EXHIBIT 10.1
AXT, INC.
2025 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
1. | Introduction |
(a) | Purposes of the Plan. The purposes of this Plan are to (a) attract and retain the best available personnel for positions of substantial responsibility, (b) provide additional incentive to Employees, Directors and Consultants, (c) promote the success of the Company’s business, and (d) replace the AXT, Inc. 2015 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2015 Plan”). Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the adoption of this Plan does not affect any awards granted under the 2015 Plan. All such awards continue to be governed by the terms and conditions of the 2015 Plan as if this Plan had not been adopted. |
(b) | Effective Date. The Plan is effective as of April 2, 2025 (the “Effective Date”), subject to approval of the Plan by stockholders of the Company pursuant to Section 26 of this Plan. It is expressly intended that the Effective Date be the date as of which the Board approves the Plan. |
(c) | Types of Awards. The Plan permits the grant of Incentive Stock Options, Nonstatutory Stock Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Appreciation Rights, Performance Units, At-Risk, Performance Shares and other stock or cash Awards as the Administrator may determine. All Awards granted before the date on which the stockholders approve the Plan pursuant to Section 26 shall be expressly subject to such stockholder approval. For the avoidance of doubt, no Award may be exercised or settled unless and until such stockholder approval is obtained. |
2. | Definitions |
As used herein, the following definitions will apply:
(f) | Award Agreement means the written or electronic agreement setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to each Award granted under the Plan. The Award Agreement is subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan. |
(g) | Board means the Board of Directors of the Company. |
Cause means, except as provided in the applicable Award Agreement, (1) an unauthorized use or disclosure by Participant of the Company’s confidential information or trade secrets, (2) a material breach of any agreement between Participant and the Company, (3) a material failure to comply with the Company’s written policies or rules that has caused or is reasonably likely to cause injury to the Company, its successor, or its affiliates, or any of their business, (4) conviction of, or plea of “guilty” or “no contest” to, a felony under the laws of the United States or any state thereof, (5) willful misconduct that has caused or is reasonably likely to cause injury to the Company, its successor, or its affiliates, or any of their businesses, (6) embezzlement, (7) failure to cooperate with the Company in any investigation or formal proceeding if the Company has requested Participant’s reasonable cooperation, (8) violation of any applicable federal, state or foreign statutes or laws that govern or regulate employment, pharmaceutical drugs or securities, including but not limited to the laws enforced by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Labor, Food and Drug Administration, Securities and Exchange Commission and Department of Justice or (9) a continued failure to perform assigned duties after receiving written notification of such failure from the Company’s Chief Executive Officer or Board; provided that Participant must be provided with written notice of Participant’s termination for “Cause” and Participant must be provided with a thirty (30) day period following Participant’s receipt of such notice to cure the event(s) that trigger “Cause,” with the Company’s Chief Executive Officer or Board making the final determination whether Participant has cured any Cause. The determination as to whether a Participant is being terminated for Cause shall be made in good faith by the Company and shall be final and binding on the Participant. This definition does not in any way limit the Company’s or any Parent’s or Subsidiary’s ability to terminate a Participant’s employment or services at any time. |
Change in Control means the occurrence of any of the following events: |
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Person is considered to be in effective control of the Company, the acquisition of additional control of the Company by the same Person will not be considered a Change in Control; or
For purposes of this definition, Persons will be considered to be acting as a group if they are owners of a corporation that enters into a merger, consolidation, purchase or acquisition of stock, or similar business transaction with the Company.
Further and for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction will not constitute a Change in Control if: (1) its sole purpose is to change the state of the Company’s incorporation, or (2) its sole purpose is to create a holding company that will be owned in substantially the same proportions by the Persons who held the Company’s securities immediately before such transaction. In all events, a Change in Control hereunder is intended to comply and be interpreted consistently with the definition of such in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5).
(j) | Code means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Reference to a section of the Code or regulation thereunder will include such section or regulation, any valid regulation promulgated under such section, and any comparable provision of any future legislation or regulation amending supplementing or superseding such section or regulation. |
Committee means a committee of Directors, or such other individuals as may be permitted by Applicable Laws, appointed by the Board (or a duly authorized committee of the Board) to administer the Plan, in accordance with Section 4 of the Plan. |
Common Stock means the common stock of the Company. |
Company means AXT, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor thereto. |
(o) | Determination Date means the latest date by which the Administrator may establish or modify Performance Goals for an Award, as determined in its discretion; provided, however, that the |
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Determination Date for any Award determined to be subject to Code Section 409A shall be no later than the latest date permitted thereunder. For purposes of clarification and not limitation, the Determination Date for any Award subject to Code Section 409A shall be no later than the last date as of which outcomes remain substantially uncertain.
(p) | Director means a member of the Board. |
(s) | Employee means, except as otherwise provided herein, any individual who is classified as a common law employee on the payroll records of the Company, or of any Parent, Subsidiary, or Affiliate, as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion and in accordance with Applicable Laws. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of a grant of Incentive Stock Options, only individuals who are employed by the Company or by a Parent, Subsidiary, or Affiliate that satisfies the requirements of Code Section 422 (concerning Incentive Stock Options) shall be eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options. A Director or Consultant shall not be considered an Employee unless such individual is also employed in a separate capacity as a common law employee. Service as a Director or the receipt of director’s fees alone shall not constitute employment for purposes of the Plan. In all events, an individual shall not be treated as an Employee for purposes of the Plan if classified as an independent contractor, consultant, or other non-employee by the applicable employer, regardless of any contrary classification by a governmental agency, court, or other third party. |
(t) | Exchange Act means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
(v) | Fair Market Value means, as of any date, the value of Common Stock determined as follows: |
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(3) | In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value will be determined in good faith by the Administrator. |
(w) | Fiscal Year means the fiscal year of the Company. |
(x) | Full Value Award means any Award granted with a per Share exercise price less than the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant of such Award. |
(y) | Incentive Stock Option means an Option that by its terms qualifies and is otherwise intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code. |
Inside Director means a Director who is an Employee. |
(bb) | Nonstatutory Stock Option means an Option that by its terms does not qualify or is not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option. |
(cc) | Officer means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. |
(dd) | Option means a stock option granted pursuant to the Plan. |
(ee) | Parent means a “parent corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code. |
(ff) | Participant means the holder of an outstanding Award. |
(hh) | Performance Period means the time period of any Fiscal Year of the Company or such other period as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion. |
Plan means this AXT, Inc. 2025 Equity Incentive Plan. |
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Restricted Stock means Shares issued pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award under Section 7 of the Plan, or issued pursuant to the early exercise of an Option. |
(mm) Restricted Stock Unit” means a bookkeeping entry representing an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of one Share, granted pursuant to Section 8. Each Restricted Stock Unit represents an unfunded and unsecured obligation of the Company.
(nn) | Rule 16b-3 means Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect when discretion is being exercised with respect to the Plan. |
(oo) | Section 16(b) means Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act. |
(pp) | Securities Act means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. |
(qq) | Service Provider means an Employee, Director or Consultant. |
(rr) | Share means a share of the Common Stock, as adjusted in accordance with Section 15 of the Plan. |
(ss) | Stock Appreciation Right means an Award, granted alone or in connection with an Option, that pursuant to Section 9 is designated as a Stock Appreciation Right. |
(tt) | Subsidiary means a “subsidiary corporation”, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code. |
(uu) | Successor Corporation has the meaning given to such term in Section 15(c) of the Plan. |
3. | Stock Subject to the Plan |
Stock Subject to the Plan. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 15 of the Plan, the total number of Shares authorized for issuance under this Plan shall be equal to: |
(1) | Any Shares that remain available for future grants under the 2015 Plan as of the date this Plan is approved by the Company’s stockholders pursuant to Section 26 of the Plan; and |
For purposes of clarification and not limitation, the total Shares available for issuance under the 2015 Plan (as referenced in subsection (a)(1) of this Section) as of December 31, 2024, is 3,733,401.
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forfeited to the Company, will increase the Shares available for issuance under the Plan by two Shares for each one Share actually forfeited).
(c) | Lapsed Awards. If an Award expires or becomes unexercisable without having been exercised in full, or, with respect to Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units or At-Risk, Performance Shares, is forfeited to or repurchased by the Company, the unpurchased Shares (or for Awards other than Options or Stock Appreciation Rights the forfeited or repurchased Shares) which were subject thereto will become available for future grant or sale under the Plan (unless the Plan has terminated). With respect to Stock Appreciation Rights, all the Shares covered by the Award (that is, Shares issued pursuant to a Stock Appreciation Right, as well as the Shares that represent payment of the exercise price) will cease to be available under the Plan. Shares that actually have been issued under the Plan under any Award will not be returned to the Plan and will not become available for future distribution under the Plan; provided, however, that if Shares issued pursuant to Awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, At-Risk, Performance Shares or Performance Units are repurchased by the Company or are forfeited to the Company, such Shares will become available for future grant under the Plan. Shares used to pay the exercise price of an Award or to satisfy the tax withholding obligations related to an Award will not become available for future grant or sale under the Plan. To the extent an Award under the Plan is paid out in cash rather than Shares, such cash payment will not result in reducing the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing and, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 15, the maximum number of Shares that may be issued upon the exercise of Incentive Stock Options will equal the aggregate Share number stated in Section 3(a), plus, to the extent allowable under Section 422 of the Code, any Shares that become available for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 3(c). |
(d) | Share Reserve. At all times during the term of this Plan the Company shall reserve and keep available a sufficient number of Shares to satisfy the requirements of the Plan. |
Administration of the Plan |
(a) | Procedure. |
(1) | Multiple Administrative Bodies. Different Committees with respect to different groups of Service Providers may administer the Plan. |
(3) | Other Administration. Other than as provided above, the Plan will be administered by (i) the Board, or (ii) a Committee, which committee will be constituted to satisfy Applicable Laws. |
(1) | to determine the Fair Market Value; |
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(2) | to select the Service Providers to whom Awards may be granted hereunder; |
(3) | to determine the number of Shares to be covered by each Award granted hereunder; |
(4) | to approve forms of Award Agreements for use under the Plan; |
(6) | to construe and interpret the terms of the Plan and Awards granted pursuant to the Plan; |
(8) | to modify or amend each Award (subject to Section 20(c) of the Plan), including, but not limited to, the discretionary authority to extend the post-termination exercisability period of Awards and to extend the maximum term of an Option (subject to Section 6(c) of the Plan regarding Incentive Stock Options); |
(9) | to allow Participants to satisfy tax withholding obligations in such manner as prescribed in Section 16 of the Plan; |
(10) | to authorize any person to execute on behalf of the Company any instrument required to effect the grant of an Award previously granted by the Administrator; |
(11) | to determine whether Awards (other than Options and Stock Appreciation Rights) will be adjusted for Dividend Equivalents; |
(13) | to impose such restrictions, conditions or limitations as it determines appropriate as to the timing and manner of any resales by a Participant or other subsequent transfers by the Participant of any Shares issued as a result of or under an Award, including without limitation, (i) restrictions under an insider trading policy, and (ii) restrictions as to the use of a specified brokerage firm for such resales or other transfers; |
(14) | to require that Participant’s rights, payments and benefits with respect to an Award (including amounts received upon the settlement or exercise of an Award) will be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Award, as may be specified in an Award Agreement at the time of the Award, or later if (i) Applicable Laws require the Company to adopt a policy requiring such reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment, or (ii) pursuant to an amendment of an outstanding Award; and |
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(c) | Exchange Program. The Administrator may not institute an Exchange Program. |
5. | Eligibility |
Nonstatutory Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, At-Risk, Performance Shares, Performance Units and such other cash or stock Awards as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion may be granted to Service Providers. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees.
6. | Stock Options |
Number of Shares. The Administrator will have complete discretion to determine the number of Shares subject to Options granted to any Participant. |
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the term of the Incentive Stock Option will be five (5) years from the date of grant or such shorter term as may be provided in the Award Agreement.
(d) | Option Exercise Price and Consideration. |
(e) | Exercise of Option. |
An Option will be deemed exercised when the Company receives: (i) notice of exercise (in such form as the Administrator may specify from time to time) from the person entitled to exercise the Option, and (ii) full payment for the Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised (together with applicable withholding taxes). Full payment may consist of any consideration and method of payment authorized by the Administrator and permitted by the Award Agreement and the Plan. Shares issued upon exercise of an Option will be issued in the name of the Participant or, if requested by the Participant, in the name of the Participant and his or her spouse. Until the Shares are issued (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company), no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder will exist with respect to the Shares subject to an Option, notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. The Company will issue (or cause to be issued) such Shares promptly after the Option is exercised. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the Shares are issued, except as provided in Section 15 of the Plan.
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Exercising an Option in any manner will decrease the number of Shares thereafter available, both for purposes of the Plan and for sale under the Option, by the number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised.
(3) | Termination for Cause. If a Participant’s employment is terminated for Cause, as defined in this Plan, then all the Participant’s Options, whether or not vested, shall immediately terminate and be forfeited as of the effective date of such termination. |
(f) | Modification, Extension or Renewal. The Committee may modify, extend, or renew outstanding Options and authorize the grant of new Options in substitution therefor, provided that any such action may not, without the written consent of a Participant, impair any of such Participant’s rights under any Option previously granted. Any outstanding Incentive Stock Option that is modified, extended, renewed, or otherwise altered will be treated in accordance with Section 424(h) of the Code. Subject to Section 17 of this Plan, by written notice to affected Participants, the Committee may reduce the exercise price of outstanding Options without the consent of such Participants, |
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provided, however, that the exercise price may not be reduced below the Fair Market Value on the date the action is taken to reduce the exercise price.
(g) | No Disqualification. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan, no term of this Plan relating to Incentive Stock Options will be interpreted, amended, or altered, nor will any discretion or authority granted under this Plan be exercised, so as to disqualify this Plan under Section 422 of the Code or, without the consent of the Participant affected, to disqualify any Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code, other than upon a Change in Control. |
Restricted Stock |
(c) | Transferability. Except as provided in this Section 7 or the Award Agreement, Shares of Restricted Stock may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated until the end of the applicable Period of Restriction. |
(d) | Other Restrictions. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may impose such other restrictions on Shares of Restricted Stock as it may deem advisable or appropriate. |
(h) | Return of Restricted Stock to Company. On the date set forth in the Award Agreement, the Restricted Stock for which restrictions have not lapsed will revert to the Company and again will become available for grant under the Plan. |
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Restricted Stock Units |
(e) | Cancellation. On the date set forth in the Award Agreement, all unearned Restricted Stock Units will be forfeited to the Company. |
9. | Stock Appreciation Rights |
Type of Stock Appreciation Rights Authorized. Awards of Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted in tandem with all or any portion of a related Option (a “Tandem SAR”) or may be granted independently of any Option (a “Freestanding SAR”). A Tandem SAR may be granted either concurrently with the grant of the related Option or at any time thereafter prior to the complete exercise, termination, expiration or cancellation of the related Option. |
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(c) | Number of Shares. The Administrator will have complete discretion to determine the number of Stock Appreciation Rights granted to any Service Provider. |
(g) | Payment of Stock Appreciation Right Amount. Upon exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, a Participant will be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount (the “Payout Amount”) determined by multiplying: |
(1) | The difference between the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over the exercise price; times |
(2) | The number of Shares with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised. |
At the discretion of the Administrator, the payment upon Stock Appreciation Right exercise may be in cash, in Shares (which, on the date of exercise, have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the Payout Amount), or in some combination thereof.
Performance Units and At-Risk, Performance Shares |
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limited to, continued employment or service), applicable federal or state securities laws, or any other basis determined by the Administrator in its discretion.
(f) | Cancellation of Performance Units/Shares. On the date set forth in the Award Agreement, all unearned or unvested Performance Units/Shares will be forfeited to the Company and again will be available for grant under the Plan. |
11. | Dividend Equivalents |
(c) | Vesting. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan or any Award Agreement, no Dividend Equivalents shall be paid or settled with respect to any Award that is subject to vesting conditions (including, without limitation, any Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, or Performance Units), unless and until the underlying Award vests in accordance with its terms. Dividend Equivalents may be credited during the vesting period, provided that any such credited amounts shall be subject to the same vesting and forfeiture terms as the underlying Award. |
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Performance-Based Awards |
(a) | General. The Administrator may grant Awards that are subject to performance criteria to align with Company objectives. |
13. | Leaves of Absence/Transfer Between Locations |
Unless otherwise required by Applicable Laws or determined by the Administrator, vesting of Awards will be suspended during any unpaid leave of absence. A Participant will not be considered to have ceased employment due to (a) a Company-approved leave of absence or (b) a transfer within the Company, its Parent, Subsidiary, or Affiliate; provided, however, that a transfer to an Affiliate may be treated as a termination for Incentive Stock Option purposes. With respect to Incentive Stock Options, any leave may not exceed three (3) months unless reemployment is guaranteed by statute or contract. If reemployment
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is not guaranteed, any Incentive Stock Option held by the Participant will be treated as a Nonstatutory Stock Option six (6) months after the leave begins.
14. | Transferability of Awards |
Unless determined otherwise by the Administrator, an Award may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Participant, only by the Participant. If the Administrator makes an Award transferable, such Award will contain such additional terms and conditions as the Administrator deems appropriate.
Adjustments; Dissolution or Liquidation; Merger or Change in Control |
Adjustments. If the number or class of outstanding Shares is changed by a stock dividend, extraordinary dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities, or other property, but excepting normal cash dividends), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, reincorporation, reclassification, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, or other change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the Shares occurs, then (1) the number and class of Shares reserved for issuance and future grant under the Plan set forth in Section 3, (2) the number, class and price of Shares subject to outstanding Awards, and (3) the maximum number and class of Shares that may be issued set forth in Sections 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 will be proportionately adjusted, subject to any required action by the Board or the stockholders of the Company and in compliance with applicable securities or other laws, provided that fractions of a Share will not be issued. If, by reason of an adjustment pursuant to this Section 15(a), a Participant’s Award Agreement or other agreement related to any Award, or the Shares subject to such Award, covers additional or different shares of stock or securities, then such additional or different shares, and the Award Agreement or such other agreement in respect thereof, will be subject to all of the terms, conditions, and restrictions which were applicable to the Award or the Shares subject to such Award prior to such adjustment. |
In the event that the Successor Corporation does not assume or substitute for the Award, the Participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise all of his or her outstanding Options and
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Stock Appreciation Rights, including Shares as to which such Awards would not otherwise be vested or exercisable, all restrictions on Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units will lapse, and, with respect to Awards with performance-based vesting, all Performance Goals or other vesting criteria will be deemed achieved at one hundred percent (100%) of target levels and all other terms and conditions met. In addition, if an Option or Stock Appreciation Right is not assumed or substituted for in the event of a Change in Control, the Administrator will notify the Participant in writing or electronically that the Option or Stock Appreciation Right will be fully vested and exercisable for a period of time determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion, and the Option or Stock Appreciation Right will terminate upon the expiration of such period.
For the purposes of this subsection (c), an Award will be considered assumed if, following the Change in Control, the Award confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Award immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash, or other securities or property) or, in the case of a Stock Appreciation Right upon the exercise of which the Administrator determines to pay cash or a , Performance Share or Performance Unit which the Administrator can determine to pay in cash, the fair market value of the consideration received in the merger or Change in Control by holders of Common Stock for each Share held on the effective date of the transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the Change in Control is not solely common stock of the Successor Corporation, the Administrator may, with the consent of the Successor Corporation, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right or upon the payout of a Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Unit or At-Risk, Performance Share, for each Share subject to such Award (or in the case of Performance Units denominated in dollars, the number of implied shares determined by dividing the value of the Performance Units by the per share consideration received by holders of Common Stock in the Change in Control), to be solely common stock of the Successor Corporation equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Common Stock in the Change in Control.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 15(c) to the contrary, an Award that vests, is earned or paid-out upon the satisfaction of one or more Performance Goals will not be considered assumed if the Company or its successor modifies any of such Performance Goals without the Participant’s consent; provided, however, a modification to such Performance Goals only to reflect the Successor Corporation’s post-Change in Control corporate structure will not be deemed to invalidate an otherwise valid Award assumption.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 15(c) to the contrary, if a payment under an Award Agreement is subject to Code Section 409A and if the change in control definition contained in the Award Agreement does not comply with the definition of “change of control” for purposes of a distribution under Code Section 409A, then any payment of an amount that otherwise is accelerated under this Section will be delayed until the earliest time that such payment would be permissible under Code Section 409A without triggering any penalties applicable under Code Section 409A.
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16. | Tax Withholding/Code Section 409A |
(b) | Compliance With Code Section 409A. The Plan and each Award granted under the Plan are intended to either be exempt from the application of, or to comply with, the requirements of Code Section 409A so as to avoid the imposition of any additional tax, interest, or penalty thereunder. The Administrator shall have sole discretion to construe and interpret the Plan and each Award Agreement in accordance with this intent. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing: |
(1) | To the extent an Award is subject to Code Section 409A, the time and form of payment shall be specified in the applicable Award Agreement, and any deferral or acceleration of payment or settlement shall only be permitted if and to the extent authorized under Code Section 409A and applicable Treasury Regulations; and |
(2) | If the time and form of payment required under subsection (b)(1) of this Section is not included in the Award Agreement and there are no time and form of payment provisions otherwise applicable to such Award, the Award shall be settled by no later than March 15 of the calendar year following the year in which the Award vests, or such earlier date as may be required to qualify for the short-term deferral exemption under applicable Treasury Regulations. |
For the avoidance of doubt, and to the extent permitted under applicable Treasury Regulations, Awards intended to qualify for the short-term deferral exemption shall be settled within the short-term deferral period. Further, in no event shall the Company have any obligation to indemnify or reimburse a Participant for any taxes imposed (or interest or penalties with respect thereto) as a result of Section 409A.
17. | No Effect on Employment or Service |
Neither the Plan nor any Award will be interpreted as forming an employment or service relationship with the Company or any Parent, Affiliate or Subsidiary. Further, neither the Plan nor any Award will confer upon a Participant any right with respect to continuing the Participant’s relationship as a Service Provider with the Company or any Parent, Affiliate or Subsidiary, nor will they interfere in any way with the Participant’s right or right of the Company or any Parent, Affiliate or Subsidiary, as applicable, to terminate such relationship at any time, with or without Cause, to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws.
18. | Date of Grant |
The date of grant of an Award will be, for all purposes, the date on which the Administrator makes the determination granting such Award, or such other later date as is determined by the Administrator. Notice of the determination will be provided to each Participant within a reasonable time after the date of such grant.
19. | Term of Plan |
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Subject to Section 26 of the Plan, the Plan shall be effective for a period of ten (10) consecutive years starting as of the Effective Date and ending on April 1, 2035, unless terminated earlier pursuant to Section 20 of this Plan.
Amendment and Termination of the Plan |
(a) | Amendment and Termination. The Board or the Administrator may at any time amend, alter, suspend or terminate the Plan. |
(b) | Stockholder Approval. The Company will obtain stockholder approval of any Plan amendment to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with Applicable Laws. |
21. | Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares |
(a) | Legal Compliance. Shares will not be issued pursuant to the exercise of an Award unless the exercise of such Award and the issuance and delivery of such Shares will comply with Applicable Laws and will be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. |
22. | Inability to Obtain Authority |
The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction or to complete or comply with the requirements of any registration or other qualification of the Shares under any state, federal or foreign law or under the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the stock exchange on which Shares of the same class are then listed, or any other governmental or regulatory body, which authority, registration, qualification or rule compliance is deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary or advisable for the issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, will relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority, registration, qualification or rule compliance will not have been obtained.
23. | Forfeiture Events |
The Administrator may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participant’s rights, payments, and benefits with respect to an Award will be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture, or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Award. Such events may include, but will not be limited to, fraud, breach of a fiduciary duty, restatement of financial statements as a result of fraud or willful errors or omissions, termination of employment for Cause, violation of material Company, Affiliate and/or Subsidiary policies, breach of non-competition, confidentiality, or other restrictive covenants that may apply to the Participant, or other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company, Affiliates and/or its Subsidiaries. The Administrator may also require the application of this Section with respect to any Award previously granted to a Participant even without any specified terms being included in any applicable Award Agreement to the extent required under Applicable Laws.
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24. | Insider Trading Policy |
Each Participant who receives an Award will comply with any policy adopted by the Company from time to time covering transactions in the Company’s securities by Employees, officers, and/or Directors of the Company, as well as with any applicable insider trading or market abuse laws to which the Participant may be subject.
All Awards Subject to Company Clawback or Recoupment Policy |
All Awards granted under this Plan shall be subject to the Company’s recoupment or “clawback” policies as in effect from time to time, including g any policies adopted pursuant to Rule 10D-1 under the Exchange Act and applicable listing standards. Such policies are hereby incorporated by reference into the Plan and each Award Agreement.
26. | Stockholder Approval |
The Plan is subject to approval by the stockholders of the Company, which must occur within twelve (12) months following the Effective Date. Any Awards granted prior to such stockholder approval shall be expressly subject to such approval and shall be null and void if such approval is not obtained within such twelve (12)-month period. Such stockholder approval will be obtained in the manner and to the degree required under Applicable Laws.
27. | Captions |
Captions are provided herein for convenience only and will not serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of the Plan.
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