repurchased;
|
provided, however, that the aggregate number of shares of Stock authorized for issuance under the Predecessor Plan that may become authorized for issuance under the Plan pursuant to this Section 4.2 shall not exceed One Million Nine Hundred Thousand (1,900,000) shares.
|
(a)
Each share of Stock subject to an Award other than a Full Value Award shall be counted against the limit set forth in Section 4.1 as one (1) share. Each one (1) share of Stock subject to a Full Value Award granted pursuant
|
to the Plan or forfeited or repurchased pursuant to Section 4.3(b) shall be counted for purposes of the limit set forth in Section 4.1 as two and one-half (2.5) shares.
|
|
(b)
If an outstanding Award for any reason expires or is terminated or canceled without having been exercised or settled in full, or if shares of Stock acquired pursuant to an Award subject to forfeiture or repurchase are forfeited or repurchased by the Company for an amount not greater than the Participant’s purchase price, the shares of Stock allocable to the terminated portion of such Award or such forfeited or repurchased shares of Stock shall again be available for issuance under the Plan. Shares of Stock shall not be deemed to have been issued pursuant to the Plan with respect to any portion of an Award that is settled in cash. Upon payment in shares of Stock pursuant to the exercise of an SAR, the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan shall be reduced by the gross number of shares for which the SAR is exercised. If the exercise price of an Option is paid by tender to the Company, or attestation to the ownership, of shares of Stock owned by the Participant, or by means of a Net-Exercise, the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan shall be reduced by the gross number of shares for which the Option is exercised. Shares purchased in the open market with proceeds from the exercise of Options shall not be added to the limit set forth in Section 4.1. Shares withheld or reacquired by the Company in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations pursuant to the exercise or settlement of Options or SARs pursuant to Section 16.2 shall not again be available for issuance under the Plan. Shares withheld or reacquired by the Company in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations pursuant to the vesting or settlement of Full Value Awards pursuant to Section 16.2 shall not again become available for issuance under the Plan.
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4.4
Adjustments for Changes in Capital Structure
.
Subject to any required action by the stockholders of the Company and the requirements of Sections 409A and 424 of the Code to the extent applicable, in the event of any change in the Stock effected without receipt of consideration by the Company, whether through merger, consolidation, reorganization, reincorporation, recapitalization, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, split-up, split-off, spin-off, combination of shares, exchange of shares, or similar change in the capital structure of the Company, or in the event of payment of a dividend or distribution to the stockholders of the Company in a form other than Stock (excepting regular, periodic cash dividends) that has a material effect on the Fair Market Value of shares of Stock, appropriate and proportionate adjustments shall be made in the number and kind of shares subject to the Plan and to any outstanding Awards, the Award limits set forth in Section 5.3 and Section 5.4, and in the exercise or purchase price per share under any outstanding Award in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of Participants’ rights under the Plan. For purposes of the foregoing, conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be treated as “effected without receipt of consideration by the Company.” If a majority of the shares which are of the same class as the shares that are subject to outstanding Awards are exchanged for, converted into, or otherwise become (whether or not pursuant to an Ownership Change Event) shares of another corporation (the
“
New Shares
”
), the Committee may unilaterally amend the outstanding Awards to provide that such Awards are for New Shares. In the event of any such amendment, the number of shares subject to, and the exercise or purchase price per share of, the outstanding Awards shall be adjusted in a fair and equitable manner as determined by the Committee, in its discretion. Any fractional share resulting from an adjustment pursuant to this Section shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number and the exercise or purchase price per share shall be rounded up to the nearest whole cent. In no event may the exercise or purchase price, if any, under any Award be decreased to an amount less than the par value, if any, of the stock subject to such Award. The Committee in its discretion, may also make such adjustments in the terms of any Award to reflect, or related to, such changes in the capital structure of the Company or distributions as it deems appropriate, including modification of Performance Goals, Performance Award Formulas and Performance Periods. The adjustments determined by the Committee pursuant to this Section shall be final, binding and conclusive.
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4.5
Assumption or Substitution of Awards.
The Committee may, without affecting the number of shares of Stock reserved or available hereunder, authorize the issuance or assumption of benefits under this Plan in connection with any merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, or reorganization upon such terms and conditions as it may deem appropriate, subject to compliance with Section 409A and any other applicable provisions of the Code.
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5.
Eligibility, Participation and Award Limitations
.
|
|
5.1
Persons Eligible for Awards.
Awards may be granted only to Employees, Consultants and Directors.
|
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5.2
Participation in the Plan.
Awards are granted solely at the discretion of the Committee. Eligible persons may be granted more than one Award. However, eligibility in accordance with this Section shall not entitle any person to be granted an Award, or, having been granted an Award, to be granted an additional Award.
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5.3
Incentive Stock Option Limitations
.
|
|
(a)
Maximum Number of Shares Issuable Pursuant to Incentive Stock Options.
Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.4, the maximum aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be issued under the Plan pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options shall not exceed Eleven Million Eight Hundred Seventy Five Thousand (11,875,000) shares. The maximum aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be issued under the Plan pursuant to all Awards other than Incentive Stock Options shall be the number of shares determined in accordance with Section 4.1, subject to adjustment as provided in Sections 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4.
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(b)
Persons Eligible.
An Incentive Stock Option may be granted only to a person who, on the effective date of grant, is an Employee of the Company, a Parent Corporation or a Subsidiary Corporation (each being an
“
ISO-Qualifying Corporation
”
). Any person who is not an Employee of an ISO-Qualifying Corporation on the effective date of the grant of an Option to such person may be granted only a Nonstatutory Stock Option.
|
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(c)
Fair Market Value Limitation.
To the extent that options designated as Incentive Stock Options (granted under all stock plans of the Participating Company Group, including the Plan) become exercisable by a Participant for the first time during any calendar year for stock having a Fair Market Value greater than One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000), the portion of such options which exceeds such amount shall be treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options. For purposes of this Section, options designated as Incentive Stock Options shall be taken into account in the order in which they were granted, and the Fair Market Value of stock shall be determined as of the time the option with respect to such stock is granted. If the Code is amended to provide for a limitation different from that set forth in this Section, such different limitation shall be deemed incorporated herein effective as of the date and with respect to such Options as required or permitted by such amendment to the Code. If an Option is treated as an Incentive Stock Option in part and as a Nonstatutory Stock Option in part by reason of the limitation set forth in this Section, the Participant may designate which portion of such Option the Participant is exercising. In the absence of such designation, the Participant shall be deemed to have exercised the Incentive Stock Option portion of the Option first. Upon exercise the Option, shares issued pursuant to each such portion shall be separately identified.
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5.4
Section 162(m) Award Limits.
Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.4, no Covered Employee shall be granted within any fiscal year of the Company one or more Awards intended to qualify for treatment as Performance-Based Compensation which in the aggregate are for more than Four Million (4,000,000) shares or, if applicable, which could result in such Covered Employee receiving more than Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00) for each full fiscal year of the Company contained in the Performance Period for such Award.
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5.5
Nonemployee Director Award Limits.
Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.4, no Nonemployee Director shall be granted within any fiscal year of the Company one or more Nonemployee Director Awards which in the aggregate are for more than Three Hundred Thousand (300,000) shares.
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5.6
Minimum Vesting.
Except with respect to five percent (5%) of the maximum aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be issued under the Plan, as provided in Section 4, no Award which vests on the basis of the Participant’s continued Service shall vest earlier than one year following the date of grant of such Award, and no Award which vests on the basis of attainment of performance goals shall provide for a performance period of less than one year.
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Options shall be evidenced by Award Agreements specifying the number of shares of Stock covered thereby, in such form as the Committee shall establish. Such Award Agreements may incorporate all or any of the terms of the Plan by reference and shall comply with and be subject to the following terms and conditions:
|
6.1
Exercise Price.
The exercise price for each Option shall be established in the discretion of the Committee; provided, however, that (a) the exercise price per share shall be not less than the Fair Market Value of a share of
|
Stock on the effective date of grant of the Option and (b) no Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Owner shall have an exercise price per share less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the effective date of grant of the Option. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Option (whether an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option) may be granted with an exercise price lower than the minimum exercise price set forth above if such Option is granted pursuant to an assumption or substitution for another option in a manner that would qualify under the provisions of Section 409A or Section 424(a) of the Code.
|
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6.2
Exercisability and Term of Options.
Subject to the minimum vesting provisions of Section 5.6, Options shall be exercisable at such time or times, or upon such event or events, and subject to such terms, conditions, performance criteria and restrictions as shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement evidencing such Option; provided, however, that (a) no Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years after the effective date of grant of such Option, and (b) no Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Owner shall be exercisable after the expiration of five (5) years after the effective date of grant of such Option. Subject to the foregoing, unless otherwise specified by the Committee in the grant of an Option, each Option shall terminate ten (10) years after the effective date of grant of the Option, unless earlier terminated in accordance with its provisions. No Dividend Equivalent Rights will be paid with respect to Options.
|
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6.3
Payment of Exercise Price
.
|
|
(a)
Forms of Consideration Authorized.
Except as otherwise provided below, payment of the exercise price for the number of shares of Stock being purchased pursuant to any Option shall be made (i) in cash, by check or in cash equivalent; (ii) if permitted by the Committee and subject to the limitations contained in Section 6.3(b), by means of (1) a Cashless Exercise, (2) a Stock Tender Exercise or (3) a Net Exercise; (iii) by such other consideration as may be approved by the Committee from time to time to the extent permitted by applicable law, or (iv) by any combination thereof. The Committee may at any time or from time to time grant Options which do not permit all of the foregoing forms of consideration to be used in payment of the exercise price or which otherwise restrict one or more forms of consideration.
|
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(b)
Limitations on Forms of Consideration
.
|
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(i)
Cashless Exercise.
A
“
Cashless Exercise
”
means the delivery of a properly executed notice of exercise together with irrevocable instructions to a broker providing for the assignment to the Company of the proceeds of a sale or loan with respect to some or all of the shares being acquired upon the exercise of the Option (including, without limitation, through an exercise complying with the provisions of Regulation T as promulgated from time to time by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System). The Company reserves, at any and all times, the right, in the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, to establish, decline to approve or terminate any program or procedures for the exercise of Options by means of a Cashless Exercise, including with respect to one or more Participants specified by the Company notwithstanding that such program or procedures may be available to other Participants.
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(ii)
Stock Tender Exercise.
A
“
Stock Tender Exercise
”
means the delivery of a properly executed exercise notice accompanied by a Participant’s tender to the Company, or attestation to the ownership, in a form acceptable to the Company of whole shares of Stock owned by the Participant having a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the aggregate exercise price for the shares with respect to which the Option is exercised. A Stock Tender Exercise shall not be permitted if it would constitute a violation of the provisions of any law, regulation or agreement restricting the redemption of the Company’s stock. If required by the Company, an Option may not be exercised by tender to the Company, or attestation to the ownership, of shares of Stock unless such shares either have been owned by the Participant for a period of time required by the Company (and not used for another option exercise by attestation during such period) or were not acquired, directly or indirectly, from the Company.
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(iii)
Net Exercise.
A
“
Net Exercise
”
means the delivery of a properly executed exercise notice followed by a procedure pursuant to which (1) the Company will reduce the number of shares otherwise issuable to a Participant upon the exercise of an Option by the largest whole number of shares having a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the aggregate exercise price for the shares with respect to which the Option is exercised, and (2) the Participant shall pay to the Company in cash the remaining balance of such aggregate exercise price not satisfied by such reduction in the number of whole shares to be issued.
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6.4
Effect of Termination of Service
.
|
|
(a)
Option Exercisability.
Subject to earlier termination of the Option as otherwise provided by this Plan and unless otherwise provided by the Committee, an Option shall terminate immediately upon the Participant’s termination of Service to the extent that it is then unvested and shall be exercisable after the Participant’s termination of Service to the extent it is then vested only during the applicable time period determined in accordance with this Section and thereafter shall terminate.
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(i)
Disability.
If the Participant’s Service terminates because of the Disability of the Participant, the Option, to the extent unexercised and exercisable for vested shares on the date on which the Participant’s Service terminated, may be exercised by the Participant (or the Participant’s guardian or legal representative) at any time prior to the expiration of twelve (12) months (or such longer or shorter period provided by the Award Agreement) after the date on which the Participant’s Service terminated, but in any event no later than the date of expiration of the Option’s term as set forth in the Award Agreement evidencing such Option (the
“
Option Expiration Date
”
).
|
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(ii)
Death.
If the Participant’s Service terminates because of the death of the Participant, the Option, to the extent unexercised and exercisable for vested shares on the date on which the Participant’s Service terminated, may be exercised by the Participant’s legal representative or other person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by reason of the Participant’s death at any time prior to the expiration of twelve (12) months (or such longer or shorter period provided by the Award Agreement) after the date on which the Participant’s Service terminated, but in any event no later than the Option Expiration Date. The Participant’s Service shall be deemed to have terminated on account of death if the Participant dies within three (3) months (or such longer or shorter period provided by the Award Agreement) after the Participant’s termination of Service.
|
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(iii)
Termination for Cause.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, if the Participant’s Service is terminated for Cause or if, following the Participant’s termination of Service and during any period in which the Option otherwise would remain exercisable, the Participant engages in any act that would constitute Cause, the Option shall terminate in its entirety and cease to be exercisable immediately upon such termination of Service or act.
|
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(iv)
Other Termination of Service.
If the Participant’s Service terminates for any reason, except Disability, death or Cause, the Option, to the extent unexercised and exercisable for vested shares on the date on which the Participant’s Service terminated, may be exercised by the Participant at any time prior to the expiration of three (3) months (or such longer or shorter period provided by the Award Agreement) after the date on which the Participant’s Service terminated, but in any event no later than the Option Expiration Date.
|
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(b)
Extension if Exercise Prevented by Law.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, other than termination of Service for Cause, if the exercise of an Option within the applicable time periods set forth in Section 6.4(a) is prevented by the provisions of Section 14 below, the Option shall remain exercisable until the later of (i) thirty (30) days after the date such exercise first would no longer be prevented by such provisions or (ii) the end of the applicable time period under Section 6.4(a), but in any event no later than the Option Expiration Date.
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6.5
Transferability of Options.
During the lifetime of the Participant, an Option shall be exercisable only by the Participant or the Participant’s guardian or legal representative. An Option shall not be subject in any manner to anticipation, alienation, sale, exchange, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, or garnishment by creditors of the Participant or the Participant’s beneficiary, except transfer by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent permitted by the Committee, in its discretion, and set forth in the Award Agreement evidencing such Option, an Option shall be assignable or transferable subject to the applicable limitations, if any, described in the General Instructions to Form S‑8 under the Securities Act or, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, only as permitted by applicable regulations under Section 421 of the Code in a manner that does not disqualify such Option as an Incentive Stock Option.
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7.
Stock Appreciation Rights
.
|
Stock Appreciation Rights shall be evidenced by Award Agreements specifying the number of shares of Stock subject to the Award, in such form as the Committee shall establish. Such Award Agreements may incorporate all or any of the terms of the Plan by reference and shall comply with and be subject to the following terms and conditions:
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7.1
Types of SARs Authorized.
SARs may be granted in tandem with all or any portion of a related Option (a
“
Tandem SAR
”
) or may be granted independently of any Option (a
“
Freestanding SAR
”
). A Tandem SAR may only be granted concurrently with the grant of the related Option. No Dividend Equivalent Rights will be paid with respect to SARs.
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7.2
Exercise Price.
The exercise price for each SAR shall be established in the discretion of the Committee; provided, however, that (a) the exercise price per share subject to a Tandem SAR shall be the exercise price per share under the related Option and (b) the exercise price per share subject to a Freestanding SAR shall be not less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the effective date of grant of the SAR. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an SAR may be granted with an exercise price lower than the minimum exercise price set forth above if such SAR is granted pursuant to an assumption or substitution for another stock appreciation right in a manner that would qualify under the provisions of Section 409A of the Code.
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7.3
Exercisability and Term of SARs
.
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(a)
Tandem SARs.
Tandem SARs shall be exercisable only at the time and to the extent, and only to the extent, that the related Option is exercisable, subject to such provisions as the Committee may specify where the Tandem SAR is granted with respect to less than the full number of shares of Stock subject to the related Option. The Committee may, in its discretion, provide in any Award Agreement evidencing a Tandem SAR that such SAR may not be exercised without the advance approval of the Company and, if such approval is not given, then the Option shall nevertheless remain exercisable in accordance with its terms. A Tandem SAR shall terminate and cease to be exercisable no later than the date on which the related Option expires or is terminated or canceled. Upon the exercise of a Tandem SAR with respect to some or all of the shares subject to such SAR, the related Option shall be canceled automatically as to the number of shares with respect to which the Tandem SAR was exercised. Upon the exercise of an Option related to a Tandem SAR as to some or all of the shares subject to such Option, the related Tandem SAR shall be canceled automatically as to the number of shares with respect to which the related Option was exercised.
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(b)
Freestanding SARs.
Subject to the minimum vesting provisions of Section 5.6, freestanding SARs shall be exercisable at such time or times, or upon such event or events, and subject to such terms, conditions, performance criteria and restrictions as shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement evidencing such SAR; provided, however, that no Freestanding SAR shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years after the effective date of grant of such SAR. Subject to the foregoing, unless otherwise specified by the Committee in the grant of a Freestanding SAR, each Freestanding SAR shall terminate ten (10) years after the effective date of grant of the SAR, unless earlier terminated in accordance with its provisions.
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7.4
Exercise of SARs.
Upon the exercise (or deemed exercise pursuant to Section 7.5) of an SAR, the Participant (or the Participant’s legal representative or other person who acquired the right to exercise the SAR by reason of the Participant’s death) shall be entitled to receive payment of an amount for each share with respect to which the SAR is exercised equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of exercise of the SAR over the exercise price. Payment of such amount shall be made (a) in the case of a Tandem SAR, solely in shares of Stock in a lump sum upon the date of exercise of the SAR and (b) in the case of a Freestanding SAR, in cash, shares of Stock, or any combination thereof as determined by the Committee, in a lump sum upon the date of exercise of the SAR. When payment is to be made in shares of Stock, the number of shares to be issued shall be determined on the basis of the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of exercise of the SAR. For purposes of Section 7, an SAR shall be deemed exercised on the date on which the Company receives notice of exercise from the Participant or as otherwise provided in Section 7.5.
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7.5
Deemed Exercise of SARs.
If, on the date on which an SAR would otherwise terminate or expire, the SAR by its terms remains exercisable immediately prior to such termination or expiration and, if so exercised, would result in
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a payment to the holder of such SAR, then any portion of such SAR which has not previously been exercised shall automatically be deemed to be exercised as of such date with respect to such portion.
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7.6
Effect of Termination of Service.
Subject to earlier termination of the SAR as otherwise provided herein and unless otherwise provided by the Committee, an SAR shall be exercisable after a Participant’s termination of Service only to the extent and during the applicable time period determined in accordance with Section 6.4 (treating the SAR as if it were an Option) and thereafter shall terminate.
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7.7
Transferability of SARs.
During the lifetime of the Participant, an SAR shall be exercisable only by the Participant or the Participant’s guardian or legal representative. An SAR shall not be subject in any manner to anticipation, alienation, sale, exchange, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, or garnishment by creditors of the Participant or the Participant’s beneficiary, except transfer by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent permitted by the Committee, in its discretion, and set forth in the Award Agreement evidencing such Award, a Tandem SAR related to a Nonstatutory Stock Option or a Freestanding SAR shall be assignable or transferable subject to the applicable limitations, if any, described in the General Instructions to Form S‑8 under the Securities Act.
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8.
Restricted Stock Awards
.
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Restricted Stock Awards shall be evidenced by Award Agreements specifying whether the Award is a Restricted Stock Bonus or a Restricted Stock Purchase Right and the number of shares of Stock subject to the Award, in such form as the Committee shall establish. Such Award Agreements may incorporate all or any of the terms of the Plan by reference and shall comply with and be subject to the following terms and conditions:
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8.1
Types of Restricted Stock Awards Authorized.
Restricted Stock Awards may be granted in the form of either a Restricted Stock Bonus or a Restricted Stock Purchase Right. Restricted Stock Awards may be granted upon such conditions as the Committee shall determine, including, without limitation, upon the attainment of one or more Performance Goals described in Section 10.4. If either the grant of or satisfaction of Vesting Conditions applicable to a Restricted Stock Award is to be contingent upon the attainment of one or more Performance Goals, the Committee shall follow procedures substantially equivalent to those set forth in Sections 10.3 through 10.5(a).
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8.2
Purchase Price.
The purchase price for shares of Stock issuable under each Restricted Stock Purchase Right shall be established by the Committee in its discretion. No monetary payment (other than applicable tax withholding) shall be required as a condition of receiving shares of Stock pursuant to a Restricted Stock Bonus, the consideration for which shall be services actually rendered to a Participating Company or for its benefit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if required by applicable state corporate law, the Participant shall furnish consideration in the form of cash or past services rendered to a Participating Company or for its benefit having a value not less than the par value of the shares of Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Award.
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8.3
Purchase Period.
A Restricted Stock Purchase Right shall be exercisable within a period established by the Committee, which shall in no event exceed thirty (30) days from the effective date of the grant of the Restricted Stock Purchase Right.
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8.4
Payment of Purchase Price.
Except as otherwise provided below, payment of the purchase price for the number of shares of Stock being purchased pursuant to any Restricted Stock Purchase Right shall be made (a) in cash, by check or in cash equivalent, (b) by such other consideration as may be approved by the Committee from time to time to the extent permitted by applicable law, or (c) by any combination thereof.
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8.5
Vesting and Restrictions on Transfer.
Subject to the minimum vesting provisions of Section 5.6, shares issued pursuant to any Restricted Stock Award may be made subject to Vesting Conditions based upon the satisfaction of such Service requirements, conditions, restrictions or performance criteria, including, without limitation, Performance Goals as described in Section 10.4, as shall be established by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement evidencing such Award. During any period in which shares acquired pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award remain subject to Vesting Conditions, such shares may not be sold, exchanged, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise disposed of other than pursuant to an Ownership Change Event or as provided in Section 8.8. The Committee, in its discretion, may provide in any
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Award Agreement evidencing a Restricted Stock Award that, if the satisfaction of Vesting Conditions with respect to any shares subject to such Restricted Stock Award would otherwise occur on a day on which the sale of such shares would violate the provisions of the Trading Compliance Policy, then satisfaction of the Vesting Conditions automatically shall be determined on the next trading day on which the sale of such shares would not violate the Trading Compliance Policy. Upon request by the Company, each Participant shall execute any agreement evidencing such transfer restrictions prior to the receipt of shares of Stock hereunder and shall promptly present to the Company any and all certificates representing shares of Stock acquired hereunder for the placement on such certificates of appropriate legends evidencing any such transfer restrictions.
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8.6
Voting Rights; Dividends and Distributions.
Except as provided in this Section, Section 8.5 and any Award Agreement, during any period in which shares acquired pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award remain subject to Vesting Conditions, the Participant shall have all of the rights of a stockholder of the Company holding shares of Stock, including the right to vote such shares and to receive all dividends and other distributions paid with respect to such shares; provided, however, that such dividends and distributions shall be subject to the same Vesting Conditions as the shares subject to the Restricted Stock Award with respect to which such dividends or distributions were paid. In the event of a dividend or distribution paid in shares of Stock or other property or any other adjustment made upon a change in the capital structure of the Company as described in Section 4.4, any and all new, substituted or additional securities or other property (other than regular, periodic cash dividends) to which the Participant is entitled by reason of the Participant’s Restricted Stock Award shall be immediately subject to the same Vesting Conditions as the shares subject to the Restricted Stock Award with respect to which such dividends or distributions were paid or adjustments were made.
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8.7
Effect of Termination of Service.
Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in the Award Agreement evidencing a Restricted Stock Award, if a Participant’s Service terminates for any reason, whether voluntary or involuntary (including the Participant’s death or disability), then (a) the Company shall have the option to repurchase for the purchase price paid by the Participant any shares acquired by the Participant pursuant to a Restricted Stock Purchase Right which remain subject to Vesting Conditions as of the date of the Participant’s termination of Service and (b) the Participant shall forfeit to the Company any shares acquired by the Participant pursuant to a Restricted Stock Bonus which remain subject to Vesting Conditions as of the date of the Participant’s termination of Service. The Company shall have the right to assign at any time any repurchase right it may have, whether or not such right is then exercisable, to one or more persons as may be selected by the Company.
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8.8
Nontransferability of Restricted Stock Award Rights.
Rights to acquire shares of Stock pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award shall not be subject in any manner to anticipation, alienation, sale, exchange, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance or garnishment by creditors of the Participant or the Participant’s beneficiary, except transfer by will or the laws of descent and distribution. All rights with respect to a Restricted Stock Award granted to a Participant hereunder shall be exercisable during his or her lifetime only by such Participant or the Participant’s guardian or legal representative.
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9.
Restricted Stock Units
.
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Restricted Stock Unit Awards shall be evidenced by Award Agreements specifying the number of Restricted Stock Units subject to the Award, in such form as the Committee shall establish. Such Award Agreements may incorporate all or any of the terms of the Plan by reference and shall comply with and be subject to the following terms and conditions:
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9.1
Grant of Restricted Stock Unit Awards.
Restricted Stock Unit Awards may be granted upon such conditions as the Committee shall determine, including, without limitation, upon the attainment of one or more Performance Goals described in Section 10.4. If either the grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award or the Vesting Conditions with respect to such Award is to be contingent upon the attainment of one or more Performance Goals, the Committee shall follow procedures substantially equivalent to those set forth in Sections 10.3 through 10.5(a).
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9.2
Purchase Price.
No monetary payment (other than applicable tax withholding, if any) shall be required as a condition of receiving a Restricted Stock Unit Award, the consideration for which shall be services actually rendered to a Participating Company or for its benefit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if required by applicable state corporate law, the Participant shall furnish consideration in the form of cash or past services rendered to a Participating Company or for its benefit having a value not less than the par value of the shares of Stock issued upon settlement of the Restricted Stock Unit Award.
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9.3
Vesting.
Subject to the minimum vesting provisions of Section 5.6, Restricted Stock Unit Awards may be made subject to Vesting Conditions based upon the satisfaction of such Service requirements, conditions, restrictions or performance criteria, including, without limitation, Performance Goals as described in Section 10.4, as shall be established by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement evidencing such Award. The Committee, in its discretion, may provide in any Award Agreement evidencing a Restricted Stock Unit Award that, if the satisfaction of Vesting Conditions with respect to any shares subject to the Award would otherwise occur on a day on which the sale of such shares would violate the provisions of the Trading Compliance Policy, then the satisfaction of the Vesting Conditions automatically shall be determined on the first to occur of (a) the next trading day on which the sale of such shares would not violate the Trading Compliance Policy or (b) the last day of the calendar year in which the original vesting date occurred.
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9.4
Voting Rights, Dividend Equivalent Rights and Distributions.
Participants shall have no voting rights with respect to shares of Stock represented by Restricted Stock Units until the date of the issuance of such shares (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company). However, the Committee, in its discretion, may provide in the Award Agreement evidencing any Restricted Stock Unit Award that the Participant shall be entitled to Dividend Equivalent Rights with respect to the payment of cash dividends on Stock during the period beginning on the date such Award is granted and ending, with respect to each share subject to the Award, on the earlier of the date the Award is settled or the date on which it is terminated. Dividend Equivalent Rights, if any, shall be paid by crediting the Participant with a cash amount or with additional whole Restricted Stock Units as of the date of payment of such cash dividends on Stock, as determined by the Committee. The number of additional Restricted Stock Units (rounded to the nearest whole number), if any, to be credited shall be determined by dividing (a) the amount of cash dividends paid on the dividend payment date with respect to the number of shares of Stock represented by the Restricted Stock Units previously credited to the Participant by (b) the Fair Market Value per share of Stock on such date. Such cash amount or additional Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to the same terms and conditions, including vesting, and shall be settled in the same manner and at the same time as the Restricted Stock Units originally subject to the Restricted Stock Unit Award. In the event of a dividend or distribution paid in shares of Stock or other property or any other adjustment made upon a change in the capital structure of the Company as described in Section 4.4, appropriate adjustments shall be made in the Participant’s Restricted Stock Unit Award so that it represents the right to receive upon settlement any and all new, substituted or additional securities or other property (other than regular, periodic cash dividends) to which the Participant would be entitled by reason of the shares of Stock issuable upon settlement of the Award, and all such new, substituted or additional securities or other property shall be immediately subject to the same Vesting Conditions as are applicable to the Award. Dividend Equivalent Rights shall not be paid on unvested Restricted Stock Units but may be accumulated and paid upon vesting or settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, as applicable.
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9.5
Effect of Termination of Service.
Unless otherwise provided by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement evidencing a Restricted Stock Unit Award, if a Participant’s Service terminates for any reason, whether voluntary or involuntary (including the Participant’s death or disability), then the Participant shall forfeit to the Company any Restricted Stock Units pursuant to the Award which remain subject to Vesting Conditions as of the date of the Participant’s termination of Service.
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9.6
Settlement of Restricted Stock Unit Awards.
The Company shall issue to a Participant on the date on which Restricted Stock Units subject to the Participant’s Restricted Stock Unit Award vest or on such other date determined by the Committee in compliance with Section 409A, if applicable, and set forth in the Award Agreement one (1) share of Stock (and/or any other new, substituted or additional securities or other property pursuant to an adjustment described in Section 9.4) for each Restricted Stock Unit then becoming vested or otherwise to be settled on such date, subject to the withholding of applicable taxes, if any. If permitted by the Committee, the Participant may elect, consistent with the requirements of Section 409A, to defer receipt of all or any portion of the shares of Stock or other property otherwise issuable to the Participant pursuant to this Section, and such deferred issuance date(s) and amount(s) elected by the Participant shall
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be set forth in the Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee, in its discretion, may provide for settlement of any Restricted Stock Unit Award by payment to the Participant in cash of an amount equal to the Fair Market Value on the payment date of the shares of Stock or other property otherwise issuable to the Participant pursuant to this Section.
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9.7
Nontransferability of Restricted Stock Unit Awards.
The right to receive shares pursuant to a Restricted Stock Unit Award shall not be subject in any manner to anticipation, alienation, sale, exchange, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, or garnishment by creditors of the Participant or the Participant’s beneficiary, except transfer by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. All rights with respect to a Restricted Stock Unit Award granted to a Participant hereunder shall be exercisable during his or her lifetime only by such Participant or the Participant’s guardian or legal representative.
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Performance Awards shall be evidenced by Award Agreements in such form as the Committee shall establish. Such Award Agreements may incorporate all or any of the terms of the Plan by reference and shall comply with and be subject to the following terms and conditions:
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10.1
Types of Performance Awards Authorized.
Performance Awards may be granted in the form of either Performance Shares or Performance Units. Each Award Agreement evidencing a Performance Award shall specify the number of Performance Shares or Performance Units subject thereto, the Performance Award Formula, the Performance Goal(s) and Performance Period applicable to the Award, and the other terms, conditions and restrictions of the Award.
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10.2
Initial Value of Performance Shares and Performance Units.
Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in granting a Performance Award, each Performance Share shall have an initial monetary value equal to the Fair Market Value of one (1) share of Stock, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.4, on the effective date of grant of the Performance Share, and each Performance Unit shall have an initial monetary value established by the Committee at the time of grant. The final value payable to the Participant in settlement of a Performance Award determined on the basis of the applicable Performance Award Formula will depend on the extent to which Performance Goals established by the Committee are attained within the applicable Performance Period established by the Committee.
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10.3
Establishment of Performance Period, Performance Goals and Performance Award Formula.
In granting each Performance Award, the Committee shall establish in writing the applicable Performance Period (subject to the minimum vesting provisions of Section 5.6), Performance Award Formula and one or more Performance Goals which, when measured at the end of the Performance Period, shall determine on the basis of the Performance Award Formula the final value of the Performance Award to be paid to the Participant. Unless otherwise permitted in compliance with the requirements under Section 162(m) with respect to each Performance Award intended to result in the payment of Performance-Based Compensation, the Committee shall establish the Performance Goal(s) and Performance Award Formula applicable to each Performance Award no later than the earlier of (a) the date ninety (90) days after the commencement of the applicable Performance Period or (b) the date on which 25% of the Performance Period has elapsed, and, in any event, at a time when the outcome of the Performance Goals remains substantially uncertain. Once established, the Performance Goals and Performance Award Formula applicable to a Performance Award intended to result in the payment of Performance-Based Compensation to a Covered Employee shall not be changed during the Performance Period. The Company shall notify each Participant granted a Performance Award of the terms of such Award, including the Performance Period, Performance Goal(s) and Performance Award Formula.
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10.4
Measurement of Performance Goals.
Performance Goals shall be established by the Committee on the basis of targets to be attained (
“
Performance Targets
”
) with respect to one or more measures of business or financial performance (each, a
“
Performance Measure
”
), subject to the following:
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(a)
Performance Measures.
Performance Measures shall be calculated in accordance with the Company’s financial statements, or, if such measures are not reported in the Company’s financial statements, they shall be calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, a method used generally in the Company’s industry, or in accordance with a methodology established by the Committee prior to the grant of the Performance Award. As
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specified by the Committee, Performance Measures may be calculated with respect to the Company and each Subsidiary Corporation consolidated therewith for financial reporting purposes, one or more Subsidiary Corporations or such division or other business unit of any of them selected by the Committee. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee prior to the grant of the Performance Award, the Performance Measures applicable to the Performance Award shall be calculated prior to the accrual of expense for any Performance Award for the same Performance Period and excluding the effect (whether positive or negative) on the Performance Measures of any change in accounting standards or any unusual or infrequently occurring event or transaction, as determined by the Committee, occurring after the establishment of the Performance Goals applicable to the Performance Award. Each such adjustment, if any, shall be made solely for the purpose of providing a consistent basis from period to period for the calculation of Performance Measures in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of the Participant’s rights with respect to a Performance Award. Performance Measures may be based upon one or more of the following, as determined by the Committee:
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(vii)
earnings before any one or more of: stock-based compensation expense, interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization;
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(ix)
net operating income;
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(xi)
economic value added;
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(xiii)
operating cash flow;
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(xiv)
balance of cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities;
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(xvi)
earnings per share;
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(xvii)
return on stockholder equity;
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(xviii)
return on capital;
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(xx)
return on investment;
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(xxi)
total stockholder return;
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(xxii)
employee satisfaction;
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(xxiii)
employee retention;
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(xxv)
customer satisfaction;
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(xxvi)
product development;
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(xxvii)
research and development expenses;
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(xxviii)
completion of an identified special project; and
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(xxix)
completion of a joint venture or other corporate transaction.
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(b)
Performance Targets.
Performance Targets may include a minimum, maximum, target level and intermediate levels of performance, with the final value of a Performance Award determined under the applicable Performance Award Formula by the Performance Target level attained during the applicable Performance Period. A Performance Target may be stated as an absolute value, an increase or decrease in a value, or as a value determined relative to an index, budget or other standard selected by the Committee.
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10.5
Settlement of Performance Awards
.
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(a)
Determination of Final Value.
As soon as practicable following the completion of the Performance Period applicable to a Performance Award, the Committee shall certify in writing the extent to which the applicable Performance Goals have been attained and the resulting final value of the Award earned by the Participant and to be paid upon its settlement in accordance with the applicable Performance Award Formula.
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(b)
Discretionary Adjustment of Award Formula.
In its discretion, the Committee may, either at the time it grants a Performance Award or at any time thereafter, provide for the positive or negative adjustment of the Performance Award Formula applicable to a Performance Award granted to any Participant who is not a Covered Employee to reflect such Participant’s individual performance in his or her position with the Company or such other factors as the Committee may determine. If permitted under a Covered Employee’s Award Agreement, the Committee shall have the discretion, on the basis of such criteria as may be established by the Committee, to reduce some or all of the value of the Performance Award that would otherwise be paid to the Covered Employee upon its settlement notwithstanding the attainment of any Performance Goal and the resulting value of the Performance Award determined in accordance with the Performance Award Formula. No such reduction may result in an increase in the amount payable upon settlement of another Participant’s Performance Award that is intended to result in Performance-Based Compensation.
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(c)
Effect of Leaves of Absence.
Unless otherwise required by law or a Participant’s Award Agreement, payment of the final value, if any, of a Performance Award held by a Participant who has taken in excess of thirty (30) days in unpaid leaves of absence during a Performance Period shall be prorated on the basis of the number of days of the Participant’s Service during the Performance Period during which the Participant was not on an unpaid leave of absence.
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(d)
Notice to Participants.
As soon as practicable following the Committee’s determination and certification in accordance with Sections 10.5(a) and (b), the Company shall notify each Participant of the determination of the Committee.
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(e)
Payment in Settlement of Performance Awards.
As soon as practicable following the Committee’s determination and certification in accordance with Sections 10.5(a) and (b), but in any event within the Short-Term Deferral Period described in Section 15.1 (except as otherwise provided below or consistent with the requirements of Section 409A), payment shall be made to each eligible Participant (or such Participant’s legal representative or other person who acquired the right to receive such payment by reason of the Participant’s death) of the final value of the Participant’s Performance Award. Payment of such amount shall be made in cash, shares of Stock, or a combination thereof as determined by the Committee. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement evidencing a Performance Award, payment shall be made in a lump sum. If permitted by the Committee, the Participant may elect, consistent with the
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requirements of Section 409A, to defer receipt of all or any portion of the payment to be made to the Participant pursuant to this Section, and such deferred payment date(s) elected by the Participant shall be set forth in the Award Agreement. If any payment is to be made on a deferred basis, the Committee may, but shall not be obligated to, provide for the payment during the deferral period of Dividend Equivalent Rights or interest.
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(f)
Provisions Applicable to Payment in Shares.
If payment is to be made in shares of Stock, the number of such shares shall be determined by dividing the final value of the Performance Award by the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock determined by the method specified in the Award Agreement. Shares of Stock issued in payment of any Performance Award may be fully vested and freely transferable shares or may be shares of Stock subject to Vesting Conditions as provided in Section 8.5. Any shares subject to Vesting Conditions shall be evidenced by an appropriate Award Agreement and shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 8.5 through 8.8 above.
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10.6
Voting Rights; Dividend Equivalent Rights and Distributions.
Participants shall have no voting rights with respect to shares of Stock represented by Performance Share Awards until the date of the issuance of such shares, if any (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company). However, the Committee, in its discretion, may provide in the Award Agreement evidencing any Performance Share Award that the Participant shall be entitled to Dividend Equivalent Rights with respect to the payment of cash dividends on Stock during the period beginning on the date the Award is granted and ending, with respect to each share subject to the Award, on the earlier of the date on which the Performance Shares are settled or the date on which they are forfeited. Such Dividend Equivalent Rights, if any, shall be credited to the Participant either in cash or in the form of additional whole Performance Shares as of the date of payment of such cash dividends on Stock, as determined by the Committee. The number of additional Performance Shares (rounded to the nearest whole number), if any, to be so credited shall be determined by dividing (a) the amount of cash dividends paid on the dividend payment date with respect to the number of shares of Stock represented by the Performance Shares previously credited to the Participant by (b) the Fair Market Value per share of Stock on such date. Dividend Equivalent Rights, if any, shall be accumulated and paid to the extent that the related Performance Shares become nonforfeitable. Settlement of Dividend Equivalent Rights may be made in cash, shares of Stock, or a combination thereof as determined by the Committee, and may be paid on the same basis as settlement of the related Performance Share as provided in Section 10.5. Dividend Equivalent Rights shall not be paid with respect to Performance Units. In the event of a dividend or distribution paid in shares of Stock or other property or any other adjustment made upon a change in the capital structure of the Company as described in Section 4.4, appropriate adjustments shall be made in the Participant’s Performance Share Award so that it represents the right to receive upon settlement any and all new, substituted or additional securities or other property (other than regular, periodic cash dividends) to which the Participant would be entitled by reason of the shares of Stock issuable upon settlement of the Performance Share Award, and all such new, substituted or additional securities or other property shall be immediately subject to the same Performance Goals as are applicable to the Award.
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10.7
Effect of Termination of Service.
Unless otherwise provided by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement evidencing a Performance Award, the effect of a Participant’s termination of Service on the Performance Award shall be as follows:
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(a)
Death or Disability.
If the Participant’s Service terminates because of the death or Disability of the Participant before the completion of the Performance Period applicable to the Performance Award, the final value of the Participant’s Performance Award shall be determined by the extent to which the applicable Performance Goals have been attained with respect to the entire Performance Period and shall be prorated based on the number of months of the Participant’s Service during the Performance Period. Payment shall be made following the end of the Performance Period in any manner permitted by Section 10.5.
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(b)
Other Termination of Service.
If the Participant’s Service terminates for any reason except death or Disability before the completion of the Performance Period applicable to the Performance Award, such Award shall be forfeited in its entirety; provided, however, that in the event of an involuntary termination of the Participant’s Service, the Committee, in its discretion, may waive the automatic forfeiture of all or any portion of any such Award and determine the final value of the Performance Award in the manner provided by Section 10.7(a). Payment of any amount pursuant to this Section shall be made following the end of the Performance Period in any manner permitted by Section 10.5.
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10.8
Nontransferability of Performance Awards.
Prior to settlement in accordance with the provisions of the Plan, no Performance Award shall be subject in any manner to anticipation, alienation, sale, exchange, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, or garnishment by creditors of the Participant or the Participant’s beneficiary, except transfer by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. All rights with respect to a Performance Award granted to a Participant hereunder shall be exercisable during his or her lifetime only by such Participant or the Participant’s guardian or legal representative.
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11.
Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards
.
|
Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards shall be evidenced by Award Agreements in such form as the Committee shall establish. Such Award Agreements may incorporate all or any of the terms of the Plan by reference and shall comply with and be subject to the following terms and conditions:
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11.1
Grant of Cash-Based Awards
. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Cash-Based Awards to Participants in such amounts and upon such terms and conditions, including the achievement of performance criteria, as the Committee may determine.
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11.2
Grant of Other Stock-Based Awards
. The Committee may grant other types of equity-based or equity-related Awards not otherwise described by the terms of this Plan (including the grant or offer for sale of unrestricted securities, stock-equivalent units, stock appreciation units, securities or debentures convertible into common stock or other forms determined by the Committee) in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine. Other Stock-Based Awards may be made available as a form of payment in the settlement of other Awards or as payment in lieu of compensation to which a Participant is otherwise entitled. Other Stock-Based Awards may involve the transfer of actual shares of Stock to Participants, or payment in cash or otherwise of amounts based on the value of Stock and may include, without limitation, Awards designed to comply with or take advantage of the applicable local laws of jurisdictions other than the United States.
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11.3
Value of Cash-Based and Other Stock-Based Awards
. Each Cash-Based Award shall specify a monetary payment amount or payment range as determined by the Committee. Each Other Stock-Based Award shall be expressed in terms of shares of Stock or units based on such shares of Stock, as determined by the Committee. Subject to the minimum vesting provisions of Section 5.6, the Committee may require the satisfaction of such Service requirements, conditions, restrictions or performance criteria, including, without limitation, Performance Goals as described in Section 10.4, as shall be established by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement evidencing such Award. If the Committee exercises its discretion to establish performance criteria, the final value of Cash-Based Awards or Other Stock-Based Awards that will be paid to the Participant will depend on the extent to which the performance criteria are met. The establishment of performance criteria with respect to the grant or vesting of any Cash-Based Award or Other Stock-Based Award intended to result in Performance-Based Compensation shall follow procedures substantially equivalent to those applicable to Performance Awards set forth in Section 10.
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11.4
Payment or Settlement of Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards
. Payment or settlement, if any, with respect to a Cash-Based Award or an Other Stock-Based Award shall be made in accordance with the terms of the Award, in cash, shares of Stock or other securities or any combination thereof as the Committee determines. The determination and certification of the final value with respect to any Cash-Based Award or Other Stock-Based Award intended to result in Performance-Based Compensation shall comply with the requirements applicable to Performance Awards set forth in Section 10. To the extent applicable, payment or settlement with respect to each Cash-Based Award and Other Stock-Based Award shall be made in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A.
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11.5
Voting Rights; Dividend Equivalent Rights and Distributions.
Participants shall have no voting rights with respect to shares of Stock represented by Other Stock-Based Awards until the date of the issuance of such shares of Stock (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company), if any, in settlement of such Award. However, the Committee, in its discretion, may provide in the Award Agreement evidencing any Other Stock-Based Award that the Participant shall be entitled to Dividend Equivalent Rights with respect to the payment of cash dividends on Stock during the period beginning on the date such Award is granted and ending, with respect to each share subject to the Award, on the earlier of the date the Award is settled or the date on which it is
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terminated. Such Dividend Equivalent Rights, if any, shall be paid in accordance with the provisions set forth in Section 9.4. Dividend Equivalent Rights shall not be granted with respect to Cash-Based Awards. In the event of a dividend or distribution paid in shares of Stock or other property or any other adjustment made upon a change in the capital structure of the Company as described in Section 4.4, appropriate adjustments shall be made in the Participant’s Other Stock-Based Award so that it represents the right to receive upon settlement any and all new, substituted or additional securities or other property (other than regular, periodic cash dividends) to which the Participant would be entitled by reason of the shares of Stock issuable upon settlement of such Award, and all such new, substituted or additional securities or other property shall be immediately subject to the same Vesting Conditions and performance criteria, if any, as are applicable to the Award.
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11.6
Effect of Termination of Service
. Each Award Agreement evidencing a Cash-Based Award or Other Stock-Based Award shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to retain such Award following termination of the Participant’s Service. Such provisions shall be determined in the discretion of the Committee, need not be uniform among all Cash-Based Awards or Other Stock-Based Awards, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination, subject to the requirements of Section 409A, if applicable.
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11.7
Nontransferability of Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards.
Prior to the payment or settlement of a Cash-Based Award or Other Stock-Based Award, the Award shall not be subject in any manner to anticipation, alienation, sale, exchange, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, or garnishment by creditors of the Participant or the Participant’s beneficiary, except transfer by will or by the laws of descent and distribution. The Committee may impose such additional restrictions on any shares of Stock issued in settlement of Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards as it may deem advisable, including, without limitation, minimum holding period requirements, restrictions under applicable federal securities laws, under the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which such shares of Stock are then listed and/or traded, or under any state securities laws or foreign law applicable to such shares of Stock.
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12.
Standard Forms of Award Agreement
.
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12.1
Award Agreements
.
Each Award shall comply with and be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the appropriate form of Award Agreement approved by the Committee and as amended from time to time. No Award or purported Award shall be a valid and binding obligation of the Company unless evidenced by a fully executed Award Agreement, which execution may be evidenced by electronic means.
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12.2
Authority to Vary Terms
.
The Committee shall have the authority from time to time to vary the terms of any standard form of Award Agreement either in connection with the grant or amendment of an individual Award or in connection with the authorization of a new standard form or forms; provided, however, that the terms and conditions of any such new, revised or amended standard form or forms of Award Agreement are not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan.
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13.1
Effect of Change in Control on Awards.
Subject to the requirements and limitations of Section 409A, if applicable, the Committee may provide for any one or more of the following:
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(a)
Accelerated Vesting.
The Committee may provide in the grant of any Award or at any other time may take such action as it deems appropriate to provide for acceleration of the exercisability, vesting and/or settlement in connection with a Change in Control of each or any outstanding Award or portion thereof and shares acquired pursuant thereto only if (i) the Award is not assumed, continued, or substituted by the Acquiror as described in Section 13.1(b), or (ii) the Award is assumed, continued, or substituted by the Acquiror as described in Section 13.1(b) and the Participant’s Service terminates as a result of Involuntary Termination; provided, however, that the vesting of Awards that are performance-based will be determined in either case based on the greater of (x) assumed achievement of the applicable performance goals at 100% of target with the result prorated based on the period of the Participant’s actual Service during the applicable full performance period, or (y) actual achievement of the applicable performance goals through the date of the Change in Control or the Involuntary Termination, as applicable.
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For purposes of the foregoing, “
Involuntary Termination
” means, as to a particular Participant, the occurrence of any of the following upon or within a period of time established by the Committee (not exceeding twenty-four (24) months) following a Change in Control: (i) the Participant’s Service is terminated without Cause, or (ii) the Participant terminates his or her Service for Good Reason; provided the Participant has given the Company written notice of the existence of a condition constituting Good Reason within sixty (60) days following the initial occurrence of such condition, the Company fails to remedy such condition within thirty (30) days following such written notice, and the Participant’s resignation from Service is effective no later than six (6) months following the initial occurrence of such condition. Involuntary Termination shall not include any termination of the Participant’s Service which is (i) for Cause, (ii) a result of the Participant’s death or Disability, or (iii) a result of the Participant’s voluntary termination of Service other than for Good Reason.
For purposes of the foregoing, “
Good Reason
” means, unless such term or an equivalent term is otherwise defined by the applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and a Participating Company applicable to an Award, any of the following with respect to a particular Participant without the Participant’s informed written consent: (i) a material diminution of the Participant’s authority, duties or responsibilities causing the Participant’s authority, duties or responsibilities to be of materially lesser rank within the Company or an equivalent business unit of its parent, as measured against the Participant’s authority, duties and responsibilities immediately prior to such diminution; (ii) a material reduction by the Company of the Participant’s base salary, other than any such material reduction that occurs in connection with a reduction that is imposed on all Participants at the time of such reduction; or (iii) the relocation of the Participant’s work place for the Company to a location that increases the Participant’s regular one-way commute distance between the Participant’s residence and work place by more than fifty (50) miles. The existence of Good Reason shall not be affected by the Participant’s temporary incapacity due to physical or mental illness not constituting a Disability.
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(b)
Assumption, Continuation or Substitution.
In the event of a Change in Control, the surviving, continuing, successor, or purchasing corporation or other business entity or parent thereof, as the case may be (the
“
Acquiror
”
), may, without the consent of any Participant, assume or continue the Company’s rights and obligations under each or any Award or portion thereof outstanding immediately prior to the Change in Control or substitute for each or any such outstanding Award or portion thereof a substantially equivalent award with respect to the Acquiror’s stock, as applicable. For purposes of this Section, if so determined by the Committee in its discretion, an Award denominated in shares of Stock shall be deemed assumed if, following the Change in Control, the Award confers the right to receive, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement, for each share of Stock subject to the Award immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash, other securities or property or a combination thereof) to which a holder of a share of Stock on the effective date of the Change in Control was entitled (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Stock); provided, however, that if such consideration is not solely common stock of the Acquiror, the Committee may, with the consent of the Acquiror, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise or settlement of the Award, for each share of Stock subject to the Award, to consist solely of common stock of the Acquiror equal in Fair Market Value to the per share consideration received by holders of Stock pursuant to the Change in Control. Any Award or portion thereof which is neither assumed or continued by the Acquiror in connection with the Change in Control nor exercised or settled as of the time of consummation of the Change in Control shall terminate and cease to be outstanding effective as of the time of consummation of the Change in Control.
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(c)
Cash-Out of Outstanding Stock-Based Awards.
The Committee may, in its discretion and without the consent of any Participant, determine that, upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, each or any Award denominated in shares of Stock or portion thereof outstanding immediately prior to the Change in Control and not previously exercised or settled shall be canceled in exchange for a payment with respect to each vested share (and each unvested share, if so determined by the Committee) of Stock subject to such canceled Award in (i) cash, (ii) stock of the Company or of a corporation or other business entity a party to the Change in Control, or (iii) other property which, in any such case, shall be in an amount having a Fair Market Value equal to the Fair Market Value of the consideration to be paid per share of Stock in the Change in Control, reduced (but not below zero) by the exercise or purchase price per share, if any, under such Award. In the event such determination is made by the Committee, an Award having an exercise or purchase price per share equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value of the consideration to be paid per share of Stock in the Change in Control may be canceled without payment of consideration to the holder thereof. Payment pursuant to this Section (reduced by applicable withholding taxes, if any) shall be made to Participants in respect of the vested portions of their canceled Awards as soon as
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practicable following the date of the Change in Control and in respect of the unvested portions of their canceled Awards in accordance with the vesting schedules applicable to such Awards.
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13.2
Effect of Change in Control on Nonemployee Director Awards.
Subject to the requirements and limitations of Section 409A, if applicable, including as provided by Section 15.4(f), in the event of a Change in Control, each outstanding Nonemployee Director Award shall become immediately exercisable and vested in full and, except to the extent assumed, continued or substituted for pursuant to Section 13.1(b), shall be settled effective immediately prior to the time of consummation of the Change in Control.
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13.3
Federal Excise Tax Under Section 4999 of the Code
.
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(a)
Excess Parachute Payment.
If any acceleration of vesting pursuant to an Award and any other payment or benefit received or to be received by a Participant would subject the Participant to any excise tax pursuant to Section 4999 of the Code due to the characterization of such acceleration of vesting, payment or benefit as an “excess parachute payment” under Section 280G of the Code, then, provided such election would not subject the Participant to taxation under Section 409A, the Participant may elect to reduce the amount of any acceleration of vesting called for under the Award in order to avoid such characterization.
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(b)
Determination by Independent Accountants.
To aid the Participant in making any election called for under Section 13.3(a), no later than the date of the occurrence of any event that might reasonably be anticipated to result in an “excess parachute payment” to the Participant as described in Section 13.3(a), the Company shall request a determination in writing by the professional firm engaged by the Company for general tax purposes, or, if the tax firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the Acquiror, the Company will appoint a nationally recognized tax firm to make the determinations required by this Section. (the “
Tax Firm
”). As soon as practicable thereafter, the Tax Firm shall determine and report to the Company and the Participant the amount of such acceleration of vesting, payments and benefits which would produce the greatest after-tax benefit to the Participant. For the purposes of such determination, the Tax Firm may rely on reasonable, good faith interpretations concerning the application of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code. The Company and the Participant shall furnish to the Tax Firm such information and documents as the Tax Firm may reasonably request in order to make its required determination. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses the Tax Firm charge in connection with its services contemplated by this Section.
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14.
Compliance with Securities Law
.
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The grant of Awards and the issuance of shares of Stock pursuant to any Award shall be subject to compliance with all applicable requirements of federal, state and foreign law with respect to such securities and the requirements of any stock exchange or market system upon which the Stock may then be listed. In addition, no Award may be exercised or shares issued pursuant to an Award unless (a) a registration statement under the Securities Act shall at the time of such exercise or issuance be in effect with respect to the shares issuable pursuant to the Award, or (b) in the opinion of legal counsel to the Company, the shares issuable pursuant to the Award may be issued in accordance with the terms of an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The inability of the Company to obtain from any regulatory body having jurisdiction the authority, if any, deemed by the Company’s legal counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any shares under the Plan shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained. As a condition to issuance of any Stock, the Company may require the Participant to satisfy any qualifications that may be necessary or appropriate, to evidence compliance with any applicable law or regulation and to make any representation or warranty with respect thereto as may be requested by the Company.
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15.
Compliance with Section 409A
.
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15.1
Awards Subject to Section 409A.
The Company intends that Awards granted pursuant to the Plan shall either be exempt from or comply with Section 409A, and the Plan shall be so construed. The provisions of this
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Section 15 shall apply to any Award or portion thereof that constitutes or provides for payment of Section 409A Deferred Compensation. Such Awards may include, without limitation:
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(a)
A Nonstatutory Stock Option or SAR that includes any feature for the deferral of compensation other than the deferral of recognition of income until the later of (i) the exercise or disposition of the Award or (ii) the time the stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of the Award first becomes substantially vested.
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(b)
Any Restricted Stock Unit Award, Performance Award, Cash-Based Award or Other Stock-Based Award that either (i) provides by its terms for settlement of all or any portion of the Award at a time or upon an event that will or may occur later than the end of the Short-Term Deferral Period (as defined below) or (ii) permits the Participant granted the Award to elect one or more dates or events upon which the Award will be settled after the end of the Short-Term Deferral Period.
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Subject to the provisions of Section 409A, the term “
Short-Term Deferral Period
”
means the 2½ month period ending on the later of (i) the 15th day of the third month following the end of the Participant’s taxable year in which the right to payment under the applicable portion of the Award is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture or (ii) the 15th day of the third month following the end of the Company’s taxable year in which the right to payment under the applicable portion of the Award is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture. For this purpose, the term “substantial risk of forfeiture” shall have the meaning provided by Section 409A.
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15.2
Deferral and/or Distribution Elections.
Except as otherwise permitted or required by Section 409A, the following rules shall apply to any compensation deferral and/or payment elections (each, an “
Election
”) that may be permitted or required by the Committee pursuant to an Award providing Section 409A Deferred Compensation:
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(a)
Elections must be in writing and specify the amount of the payment in settlement of an Award being deferred, as well as the time and form of payment as permitted by this Plan.
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(b)
Elections shall be made by the end of the Participant’s taxable year prior to the year in which services commence for which an Award may be granted to the Participant.
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(c)
Elections shall continue in effect until a written revocation or change in Election is received by the Company, except that a written revocation or change in Election must be received by the Company prior to the last day for making the Election determined in accordance with paragraph (b) above or as permitted by Section 15.3.
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15.3
Subsequent Elections
.
Except as otherwise permitted or required by Section 409A, any Award providing Section 409A Deferred Compensation which permits a subsequent Election to delay the payment or change the form of payment in settlement of such Award shall comply with the following requirements:
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(a)
No subsequent Election may take effect until at least twelve (12) months after the date on which the subsequent Election is made.
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(b)
Each subsequent Election related to a payment in settlement of an Award not described in Section 15.4(a)(ii), 15.4(a)(iii) or 15.4(a)(vi) must result in a delay of the payment for a period of not less than five (5) years from the date on which such payment would otherwise have been made.
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(c)
No subsequent Election related to a payment pursuant to Section 15.4(a)(iv) shall be made less than twelve (12) months before the date on which such payment would otherwise have been made.
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(d)
Subsequent Elections shall continue in effect until a written revocation or change in the subsequent Election is received by the Company, except that a written revocation or change in a subsequent Election must be received by the Company prior to the last day for making the subsequent Election determined in accordance the preceding paragraphs of this Section 15.3.
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15.4
Payment of Section 409A Deferred Compensation
.
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(a)
Permissible Payments.
Except as otherwise permitted or required by Section 409A, an Award providing Section 409A Deferred Compensation must provide for payment in settlement of the Award only upon one or more of the following:
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(i)
The Participant’s “separation from service” (as defined by Section 409A);
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(ii)
The Participant’s becoming “disabled” (as defined by Section 409A);
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(iii)
The Participant’s death;
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(iv)
A time or fixed schedule that is either (i) specified by the Committee upon the grant of an Award and set forth in the Award Agreement evidencing such Award or (ii) specified by the Participant in an Election complying with the requirements of Section 15.2 or 15.3, as applicable;
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(v)
A change in the ownership or effective control or the Company or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company determined in accordance with Section 409A; or
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(vi)
The occurrence of an “unforeseeable emergency” (as defined by Section 409A).
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(b)
Installment Payments
. It is the intent of this Plan that any right of a Participant to receive installment payments (within the meaning of Section 409A) shall, for all purposes of Section 409A, be treated as a right to a series of separate payments.
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(c)
Required Delay in Payment to Specified Employee Pursuant to Separation from Service.
Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or an Award Agreement to the contrary, except as otherwise permitted by Section 409A, no payment pursuant to Section 15.4(a)(i) in settlement of an Award providing for Section 409A Deferred Compensation may be made to a Participant who is a “specified employee” (as defined by Section 409A) as of the date of the Participant’s separation from service before the date (the
“
Delayed Payment Date
”
) that is six (6) months after the date of such Participant’s separation from service, or, if earlier, the date of the Participant’s death. All such amounts that would, but for this paragraph, become payable prior to the Delayed Payment Date shall be accumulated and paid on the Delayed Payment Date.
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(d)
Payment Upon Disability.
All distributions of Section 409A Deferred Compensation payable pursuant to Section 15.4(a)(ii) by reason of a Participant becoming disabled shall be paid in a lump sum or in periodic installments as established by the Participant’s Election. If the Participant has made no Election with respect to distributions of Section 409A Deferred Compensation upon becoming disabled, all such distributions shall be paid in a lump sum upon the determination that the Participant has become disabled.
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(e)
Payment Upon Death
.
If a Participant dies before complete distribution of amounts payable upon settlement of an Award subject to Section 409A, such undistributed amounts shall be distributed to his or her beneficiary under the distribution method for death established by the Participant’s Election upon receipt by the Committee of satisfactory notice and confirmation of the Participant’s death. If the Participant has made no Election with respect to distributions of Section 409A Deferred Compensation upon death, all such distributions shall be paid in a lump sum upon receipt by the Committee of satisfactory notice and confirmation of the Participant’s death.
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(f)
Payment Upon Change in Control.
Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or an Award Agreement to the contrary, to the extent that any amount constituting Section 409A Deferred Compensation would become payable under this Plan by reason of a Change in Control, such amount shall become payable only if the event constituting a Change in Control would also constitute a change in ownership or effective control of the Company or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company within the meaning of Section 409A. Any Award which constitutes Section 409A Deferred Compensation and which would vest and otherwise become payable upon a Change in Control as a result of the failure of the Acquiror to assume, continue or substitute for such Award in accordance with Section 13.1(b) shall vest to the extent provided by such Award but shall be converted automatically at the effective time of
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such Change in Control into a right to receive, in cash on the date or dates such award would have been settled in accordance with its then existing settlement schedule (or as required by Section 15.4(c)), an amount or amounts equal in the aggregate to the intrinsic value of the Award at the time of the Change in Control.
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(g)
Payment Upon Unforeseeable Emergency.
The Committee shall have the authority to provide in the Award Agreement evidencing any Award providing for Section 409A Deferred Compensation for payment pursuant to Section 15.4(a)(vi) in settlement of all or a portion of such Award in the event that a Participant establishes, to the satisfaction of the Committee, the occurrence of an unforeseeable emergency. In such event, the amount(s) distributed with respect to such unforeseeable emergency cannot exceed the amounts reasonably necessary to satisfy the emergency need plus amounts necessary to pay taxes reasonably anticipated as a result of such distribution(s), after taking into account the extent to which such emergency need is or may be relieved through reimbursement or compensation by insurance or otherwise, by liquidation of the Participant’s assets (to the extent the liquidation of such assets would not itself cause severe financial hardship) or by cessation of deferrals under the Award. All distributions with respect to an unforeseeable emergency shall be made in a lump sum upon the Committee’s determination that an unforeseeable emergency has occurred. The Committee’s decision with respect to whether an unforeseeable emergency has occurred and the manner in which, if at all, the payment in settlement of an Award shall be altered or modified, shall be final, conclusive, and not subject to approval or appeal.
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(h)
Prohibition of Acceleration of Payments.
Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or an Award Agreement to the contrary, this Plan does not permit the acceleration of the time or schedule of any payment under an Award providing Section 409A Deferred Compensation, except as permitted by Section 409A.
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(i)
No Representation Regarding Section 409A Compliance
. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Company makes no representation that Awards shall be exempt from or comply with Section 409A. No Participating Company shall be liable for any tax, penalty or interest imposed on a Participant by Section 409A.
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16.1
Tax Withholding in General.
The Company shall have the right to deduct from any and all payments made under the Plan, or to require the Participant, through payroll withholding, cash payment or otherwise, to make adequate provision for, the federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including social insurance), if any, required by law to be withheld by any Participating Company with respect to an Award or the shares acquired pursuant thereto. The Company shall have no obligation to deliver shares of Stock, to release shares of Stock from an escrow established pursuant to an Award Agreement, or to make any payment in cash under the Plan until the Participating Company Group’s tax withholding obligations have been satisfied by the Participant.
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16.2
Withholding in or Directed Sale of Shares.
The Company shall have the right, but not the obligation, to deduct from the shares of Stock issuable to a Participant upon the exercise or settlement of an Award, or to accept from the Participant the tender of, a number of whole shares of Stock having a Fair Market Value, as determined by the Company, equal to all or any part of the tax withholding obligations of any Participating Company. The Fair Market Value of any shares of Stock withheld or tendered to satisfy any such tax withholding obligations shall not exceed the amount determined by the applicable minimum statutory withholding rates. The Company may require a Participant to direct a broker, upon the vesting, exercise or settlement of an Award, to sell a portion of the shares subject to the Award determined by the Company in its discretion to be sufficient to cover the tax withholding obligations of any Participating Company and to remit an amount equal to such tax withholding obligations to such Participating Company in cash.
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17.
Amendment, Suspension or Termination of Plan
.
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The Committee may amend, suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. However, without the approval of the Company’s stockholders, there shall be (a) no increase in the maximum aggregate number of shares of Stock that may be issued under the Plan (except by operation of the provisions of Sections 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4), (b) no change in the class of persons eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options, and (c) no other amendment of the Plan that would require approval of the Company’s stockholders under any applicable law, regulation or rule, including the rules of any stock exchange or quotation system upon which the Stock may then be listed or quoted. No amendment, suspension or termination of the
Plan shall affect any then outstanding Award unless expressly provided by the Committee. Except as provided by the next sentence, no amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan may have a materially adverse effect on any then outstanding Award without the consent of the Participant. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, the Committee may, in its sole and absolute discretion and without the consent of any Participant, amend the Plan or any Award Agreement, to take effect retroactively or otherwise, as it deems necessary or advisable for the purpose of conforming the Plan or such Award Agreement to any present or future law, regulation or rule applicable to the Plan, including, but not limited to, Section 409A.
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18.
Miscellaneous Provisions
.
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18.1
Repurchase Rights
.
Shares issued under the Plan may be subject to one or more repurchase options, or other conditions and restrictions as determined by the Committee in its discretion at the time the Award is granted. The Company shall have the right to assign at any time any repurchase right it may have, whether or not such right is then exercisable, to one or more persons as may be selected by the Company. Upon request by the Company, each Participant shall execute any agreement evidencing such transfer restrictions prior to the receipt of shares of Stock hereunder and shall promptly present to the Company any and all certificates representing shares of Stock acquired hereunder for the placement on such certificates of appropriate legends evidencing any such transfer restrictions.
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(a)
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 specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Award. Such events may include, but shall not be limited to, termination of Service for Cause or any act by a Participant, whether before or after termination of Service, that would constitute Cause for termination of Service, or any accounting restatement due to material noncompliance of the Company with any financial reporting requirements of securities laws as a result of which, and to the extent that, such reduction, cancellation, forfeiture, or recoupment is required by applicable securities laws.
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(b)
If the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to the material noncompliance of the Company, as a result of misconduct, with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, any Participant who knowingly or through gross negligence engaged in the misconduct, or who knowingly or through gross negligence failed to prevent the misconduct, and any Participant who is one of the individuals subject to automatic forfeiture under Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, shall reimburse the Company for (i) the amount of any payment in settlement of an Award received by such Participant during the twelve- (12-) month period following the first public issuance or filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (whichever first occurred) of the financial document embodying such financial reporting requirement, and (ii) any profits realized by such Participant from the sale of securities of the Company during such twelve- (12-) month period.
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18.3
Provision of Information.
Each Participant shall be given access to information concerning the Company equivalent to that information generally made available to the Company’s common stockholders.
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18.4
Rights as Employee, Consultant or Director.
No person, even though eligible pursuant to Section 5, shall have a right to be selected as a Participant, or, having been so selected, to be selected again as a Participant. Nothing in the Plan or any Award granted under the Plan shall confer on any Participant a right to remain an Employee, Consultant or Director or interfere with or limit in any way any right of a Participating Company to terminate the Participant’s Service at any time. To the extent that an Employee of a Participating Company other than the Company receives an Award under the Plan, that Award shall in no event be understood or interpreted to mean that the Company is the Employee’s employer or that the Employee has an employment relationship with the Company.
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18.5
Rights as a Stockholder.
A Participant shall have no rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares covered by an Award until the date of the issuance of such shares (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company). No adjustment shall be made for dividends, distributions or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date such shares are issued, except as provided in Section 4.4 or another provision of the Plan.
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18.6
Delivery of Title to Shares.
Subject to any governing rules or regulations, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued the shares of Stock acquired pursuant to an Award and shall deliver such shares to or for the benefit of the Participant by means of one or more of the following: (a) by delivering to the Participant evidence of book entry shares of Stock credited to the account of the Participant, (b) by depositing such shares of Stock for the benefit of the Participant with any broker with which the Participant has an account relationship, or (c) by delivering such shares of Stock to the Participant in certificate form.
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18.7
Fractional Shares.
The Company shall not be required to issue fractional shares upon the exercise or settlement of any Award.
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18.8
Retirement and Welfare Plans
. Neither Awards made under this Plan nor shares of Stock or cash paid pursuant to such Awards may be included as “compensation” for purposes of computing the benefits payable to any Participant under any Participating Company’s retirement plans (both qualified and non-qualified) or welfare benefit plans unless such other plan expressly provides that such compensation shall be taken into account in computing a Participant’s benefit.
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18.9
Beneficiary Designation.
Subject to local laws and procedures, each Participant may file with the Company a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any benefit under the Plan to which the Participant is entitled in the event of such Participant’s death before he or she receives any or all of such benefit. Each designation will revoke all prior designations by the same Participant, shall be in a form prescribed by the Company, and will be effective only when filed by the Participant in writing with the Company during the Participant’s lifetime. If a married Participant designates a beneficiary other than the Participant’s spouse, the effectiveness of such designation may be subject to the consent of the Participant’s spouse. If a Participant dies without an effective designation of a beneficiary who is living at the time of the Participant’s death, the Company will pay any remaining unpaid benefits to the Participant’s legal representative.
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18.10
Severability
. If any one or more of the provisions (or any part thereof) of this Plan shall be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such provision shall be modified so as to make it valid, legal and enforceable, and the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions (or any part thereof) of the Plan shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
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18.11
No Constraint on Corporate Action.
Nothing in this Plan shall be construed to: (a) limit, impair, or otherwise affect the Company’s or another Participating Company’s right or power to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations, or changes of its capital or business structure, or to merge or consolidate, or dissolve, liquidate, sell, or transfer all or any part of its business or assets; or (b) limit the right or power of the Company or another Participating Company to take any action which such entity deems to be necessary or appropriate.
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18.12
Unfunded Obligation.
Participants shall have the status of general unsecured creditors of the Company. Any amounts payable to Participants pursuant to the Plan shall be considered unfunded and unsecured obligations for all purposes, including, without limitation, Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. No Participating Company shall be required to segregate any monies from its general funds, or to create any trusts, or establish any special accounts with respect to such obligations. The Company shall retain at all times beneficial ownership of any investments, including trust investments, which the Company may make to fulfill its payment obligations hereunder. Any investments or the creation or maintenance of any trust or any Participant account shall not create or constitute a trust or fiduciary relationship between the Committee or any Participating Company and a Participant, or otherwise create any vested or beneficial interest in any Participant or the Participant’s creditors in any assets of any Participating Company. The Participants shall have no claim against any Participating Company for any changes in the value of any assets which may be invested or reinvested by the Company with respect to the Plan.
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18.13
Choice of Law.
Except to the extent governed by applicable federal law, the validity, interpretation, construction and performance of the Plan and each Award Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to its conflict of law rules.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF
, the undersigned Secretary of the Company certifies that the foregoing sets forth the Everi Holdings Inc. Amended and Restated 2014 Equity Incentive Plan as duly adopted by the Board on March 8, 2017, and approved by the stockholders of the Company on May ____, 2017.
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VOTE BY INTERNET - www.proxyvote.com Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form. BROADRIDGE CORPORATE ISSUER SOLUTIONS C/O EVERI HOLDINGS INC. P.O. BOX 1342 BRENTWOOD, NY 11717 ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF FUTURE PROXY MATERIALS If you would like to reduce the costs incurred by our company in mailing proxy materials, you can consent to receiving all future proxy statements, proxy cards and annual reports electronically via e-mail or the Internet. To sign up for electronic delivery, please follow the instructions above to vote using the Internet and, when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or access proxy materials electronically in future years. VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903 Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions. VOTE BY MAIL Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717. TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS: E25657-P92254 KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED. EVERI HOLDINGS INC. The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR the following: For All Withhold All For All Except To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee(s), mark “For All Except” and write the number(s) of the nominee(s) on the line below. ! ! ! 1. Election of one Class III Director. Nominees: 01) Linster W. Fox The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposal 2. For Against Abstain For Against Abstain ! 2 Years ! 3 Years ! Abstain ! ! ! 2. Advisory approval of the compensation of our named executive officers. 6. Approval of an amendment and restatement of the Everi Holdings Inc. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan to, among other things, increase the maximum aggregate number of shares that may be issued thereunder by 3,500,000 shares. Approval of the material terms of the performance measures that apply to awards intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under the proposed Everi Holdings Inc. Amended and Restated 2014 Equity Incentive Plan. Ratification of the appointment of BDO USA, LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017. The Board of Directors recommends you vote for 1 YEAR on proposal 3. 1 Year 3. Advisory approval of the frequency of future advisory votes on the compensation of our named executive officers. ! ! For ! Against ! Abstain ! ! ! 7. The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposals 4 through 8. ! ! ! ! ! ! 4. Approval of an amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended ("Certificate of Incorporation"), to replace supermajority voting requirements with majority voting requirements in Article VII, Section B (amendments to our Second Amended and Restated Bylaws). 8. NOTE: Such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof. 5. Approval of an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to replace supermajority voting requirements with majority voting requirements in Article IX (certain amendments to our Certificate of Incorporation). ! ! ! Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer. Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX] Date Signature (Joint Owners) Date V.1.1
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Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting: The Proxy Statement and Combined Document are available at www.proxyvote.com. E25658-P92254 EVERI HOLDINGS INC. Annual Meeting of Stockholders May 23, 2017 9:00 AM This proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors The undersigned holder of Common Stock, par value $.001, of Everi Holdings Inc. (the "Company") hereby appoints Michael D. Rumbolz and Randy L. Taylor, each as proxy for the undersigned, with full power of substitution, to represent and to vote as specified in this Proxy all Common Stock of the Company that the undersigned stockholder would be entitled to vote if personally present at the 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Annual Meeting") to be held on May 23, 2017 at 9:00 a.m., Pacific Time, at the headquarters of Everi Holdings Inc., at 7250 S. Tenaya Way, Suite 100, Las Vegas, NV 89113, and at any adjournments or postponements thereof. The undersigned stockholder hereby revokes any proxy or proxies heretofore executed for such matters. This proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner as directed herein by the undersigned stockholder. IF NO DIRECTION IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE LISTED BOARD NOMINEE IN PROPOSAL 1, FOR PROPOSALS 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, AND FOR 1 YEAR ON PROPOSAL 3 AND IN THE DISCRETION OF THE PROXY AS TO ANY OTHER MATTERS THAT MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE MEETING. The undersigned stockholder may revoke this proxy at any time before it is voted by delivering to the Corporate Secretary of the Company either a written revocation of the proxy or a duly executed proxy bearing a later date, or by appearing at the Annual Meeting and voting in person. Continued and to be signed on reverse side V.1.1
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