COSTAR
GROUP, INC.
2007
STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
1. Purpose
The
purpose of the CoStar Group, Inc. 2007 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is to
advance the interests of CoStar Group, Inc. (the “Company”) by enabling the
Company and its subsidiaries to attract, retain and motivate employees of the
Company by providing for or increasing the proprietary interests of such
individuals in the Company, and by enabling the Company to attract, retain
and
motivate its nonemployee directors and further align their interests with those
of the shareholders of the Company by providing for or increasing the
proprietary interests of such directors in the Company. The Plan provides for
the grant of Incentive and Nonqualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation
Rights, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units, any of which may be
performance-based, as determined by the Committee.
2. Definitions
As
used
in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth
below:
(a) “Award”
means an Incentive Stock Option, Nonqualified Stock Option, Stock Appreciation
Right, Restricted Stock, or Restricted Stock Unit granted to a Participant
pursuant to the provisions of the Plan, any of which the Committee may structure
to qualify in whole or in part as a Performance Award.
(b) “Award
Agreement” means a written agreement or other instrument as may be approved from
time to time by the Committee implementing the grant of each Award. An Agreement
may be in the form of an agreement to be executed by both the Participant
and
the Company (or an authorized representative of the Company) or certificates,
notices or similar instruments as approved by the Committee.
(c) “Board”
means the board of directors of the Company.
(d) “Code”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and
the
rulings and regulations issues thereunder.
(e) “Committee”
means the Committee delegated the authority to administer the Plan in accordance
with Section 16.
(f) “Common
Share” means a share of the Company’s common stock, subject to adjustment as
provided in Section 11.
(g) “Company”
means CoStar Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
(h) “Fair
Market Value” means, as of any given date, the closing sales price
on such date during normal trading hours (or, if there are no reported sales
on
such date, on the last date prior to such date on which there were sales)
of the
Common Shares on NASDAQ, the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape or, if
not
listed on such exchanges, on any other national securities exchange on which
the
Common Shares are listed, in any case, as reporting in such source as the
Committee shall select. If there is no regular public trading market for
such
Common Shares, the Fair Market Value of the Common Shares shall be determined
by
the Committee in good faith and in compliance with Section 409A of the
Code.
(i) “Incentive
Stock Option” means a stock option that is intended to qualify as an “incentive
stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
(j) “Nonemployee
Director” means each person who is, or is elected to be, a member of the Board
or the board of directors of any Subsidiary and who is not an employee of
the
Company or any Subsidiary.
(k) “Nonqualified
Stock Option” means a stock option that is not intended to qualify as an
“incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the
Code.
(l) “Option”
means an Incentive Stock Option and/or a Nonqualified Stock Option granted
pursuant to Section 6 of the Plan.
(m) “Participant”
means any individual described in Section 3 to whom Awards have been
granted from time to time by the Committee and any authorized transferee
of such
individual.
(n) “Performance
Award” means an Award, the grant, issuance, retention, vesting or settlement of
which is subject to satisfaction of one or more performance criteria pursuant
to
Section 12.
(o) “Plan”
means the CoStar Group, Inc. 2007 Stock Incentive Plan as set forth herein
and
as amended from time to time.
(p) “Prior
Plan” means the CoStar Group, Inc. 1998 Stock Incentive Plan.
(q) “Qualifying
Performance Criteria” has the meaning set forth in
Section 12(b).
(r) “Restricted
Stock” means Common Shares granted pursuant to Section 8 of the
Plan.
(s) “Restricted
Stock Unit” means an Award granted to a Participant pursuant to Section 8
pursuant to which Common Shares or cash in lieu thereof may be issued in
the
future.
(t) “Stock
Appreciation Right” means a right granted pursuant to Section 7 of the Plan
that entitles the Participant to receive, in cash or Common Shares or a
combination thereof, as determined by the Committee, value equal to or otherwise
based on the excess of (i) the market price of a specified number of Common
Shares at the time of exercise over (ii) the exercise price of the right,
as
established by the Committee on the date of grant.
(u) “Subsidiary”
means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of
corporations beginning with the Company where each of the corporations in
the
unbroken chain other than the last corporation owns stock possessing at least
50
percent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock
in
one of the other corporations in the chain, and if specifically determined
by
the Committee in the context other than with respect to Incentive Stock Options,
may include an entity in which the Company has a significant ownership interest
or that is directly or indirectly controlled by the Company.
(v)
“Substitute
Awards” means
Awards granted or Common Shares issued by the Company in assumption of, or
in
substitution or exchange for, awards previously granted, or the right or
obligation to make future awards, by a corporation acquired by the Company
or
any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary
combines.
3. Eligibility
Any
person who is an officer or employee of the Company or of any Subsidiary
(including any director who is also an employee, in his or her capacity as
such)
shall be eligible for selection by the Committee for the grant of Awards
hereunder. In addition, Nonemployee Directors shall be eligible for the grant
of
Awards hereunder as determined by the Committee. In addition any service
provider who has been retained to provide consulting, advisory or other services
to the Company or to any Subsidiary shall be eligible for selection by the
Committee for the grant of Awards hereunder. Options intending to qualify as
Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to employees of the Company or
any
Subsidiary within the meaning of the Code, as selected by the
Committee.
4. Effective
Date and Termination of Plan
This
Plan
was adopted by the Board and became effective as of April 26, 2007 (the
“Effective Date”), subject to the approval by the Company’s stockholders. All
Awards granted under this Plan are subject to, and may not be exercised before,
the approval of this Plan by the stockholders prior to the first anniversary
date of the effective date of the Plan by the affirmative vote of the holders
of
a majority of the outstanding Common Shares of the Company present, or
represented by proxy, and entitled to vote, at a meeting of the Company’s
stockholders or by written consent in accordance with the laws of the State
of
Delaware; provided that if such approval by the stockholders of the Company
is
not forthcoming, all Awards previously granted under this Plan shall be void.
The Plan shall remain available for the grant of Awards until the tenth (10th)
anniversary of the Effective Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Plan
may
be terminated at such earlier time as the Board may determine. Termination
of
the Plan will not affect the rights and obligations of the Participants and
the
Company arising under Awards theretofore granted and then in
effect.
5. Common
Shares Subject to the Plan and to Awards
(a) Aggregate
Limits. The aggregate number of Shares issuable pursuant to all Awards
shall not exceed 1,000,000 shares, plus (i) any Shares that were authorized
for issuance
under
the
Prior Plan that, as of June 7, 2007, remain available for issuance under the
Prior Plan (not including any Shares that are subject to, as of June 7, 2007,
outstanding awards under the Prior Plan or any Shares that prior to June 7,
2007
were issued pursuant to awards granted under the Prior Plan) and (ii) any
Shares subject to outstanding awards under the Prior Plan as of June 7, 2007
that on or after such date cease for any reason to be subject to such awards
(other than by reason of exercise or settlement of the awards to the extent
they
are exercised for or settled in vested and nonforfeitable shares). The aggregate
number of Common Shares available for grant under this Plan and the number
of
Common Shares subject to outstanding Awards shall be subject to adjustment
as
provided in Section 11. The Common Shares issued pursuant to Awards granted
under this Plan may be shares that are authorized and unissued or shares that
were reacquired by the Company, including shares purchased in the open
market.
(b) Issuance
of Common Shares. For purposes of this Section 5, the aggregate number
of Common Shares available for Awards under this Plan at any time shall not
be
reduced by (i) shares subject to Awards that have been terminated, expired
unexercised, forfeited or settled in cash, (ii) shares subject to Awards
that have been retained by the Company in payment or satisfaction of the
exercise price, purchase price or tax withholding obligation of an Award, or
(iii) shares subject to Awards that otherwise do not result in the issuance
of Common Shares in connection with payment or settlement of an Award. In
addition, Common Shares that have been delivered (either actually or by
attestation) to the Company in payment or satisfaction of the exercise price,
purchase price or tax withholding obligation of an Award shall be available
for
Awards under this Plan.
(c) Tax
Code Limits. The aggregate number of Common Shares subject to Awards
granted under this Plan during any calendar year to any one Participant shall
not exceed 200,000, which number shall be calculated and adjusted pursuant
to
Section 11 only to the extent that such calculation or adjustment will not
affect the status of any Award intended to qualify as “performance based
compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code but which number shall not
count any tandem SARs (as defined in Section 7). Any Common Shares
that may be issued under this Plan may be issued pursuant to the exercise
of Incentive Stock Options.
(d) Substitute
Awards. Substitute Awards shall not reduce the Common Shares authorized for
issuance under the Plan or authorized for grant to a Participant in any calendar
year. Additionally, in the event that a corporation acquired by the Company
or
any Subsidiary, or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines, has shares
available under a pre-existing plan approved by shareholders and not adopted
in
contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for
grant
pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent
appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio
or
formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration
payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition
or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce
the
Common Shares authorized for issuance under the Plan; provided that Awards
using
such available shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could
have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition
or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not employees,
directors or consultants of the Company or its Subsidiaries immediately before
such acquisition or combination.
6. Options
(a) Option
Awards. Options may be granted at any time and from time to time prior to
the termination of the Plan to Participants as determined by the Committee.
No
Participant shall have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any Common
Shares subject to Option hereunder until said Common Shares have been issued,
except that the Committee may authorize dividend equivalent accruals with
respect to such Common Shares. Each Option shall be evidenced by an Award
Agreement. Options granted pursuant to the Plan need not be identical but each
Option must contain and be subject to the terms and conditions set forth
below.
(b) Price.
The Committee will establish the exercise price per Common Share under each
Option, which, in no event will be less than the Fair Market Value of the Common
Shares on the date of grant; provided, however, that the exercise price per
Common Share with respect to an Option that is granted in connection with a
merger or other acquisition as a substitute or replacement award for options
held by optionees of the acquired entity may be less than 100% of the market
price of the Common Shares on the date such Option is granted if such exercise
price is based on a formula set forth in the terms of the options held by such
optionees or in the terms of the agreement providing for such merger or other
acquisition. The exercise price of any Option may be paid in Common Shares,
cash, certified check, money order or a combination thereof, as determined
by
the Committee, including an irrevocable commitment by a broker to pay over
such
amount from a sale of the Common Shares issuable under an Option, the delivery
of previously owned Common Shares and withholding of Common Shares deliverable
upon exercise.
(c) No
Repricing. Other than in connection with a change in the Company’s
capitalization (as described in Section 11) the exercise price of an Option
may not be reduced without stockholder approval (including canceling previously
awarded Options and regranting them with a lower exercise price).
(d) Provisions
Applicable to Options. The date on which Options become exercisable shall
be determined at the sole discretion of the Committee and set forth in an Award
Agreement. Unless provided otherwise in the applicable Award Agreement, to
the
extent that the Committee determines that an approved leave of absence or
employment on a less than full-time basis is not a Termination of employment,
the vesting period and/or exercisability of an Option shall be adjusted by
the
Committee during or to reflect the effects of any period during which the
Participant is on an approved leave of absence or is employed on a less than
full-time basis.
(e) Term
of Options and Termination of Employment: The Committee shall
establish the term of each Option, which in no case shall exceed a period of
ten
(10) years from the date of grant. Unless an Option earlier expires upon the
expiration date established pursuant to the foregoing sentence, upon the
termination of the Participant’s employment, his or her rights to exercise an
Option then held shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in an Award
Agreement.
(f) Incentive
Stock Options. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
Section 6, in the case of the grant of an Option intending to qualify as an
Incentive Stock Option: (i) if the Participant owns stock possessing more
than 10 percent of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the
Company (a “10% Common Shareholder”), the exercise price of such Option must be
at least 110 percent of the Fair Market Value of the Common Shares on the date
of grant and the Option must expire within a period of not more than five (5)
years from the date of grant, and (ii) termination of employment will occur
when the person to whom an Award was granted ceases to be an employee (as
determined in accordance with Section 3401(c) of the Code and the
regulations promulgated thereunder) of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 6 to the contrary, options
designated as Incentive Stock Options shall not be eligible for treatment under
the Code as Incentive Stock Options (and will be deemed to be Nonqualified
Stock
Options) to the extent that either (a) the aggregate Fair Market Value of Common
Shares (determined as of the time of grant) with respect to which such Options
are exercisable for the first time by the Participant during any calendar year
(under all plans of the Company and any Subsidiary) exceeds $100,000, taking
Options into account in the order in which they were granted, or (b) such
Options otherwise remain exercisable but are not exercised within three (3)
months of Termination of employment (or such other period of time provided
in
Section 422 of the Code).
7. Stock
Appreciation Rights
Stock
Appreciation Rights may be granted to Participants from time to time either
in
tandem with or as a component of other Awards granted under the Plan (“tandem
SARs”) or not in conjunction with other Awards (“freestanding SARs”) and may,
but need not, relate to a specific Option granted under Section 6. The
provisions of Stock Appreciation Rights need not be the same with respect to
each grant or each recipient. Any Stock Appreciation Right granted in tandem
with an Award may be granted at the same time such Award is granted or at any
time thereafter before exercise or expiration of such Award. All freestanding
SARs shall be granted subject to the same terms and conditions applicable to
Options as set forth in Section 6 and all tandem SARs shall have the same
exercise price, vesting, exercisability, forfeiture and termination provisions
as the Award to which they relate. Subject to the provisions of Section 6
and the immediately preceding sentence, the Committee may impose such other
conditions or restrictions on any Stock Appreciation Right as it shall deem
appropriate. Stock Appreciation Rights may be settled in Common Shares, cash
or
a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee and set forth in the
applicable Award Agreement. Other than in connection with a change in the
Company’s capitalization (as described in Section 11) the exercise price of
Stock Appreciation Rights may not be reduced without stockholder approval
(including canceling previously awarded Stock Appreciation Rights and regranting
them with a lower exercise price).
8. Restricted
Stock and Restricted Stock Units
(a) Restricted
Stock and Restricted Stock Unit Awards. Restricted Stock and Restricted
Stock Units may be granted at any time and from time to time prior to the
termination of the Plan to Participants as determined by the Committee.
Restricted Stock is an award or issuance of Common Shares the grant, issuance,
retention, vesting and/or transferability of which is subject during specified
periods of time to such conditions (including continued employment or
performance conditions) and terms as the Committee deems appropriate. Restricted
Stock
Units
are
Awards denominated in units of Common Shares under which the issuance of Common
Shares is subject to such conditions (including continued employment or
performance conditions) and terms as the Committee deems appropriate. Each
grant
of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall be evidenced by an Award
Agreement. Unless determined otherwise by the Committee, each Restricted Stock
Unit will be equal to one Common Share and will entitle a Participant to either
the issuance of Common Shares or payment of an amount of cash determined with
reference to the value of Common Shares. To the extent determined by the
Committee, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units may be satisfied or
settled in Common Shares, cash or a combination thereof. Restricted Stock and
Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to the Plan need not be identical but
each grant of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units must contain and
be
subject to the terms and conditions set forth below.
(b) Contents
of Agreement. Each Award Agreement shall contain provisions regarding (i)
the number of Common Shares or Restricted Stock Units subject to such Award
or a
formula for determining such number, (ii) the purchase price of the Common
Shares, if any, and the means of payment, (iii) the performance criteria, if
any, and level of achievement versus these criteria that shall determine the
number of Common Shares or Restricted Stock Units granted, issued, retainable
and/or vested, (iv) such terms and conditions on the grant, issuance, vesting
and/or forfeiture of the Common Shares or Restricted Stock Units as may be
determined from time to time by the Committee, (v) the term of the
performance period, if any, as to which performance will be measured for
determining the number of such Common Shares or Restricted Stock Units, and
(vi)
restrictions on the transferability of the Common Shares or Restricted Stock
Units. Common Shares issued under a Restricted Stock Award may be issued in
the
name of the Participant and held by the Participant or held by the Company,
in
each case as the Committee may provide.
(c) Vesting
and Performance Criteria. The grant, issuance, retention, vesting and/or
settlement of shares of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units will occur
when and in such installments as the Committee determines or under criteria
the
Committee establishes, which may include Qualifying Performance Criteria;
provided, however, that, except in the case of a change of control of the
Company or the death or disability of the Participant, vesting of Restricted
Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall be no earlier than three (3) years from
the date of grant for Awards not subject to vesting based on performance
criteria and one (1) year from the date of grant for Awards that vest based
on
the achievement of performance criteria. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan
to the contrary, the performance criteria for any Restricted Stock or Restricted
Stock Unit that is intended to satisfy the requirements for “performance-based
compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code will be a measure based on
one or more Qualifying Performance Criteria selected by the Committee and
specified when the Award is granted.
(d) Discretionary
Adjustments and Limits. Subject to the limits imposed under
Section 162(m) of the Code for Awards that are intended to qualify as
“performance based compensation,” notwithstanding the satisfaction of any
performance goals, the number of Common Shares granted, issued, retainable
and/or vested under an Award of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units
on
account of either financial performance or personal performance
evaluations
may, to the extent specified in the Award Agreement, be reduced by the Committee
on the basis of such further considerations as the Committee shall
determine.
(e) Voting
Rights. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, Participants holding
shares of Restricted Stock granted hereunder may exercise full voting rights
with respect to those shares during the period of restriction. Participants
shall have no voting rights with respect to Common Shares underlying Restricted
Stock Units unless and until such Common Shares are reflected as issued and
outstanding shares on the Company’s stock ledger.
(f) Dividends
and Distributions. Participants in whose name Restricted Stock is granted
shall be entitled to receive all dividends and other distributions paid with
respect to those Common Shares, unless determined otherwise by the Committee.
The Committee will determine whether any such dividends or distributions will
be
automatically reinvested in additional shares of Restricted Stock and subject
to
the same restrictions on transferability as the Restricted Stock with respect
to
which they were distributed or whether such dividends or distributions will
be
paid in cash. Common Shares underlying Restricted Stock Units shall be entitled
to dividends or dividend equivalents only to the extent provided by the
Committee.
9. Deferral
of Gains
The
Committee may, in an Award Agreement or otherwise, provide for the deferred
delivery of Common Shares upon settlement, vesting or other events with respect
to Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units. Notwithstanding anything herein
to the contrary, in no event will any deferral of the delivery of Common Shares
or any other payment with respect to any Award be allowed if the Committee
determines, in its sole discretion, that the deferral would result in the
imposition of the additional tax under Section 409A(a)(1)(B) of the
Code.
10. Conditions
and Restrictions Upon Securities Subject to Awards
The
Committee may provide that the Common Shares issued upon exercise of an Option
or Stock Appreciation Right or otherwise subject to or issued under an Award
shall be subject to such further agreements, restrictions, conditions or
limitations as the Committee in its discretion may specify prior to the exercise
of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right or the grant, vesting or settlement
of such Award, including without limitation, conditions on vesting or
transferability, forfeiture or repurchase provisions and method of payment
for
the Common Shares issued upon exercise, vesting or settlement of such Award
(including the actual or constructive surrender of Common Shares already owned
by the Participant) or payment of taxes arising in connection with an Award.
Without limiting the foregoing, such restrictions may address the timing and
manner of any resales by the Participant or other subsequent transfers by the
Participant of any Common Shares issued under an Award, including without
limitation (i) restrictions under an insider trading policy or pursuant to
applicable law, (ii) restrictions designed to delay and/or coordinate the timing
and manner of sales by Participant and holders of other Company equity
compensation arrangements, (iii) restrictions as to the use of a specified
brokerage firm for such resales or other transfers, and (iv) provisions
requiring Common Shares to be sold on the open market or to the Company in
order
to satisfy tax withholding or other obligations.
11. Adjustment
of and Changes in the Stock
The
number and kind of Common Shares available for issuance under this Plan
(including under any Awards then outstanding), and the number and kind of Common
Shares subject to the limits set forth in Section 5 of this Plan, shall be
equitably adjusted by the Committee to reflect any reorganization,
reclassification, combination of shares, stock split, reverse stock split,
spin-off, dividend or distribution of securities, property or cash (other than
regular, quarterly cash dividends), or any other equity restructuring
transaction, as that term is defined in Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 123 (revised). Such adjustment may be designed to comply with
Section 425 of the Code or, except as otherwise expressly provided in
Section 5(c) of this Plan, may be designed to treat the Common Shares
available under the Plan and subject to Awards as if they were all outstanding
on the record date for such event or transaction or to increase the number
of
such Common Shares to reflect a deemed reinvestment in Common Shares of the
amount distributed to the Company’s securityholders. The terms of any
outstanding Award shall also be equitably adjusted by the Committee as to price,
number or kind of Common Shares subject to such Award, vesting, and other terms
to reflect the foregoing events, which adjustments need not be uniform as
between different Awards or different types of Awards.
In
the
event there shall be any other change in the number or kind of outstanding
Common Shares, or any stock or other securities into which such Common Shares
shall have been changed, or for which it shall have been exchanged, by reason
of
a change of control, other merger, consolidation or otherwise in circumstances
that do not involve an equity restructuring transaction, as that term is defined
in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (revised), then the
Committee shall determine the appropriate adjustment, if any, to be effected.
In
addition, in the event of such change described in this paragraph, the Committee
may accelerate the time or times at which any Award may be exercised and may
provide for cancellation of such accelerated Awards that are not exercised
within a time prescribed by the Committee in its sole discretion.
No
right
to purchase fractional shares shall result from any adjustment in Awards
pursuant to this Section 11. In case of any such adjustment, the Common
Shares subject to the Award shall be rounded down to the nearest whole share.
The Company shall notify Participants holding Awards subject to any adjustments
pursuant to this Section 11 of such adjustment, but (whether or not notice
is given) such adjustment shall be effective and binding for all purposes of
the
Plan.
12. Qualifying
Performance-Based Compensation
(a) General.
The Committee may establish performance criteria and level of achievement versus
such criteria that shall determine the number of Common Shares, units, or cash
to be granted, retained, vested, issued or issuable under or in settlement
of or
the amount payable pursuant to an Award, which criteria may be based on
Qualifying Performance Criteria or other standards of financial performance
and/or personal performance evaluations. In addition,
the
Committee may specify that an Award or a portion of an Award is intended to
satisfy the requirements for “performance-based compensation” under
Section 162(m) of the Code, provided that the performance criteria for such
Award or portion of an Award that is intended by the Committee to satisfy the
requirements for “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of
the Code shall be a measure based on one or more Qualifying Performance Criteria
selected by the Committee and specified at the time the Award is granted. The
Committee shall certify the extent to which any Qualifying Performance Criteria
has been satisfied, and the amount payable as a result thereof, prior to
payment, settlement or vesting of any Award that is intended to satisfy the
requirements for “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of
the Code. Notwithstanding satisfaction of any performance goals, the number
of
Common Shares issued under or the amount paid under an award may, to the extent
specified in the Award Agreement, be reduced by the Committee on the basis
of
such further considerations as the Committee in its sole discretion shall
determine.
(b) Qualifying
Performance Criteria. For purposes of this Plan, the term “Qualifying
Performance Criteria” shall mean any one or more of the following performance
criteria, either individually, alternatively or in any combination, applied
to
either the Company as a whole or to a business unit or Subsidiary, either
individually, alternatively or in any combination, and measured either annually
or cumulatively over a period of years, on an absolute basis or relative to
a
pre-established target, to previous years’ results or to a designated comparison
group, in each case as specified by the Committee: (i) cash flow (before or
after dividends), (ii) earnings or earnings per share (including earnings before
interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), (iii) stock price, (iv)
return on equity, (v) total stockholder return, (vi) return on capital or
investment (including return on total capital, return on invested capital,
or
return on investment), (vii) return on assets or net assets, (viii) market
capitalization, (ix) economic value added, (x) debt leverage (debt to
capital), (xi) revenue, (xii) income or net income, (xiii) operating income,
(xiv) operating profit or net operating profit, (xv) operating margin or profit
margin, (xvi) return on operating revenue, (xvii) cash from operations, (xviii)
operating ratio, (xix) operating revenue, or (xx) customer service. To the
extent consistent with Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee
(A) shall appropriately adjust any evaluation of performance under a
Qualifying Performance Criteria to eliminate the effects of charges for
restructurings, discontinued operations, extraordinary items and all items
of
gain, loss or expense determined to be extraordinary or unusual in nature or
related to the acquisition or disposal of a segment of a business or related
to
a change in accounting principle all as determined in accordance with standards
established by opinion No. 30 of the Accounting Principles Board (APA
Opinion No. 30) or other applicable or successor accounting provisions, as
well
as the cumulative effect of accounting changes, in each case as determined
in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles or identified in the
Company’s financial statements or notes to the financial statements, and (B) may
appropriately adjust any evaluation of performance under a Qualifying
Performance Criteria to exclude any of the following events that occurs during
a
performance period: (i) asset write-downs, (ii) litigation, claims, judgments
or
settlements, (iii) the effect of changes in tax law or other such laws or
provisions affecting reported results, (iv) accruals for reorganization and
restructuring programs and (v) accruals of any amounts for payment under this
Plan or any other compensation arrangement maintained by the
Company.
13. Transferability
Unless
the Committee provides otherwise, each Award may not be sold, transferred,
pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated by a Participant
other
than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and each Option or Stock
Appreciation Right shall be exercisable only by the Participant during his
or
her lifetime.
14. Compliance
with Laws and Regulations
This
Plan, the grant, issuance, vesting, exercise and settlement of Awards
thereunder, and the obligation of the Company to sell, issue or deliver Common
Shares under such Awards, shall be subject to all applicable foreign, federal,
state and local laws, rules and regulations, stock exchange rules and
regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental or regulatory agency
as
may be required. The Company shall not be required to register in a
Participant’s name or deliver any Common Shares prior to the completion of any
registration or qualification of such shares under any foreign, federal, state
or local law or any ruling or regulation of any government body which the
Committee shall determine to be necessary or advisable. To the extent the
Company is unable to or the Committee deems it infeasible to obtain authority
from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by
the
Company’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Common
Shares hereunder, the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be relieved of any
liability with respect to the failure to issue or sell such Common Shares as
to
which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained. No Option shall
be
exercisable and no Common Shares shall be issued and/or transferable under
any
other Award unless a registration statement with respect to the Common Shares
underlying such Option is effective and current or the Company has determined
that such registration is unnecessary.
15. Withholding
To
the
extent required by applicable federal, state, local or foreign law, a
Participant shall be required to satisfy, in a manner satisfactory to the
Company, any withholding tax obligations that arise by reason of an Option
exercise, disposition of Common Shares issued under an Incentive Stock Option,
the vesting of or settlement of an Award, an election pursuant to
Section 83(b) of the Code or otherwise with respect to an Award. The
Company and its Subsidiaries shall not be required to issue Common Shares,
make
any payment or to recognize the transfer or disposition of Common Shares until
such obligations are satisfied. The Committee may provide for or permit the
minimum statutory withholding obligations to be satisfied through the mandatory
or elective sale of Common Shares and/or by having the Company withhold a
portion of the Common Shares that otherwise would be issued to him or her upon
exercise of the Option or the vesting or settlement of an Award, or by tendering
Common Shares previously acquired.
16. Administration
of the Plan
(a) Committee
of the Plan. The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee
of the Board or the Board itself. Any power of the Committee may also be
exercised by the Board, except to the extent that the grant or exercise of
such
authority would cause any Award or transaction to become subject to (or lose
an
exemption under) the short-swing profit recovery provisions of Section 16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or cause an Award designated as a
Performance Award not to qualify for treatment as performance-based compensation
under Section 162(m) of the Code. To the extent that any permitted action
taken by the Board conflicts with action taken by the Committee, the Board
action shall control. The Compensation Committee may by resolution authorize
one
or more officers of the Company to perform any or all things that the Committee
is authorized and empowered to do or perform under the Plan, and for all
purposes under this Plan, such officer or officers shall be treated as the
Committee; provided, however, that the resolution so authorizing such officer
or
officers shall specify the total number of Awards (if any) such officer or
officers may award pursuant to such delegated authority, and any such Award
shall be subject to the form of Award Agreement theretofore approved by the
Compensation Committee. No such officer shall designate himself or herself
as a
recipient of any Awards granted under authority delegated to such officer.
In
addition, the Compensation Committee may delegate any or all aspects of the
day-to-day administration of the Plan to one or more officers or
employees of the Company or any Subsidiary, and/or to one or more
agents.
(b) Powers
of Committee. Subject to the express provisions of this Plan, the Committee
shall be authorized and empowered to do all things that it determines to be
necessary or appropriate in connection with the administration of this Plan,
including, without limitation: (i) to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and
regulations relating to this Plan and to define terms not otherwise defined
herein; (ii) to determine which persons are Participants, to which of such
Participants, if any, Awards shall be granted hereunder and the timing of any
such Awards; (iii) to grant Awards to Participants and determine the terms
and conditions thereof, including the number of Common Shares subject to Awards
and the exercise or purchase price of such Common Shares and the circumstances
under which Awards become exercisable or vested or are forfeited or expire,
which terms may but need not be conditioned upon the passage of time, continued
employment, the satisfaction of performance criteria, the occurrence of certain
events (including events which constitute a change of control), or other
factors; (iv) to establish and verify the extent of satisfaction of any
performance goals or other conditions applicable to the grant, issuance,
exercisability, vesting and/or ability to retain any Award; (v) to prescribe
and
amend the terms of the agreements or other documents evidencing Awards made
under this Plan (which need not be identical) and the terms of or form of any
document or notice required to be delivered to the Company by Participants
under
this Plan; (vi) to determine the extent to which adjustments are required
pursuant to Section 11; (vii) to interpret and construe this Plan, any
rules and regulations under this Plan and the terms and conditions of any Award
granted hereunder, and to make exceptions to any such provisions in good faith
and for the benefit of the Company; and (viii) to make all other determinations
deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Plan.
(c) Determinations
by the Committee. All decisions, determinations and interpretations by the
Committee regarding the Plan, any rules and regulations under the Plan and
the
terms and conditions of or operation of any Award granted hereunder, shall
be
final and binding on all Participants, beneficiaries, heirs, assigns or other
persons holding or claiming rights under the Plan or any Award. The Committee
shall consider such factors as it deems relevant, in its sole and absolute
discretion, to making such decisions, determinations and interpretations
including, without limitation, the recommendations or advice of any officer
or
other employee of the Company and such attorneys, consultants and accountants
as
it may select.
17. Amendment
of the Plan or Awards
The
Board
may amend, alter or discontinue this Plan and the Committee may amend, or alter
any agreement or other document evidencing an Award made under this Plan but,
except as specifically provided for hereunder, no such amendment shall, without
the approval of the stockholders of the Company (a) reduce the exercise
price of outstanding Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, (b) reduce the
price at which Options may be granted below the price provided for in
Section 6 or (c) otherwise amend the Plan in any manner requiring
stockholder approval by law or under the NASDAQ’s listing requirements. No
amendment or alteration to the Plan or an Award or Award Agreement shall be
made
which would impair the rights of the holder of an Award, without such holder’s
consent, provided that no such consent shall be required if the Committee
determines in its sole discretion and prior to the date of any change of control
that such amendment or alteration either is required or advisable in order
for
the Company, the Plan or the Award to satisfy any law or regulation or to meet
the requirements of or avoid adverse financial accounting consequences under
any
accounting standard.
18. Miscellaneous
(a) No
Liability of Company. The Company and any Subsidiary or affiliate
which is in existence or hereafter comes into existence shall not be liable
to a
Participant or any other person as to: (i) the non-issuance or sale of Common
Shares as to which the Company has been unable to obtain from any regulatory
body having jurisdiction the authority deemed by the Company’s counsel to be
necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Common Shares hereunder; and
(ii) any tax consequence expected, but not realized, by any Participant or
other
person due to the receipt, exercise or settlement of any Award granted
hereunder.
(b) Non-Exclusivity
of Plan. Neither the adoption of this Plan by the Board nor the submission
of this Plan to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed
as creating any limitations on the power of the Board or the Committee to adopt
such other incentive arrangements as either may deem desirable, including
without limitation, the granting of restricted stock or stock options otherwise
than under this Plan or an arrangement not intended to qualify under Code
Section 162(m), and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or
applicable only in specific cases.
(c) Governing
Law. This Plan and any agreements or other documents hereunder shall be
interpreted and construed in accordance with the laws of the Delaware and
applicable federal law.
(d) No
Right to Employment, Reelection or Continued Service. Nothing in this Plan
or an Award Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of
the
Company, its Subsidiaries and/or its affiliates to terminate any Participant’s
employment, service on the Board or service for the Company at any time or
for
any reason not prohibited by law, nor shall this Plan or an Award itself confer
upon any Participant any right to continue his or her employment or service
for
any specified period of time. Neither an Award nor any benefits arising under
this Plan shall constitute an employment contract with the Company, any
Subsidiary and/or its affiliates.
(e) Unfunded
Plan. The Plan is intended to be an unfunded plan. Participants are and
shall at all times be general creditors of the Company with respect to their
Awards. If the Committee or the Company chooses to set aside funds in a trust
or
otherwise for the payment of Awards under the Plan, such funds shall at all
times be subject to the claims of the creditors of the Company in the event
of
its bankruptcy or insolvency.