As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 19, 2021
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 47281 Bayside Pkwy Fremont, CA 94538 (877) 774-7000 | 20-4645388 | ||||||||||||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | ||||||||||||
Enphase Energy, Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan
(Full titles of the plans)
Badrinarayanan Kothandaraman
Chief Executive Officer
c/o Enphase Energy, Inc.
47281 Bayside Pkwy
Fremont, CA 94538
(877) 774-7000
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
John H. Sellers
Cooley LLP
3175 Hanover Street
Palo Alto, California 94304
(650) 843-5000
Facsimile: (650) 849-7400
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer | ☒ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | |||||||||||||||||
| Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ☐ | |||||||||||||||||
| Emerging growth company | ☐ | |||||||||||||||||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
| Title of Securities to be Registered | Amount to be Registered(1) | Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share | Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price | Amount of Registration Fee | ||||||||||
| Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share, reserved for future grant under the Enphase Energy, Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan | 9,100,456 (2) | $116.96 (5) | $1,064,389,334 | $116,125.00 | ||||||||||
| Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share, issuable pursuant to restricted stock awards outstanding under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan | 2,915,191 (3) | $54.14 (6) | $157,828,441 | $17,219.00 | ||||||||||
| Common Stock, par value $0.00001 per share, issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options granted under 2011 Equity Incentive Plan | 2,341,326 (4) | $1.95 (7) | $4,565,586 | $498.00 | ||||||||||
| Total | 14,356,973 | $1,226,783,361 | $133,842.00 | |||||||||||
(1)Pursuant to Rule 416(a) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this registration statement (this “Registration Statement”) shall also cover any additional shares of Common Stock of Enphase Energy, Inc. (the "Registrant" or the "Company") that become issuable under the plan set forth herein by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without receipt of consideration that increases the number of outstanding shares of the Registrant’s Common Stock.
(2)Consists of 9,100,456 shares issuable under the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2021 Plan").
(3)Represents 2,915,191 shares of common stock issuable for restricted stock units awards outstanding under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan (the "2011 Plan"). Upon the termination, cancellation, forfeiture or repurchase of outstanding awards under the 2011 Plan, the unissued balance of shares issuable under such awards will become issuable under the 2021 Plan.
(4)Consists of 2,341,326 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of stock options outstanding under the 2011 Plan as of the date of this Registration Statement. Upon the expiration, termination, surrender, cancellation, forfeiture or repurchase of outstanding awards under the 2011 Plan, the unissued balance of shares issuable under such awards will become issuable under the 2021 Plan.
(5)Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) and Rule 457(c) promulgated under the Securities Act. The offering price per share of $116.96 is based upon the average of the high and low prices of the Registrant’s Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq Global Market on May 17, 2021, rounded up to the nearest cent.
(6)Estimated in accordance with Rule 457(h) solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee on the basis of $54.14, the weighted average grant date fair value per share of outstanding RSU awards under the 2011 Plan as of May 17, 2021.
(7)Estimated in accordance with Rule 457(h) solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee on the basis of $1.95, the weighted average price per share of outstanding stock option awards under the 2011 Plan as of May 17, 2021.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
On May 19, 2021 (the “Effective Date”), at the 2021 annual meeting of stockholders of the Company, the stockholders approved the 2021 Plan. The 2021 Plan provides, among other things, that the number of shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.00001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), reserved for issuance under the 2021 Plan (subject to adjustment for certain changes in the Company’s capitalization) is equal to: (A) the sum of (i) 9,100,456 newly reserved shares of Common Stock and (ii) 5,256,517 Returning Shares (as defined below) as such shares become available from time to time as set forth in the 2021 Plan. “Returning Shares” means shares subject to any outstanding award granted under the 2011 Plan (“Prior Plan Award”) that are (i) not issued because such Prior Plan Award or any portion thereof expires or otherwise terminates without all of the shares covered by such Prior Plan Award having been issued, or is settled in cash; (ii) forfeited back to or repurchased by the Company because of a failure to vest; or (iii) reacquired or withheld (or not issued) by the Company to satisfy the purchase price of, or a tax withholding obligation in connection with, a Prior Plan Award that is a Full Value Award (as defined in the 2021 Plan).
As a result, this Registration Statement is filed by the Company to register an aggregate 14,356,973 shares of Common Stock, which represents the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable under the 2021 Plan assuming that all 2011 Plan Returning Shares become available for issuance under the 2021 Plan.
PART I
Information Required in the Section 10(a) Prospectus
Information required by Part I of Form S-8 to be contained in the Section 10(a) prospectus is omitted from this Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I will be sent or given to the participants in the 2021 Plan, as specified by Rule 428(b)(1). Such document(s) are not being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 of the Securities Act. These document(s) and the documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this form, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.
PART II
Item 3. Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference
The following documents filed by the Registrant are incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement:
(a) The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (the “Form 10-K”) for the year ended December 31, 2020, which includes audited financial statements for the Registrant’s latest fiscal year, filed with the SEC on February 16, 2021;
(b) The information specifically incorporated by reference into the Form 10-K from the Registrant’s definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the Commission on April 7, 2021;
(c) The Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (the “Form 10-Q”) for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, which includes unaudited financial statements, filed with the SEC on April 27, 2021; and
(d) The Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 1, 2021, March 8, 2021, March 15, 2021 and May 17, 2021.
All other reports and documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act (other than Current Reports furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits furnished on such form that relate to such items) on or after the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part of this Registration Statement from the date of the filing of such reports and documents; provided, however, that documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with the rules of the SEC shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document that also is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.
Item 4. Description of Securities.
Not applicable.
Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
Not applicable.
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
We are incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware. Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes a court to award, or a corporation’s board of directors to grant, indemnity to directors and officers under certain circumstances and subject to certain limitations. The terms of Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law are sufficiently broad to permit indemnification under certain circumstances for liabilities, including reimbursement of expenses incurred, arising under the Securities Act.
As permitted by Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our certificate of incorporation includes a provision that eliminates, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the personal liability of a director for monetary damages resulting from breach of his fiduciary duty as a director. As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, our bylaws provide that:
•we are required to indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law;
•we may indemnify our other employees and agents as provided in indemnification contracts entered into between us and our employees and agents;
•we are required to advance expenses, as incurred, to our directors and officers in connection with a legal proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law; and
•the rights conferred in the bylaws are not exclusive.
Our policy is to enter into separate indemnification agreements with each of our directors and officers that provide the maximum indemnity allowed to directors and executive officers by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law and also provide for certain additional procedural protections. We currently carry liability insurance for our directors and officers.
These indemnification provisions and the indemnification agreements entered into between us and our officers and directors may be sufficiently broad to permit indemnification of our officers and directors for liabilities (including reimbursement of expenses incurred) arising under the Securities Act.
Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.
Not applicable.
Item 8. Exhibits
* Filed herewith.
(1)Previously filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on April 6, 2012, and incorporated by reference herein.
(2)Previously filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on August 9, 2017, and incorporated by reference herein.
(3)Previously filed as Exhibit 2.1 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on August 6, 2018, and incorporated by reference herein.
(4)Previously filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 27, 2020, and incorporated by reference herein.
(5)Previously filed as Exhibit 3.5 to Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended, filed with the SEC on March 12, 2012, and incorporated by reference herein.
(6)Previously filed as Exhibit 4.1 to Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended, filed with the SEC on March 12, 2012, and incorporated by reference herein.
(7)Previously filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on August 17, 2018, and incorporated by reference herein.
(8)Previously filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on June 5, 2019, and incorporated by reference herein.
(9)Previously filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on March 9, 2020, and incorporated by reference herein.
(10)Previously filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on March 1, 2021, and incorporated by reference herein.
(11)Previously filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on March 1, 2021, and incorporated by reference herein.
Item 9. Undertakings.
1.The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
a.To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:
i.To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
ii.To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and
iii.To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;
Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(i) and (a)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.
b.That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
c.To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
2.The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
3.Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Fremont, State of California, on this 19th day of May, 2021.
ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
| By: | /s/ BADRINARAYANAN KOTHANDARAMAN | |||||||
| Badrinarayanan Kothandaraman | ||||||||
| President and Chief Executive Officer | ||||||||
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Badrinarayanan Kothandaraman and Eric Branderiz, jointly and severally, as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement on Form S-8, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his substitutes or substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Signature | Title | Date | ||||||||||||
| /s/ BADRINARAYANAN KOTHANDARAMAN | President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) | May 19, 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Badrinarayanan Kothandaraman | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ ERIC BRANDERIZ | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) | May 19, 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Eric Branderiz | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ MANDY YANG | Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer (Principal Accounting Officer) | May 19, 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Mandy Yang | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ STEVEN J. GOMO | Director | May 19, 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Steven J. Gomo | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ JAMIE HAENGGI | Director | May 19, 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Jamie Haenggi | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ BENJAMIN KORTLANG | Director | May 19, 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Benjamin Kortlang | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ JOSEPH MALCHOW | Director | May 19, 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Joseph Malchow | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ RICHARD MORA | Director | May 19, 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Richard Mora | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ THURMAN JOHN RODGERS | Director | May 19, 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Thurman John Rodgers | ||||||||||||||
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT OF THE
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF
ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
ENPHASE ENERGY, INC., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), hereby certifies that:
FIRST: The name of the Corporation is ENPHASE ENERGY, INC. (the "Corporation").
SECOND: The Certificate of Incorporation of this Corporation was originally filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on March 20, 2006 under the name “PVI Solutions, Inc.”
THIRD: The Board of Directors of the Corporation, acting in accordance with the provisions of Sections 141 and 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, adopted resolutions to amend its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation as follows:
1. Article IV, Section A shall be amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows:
“(A) This Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, “Common Stock” and “Preferred Stock.” The total number of shares that this Corporation is authorized to issue is Three Hundred and Ten Million (310,000,000) shares, each with a par value of $0.00001 per share. Three Hundred Million (300,000,000) shares of which shall be Common Stock and Ten Million (10,000,000) shares of which shall be Preferred Stock.”
FOURTH: Thereafter pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors, this Certificate of Amendment was submitted to the stockholders of the Corporation for their approval, and was duly adopted at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on May 19, 2021 in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Enphase Energy, Inc. has caused this Certificate of Amendment to be signed by its Chief Executive Officer this 19th day of May, 2021.
ENPHASE ENERGY, INC. | |||||||||||
By: | /s/ Badrinarayanan Kothandaraman | ||||||||||
| Badrinarayanan Kothandaraman President and Chief Executive Officer | |||||||||||
Exhibit 5.1
John Sellers
(650) 843-5070
jsellers@cooley.com
May 19, 2021
Enphase Energy, Inc.
47281 Bayside Pkwy
Fremont, CA 94538
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Enphase Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the filing of a registration statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission covering the offering of up to 14,356,973 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Shares”) pursuant to the Company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the “Plan”).
In connection with this opinion, we have examined and relied upon (a) the Registration Statement and related prospectus, (b) the Plan, (c) the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws, each as currently in effect, and (d) such other documents, records, certificates, memoranda and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinion expressed below. We have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as copies, the accuracy, completeness and authenticity of certificates of public officials, and the due authorization, execution and delivery of all documents by all persons other than by the Company where authorization, execution and delivery are prerequisites to the effectiveness thereof. As to certain factual matters, we have relied upon a certificate of an officer of the Company and have not independently verified such matters.
Our opinion is expressed only with respect to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. We express no opinion to the extent that any other laws are applicable to the subject matter hereof and express no opinion and provide no assurance as to compliance with any federal or state securities law, rule or regulation.
On the basis of the foregoing, and in reliance thereon, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when sold and issued in accordance with the Plan, and the Registration Statement and related prospectuses, will be validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable (except as to shares issued pursuant to certain deferred payment arrangements, which will be fully paid and nonassessable when such deferred payments are made in full).
[Signature Page Follows]
3175 HANOVER STREET, PALO ALTO, CA 94304-1130 T: (650) 843-5000 F: (650) 849-7400 WWW.COOLEY.COM
Enphase Energy, Inc.
May 19, 2021
Page Two
We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
Sincerely,
| Cooley LLP | |||||||||||
| By: | /s/ John Sellers | ||||||||||
| John Sellers | |||||||||||
3175 HANOVER STREET, PALO ALTO, CA 94304-1130 T: (650) 843-5000 F: (650) 849-7400 WWW.COOLEY.COM
Exhibit 23.2
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our report dated February 12, 2021, relating to the consolidated financial statements of Enphase Energy, Inc. (the “Company”) and the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2020.
/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
San Francisco, California
May 19, 2021
ENPHASE ENERGY, Inc.
2021 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: MARCH 25, 2021
APPROVED BY THE STOCKHOLDERS: MAY 19, 2021
1.GENERAL.
(a)Prior Plan. As of the Effective Date: (i) no additional awards may be granted under the Prior Plan; and (ii) all Prior Plan Awards will remain subject to the terms of the Prior Plan, except that any Prior Plan Returning Shares will become available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under this Plan. All Awards granted under this Plan will be subject to the terms of this Plan.
(b)Eligible Award Recipients. Subject to Section 4, Employees, Directors and Consultants are eligible to receive Awards.
(c)Available Awards. The Plan provides for the grant of the following types of Awards: (i) Incentive Stock Options; (ii) Nonstatutory Stock Options; (iii) Stock Appreciation Rights; (iv) Restricted Stock Awards; (v) Restricted Stock Unit Awards; (vi) Performance Stock Awards; and (vii) Other Stock Awards.
(d)Purpose. The Plan, through the granting of Awards, is intended to help the Company and any Affiliate secure and retain the services of eligible award recipients, provide incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for the success of the Company and any Affiliate, and provide a means by which such persons may benefit from increases in value of the Common Stock.
2.ADMINISTRATION.
(a)Administration by Board. The Board will administer the Plan. The Board may delegate administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees, as provided in Section 2(c).
(b)Powers of Board. The Board will have the power, subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:
(i)To determine (A) who will be granted Awards, (B) when and how each Award will be granted, (C) what type of Award will be granted, (D) the provisions of each Award (which need not be identical), including when a Participant will be permitted to exercise or otherwise receive cash or Common Stock under the Award, (E) the number of shares of Common Stock subject to, or the cash value of, an Award, and (F) the Fair Market Value applicable to an Award.
(ii)To construe and interpret the Plan and Awards granted under it, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for administration of the Plan and Awards. The Board, in the exercise of these powers, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in
the Plan or in any Award Agreement, in a manner and to the extent it will deem necessary or expedient to make the Plan or Award fully effective.
(iii)To settle all controversies regarding the Plan and Awards granted under it.
(iv)To accelerate, in whole or in part, the time at which an Award may be exercised or vest (or at which cash or shares of Common Stock may be issued in settlement thereof).
(v)To suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan (including Section 2(b)(viii)) or an Award Agreement, suspension or termination of the Plan will not materially impair a Participant’s rights under an outstanding Award without his or her written consent.
(vi)To amend the Plan in any respect the Board deems necessary or advisable, including, without limitation, by adopting amendments relating to Incentive Stock Options and certain nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code and/or to make the Plan or Awards granted under the Plan compliant with the requirements for Incentive Stock Options or exempt from or compliant with the requirements for nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code, subject to the limitations, if any, of applicable law. However, if required by applicable law or listing requirements, and except as provided in Section 9(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments, the Company will seek stockholder approval of any amendment of the Plan that (A) materially increases the number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan, (B) materially expands the class of individuals eligible to receive Awards under the Plan, (C) materially increases the benefits accruing to Participants under the Plan, (D) materially reduces the price at which shares of Common Stock may be issued or purchased under the Plan, or (E) materially expands the types of Awards available for issuance under the Plan. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan (including Section 2(b)(viii)) or an Award Agreement, no amendment of the Plan will materially impair a Participant’s rights under an outstanding Award without his or her written consent.
(vii)To submit any amendment to the Plan for stockholder approval, including, but not limited to, amendments to the Plan intended to satisfy the requirements of (A) Section 422 of the Code regarding incentive stock options or (B) Rule 16b-3.
(viii)To approve forms of Award Agreements for use under the Plan and to amend the terms of any one or more outstanding Awards, including, but not limited to, amendments to provide terms more favorable to the Participant than previously provided in the Award Agreement, subject to any specified limits in the Plan that are not subject to Board discretion; provided, however, that except as otherwise provided in the Plan (including this Section 2(b)(viii)) or an Award Agreement, no amendment of an outstanding Award will materially impair a Participant’s rights under such Award without his or her written consent.
Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything in the Plan to the contrary, unless prohibited by applicable law, the Board may amend the terms of any outstanding Award or the Plan, or may suspend or terminate the Plan, without the affected Participant’s consent, (A) to maintain the qualified status of the Award as an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code, (B) to change the terms of an Incentive Stock Option, if such change results in impairment of the Award solely because it impairs the qualified status of the Award as an Incentive Stock Option
under Section 422 of the Code, (C) to clarify the manner of exemption from, or to bring the Award or the Plan into compliance with, Section 409A of the Code, or (D) to comply with other applicable laws or listing requirements.
(ix)Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as the Board deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company and that are not in conflict with the provisions of the Plan or Awards.
(x)To adopt such procedures and sub-plans as are necessary or appropriate to permit participation in the Plan by Employees, Directors or Consultants who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States (provided that Board approval will not be necessary for immaterial modifications to the Plan or any Award Agreement that are required for compliance with the laws of the relevant foreign jurisdiction).
(c)Delegation to Committee.
(i)General. The Board may delegate some or all of the administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees. If administration of the Plan is delegated to a Committee, the Committee will have, in connection with the administration of the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed by the Board that have been delegated to the Committee, including the power to delegate to a subcommittee of the Committee any of the administrative powers the Committee is authorized to exercise (and references in this Plan to the Board will thereafter be to the Committee or subcommittee, as applicable). Any delegation of administrative powers will be reflected in resolutions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, adopted from time to time by the Board or Committee (as applicable). The Committee may, at any time, abolish the subcommittee and/or revest in the Committee any powers delegated to the subcommittee. The Board may retain the authority to concurrently administer the Plan with the Committee and may, at any time, revest in the Board some or all of the powers previously delegated.
(ii)Rule 16b-3 Compliance. The Committee may consist solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors in accordance with Rule 16b-3.
(d)Delegation to an Officer. The Board may delegate to one or more Officers the authority to do one or both of the following: (i) designate Employees who are not Officers to be recipients of Options and SARs (and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, other Awards) and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the terms of such Awards; and (ii) determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be subject to such Awards granted to such Employees; provided, however, that the Board resolutions regarding such delegation will specify the total number of shares of Common Stock that may be subject to the Awards granted by such Officer and that such Officer may not grant an Award to himself or herself. Any such Awards will be granted on the form of Award Agreement most recently approved for use by the Committee or the Board, unless otherwise provided in the resolutions approving the delegation of authority. The Board may not delegate authority to an Officer who is acting solely in the capacity of an Officer (and not also as a Director) to determine the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock pursuant to Section 13(x)(iii).
(e)Effect of Board’s Decision. All determinations, interpretations and constructions made by the Board in good faith will not be subject to review by any person and will be final, binding and conclusive on all persons.
(f)Cancellation and Re-Grant of Awards. Neither the Board nor any Committee will have the authority to (i) reduce the exercise or strike price of any outstanding Option or SAR or (ii) cancel any outstanding Option or SAR that has an exercise or strike price (per share) greater than the then-current Fair Market Value of the Common Stock in exchange for cash or other Awards under the Plan, unless the stockholders of the Company have approved such an action within 12 months prior to such an event.
(g)Dividends and Dividend Equivalents. Dividends or dividend equivalents may be paid or credited, as applicable, with respect to any shares of Common Stock subject to an Award, as determined by the Board and contained in the applicable Award Agreement; provided, however, that (i) no dividends or dividend equivalents may be paid with respect to any such shares before the date such shares have vested under the terms of such Award Agreement, (ii) any dividends or dividend equivalents that are credited with respect to any such shares will be subject to all of the terms and conditions applicable to such shares under the terms of such Award Agreement (including, but not limited to, any vesting conditions), and (iii) any dividends or dividend equivalents that are credited with respect to any such shares will be forfeited to the Company on the date, if any, such shares are forfeited to or repurchased by the Company due to a failure to meet any vesting conditions under the terms of such Award Agreement.
3.SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.
(a)Share Reserve.
(i)Subject to Section 9(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to Awards from and after the Effective Date (the “Share Reserve”) will not exceed: (A) the sum of (x) 9,530,000 new shares and (y) the Prior Plan Returning Shares, if any, as such shares become available for issuance under this Plan from time to time; minus (B) the number of shares subject to any award granted under the Prior Plan after March 22, 2021 but prior to the Effective Date.
(ii)For clarity, the Share Reserve is a limit on the number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the Plan. Accordingly, this Section 3(a) does not limit the granting of Awards except as provided in Section 7(a). Shares may be issued in connection with a merger or acquisition as permitted by Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c) or, if applicable, NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.08, NYSE American Company Guide Section 711 or other applicable rule, and such issuance will not reduce the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan.
(b)Operation of Share Reserve.
(i)No Reduction to Share Reserve. The Share Reserve will not be reduced by any of the following shares of Common Stock and such shares will remain available for issuance under the Plan: (A) any shares subject to an Award that are not issued because such Award or any portion thereof expires or otherwise terminates without all of the shares covered by such Award having been issued; and (B) any shares subject to an Award that are not issued because such Award or any portion thereof is settled in cash.
(ii)Shares Available for Subsequent Issuance. The following shares of Common Stock will revert to the Share Reserve and become available again for issuance under
the Plan: (A) any shares issued pursuant to an Award that are forfeited back to or repurchased by the Company because of the failure to meet a contingency or condition required for the vesting of such shares; (B) any shares that are reacquired or withheld (or not issued) by the Company to satisfy the purchase price of a Full Value Award granted under the Plan; and (C) any shares that are reacquired or withheld (or not issued) by the Company to satisfy a tax withholding obligation in connection with a Full Value Award granted under the Plan.
(iii)Shares Not Available for Subsequent Issuance. The following shares of Common Stock will not revert to the Share Reserve or become available again for issuance under the Plan: (A) any shares that are reacquired or withheld (or not issued) by the Company to satisfy the exercise or strike price of an Appreciation Award granted under the Plan or the Prior Plan (including any shares subject to such Appreciation Award that are not delivered because such Appreciation Award is exercised through a reduction of shares subject to such Appreciation Award (i.e., “net exercised”)); (B) any shares that are reacquired or withheld (or not issued) by the Company to satisfy a tax withholding obligation in connection with an Appreciation Award granted under the Plan or the Prior Plan; (C) any shares repurchased by the Company on the open market with the proceeds of the exercise or strike price of an Appreciation Award granted under the Plan or the Prior Plan; and (D) in the event that a Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan or a stock appreciation right granted under the Prior Plan is settled in shares of Common Stock, the gross number of shares of Common Stock subject to such award.
(c)Incentive Stock Option Limit. Subject to the Share Reserve and Section 9(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments, the aggregate maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options will be 30,000,000 shares.
(d)Source of Shares. The stock issuable under the Plan will be shares of authorized but unissued or reacquired Common Stock, including shares repurchased by the Company on the open market or otherwise.
4.ELIGIBILITY.
(a)Eligibility for Specific Awards. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to employees of the Company or a “parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation” thereof (as such terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code). Awards other than Incentive Stock Options may be granted to Employees, Directors and Consultants; provided, however, that Awards may not be granted to Employees, Directors and Consultants who are providing Continuous Service only to any “parent” of the Company, as such term is defined in Rule 405, unless (i) the stock underlying such Awards is treated as “service recipient stock” under Section 409A of the Code (for example, because the Awards are granted pursuant to a corporate transaction such as a spin off transaction) or (ii) the Company, in consultation with its legal counsel, has determined that such Awards are otherwise exempt from or alternatively comply with Section 409A of the Code.
(b)Ten Percent Stockholders. A Ten Percent Stockholder will not be granted an Incentive Stock Option unless the exercise price (per share) of such Option is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date of grant of such Option and the Option is not exercisable after the expiration of five years from the date of grant.
5.PROVISIONS RELATING TO OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS.
Each Option or SAR Agreement will be in such form and will contain such terms and conditions as the Board deems appropriate. All Options will be separately designated Incentive Stock Options or Nonstatutory Stock Options at the time of grant, and, if certificates are issued, a separate certificate or certificates will be issued for shares of Common Stock purchased on exercise of each type of Option. If an Option is not specifically designated as an Incentive Stock Option, or if an Option is designated as an Incentive Stock Option but some portion or all of the Option fails to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option under the applicable rules, then the Option (or portion thereof) will be a Nonstatutory Stock Option. The terms and conditions of separate Option or SAR Agreements need not be identical; provided, however, that each Award Agreement will conform to (through incorporation of the provisions hereof by reference in the applicable Award Agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:
(a)Term. Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b) regarding Ten Percent Stockholders, no Option or SAR will be exercisable after the expiration of 10 years from the date of its grant or such shorter period specified in the Award Agreement.
(b)Exercise or Strike Price. Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b) regarding Ten Percent Stockholders, the exercise or strike price (per share) of each Option or SAR will be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date the Award is granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Option or SAR may be granted with an exercise or strike price (per share) less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date the Award is granted if such Award is granted pursuant to an assumption of, or substitution for, another option or stock appreciation right pursuant to a Corporate Transaction and in a manner consistent with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code and, if applicable, Section 424(a) of the Code. Each SAR will be denominated in shares of Common Stock equivalents.
(c)Payment of Exercise Price for Options. The exercise price of an Option may be paid, to the extent permitted by applicable law and as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, by one or more of the methods of payment set forth below that are specified in the Option Agreement. The Board has the authority to grant Options that do not permit all of the following methods of payment (or that otherwise restrict the ability to utilize certain methods) and to grant Options that require the consent of the Company to utilize a particular method of payment.
(i)By cash (including electronic funds transfers), check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company;
(ii)Pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board that, prior to the issuance of the Common Stock subject to the Option, results in either the receipt of cash (or check) by the Company or the receipt of irrevocable instructions to pay the aggregate exercise price to the Company from the sales proceeds;
(iii)By delivery to the Company (either by actual delivery or attestation) of shares of Common Stock;
(iv)If an Option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, by a “net exercise” arrangement pursuant to which the Company will reduce the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise by the largest whole number of shares with a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the aggregate exercise price; provided, however, that the Company will accept a cash or other payment from the Participant to the extent of any remaining balance of the aggregate exercise price not satisfied by such reduction in the number of whole shares to be issued. Shares of Common Stock will no longer be subject to an Option and will not be exercisable thereafter to the extent that (A) shares issuable upon exercise are used to pay the exercise price pursuant to the “net exercise,” (B) shares are delivered to the Participant as a result of such exercise, and (C) shares are withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations; or
(v)In any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Board and specified in the applicable Award Agreement.
(d)Exercise and Payment of a SAR. To exercise any outstanding SAR, the Participant must provide written notice of exercise to the Company in compliance with the provisions of the Award Agreement evidencing such SAR. The appreciation distribution payable on the exercise of a SAR will be not greater than an amount equal to the excess of (A) the aggregate Fair Market Value (on the date of the exercise of the SAR) of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Common Stock equivalents in which the Participant is vested under such SAR, and with respect to which the Participant is exercising the SAR on such date, over (B) the aggregate strike price of the number of Common Stock equivalents with respect to which the Participant is exercising the SAR on such date. The appreciation distribution may be paid in Common Stock, in cash, in any combination of the two or in any other form of consideration, as determined by the Board and contained in the Award Agreement evidencing such SAR.
(e)Transferability of Options and SARs. The Board may, in its sole discretion, impose such limitations on the transferability of Options and SARs as the Board will determine. In the absence of such a determination by the Board to the contrary, the restrictions set forth in this Section 5(e) on the transferability of Options and SARs will apply. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything in the Plan or an Award Agreement to the contrary, no Option or SAR may be transferred to any financial institution without prior stockholder approval.
(i)Restrictions on Transfer. An Option or SAR will not be transferable, except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution (and pursuant to Sections 5(e)(ii) and 5(e)(iii) below), and will be exercisable during the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant. Subject to the foregoing paragraph, the Board may, in its sole discretion, permit transfer of the Option or SAR in a manner that is not prohibited by applicable tax and securities laws. Except as explicitly provided in the Plan, neither an Option nor a SAR may be transferred for consideration.
(ii)Domestic Relations Orders. Subject to the approval of the Board or a duly authorized Officer, an Option or SAR may be transferred pursuant to the terms of a domestic relations order, official marital settlement agreement or other divorce or separation instrument as permitted by Treasury Regulations Section 1.421-1(b)(2). If an Option is an Incentive Stock Option, such Option may be deemed to be a Nonstatutory Stock Option as a result of such transfer.
(iii)Beneficiary Designation. Subject to the approval of the Board or a duly authorized Officer, a Participant may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form approved by the Company (or the designated broker), designate a third party who, upon the death of the Participant, will thereafter be entitled to exercise the Option or SAR and receive the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise. In the absence of such a designation, upon the death of the Participant, the executor or administrator of the Participant’s estate will be entitled to exercise the Option or SAR and receive the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise. However, the Company may prohibit designation of a beneficiary at any time, including due to any conclusion by the Company that such designation would be inconsistent with the provisions of applicable laws.
(f)Vesting. The total number of shares of Common Stock subject to an Option or SAR may vest and become exercisable in periodic installments that may or may not be equal. The Option or SAR may be subject to such other terms and conditions on the time or times when it may or may not be exercised (which may be based on the satisfaction of Performance Goals or other criteria) as the Board may deem appropriate. The vesting provisions of individual Options or SARs may vary. The provisions of this Section 5(f) are subject to any Option or SAR provisions governing the minimum number of shares of Common Stock as to which an Option or SAR may be exercised.
(g)Termination of Continuous Service. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates (other than for Cause and other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability), the Participant may exercise his or her Option or SAR (to the extent that the Participant was entitled to exercise such Option or SAR as of the date of termination of Continuous Service), but only within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date that is three months following such termination of Continuous Service (or such longer or shorter period specified in the Award Agreement), and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after such termination of Continuous Service, the Participant does not exercise his or her Option or SAR (as applicable) within the applicable time period, the Option or SAR (as applicable) will terminate.
(h)Extension of Termination Date. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, if the exercise of an Option or SAR following the termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service (other than for Cause and other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability) would be prohibited at any time solely because the issuance of shares of Common Stock would violate the registration requirements under the Securities Act, then the Option or SAR will terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of a total period of time (that need not be consecutive) equal to the applicable post-termination exercise period after the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service during which the exercise of the Option or SAR would not be in violation of such registration requirements or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. In addition, except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, if the sale of any Common Stock received upon exercise of an Option or SAR following the termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service (other than for Cause)
would violate the Company’s insider trading policy, then the Option or SAR will terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of a total period of time (that need not be consecutive) equal to the applicable post-termination exercise period after the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service during which the sale of the Common Stock received upon exercise of the Option or SAR would not be in violation of the Company’s insider trading policy or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.
(i)Disability of Participant. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Participant’s Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option or SAR (to the extent that the Participant was entitled to exercise such Option or SAR as of the date of termination of Continuous Service), but only within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date that is 18 months following such termination of Continuous Service (or such longer or shorter period specified in the Award Agreement), and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after such termination of Continuous Service, the Participant does not exercise his or her Option or SAR (as applicable) within the applicable time period, the Option or SAR (as applicable) will terminate.
(j)Death of Participant. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, if (i) a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Participant’s death, or (ii) a Participant dies within the period (if any) specified in the Award Agreement for exercisability after the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service (for a reason other than death), then the Participant’s Option or SAR may be exercised (to the extent that the Participant was entitled to exercise such Option or SAR as of the date of death) by the Participant’s estate, by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option or SAR by bequest or inheritance, or by a person designated to exercise the Option or SAR upon the Participant’s death, but only within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date that is 18 months following the date of death (or such longer or shorter period specified in the Award Agreement), and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after the Participant’s death, the Option or SAR (as applicable) is not exercised within the applicable time period, the Option or SAR (as applicable) will terminate.
(k)Termination for Cause. Except as explicitly provided otherwise in the applicable Award Agreement or other individual written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, if a Participant’s Continuous Service is terminated for Cause, the Participant’s Option or SAR will terminate immediately upon such termination of Continuous Service, and the Participant will be prohibited from exercising his or her Option or SAR from and after the time of such termination of Continuous Service.
(l)Non-Exempt Employees. If an Option or SAR is granted to an Employee who is a non-exempt employee for purposes of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, the Option or SAR will not be first exercisable for any shares of Common Stock until at least six months following the date of grant of the Option or SAR (although the Award may vest prior to such date). Consistent with the provisions of the Worker Economic Opportunity Act, (i) if such non-exempt employee dies or suffers a Disability, (ii) upon a Corporate Transaction in which
such Option or SAR is not assumed, continued or substituted, (iii) upon a Change in Control, or (iv) upon the Participant’s retirement (as such term may be defined in the Participant’s Award Agreement, in another written agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, or, if no such definition, in accordance with the Company’s or Affiliate’s then current employment policies and guidelines), the vested portion of any Options and SARs may be exercised earlier than six months following the date of grant. The foregoing provision is intended to operate so that any income derived by a non-exempt employee in connection with the exercise or vesting of an Option or SAR will be exempt from his or her regular rate of pay. To the extent permitted and/or required for compliance with the Worker Economic Opportunity Act to ensure that any income derived by a non-exempt employee in connection with the exercise, vesting or issuance of any shares under any other Award will be exempt from the employee’s regular rate of pay, the provisions of this Section 5(l) will apply to all Awards and are hereby incorporated by reference into such Award Agreements.
6.PROVISIONS OF AWARDS OTHER THAN OPTIONS AND SARs.
(a)Restricted Stock Awards. Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will be in such form and will contain such terms and conditions as the Board deems appropriate. To the extent consistent with the Company’s bylaws, at the Board’s election, shares of Common Stock underlying a Restricted Stock Award may be (i) held in book entry form subject to the Company’s instructions until any restrictions relating to the Restricted Stock Award lapse, or (ii) evidenced by a certificate, which certificate will be held in such form and manner as determined by the Board. The terms and conditions of separate Restricted Stock Award Agreements need not be identical; provided, however, that each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will conform to (through incorporation of the provisions hereof by reference in the applicable Award Agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:
(i)Consideration. A Restricted Stock Award may be awarded in consideration for (A) cash (including electronic funds transfers), check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company, (B) past services to the Company or an Affiliate or (C) any other form of legal consideration (including future services) that may be acceptable to the Board, in its sole discretion, and permissible under applicable law.
(ii)Vesting. Shares of Common Stock awarded under a Restricted Stock Award Agreement may be subject to forfeiture to or repurchase by the Company in accordance with a vesting schedule to be determined by the Board.
(iii)Termination of Continuous Service. If a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates, the Company may receive through a forfeiture condition or a repurchase right any or all of the shares of Common Stock held by the Participant that have not vested as of the date of such termination under the terms of the Participant’s Restricted Stock Award Agreement.
(iv)Transferability. Rights to acquire shares of Common Stock under a Restricted Stock Award Agreement will be transferable by the Participant only upon such terms and conditions as are set forth in the Restricted Stock Award Agreement, as the Board will determine in its sole discretion, so long as Common Stock awarded under the Restricted Stock Award Agreement remains subject to the terms of the Restricted Stock Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything in the Plan or a Restricted Stock Award Agreement to
the contrary, no Restricted Stock Award may be transferred to any financial institution without prior stockholder approval.
(b)Restricted Stock Unit Awards. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will be in such form and will contain such terms and conditions as the Board deems appropriate. The terms and conditions of separate Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements need not be identical; provided, however, that each Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will conform to (through incorporation of the provisions hereof by reference in the applicable Award Agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:
(i)Consideration. At the time of grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, the Board will determine the consideration, if any, to be paid by the Participant upon delivery of each share of Common Stock subject to the Restricted Stock Unit Award. The consideration to be paid (if any) by the Participant for each share of Common Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Unit Award may be paid in any form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Board, in its sole discretion, and permissible under applicable law.
(ii)Vesting. At the time of the grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, the Board may impose such restrictions on or conditions to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Unit Award as it, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate.
(iii)Payment. A Restricted Stock Unit Award may be settled by the delivery of shares of Common Stock, their cash equivalent, any combination thereof or in any other form of consideration, as determined by the Board and contained in the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement.
(iv)Additional Restrictions. At the time of the grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, the Board, as it deems appropriate, may impose such restrictions or conditions that delay the delivery of the shares of Common Stock (or their cash equivalent) subject to the Restricted Stock Unit Award to a time after the vesting of the Restricted Stock Unit Award.
(v)Termination of Continuous Service. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates, any portion of the Participant’s Restricted Stock Unit Award that has not vested as of the date of such termination will be forfeited upon such termination.
(c)Performance Stock Awards.
(i)General. A Performance Stock Award is an Award that is payable (including that may be granted, vest or be exercised) contingent upon the attainment during a Performance Period of specified Performance Goals. A Performance Stock Award may, but need not, require the Participant’s completion of a specified period of Continuous Service. The length of any Performance Period, the Performance Goals to be achieved during the Performance Period, and the measure of whether and to what degree such Performance Goals have been attained will be conclusively determined by the Board, in its sole discretion. In addition, to the extent permitted by applicable law and the applicable Award Agreement, the Board may determine that cash may be used in payment of Performance Stock Awards.
(ii)Board Discretion. With respect to any Performance Stock Award, the Board retains the discretion to (A) reduce or eliminate the compensation or economic benefit due upon the attainment of any Performance Goals on the basis of any considerations as the Board, in its sole discretion, may determine and (B) define the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for a Performance Period.
(d)Other Stock Awards. Other forms of Awards valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, Common Stock, including the appreciation in value thereof may be granted either alone or in addition to Awards granted under Section 5 and this Section 6. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board will have sole and complete authority to determine the persons to whom and the time or times at which such Other Stock Awards will be granted, the number of shares of Common Stock (or the cash equivalent thereof) to be granted pursuant to such Other Stock Awards, and all other terms and conditions of such Other Stock Awards.
7.COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
(a)Availability of Shares. The Company will keep available at all times the number of shares of Common Stock reasonably required to satisfy then-outstanding Awards.
(b)Securities Law Compliance. The Company will seek to obtain from each regulatory commission or agency having jurisdiction over the Plan the authority required to grant Awards and to issue and sell shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Awards; provided, however, that this undertaking will not require the Company to register under the Securities Act the Plan, any Award or any Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any such Award. If, after reasonable efforts and at a reasonable cost, the Company is unable to obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency the authority that counsel for the Company deems necessary for the lawful issuance and sale of Common Stock under the Plan, the Company will be relieved from any liability for failure to issue and sell Common Stock upon exercise of such Awards unless and until such authority is obtained. A Participant will not be eligible for the grant of an Award or the subsequent issuance of cash or Common Stock pursuant to the Award if such grant or issuance would be in violation of any applicable securities law.
(c)No Obligation to Notify or Minimize Taxes. The Company will have no duty or obligation to any Participant to advise such holder as to the time or manner of exercising an Award. Furthermore, the Company will have no duty or obligation to warn or otherwise advise such holder of a pending termination or expiration of an Award or a possible period in which the Award may not be exercised. The Company has no duty or obligation to minimize the tax consequences of an Award to the holder of such Award.
8.MISCELLANEOUS.
(a)Use of Proceeds from Sales of Common Stock. Proceeds from the sale of shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to Awards will constitute general funds of the Company.
(b)Corporate Action Constituting Grant of Awards. Corporate action constituting a grant by the Company of an Award to any Participant will be deemed completed as of the date of such corporate action, unless otherwise determined by the Board, regardless of when the instrument, certificate or letter evidencing the Award is communicated to, or actually received or
accepted by, the Participant. In the event that the corporate records (e.g., Board consents, resolutions or minutes) documenting the corporate action constituting the grant contain terms (e.g., exercise price, vesting schedule or number of shares) that are inconsistent with those in the Award Agreement or related grant documents as a result of a clerical error in the papering of the Award Agreement or related grant documents, the corporate records will control and the Participant will have no legally binding right to the incorrect term in the Award Agreement or related grant documents.
(c)Stockholder Rights. No Participant will be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares of Common Stock subject to an Award unless and until (i) such Participant has satisfied all requirements for exercise of, or the issuance of shares of Common Stock under, the Award pursuant to its terms, and (ii) the issuance of the Common Stock subject to such Award has been entered into the books and records of the Company.
(d)No Employment or Other Service Rights. Nothing in the Plan, any Award Agreement or any other instrument executed thereunder or in connection with any Award granted pursuant thereto will confer upon any Participant any right to continue to serve the Company or an Affiliate in the capacity in effect at the time the Award was granted or will affect the right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate (i) the employment of an Employee with or without notice and with or without cause, (ii) the service of a Director pursuant to the bylaws of the Company or an Affiliate, or (iii) the service of a Consultant pursuant to the terms of such Consultant’s agreement with the Company or an Affiliate, and any applicable provisions of the corporate law of the state in which the Company or the Affiliate is incorporated, as the case may be.
(e)Change in Time Commitment. In the event a Participant’s regular level of time commitment in the performance of his or her services for the Company or any Affiliate is reduced (for example, and without limitation, if the Participant is an Employee and has a change in status from a full-time Employee to a part-time Employee or takes an extended leave of absence) after the date of grant of any Award to the Participant, the Board has the right in its sole discretion to (i) make a corresponding reduction in the number of shares or cash amount subject to any portion of such Award that is scheduled to vest or become payable after the date of such change in time commitment, and (ii) in lieu of or in combination with such a reduction, extend the vesting or payment schedule applicable to such Award. In the event of any such reduction, the Participant will have no right with respect to any portion of the Award that is so reduced or extended.
(f)Incentive Stock Option Limitation. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time of grant) of Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and any Affiliates) exceeds $100,000 (or such other limit established in the Code) or otherwise does not comply with the rules governing Incentive Stock Options, the Options or portions thereof that exceed such limit (according to the order in which they were granted) or otherwise do not comply with such rules will be treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options, notwithstanding any contrary provision of the applicable Option Agreement(s).
(g)Investment Assurances. The Company may require a Participant, as a condition of exercising or acquiring Common Stock under any Award, (i) to give written assurances satisfactory to the Company as to the Participant’s knowledge and experience in financial and business matters and/or to employ a purchaser representative reasonably satisfactory to the Company who is knowledgeable and experienced in financial and business matters and that he or she is capable of evaluating, alone or together with the purchaser representative, the merits and risks of exercising the Award and (ii) to give written assurances satisfactory to the Company stating that the Participant is acquiring Common Stock subject to the Award for the Participant’s own account and not with any present intention of selling or otherwise distributing the Common Stock. The foregoing requirements, and any assurances given pursuant to such requirements, will be inoperative if (A) the issuance of the shares upon the exercise or acquisition of Common Stock under the Award has been registered under a then currently effective registration statement under the Securities Act or (B) as to any particular requirement, a determination is made by counsel for the Company that such requirement need not be met in the circumstances under the then applicable securities laws. The Company may, upon advice of counsel to the Company, place legends on stock certificates issued under the Plan as such counsel deems necessary or appropriate in order to comply with applicable securities laws, including, but not limited to, legends restricting the transfer of the Common Stock.
(h)Withholding Obligations. Unless prohibited by the terms of an Award Agreement, the Company may, in its sole discretion, satisfy any federal, state, local or foreign tax withholding obligation relating to an Award by any of the following means or by a combination of such means: (i) causing the Participant to tender a cash payment; (ii) withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock issued or otherwise issuable to the Participant in connection with the Award; (iii) withholding cash from an Award settled in cash; (iv) withholding payment from any amounts otherwise payable to the Participant; or (v) by such other method as may be set forth in the Award Agreement.
(i)Electronic Delivery. Any reference herein to a “written” agreement or document will include any agreement or document delivered electronically, filed publicly at www.sec.gov (or any successor website thereto) or posted on the Company’s intranet (or other shared electronic medium controlled by the Company to which the Participant has access).
(j)Deferrals. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Board, in its sole discretion, may determine that the delivery of Common Stock or the payment of cash, upon the exercise, vesting or settlement of all or a portion of any Award may be deferred and may establish programs and procedures for deferral elections to be made by Participants. Deferrals by Participants will be made in accordance with Section 409A of the Code. Consistent with Section 409A of the Code, the Board may provide for distributions while a Participant is still an employee or otherwise providing services to the Company or an Affiliate. The Board is authorized to make deferrals of Awards and determine when, and in what annual percentages, Participants may receive payments, including lump sum payments, following the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service, and implement such other terms and conditions consistent with the provisions of the Plan and in accordance with applicable law.
(k)Section 409A. Unless otherwise expressly provided for in an Award Agreement, the Plan and Award Agreements will be interpreted to the greatest extent possible in a manner
that makes the Plan and the Awards granted hereunder exempt from Section 409A of the Code, and, to the extent not so exempt, in compliance with Section 409A of the Code. If the Board determines that any Award granted hereunder is not exempt from and is therefore subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Award Agreement evidencing such Award will incorporate the terms and conditions necessary to avoid the consequences specified in Section 409A(a)(1) of the Code, and to the extent an Award Agreement is silent on terms necessary for compliance with Section 409A of the Code, such terms are hereby incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan (and unless the Award Agreement specifically provides otherwise), if the shares of Common Stock are publicly traded, and if a Participant holding an Award that constitutes “deferred compensation” under Section 409A of the Code is a “specified employee” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, no distribution or payment of any amount under such Award that is due because of a “separation from service” (as defined in Section 409A of the Code without regard to alternative definitions thereunder) will be issued or paid before the date that is six months and one day following the date of such Participant’s “separation from service” or, if earlier, the date of the Participant’s death, unless such distribution or payment may be made in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code, and any amounts so deferred will be paid in a lump sum on the day after such six-month period elapses, with the balance paid thereafter on the original schedule.
(l)Clawback/Recovery. All Awards granted under the Plan will be subject to recoupment in accordance with any clawback policy that the Company is required to adopt pursuant to the listing standards of any national securities exchange or association on which the Company’s securities are listed or as is otherwise required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or other applicable law, and any other clawback policy that the Company adopts. In addition, the Board may impose such other clawback, recovery or recoupment provisions in an Award Agreement as the Board determines necessary or appropriate, including, but not limited to, a reacquisition right in respect of previously acquired shares of Common Stock or other cash or property upon the occurrence of Cause. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to resign for “good reason” or “constructive termination” (or similar term) under any agreement with the Company or an Affiliate.
9.ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK; OTHER CORPORATE EVENTS.
(a)Capitalization Adjustments. In the event of a Capitalization Adjustment, the Board will appropriately and proportionately adjust: (i) the class(es) and maximum number of securities subject to the Plan pursuant to Section 3(a); (ii) the class(es) and maximum number of securities that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options pursuant to Section 3(c); and (iii) the class(es) and number of securities and price per share of stock subject to outstanding Awards. The Board will make such adjustments and its determination will be final, binding and conclusive.
(b)Dissolution or Liquidation. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, in the event of a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, all outstanding Awards (other than Awards consisting of vested and outstanding shares of Common Stock not subject to
the Company’s right of repurchase or a forfeiture condition) will terminate immediately prior to the completion of such dissolution or liquidation, and the shares of Common Stock subject to the Company’s right of repurchase or a forfeiture condition may be repurchased or reacquired by the Company notwithstanding the fact that the holder of such Award is providing Continuous Service; provided, however, that the Board may, in its sole discretion, cause some or all Awards to become fully vested, exercisable and/or no longer subject to repurchase or forfeiture (to the extent such Awards have not previously expired or terminated) before the dissolution or liquidation is completed but contingent on its completion.
(c)Corporate Transaction. The provisions of this Section 9(c) will apply to each outstanding Award in the event of a Corporate Transaction unless otherwise provided in the instrument evidencing the Award, in any other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, or in any director compensation policy of the Company, or unless otherwise expressly provided by the Board at the time of grant of an Award. In the event of a Corporate Transaction, then, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Board will take one or more of the following actions with respect to outstanding Awards, contingent upon the closing or completion of such Corporate Transaction:
(i)arrange for the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company) to assume or continue the Award or to substitute a similar stock award for the Award (including, but not limited to, an award to acquire the same consideration paid to the stockholders of the Company pursuant to such Corporate Transaction);
(ii)arrange for the assignment of any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company in respect of Common Stock issued pursuant to the Award to the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company);
(iii)accelerate the vesting (and exercisability, if applicable), in whole or in part, of the Award to a date prior to the effective time of such Corporate Transaction as the Board will determine (or, if the Board does not determine such a date, to the date that is five days prior to the effective time of such Corporate Transaction), with such Award terminating if not exercised (if applicable) prior to the effective time of such Corporate Transaction in accordance with the exercise procedures determined by the Board;
(iv)arrange for the lapse of any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company with respect to the Award;
(v)cancel or arrange for the cancellation of the Award, to the extent not vested or not exercised prior to the effective time of such Corporate Transaction, in exchange for such cash consideration, if any, as the Board, in its sole discretion, may consider appropriate; or
(vi)make a payment, in such form as may be determined by the Board, equal to the excess, if any, of (A) the value of the property the Participant would have received upon the exercise of the Award immediately prior to the effective time of such Corporate Transaction, over (B) any exercise price payable by the Participant in connection with such exercise. For clarity, such payment may be zero if the value of such property is equal to or less than the exercise price. Payments under this Section 9(c)(vi) may be delayed to the same extent that
payment of consideration to the holders of the Common Stock in connection with such Corporate Transaction is delayed as a result of escrows, earn outs, holdbacks or any other contingencies.
For clarity, in the event of a Corporate Transaction, the Board need not take the same action or actions with respect to all Awards or portions thereof or with respect to all Participants.
(d)Change in Control. An Award may be subject to additional acceleration of vesting and exercisability upon or after a Change in Control as may be provided in the Award Agreement for such Award, in any other written agreement or plan between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant, or in any director compensation policy of the Company, but in the absence of such provision, no such acceleration will occur.
(e)Parachute Payments. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, if any payment or benefit the Participant would receive pursuant to a Change in Control from the Company or otherwise (“Payment”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this sentence, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then such Payment will be equal to the Reduced Amount. The “Reduced Amount” will be either (x) the largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment being subject to the Excise Tax or (y) the largest portion, up to and including the total, of the Payment, whichever amount, after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in the Participant’s receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greater amount of the Payment notwithstanding that all or some portion of the Payment may be subject to the Excise Tax. If a reduction in payments or benefits constituting “parachute payments” is necessary so that the Payment equals the Reduced Amount, reduction will occur in the following order: (A) reduction of cash payments; (B) cancellation of accelerated vesting of equity awards other than stock options; (C) cancellation of accelerated vesting of stock options; and (D) reduction of other benefits paid to the Participant. Within any such category of payments and benefits (that is, (A), (B), (C) or (D)), a reduction will occur first with respect to amounts that are not “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and then with respect to amounts that are. In the event that acceleration of compensation from a Participant’s equity awards is to be reduced, such acceleration of vesting will be canceled, subject to the immediately preceding sentence, in the reverse order of the date of grant. The accounting firm engaged by the Company for general audit purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the Change in Control will perform the foregoing calculations. If the accounting firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the Change in Control, the Company will appoint a nationally recognized accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder. The Company will bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such accounting firm required to be made hereunder. The accounting firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder will provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to the Participant and the Company within 15 calendar days after the date on which the Participant’s right to a Payment is triggered (if requested at that time by the Participant or the Company) or such other time as reasonably requested by the Participant or the Company. Any good faith
determinations of the accounting firm made hereunder will be final, binding and conclusive upon the Participant and the Company.
10.TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF THE PLAN.
(a)Termination or Suspension. The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. No Incentive Stock Option may be granted after the tenth anniversary of the earlier of (i) the Adoption Date or (ii) the date the Plan is approved by the stockholders of the Company. No Awards may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after it is terminated.
(b)No Impairment of Rights. Suspension or termination of the Plan will not materially impair rights and obligations under any Award granted while the Plan is in effect except with the written consent of the affected Participant or as otherwise permitted in the Plan (including Section 2(b)(viii)) or an Award Agreement.
11.EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN.
This Plan will become effective on the Effective Date.
12.CHOICE OF LAW.
The laws of the State of Delaware will govern all questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Plan, without regard to that state’s conflict of laws rules.
13.DEFINITIONS. As used in the Plan, the following definitions will apply to the capitalized terms indicated below:
(a)“Adoption Date” means March 25, 2021, which is the date the Plan was adopted by the Board.
(b)“Affiliate” means, at the time of determination, any “parent” or “subsidiary” of the Company as such terms are defined in Rule 405. The Board will have the authority to determine the time or times at which “parent” or “subsidiary” status is determined within the foregoing definition.
(c)“Appreciation Award” means (i) a stock option or stock appreciation right granted under the Prior Plan or (ii) an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, in each case with respect to which the exercise or strike price (per share) is at least 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the stock option or stock appreciation right, or Option or Stock Appreciation Right, as applicable, on the date of grant.
(d)“Award” means an Incentive Stock Option, a Nonstatutory Stock Option, a Stock Appreciation Right, a Restricted Stock Award, a Restricted Stock Unit Award, a Performance Stock Award or any Other Stock Award.
(e)“Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing the terms and conditions of an Award.
(f)“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(g)“Capitalization Adjustment” means any change that is made in, or other events that occur with respect to, the Common Stock subject to the Plan or subject to any Award after the Adoption Date without the receipt of consideration by the Company through merger,
consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, stock dividend, dividend in property other than cash, large nonrecurring cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate structure or any similar equity restructuring transaction, as that term is used in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (revised). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the conversion of any convertible securities of the Company will not be treated as a Capitalization Adjustment.
(h)“Cause” will have the meaning ascribed to such term in any written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate defining such term and, in the absence of such agreement, such term means, with respect to a Participant, the occurrence of one or more of the following events that has a material negative impact on the business or reputation of the Company or an Affiliate: (i) any willful, material violation by the Participant of any law or regulation applicable to the business of the Company or an Affiliate; (ii) the Participant’s conviction for, or guilty plea to, a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude, or any willful perpetration by the Participant of a common law fraud; (iii) the Participant’s commission of an act of personal dishonesty which involves personal profit in connection with the Company, an Affiliate, or any other entity having a business relationship with the Company or an Affiliate; (iv) any material breach by the Participant of any provision of any agreement or understanding between the Company or an Affiliate and the Participant regarding the terms of the Participant’s service as an employee, officer, director or consultant to the Company or an Affiliate, including without limitation, the willful and continued failure or refusal of the Participant to perform the material duties required of the Participant as an employee, officer, director or consultant to the Company or an Affiliate, other than as a result of having a Disability, or a breach of any applicable invention assignment and confidentiality agreement or similar agreement between the Company or an Affiliate and the Participant; (v) the Participant’s disregard of the policies of the Company or an Affiliate so as to cause loss, damage or injury to the property, reputation or employees of the Company or an Affiliate; or (vi) any other misconduct by the Participant which is materially injurious to the financial condition or business reputation of, or is otherwise materially injurious to, the Company or an Affiliate. The determination that a termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service is either for Cause or without Cause will be made by the Company, in its sole discretion. Any determination by the Company that the Continuous Service of a Participant was terminated with or without Cause for the purposes of outstanding Awards held by the Participant will have no effect upon any determination of the rights or obligations of the Company or the Participant for any other purpose.
(i)“Change in Control” means the occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:
(i)any Exchange Act Person becomes the Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities other than by virtue of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control will not be deemed to occur (A) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company directly from the Company, (B) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company by an investor, any affiliate thereof or any other Exchange Act Person that acquires the Company’s securities in a transaction or series of related transactions the primary purpose of which is to obtain financing for the Company
through the issuance of equity securities, or (C) solely because the level of Ownership held by any Exchange Act Person (the “Subject Person”) exceeds the designated percentage threshold of the outstanding voting securities as a result of a repurchase or other acquisition of voting securities by the Company reducing the number of shares outstanding, provided that if a Change in Control would occur (but for the operation of this sentence) as a result of the acquisition of voting securities by the Company, and after such share acquisition, the Subject Person becomes the Owner of any additional voting securities that, assuming the repurchase or other acquisition had not occurred, increases the percentage of the then outstanding voting securities Owned by the Subject Person over the designated percentage threshold, then a Change in Control will be deemed to occur;
(ii)there is consummated a merger, consolidation or similar transaction involving (directly or indirectly) the Company and, immediately after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, the stockholders of the Company immediately prior thereto do not Own, directly or indirectly, either (A) outstanding voting securities representing more than 50% of the combined outstanding voting power of the surviving Entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction or (B) more than 50% of the combined outstanding voting power of the parent of the surviving Entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, in each case in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such transaction;
(iii)the stockholders of the Company approve or the Board approves a plan of complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or a complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company shall otherwise occur, except for a liquidation into a parent corporation;
(iv)there is consummated a sale, lease, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, other than a sale, lease, license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries to an Entity, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are Owned by stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such sale, lease, license or other disposition; or
(v)individuals who, on the Adoption Date, are members of the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board; provided, however, that if the appointment or election (or nomination for election) of any new Board member was approved or recommended by a majority vote of the members of the Incumbent Board then still in office, such new member will, for purposes of this Plan, be considered as a member of the Incumbent Board.
Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Plan, (A) the term Change in Control will not include a sale of assets, merger or other transaction effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Company, and (B) the definition of Change in Control (or any analogous term) in an individual written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate will supersede the foregoing definition with respect to Awards subject to such agreement; provided, however, that (1) if no definition of Change in Control (or any analogous term) is set forth in such an individual written agreement, the foregoing definition will apply; and (2) no Change in Control (or any analogous term) will be deemed to occur with
respect to Awards subject to such an individual written agreement without a requirement that the Change in Control (or any analogous term) actually occur.
If required for compliance with Section 409A of the Code, in no event will an event be deemed a Change in Control if such event is not also a “change in the ownership of” the Company, a “change in the effective control of” the Company or a “change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of” the Company, each as determined under Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) (without regard to any alternative definition thereunder). The Board may, in its sole discretion and without a Participant’s consent, amend the definition of “Change in Control” to conform to the definition of a “change in control event” under Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder.
(j)“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including any applicable regulations and guidance thereunder.
(k)“Committee” means a committee of one or more Directors to whom authority has been delegated by the Board in accordance with Section 2(c).
(l)“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company.
(m)“Company” means Enphase Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
(n)“Consultant” means any person, including an advisor, who is (i) engaged by the Company or an Affiliate to render consulting or advisory services and is compensated for such services, or (ii) serving as a member of the board of directors of an Affiliate and is compensated for such services. However, service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such service, will not cause a Director to be considered a “Consultant” for purposes of the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person is treated as a Consultant under this Plan only if a Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act is available to register either the offer or the sale of the Company’s securities to such person.
(o)“Continuous Service” means that the Participant’s service with the Company or an Affiliate, whether as an Employee, Director or Consultant, is not interrupted or terminated. A change in the capacity in which the Participant renders service to the Company or an Affiliate as an Employee, Director or Consultant, or a change in the Entity for which the Participant renders such service, provided that there is no interruption or termination of the Participant’s service with the Company or an Affiliate, will not terminate a Participant’s Continuous Service; provided, however, that if the Entity for which a Participant is rendering services ceases to qualify as an Affiliate, as determined by the Board, in its sole discretion, such Participant’s Continuous Service will be considered to have terminated on the date such Entity ceases to qualify as an Affiliate. For example, a change in status from an Employee of the Company to a Consultant of an Affiliate or to a Director will not constitute an interruption of Continuous Service. To the extent permitted by law, the Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, in that party’s sole discretion, may determine whether Continuous Service will be considered interrupted in the case of (i) any leave of absence approved by the Board or Chief Executive Officer, including sick leave, military leave or any other personal leave, or (ii) transfers between the Company, an Affiliate or their successors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a leave of absence will be treated as Continuous Service for purposes of vesting in an Award only to such extent as may be provided in the Company’s or Affiliate’s leave of absence policy, in the written terms of
any leave of absence agreement or policy applicable to the Participant, or as otherwise required by law.
(p)“Corporate Transaction” means the occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:
(i)the consummation of a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all, as determined by the Board, in its sole discretion, of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries;
(ii)the consummation of a sale or other disposition of at least 90% of the outstanding securities of the Company;
(iii)the consummation of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction following which the Company is not the surviving corporation; or
(iv)the consummation of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction following which the Company is the surviving corporation but the shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately preceding the merger, consolidation or similar transaction are converted or exchanged by virtue of the merger, consolidation or similar transaction into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise.
If required for compliance with Section 409A of the Code, in no event will an event be deemed a Corporate Transaction if such event is not also a “change in the ownership of” the Company, a “change in the effective control of” the Company or a “change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of” the Company, each as determined under Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) (without regard to any alternative definition thereunder). The Board may, in its sole discretion and without a Participant’s consent, amend the definition of “Corporate Transaction” to conform to the definition of a “change in control event” under Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder.
(q)“Director” means a member of the Board.
(r)“Disability” means, with respect to a Participant, the inability of such Participant to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or that has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, as provided in Sections 22(e)(3) and 409A(a)(2)(c)(i) of the Code, and will be determined by the Board on the basis of such medical evidence as the Board deems warranted under the circumstances.
(s)“Effective Date” means the effective date of this Plan, which is the date of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company held in 2021, provided that this Plan is approved by the Company’s stockholders at such meeting.
(t)“Employee” means any person employed by the Company or an Affiliate. However, service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such services, will not cause a Director to be considered an “Employee” for purposes of the Plan.
(u)“Entity” means a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity.
(v)“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(w)“Exchange Act Person” means any natural person, Entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act), except that “Exchange Act Person” will not include (i) the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (ii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to a registered public offering of such securities, (iv) an Entity Owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of stock of the Company, or (v) any natural person, Entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act) that, as of the Effective Date, is the Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities.
(x)“Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of the Common Stock determined as follows:
(i)Unless otherwise provided by the Board, if the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or traded on any established market, then the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock will be the closing sales price for such stock as quoted on such exchange or market (or the exchange or market with the greatest volume of trading in the Common Stock) on the date of determination, as reported in a source the Board deems reliable.
(ii)Unless otherwise provided by the Board, if there is no closing sales price for the Common Stock on the date of determination, then the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock will be the closing sales price for such stock on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists.
(iii)In the absence of such markets for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock will be determined by the Board in good faith and in a manner that complies with Sections 409A and 422 of the Code.
(y)“Full Value Award” means (i) a stock award granted under the Prior Plan or (ii) an Award, in each case that is not an Appreciation Award.
(z)“Incentive Stock Option” means an option granted pursuant to Section 5 that is intended to be, and that qualifies as, an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
(aa)“Non-Employee Director” means a Director who either (i) is not a current employee or officer of the Company or an Affiliate, does not receive compensation, either directly or indirectly, from the Company or an Affiliate for services rendered as a consultant or in any capacity other than as a Director (except for an amount as to which disclosure would not be required under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act (“Regulation S-K”)), does not possess an interest in any other transaction for which disclosure would be required under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, and is not engaged in a business
relationship for which disclosure would be required pursuant to Item 404(b) of Regulation S-K, or (ii) is otherwise considered a “non-employee director” for purposes of Rule 16b-3.
(ab)“Nonstatutory Stock Option” means an option granted pursuant to Section 5 that does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
(ac)“Officer” means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
(ad)“Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to the Plan.
(ae)“Option Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of an Option evidencing the terms and conditions of an Option grant. Each Option Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(af)“Other Stock Award” means an award based in whole or in part by reference to the Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 6(d).
(ag)“Other Stock Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of an Other Stock Award evidencing the terms and conditions of an Other Stock Award grant. Each Other Stock Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(ah)“Own,” “Owned,” “Owner,” “Ownership” A person or Entity will be deemed to “Own,” to have “Owned,” to be the “Owner” of, or to have acquired “Ownership” of securities if such person or Entity, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares voting power, which includes the power to vote or to direct the voting, with respect to such securities.
(ai)“Participant” means a person to whom an Award is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Award.
(aj)“Performance Criteria” means the one or more criteria that the Board will select for purposes of establishing the Performance Goals for a Performance Period. The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish such Performance Goals may be based on any one of, or combination of, the following, as determined by the Board: (i) earnings (including earnings per share and net earnings); (ii) earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation; (iii) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; (iv) total stockholder return; (v) return on equity or average stockholder’s equity; (vi) return on assets, investment, or capital employed; (vii) stock price; (viii) margin (including gross margin); (ix) income (before or after taxes); (x) operating income; (xi) operating income after taxes; (xii) pre-tax profit; (xiii) operating cash flow; (xiv) sales or revenue targets; (xv) increases in revenue or product revenue; (xvi) expenses and cost reduction goals; (xvii) improvement in or attainment of working capital levels; (xviii) economic value added (or an equivalent metric); (xix) market share; (xx) cash flow; (xxi) cash flow per share; (xxii) share price performance; (xxiii) debt reduction; (xxiv) implementation or completion of projects or processes; (xxv) customer satisfaction; (xxvi) stockholders’ equity; (xxvii) capital expenditures; (xxviii) debt levels; (xxix) operating profit or net operating profit; (xxx) workforce diversity; (xxxi) growth of net income or operating income; (xxxii) billings; and (xxxiii) any other measures of performance selected by the Board. Partial achievement of the
specified criteria may result in the payment or vesting corresponding to the degree of achievement as specified in the applicable Award Agreement.
(ak)“Performance Goals” means, for a Performance Period, the one or more goals established by the Board for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria. Performance Goals may be based on a Company-wide basis, with respect to one or more business units, divisions, Affiliates, or business segments, and in either absolute terms or relative to the performance of one or more comparable companies or the performance of one or more relevant indices. The Board is authorized to make appropriate adjustments in the method of calculating the attainment of Performance Goals for a Performance Period as follows: (i) to exclude restructuring and/or other nonrecurring charges; (ii) to exclude exchange rate effects, as applicable, for non-U.S. dollar denominated Performance Goals; (iii) to exclude the effects of changes to generally accepted accounting principles; (iv) to exclude the effects of any statutory adjustments to corporate tax rates; (v) to exclude the effects of items that are “unusual” in nature or occur “infrequently” as determined under generally accepted accounting principles; and (vi) to make other appropriate adjustments selected by the Board.
(al)“Performance Period” means the period of time selected by the Board over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to and the payment of a Performance Stock Award. Performance Periods may be of varying and overlapping duration, at the sole discretion of the Board.
(am)“Performance Stock Award” means an Award granted under the terms and conditions of Section 6(c).
(an)“Plan” means this Enphase Energy, Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan.
(ao)“Prior Plan” means the Enphase Energy, Inc. 2011 Equity Incentive Plan.
(ap)“Prior Plan Award” means an award granted under the Prior Plan that is outstanding as of the Effective Date.
(aq)“Prior Plan Returning Shares” means: (i) any shares of Common Stock subject to a Prior Plan Award that on or following the Effective Date are not issued because such Prior Plan Award or any portion thereof expires or otherwise terminates without all of the shares covered by such Prior Plan Award having been issued; (ii) any shares of Common Stock subject to a Prior Plan Award that on or following the Effective Date are not issued because such Prior Plan Award or any portion thereof is settled in cash; (iii) any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to a Prior Plan Award that on or following the Effective Date are forfeited back to or repurchased by the Company because of the failure to meet a contingency or condition required for the vesting of such shares; (iv) any shares of Common Stock that on or following the Effective Date are reacquired or withheld (or not issued) by the Company to satisfy the purchase price of a Prior Plan Award that is a Full Value Award; and (v) any shares of Common Stock that on or following the Effective Date are reacquired or withheld (or not issued) by the Company to satisfy a tax withholding obligation in connection with a Prior Plan Award that is a Full Value Award.
(ar)“Restricted Stock Award” means an award of shares of Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 6(a).
(as)“Restricted Stock Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Restricted Stock Award evidencing the terms and conditions of a Restricted Stock Award grant. Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(at)“Restricted Stock Unit Award” means a right to receive shares of Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 6(b).
(au)“Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Restricted Stock Unit Award evidencing the terms and conditions of a Restricted Stock Unit Award grant. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(av)“Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect from time to time.
(aw)“Rule 405” means Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act.
(ax)“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(ay)“Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means a right to receive the appreciation on Common Stock that is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 5.
(az)“Stock Appreciation Right Agreement” or “SAR Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Stock Appreciation Right evidencing the terms and conditions of a Stock Appreciation Right grant. Each Stock Appreciation Right Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(ba)“Subsidiary” means, with respect to the Company, (i) any corporation of which more than 50% of the outstanding capital stock having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether, at the time, stock of any other class or classes of such corporation will have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time, directly or indirectly, Owned by the Company, and (ii) any partnership, limited liability company or other entity in which the Company has a direct or indirect interest (whether in the form of voting or participation in profits or capital contribution) of more than 50%.
(bb)“Ten Percent Stockholder” means a person who Owns (or is deemed to Own pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Affiliate.
ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
2021 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD GRANT NOTICE
Enphase Energy, Inc. (the “Company”) hereby grants to Participant a Restricted Stock Unit Award (the “Award”) under the Enphase Energy, Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) for the number of restricted stock units (the “RSUs”) set forth below. This Award is subject to all of the terms and conditions set forth in this Restricted Stock Unit Award Grant Notice (the “Grant Notice”) and in the Plan and the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (the “Agreement”), both of which are attached hereto and incorporated herein in their entirety. Capitalized terms not explicitly defined in this Grant Notice but defined in the Plan or the Agreement will have the same definitions as in the Plan or the Agreement.
| Participant: | %%FIRST_NAME%-% %%MIDDLE_NAME%-% %%LAST_NAME%-% | ||||
| Date of Grant: | %%OPTION_DATE,'MM/DD/YYYY'%-% | ||||
| Initial Vesting Date: | %%VEST_DATE_PERIOD1%-% | ||||
| Number of RSUs Subject to Award: | %%TOTAL_SHARES_GRANTED,'999,999,999'%-% | ||||
| Consideration: | Participant’s Services | ||||
| Vesting Schedule: | The RSUs subject to this Award will vest [ ]. The number of RSUs vesting on any applicable vesting date may be rounded up or down to the nearest whole share, as determined by the Company, provided that the total number of RSUs that may vest under this Award will be the total number of RSUs subject to this Award (as set forth above). | |||||||
Issuance Schedule: | One share of Common Stock will be issued for each RSU that vests at the time set forth in Section 6 of the Agreement. | |||||||
Additional Terms/Acknowledgements: Participant acknowledges receipt of, and understands and agrees to, this Grant Notice, the Agreement and the Plan. Participant further acknowledges that as of the Date of Grant, this Grant Notice, the Agreement and the Plan set forth the entire understanding between Participant and the Company regarding this Award and supersede all prior oral and written agreements, promises and/or representations regarding this Award, with the exception of any written employment, offer letter or severance agreement, or any written severance plan or policy, in each case that specifies the terms that should govern this Award. By accepting this Award, Participant consents to receive this Grant Notice, the Agreement, the Plan, the prospectus for the Plan and any other Plan-related documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company. Participant’s acceptance of this Award, and Participant’s acknowledgement and agreement with the terms set forth in this paragraph, will be evidenced by Participant’s signature below or by electronic acceptance or authentication in a form authorized by the Company.
| Enphase Energy, Inc. | ||||||||
 | ||||||||
Badrinarayanan Kothandaraman President and Chief Executive Officer | ||||||||
ATTACHMENTS: (i) Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement and (ii) 2021 Equity Incentive Plan
ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
2021 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT
Pursuant to the accompanying Restricted Stock Unit Award Grant Notice (the “Grant Notice”) and this Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (the “Agreement”), Enphase Energy, Inc. (the “Company”) has granted you a Restricted Stock Unit Award (the “Award”) under the Enphase Energy, Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) for the number of restricted stock units (the “RSUs”) set forth in the Grant Notice. This Award is granted to you effective as of the date of grant set forth in the Grant Notice (the “Date of Grant”). Capitalized terms not explicitly defined in this Agreement but defined in the Plan or the Grant Notice will have the same definitions as in the Plan or the Grant Notice.
1.GRANT OF THE AWARD. This Award represents your right to be issued on a future date (as set forth in Section 6) one share of Common Stock for each RSU subject to this Award that vests in accordance with the Grant Notice and this Agreement. This Award was granted in consideration of your services to the Company or an Affiliate. Except as otherwise provided herein, you will not be required to make any payment to the Company (other than services to the Company or an Affiliate) with respect to your receipt of this Award, the vesting of the RSUs or the issuance of any shares of Common Stock in respect of this Award.
2.VESTING. Subject to the limitations contained herein, this Award will vest, if at all, in accordance with the vesting schedule set forth in the Grant Notice, provided that vesting will cease upon the termination of your Continuous Service. Upon such termination of your Continuous Service, you will forfeit (at no cost to the Company) any RSUs subject to this Award that have not vested as of the date of such termination and you will have no further right, title or interest in such RSUs or the shares of Common Stock in respect of this Award.
3.NUMBER OF RSUS AND SHARES.
(a)The number of RSUs subject to this Award, as set forth in the Grant Notice, will be adjusted for Capitalization Adjustments, if any, as provided in the Plan.
(b)Any additional RSUs and any shares of Common Stock, cash or other property that become subject to this Award pursuant to this Section 3 will be subject, in a manner determined by the Board, to the same forfeiture restrictions, restrictions on transferability, and time and manner of issuance as applicable to the other RSUs subject to this Award to which they relate.
(c)No fractional shares or rights for fractional shares of Common Stock will be created pursuant to this Section 3. Any fractional shares that may be created by the adjustments referred to in this Section 3 will be rounded down to the nearest whole share.
4.SECURITIES LAW COMPLIANCE. You will not be issued any shares of Common Stock in respect of this Award unless either (i) such shares are registered under the Securities Act or (ii) the Company has determined that such issuance would be exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. This Award also must comply with all other
applicable laws and regulations governing this Award, and you will not receive any shares of Common Stock in respect of this Award if the Company determines that such receipt would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations.
5.TRANSFERABILITY. This Award is not transferable, except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and prior to the time that shares of Common Stock in respect of this Award have been issued to you, you may not transfer, pledge, assign, hypothecate, donate, encumber, sell or otherwise dispose of any portion of the RSUs or the shares of Common Stock in respect of this Award. For example, you may not use any shares of Common Stock that may be issued in respect of this Award as security for a loan, nor may you transfer, pledge, assign, hypothecate, donate, encumber, sell or otherwise dispose of such shares. This restriction on transfer will lapse upon issuance to you of the shares of Common Stock in respect of this Award.
6.ISSUANCE OF SHARES.
(a)The issuance of any shares of Common Stock in respect of this Award is subject to satisfaction of the tax withholding obligations set forth in Section 10. The form of such issuance (e.g., a stock certificate or electronic entry evidencing such shares) will be determined by the Company. Each installment of RSUs that vests under this Award is a “separate payment” for purposes of Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-2(b)(2).
(b)If this Award is exempt from application of Section 409A of the Code and any state law of similar effect (collectively “Section 409A”), then in the event one or more RSUs subject to this Award vests, the Company will issue to you, on the applicable vesting date, one share of Common Stock for each RSU that vests on such date (and for purposes of this Agreement, such issuance date is referred to as the “Original Issuance Date”); provided, however, that if the Original Issuance Date falls on a date that is not a business day, such shares will instead be issued to you on the next following business day.
(c)Notwithstanding the foregoing, if:
(i) this Award is otherwise subject to Withholding Taxes (as described in Section 10) on the Original Issuance Date,
(ii)the Original Issuance Date does not occur (x) during an “open window period” applicable to you, as determined by the Company in accordance with the Company’s then-effective policy on trading in Company securities, or (y) on a date when you are otherwise permitted to sell shares of Common Stock on an established stock exchange or stock market, and
(iii)the Company elects, prior to the Original Issuance Date, (x) not to satisfy such Withholding Taxes by withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock otherwise due, on the Original Issuance Date, to you under this Award, (y) not to permit you to enter into a “same day sale” commitment with a broker-dealer pursuant to Section 10 (including, but not limited to, under a previously established 10b5-1 trading plan entered into in compliance with the Company’s policies), and (z) not to permit you to pay such Withholding Taxes in cash, then the shares that would otherwise be issued to you on the Original Issuance Date will not be issued to you on the Original Issuance Date and will instead be issued to you on the first business day when you are not prohibited from selling shares of Common Stock on an
established stock exchange or stock market, but in no event later than December 31 of the calendar year in which the Original Issuance Date occurs (that is, the last day of your taxable year in which the Original Issuance Date occurs), or, if permitted in a manner that complies with Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(b)(4), no later than the date that is the 15th day of the third calendar month of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the shares of Common Stock in respect of this Award are no longer subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(d).
(d)The provisions of this Section 6(d) are intended to apply if this Award is subject to Section 409A because of the terms of a severance arrangement or other agreement between you and the Company or an Affiliate (or a severance arrangement, plan or policy maintained by the Company or an Affiliate), if any, that provides for acceleration of vesting of this Award upon your termination of employment or separation from service (as such term is defined in Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(h) without regard to any alternative definition thereunder) (“Separation from Service”) and such severance benefit does not satisfy the requirements for an exemption from application of Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) or 1.409A-1(b)(9) (“Non-Exempt Severance Arrangement”). If this Award is subject to and not exempt from application of Section 409A due to application of a Non-Exempt Severance Arrangement, the following provisions in this Section 6(d) will supersede anything to the contrary in Section 6(b) or 6(c).
(i)If this Award vests in the ordinary course during your Continuous Service in accordance with the vesting schedule set forth in the Grant Notice, without accelerating vesting under the terms of a Non-Exempt Severance Arrangement, in no event will the shares to be issued in respect of this Award be issued any later than the later of: (i) December 31st of the calendar year that includes the applicable vesting date and (ii) the 60th day that follows the applicable vesting date.
(ii)If vesting of this Award accelerates under the terms of a Non-Exempt Severance Arrangement in connection with your Separation from Service, and such vesting acceleration provisions were in effect as of the Date of Grant and, therefore, are part of the terms of this Award as of the Date of Grant, then the shares will be earlier issued in respect of this Award upon your Separation from Service in accordance with the terms of the Non-Exempt Severance Arrangement, but in no event later than the 60th day that follows the date of your Separation from Service. However, if at the time the shares would otherwise be issued you are subject to the distribution limitations contained in Section 409A applicable to “specified employees,” as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, such shares will not be issued before the date that is six (6) months following the date of your Separation from Service, or, if earlier, the date of your death that occurs within such six (6) month period.
(iii)If vesting of this Award accelerates under the terms of a Non-Exempt Severance Arrangement in connection with your Separation from Service, and such vesting acceleration provisions were not in effect as of the Date of Grant and, therefore, are not a part of the terms of this Award on the Date of Grant, then such acceleration of vesting of this Award will not accelerate the issuance date of the shares, but the shares will instead be issued on the same schedule as set forth in Section 6(d)(i) as if they had vested in the ordinary course during your Continuous Service in accordance with the vesting schedule set forth in the Grant
Notice, notwithstanding the vesting acceleration of this Award. Such issuance schedule is intended to satisfy the requirements of payment on a specified date or pursuant to a fixed schedule, as provided under Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-3(a)(4).
(e)If this Award is subject to Section 409A (a “Non-Exempt Award”), then the provisions in this Section 6(e) will apply and supersede anything to the contrary that may be set forth in the Plan, the Grant Notice or any other Section of this Agreement.
(i)Any exercise by the Board of discretion to accelerate the vesting of your Non-Exempt Award will not result in any acceleration of the scheduled issuance dates for the shares in respect of the Non-Exempt Award unless earlier issuance of such shares upon the applicable vesting dates would be in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A.
(ii)The Company explicitly reserves the right to (A) earlier settle your Non-Exempt Award to the extent permitted and in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A, including pursuant to any of the exemptions available in Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-3(j)(4)(i), and (B) provide that you will receive a cash settlement equal to the Fair Market Value of the shares that would otherwise be issued to you, if applicable and in compliance with the requirements of Section 409A.
(iii)If the terms of your Non-Exempt Award provide that it will be settled upon a Change in Control or Corporate Transaction, then to the extent it is required for compliance with the requirements of Section 409A, the Change in Control or Corporate Transaction event triggering settlement must also constitute a change in the ownership or effective control of the Company, or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets, each as determined under Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(v) of the Code and Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) (a “409A Change of Control”). If the terms of your Non-Exempt Award provide that it will be settled upon a termination of employment or termination of Continuous Service, then to the extent it is required for compliance with the requirements of Section 409A, the termination event triggering settlement must also constitute a Separation from Service. However, if at the time the shares would otherwise be issued to you in connection with your Separation from Service, you are subject to the distribution limitations contained in Section 409A applicable to “specified employees,” as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, such shares will not be issued before the date that is six (6) months following the date of your Separation from Service, or, if earlier, the date of your death that occurs within such six (6) month period.
(f)The provisions in this Agreement for delivery of the shares in respect of this Award are intended either to comply with the requirements of Section 409A or to provide a basis for exemption from such requirements so that the issuance of the shares will not trigger the additional tax imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities herein will be so interpreted.
7.DIVIDENDS. You will receive no benefit or adjustment to this Award with respect to any cash dividend, stock dividend or other distribution except as provided in the Plan with respect to a Capitalization Adjustment.
8.RESTRICTIVE LEGENDS. The shares of Common Stock issued in respect of this Award will be endorsed with appropriate legends, if any, as determined by the Company.
9.AWARD NOT A SERVICE CONTRACT.
(a)This Award is not an employment or service contract, and nothing in this Award will be deemed to create in any way whatsoever any obligation on your part to continue in the service of the Company or any Affiliate, or on the part of the Company or any Affiliate to continue such service. In addition, nothing in this Award will obligate the Company or an Affiliate, their respective stockholders, boards of directors, Officers or Employees to continue any relationship that you might have as an Employee, Director or consultant for the Company or an Affiliate.
(b)By accepting this Award, you acknowledge and agree that the right to continue vesting in this Award pursuant to Section 2 is earned only by continuing as an Employee, Director or Consultant at the will of the Company or an Affiliate (not through the act of being hired, being granted this Award or any other award or benefit) and that the Company has the right to reorganize, sell, spin-out or otherwise restructure one or more of its businesses or Affiliates at any time or from time to time, as it deems appropriate (a “reorganization”). You further acknowledge and agree that such a reorganization could result in the termination of your Continuous Service or the termination of Affiliate status of your employer, and the loss of benefits available to you under this Agreement, including but not limited to, the termination of the right to continue vesting in this Award.
10.TAX WITHHOLDING OBLIGATIONS.
(a)On or before the time you receive a distribution of any shares of Common Stock in respect of this Award, and at any other time as reasonably requested by the Company in accordance with applicable tax laws, you agree to make adequate provision for any sums required to satisfy the federal, state, local and foreign tax withholding obligations of the Company or any Affiliate that arise in connection with this Award (the “Withholding Taxes”). Specifically, the Company or an Affiliate may, in its sole discretion, satisfy all or any portion of the Withholding Taxes relating to this Award by any of the following means or by a combination of such means: (i) withholding from any compensation otherwise payable to you by the Company or an Affiliate; (ii) causing you to tender a cash payment; (iii) permitting you to enter into a “same day sale” commitment with a broker-dealer that is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (a “FINRA Dealer”) whereby you irrevocably elect to sell a portion of the shares of Common Stock to be issued in connection with this Award to satisfy the Withholding Taxes and whereby the FINRA Dealer irrevocably commits to forward the proceeds necessary to satisfy the Withholding Taxes directly to the Company and/or its Affiliates; or (iv) withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock issued or otherwise issuable to you in connection with this Award with a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of the Withholding Taxes, but in any case not in excess of the maximum amount of tax that may be required to be withheld by law (or such other amount as may be permitted while still avoiding classification of this Award as a liability for financial accounting purposes).
(b)Unless the Withholding Taxes of the Company and/or any Affiliate are satisfied, the Company will have no obligation to issue to you any Common Stock.
(c)In the event the Company’s obligation to withhold arises prior to the issuance to you of Common Stock or it is determined after the issuance of Common Stock to you
that the amount of the Company’s withholding obligation was greater than the amount withheld by the Company, you agree to indemnify and hold the Company harmless from any failure by the Company to withhold the proper amount.
11.UNSECURED OBLIGATION. This Award is unfunded, and as a holder of vested RSUs, you will be considered an unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to the Company’s obligation, if any, to issue shares of Common Stock or other property pursuant to this Agreement.
12.STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS. You will not have voting or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Award until such shares are issued to you. Upon such issuance, you will obtain full voting and other rights as a stockholder of the Company. Nothing contained in this Agreement, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, will create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between you and the Company or any other person.
13.OTHER DOCUMENTS. You hereby acknowledge receipt of or the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Plan prospectus. In addition, you acknowledge receipt of the Company’s policy permitting certain individuals to sell shares of Common Stock only during certain “window” periods in effect from time to time and the Company’s insider trading policy.
14.NOTICES. Any notices provided for in this Agreement or the Plan will be given in writing (including electronically) and will be deemed effectively given upon receipt or, in the case of notices delivered by mail by the Company to you, five (5) days after deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to you at the last address you provided to the Company. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to this Award or participation in the Plan by electronic means or to request your consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. By accepting this Award, you consent to receive such documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.
15.GOVERNING PLAN DOCUMENT. This Award is subject to all the provisions of the Plan, the provisions of which are hereby made a part of this Award, and is further subject to all interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations which may from time to time be promulgated and adopted pursuant to the Plan. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the Grant Notice or this Agreement, in the event of any conflict between the terms in the Grant Notice or this Agreement and the terms of the Plan, the terms of the Plan will control.
16.SEVERABILITY. If any part of this Agreement or the Plan is declared by any court or governmental authority to be unlawful or invalid, such unlawfulness or invalidity will not invalidate any portion of this Agreement or the Plan not declared to be unlawful or invalid. Any Section of this Agreement (or part of such a Section) so declared to be unlawful or invalid will, if possible, be construed in a manner which will give effect to the terms of such Section or part of a Section to the fullest extent possible while remaining lawful and valid.
17.EFFECT ON OTHER EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS. The value of this Award will not be included as compensation, earnings, salaries, or other similar terms used when calculating your benefits under any employee benefit plan sponsored by the Company or any
Affiliate, except as such plan otherwise expressly provides. The Company expressly reserves its rights to amend, modify, or terminate any of the Company’s or any Affiliate’s employee benefit plans.
18.CHOICE OF LAW. The interpretation, performance and enforcement of this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to such state’s conflicts of laws rules.
19.AMENDMENT. Any amendment to this Agreement must be in writing, signed by a duly authorized representative of the Company, and is subject to Section 2(b)(viii) of the Plan; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Board reserves the right to amend this Agreement in any way it may deem necessary or advisable to carry out the purpose of the grant as a result of any change in applicable laws or regulations or any future law, regulation, interpretation, ruling, or judicial decision.
20.TAX CONSEQUENCES. The Company has no duty or obligation to minimize the tax consequences to you of this Award and will not be liable to you for any adverse tax consequences to you arising in connection with this Award. You are hereby advised to consult with your own personal tax, financial and/or legal advisors regarding the tax consequences of this Award and by accepting this Award, you have agreed that you have done so or knowingly and voluntarily declined to do so.
21.MISCELLANEOUS.
(a)The rights and obligations of the Company under this Award will be transferable to any one or more persons or entities, and all covenants and agreements hereunder will inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the Company’s successors and assigns.
(b)You agree upon request to execute any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of this Award.
(c)You acknowledge and agree that you have reviewed this Award in its entirety, have had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting this Award, and fully understand all provisions of this Award.
(d)This Agreement will be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required.
(e)All obligations of the Company under the Plan and this Agreement will be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.
* * *
This Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will be deemed to be accepted by you upon your acceptance of the Restricted Stock Unit Award Grant Notice to which it is attached.