vxrt20190423_8k.htm

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K 

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 23, 2019

 

 

Vaxart, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

         

Delaware

 

001-35285

 

59-1212264

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

   

290 Utah Ave. Suite 200

South San Francisco, California

 

94080

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (650) 550-3500

 

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) 

 

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) 

 

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 5.02.

Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

 

(e) 2019 Equity Incentive Plan

 

On April 23, 2019, Vaxart, Inc. held its 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, or the 2019 Annual Meeting, at 395 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, California 94080. At the 2019 Annual Meeting our stockholders approved the Vaxart, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, or the 2019 Plan, and initially reserved 1,600,000 shares for future issuance thereunder to our executive officers, employees, members of the board of directors and consultants, as described in our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A for the 2019 Annual Meeting filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 11, 2019, or the Proxy Statement. A summary of the 2019 Plan is set forth in the Proxy Statement. That summary and the foregoing description of the 2019 Plan are qualified in their entirety by reference to the text of the 2019 Plan, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

Item 5.03.

Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

 

At the 2019 Annual Meeting our stockholders approved a Certificate of Amendment to our Restated Certificate of Incorporation, or the Certificate, to decrease the authorized number of shares of common stock, par value $0.10 per share, from 200,000,000 to 100,000,000 shares. On April 23, 2019, the Certificate was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The Certificate is filed as Exhibit 3.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

Item 5.07.

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

 

At the 2019 Annual Meeting, our stockholders voted on five proposals, each of which is described in more detail in Proxy Statement. The following is a brief description of each matter voted upon and the results, including the number of votes cast for and against each matter and, if applicable, the number of abstentions and broker non-votes with respect to each matter. Proxies for the 2019 Annual Meeting were solicited pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and there was no solicitation in opposition of management’s solicitation.

 

 

Proposal 1. Stockholders elected the six nominees for directors to serve until Vaxart’s 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders or until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified. The voting results were as follows:

 

Director Name

 

Votes For

 

 

Votes Withheld

 

 

Broker Non-Votes

 

Wouter Latour, M.D.

 

 

3,429,378

     

47,362

     

1,664,624

 

Geoffrey F. Cox, Ph.D.

 

 

3,416,559

     

60,181

     

1,664,624

 

Michael J. Finney, Ph.D.

 

 

3,259,486

     

217,254

     

1,664,624

 

Richard J. Markham

   

3,361,751

     

114,989

     

1,664,624

 

John P. Richard

   

3,375,210

     

101,530

     

1,664,624

 

Anne M. VanLent

   

3,375,278

     

101,462

     

1,664,624

 

 

 

Proposal 2. Stockholders approved the adoption of the Vaxart, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan and the reservation of 1,600,000 shares of common stock for issuance thereunder. The voting results were as follows:

 

Votes For

 

Votes Against

 

Abstentions

 

Broker Non-Votes

3,203,510

 

269,015

 

4,215

 

1,664,624

 

 

Proposal 3. Stockholders approved an Amendment to our Restated Certificate of Incorporation to decrease the authorized number of shares of common stock, par value $0.10 per share, from 200,000,000 to 100,000,000 shares. The voting results were as follows:

 

Votes For

 

Votes Against

 

Abstentions

 

Broker Non-Votes

5,070,596

 

32,374

 

38,394

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proposal 4. Stockholders ratified the selection of KPMG LLP by the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2019. The voting results were as follows:

             

Votes For

 

Votes Against

 

Abstentions

 

Broker Non-Votes

5,112,324

 

13,373

 

15,667

 

 

 

Proposal 5. Stockholders approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers as set forth in the Proxy Statement. The voting results were as follows:

             

Votes For 

 

Votes Against

 

Abstentions

 

Broker Non-Votes

3,430,747

 

39,582

 

6,411

 

1,664,624

 

 

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

            Exhibit Number

Description

3.1

 

                       Certificate of Amendment to Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Vaxart, Inc.

10.1

 

                       2019 Equity Incentive Plan.

10.2

 

                       Form of Stock Option Grant Notice, Stock Option Agreement and Notice of Exercise under the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan.

10.3

 

                       Form of Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice and Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement under the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan.

 

 

 

 

 


 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

             
 

 

 

 

Vaxart, Inc.

     

Dated: April 24, 2019

 

 

 

 
       
 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Wouter W. Latour, M.D.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wouter W. Latour, M.D.

 

 

 

 

 

 

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

ex_141491.htm

Exhibit 3.1

 


CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT OF
RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF
VAXART, INC.

 

Vaxart, Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”),

 

DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:

 

FIRST: The name of Corporation is Vaxart, Inc.

 

SECOND: 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 amending its Restated Certificate of Incorporation as follows:

 

The first sentence in Article FOURTH shall be deleted and the following paragraphs shall be inserted in lieu thereof:

 

“FOURTH: The total number of shares of all classes of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 105,000,000 shares consisting of

 

a)     5,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, par value $0.10 per share, and

 

b)     100,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.10 per share.”

 

THIRD: 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 in accordance with the provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

[Remainder of the Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

 

 

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate to be signed by its Chief Executive Officer this 23rd day of April, 2019.

  

       

VAXART, INC.

 
   

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ WOUTER W. LATOUR, M.D.

 
 

 

Name: Wouter W. Latour, M.D.

Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

ex_141492.htm

Exhibit 10.1

 



Vaxart, Inc.

2019 Equity Incentive Plan

Adopted by the Board of Directors: February 26, 2019
Approved by the Stockholders: April 23, 2019

 

1.     General.

 

(a)     Eligible Award Recipients. Employees, Directors and Consultants are eligible to receive Awards.

 

(b)     Available Awards. The Plan provides for the grant of the following 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, (vii) Performance Cash Awards, and (viii) Other Stock Awards.

 

(c)     Purpose. The Plan, through the grant of Awards, is intended to help the Company 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 the eligible recipients 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 person 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 a Stock 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 or in the written terms of a Performance Cash Award, 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 the time 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 or an Award Agreement, suspension or termination of the Plan will not impair a Participant’s rights under the Participant’s then-outstanding Award without the Participant’s written consent, except as provided in subsection (viii) below.

 

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(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. 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, (E) materially extends the term of the Plan, or (F) materially expands the types of Awards available for issuance under the Plan. Except as provided in the Plan (including subsection (viii) below) or an Award Agreement, no amendment of the Plan will impair a Participant’s rights under an outstanding Award unless (1) the Company requests the consent of the affected Participant, and (2) such Participant consents in writing.

 

(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 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 a Participant’s rights under any Award will not be impaired by any such amendment unless (A) the Company requests the consent of the affected Participant, and (B) such Participant consents in writing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) a Participant’s rights will not be deemed to have been impaired by any such amendment if the Board, in its sole discretion, determines that the amendment, taken as a whole, does not materially impair the Participant’s rights, and (2) subject to the limitations of applicable law, if any, the Board may amend the terms of any one or more Awards 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 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 rules, procedures and sub-plans related to the operation and administration of the Plan as are necessary or appropriate under local laws and regulations 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 made to ensure or facilitate compliance with the laws or regulations of the relevant foreign jurisdiction).

 

(xi)     To effect, with the consent of any adversely affected Participant, (A) the reduction of the exercise, purchase or strike price of any outstanding Stock Award; (B) the cancellation of any outstanding Stock Award and the grant in substitution therefor of a new (1) Option or SAR, (2) Restricted Stock Award, (3) Restricted Stock Unit Award, (4) Other Stock Award, (5) cash and/or (6) other valuable consideration determined by the Board, in its sole discretion, with any such substituted award (x) covering the same or a different number of shares of Common Stock as the cancelled Stock Award and (y) granted under the Plan or another equity or compensatory plan of the Company; or (C) any other action that is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles.

 

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(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 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 (1) 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 Stock 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 Stock 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 Stock Awards granted by such Officer and that such Officer may not grant a Stock Award to himself or herself. Any such Stock Awards will be granted on the form of Stock Award Agreement most recently approved for use by the Committee or the Board, unless otherwise provided in the resolutions approving the delegation 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 pursuant to Section 13(x)(iii) below.

 

(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.

 

3.     Shares Subject to the Plan.

 

(a)     Share Reserve.

 

(i)     Subject to Section 9(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments, and the following sentence regarding the annual increase, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to Stock Awards will not exceed 1,600,000 shares (the “Share Reserve”).

 

(ii)     For clarity, the Share Reserve in this Section 3(a) is a limitation on the number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the Plan. As a single share may be subject to grant more than once (e.g., if a share subject to a Stock Award is forfeited, it may be made subject to grant again as provided in Section 3(b) below), the Share Reserve is not a limit on the number of Stock Awards that can be granted.

 

(iii)     Shares may be issued in connection with a merger or acquisition as permitted by Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c) or other applicable rule, and such issuance will not reduce the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan.

 

(b)     Reversion of Shares to the Share Reserve. If a Stock Award or any portion thereof (i) expires or otherwise terminates without all of the shares covered by such Stock Award having been issued or (ii) is settled in cash (i.e., the Participant receives cash rather than stock), such expiration, termination or settlement will not reduce (or otherwise offset) the number of shares of Common Stock that may be available for issuance under the Plan. If any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to a Stock Award are forfeited back to or repurchased by the Company because of the failure to meet a contingency or condition required to vest such shares in the Participant, then the shares that are forfeited or repurchased will revert to and again become available for issuance under the Plan. Any shares reacquired by the Company in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations on a Stock Award or as consideration for the exercise or purchase price of a Stock Award will again become available for issuance under the Plan.

 

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(c)     Incentive Stock Option Limit. Subject to the provisions of 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 will be a number of shares of Common Stock equal to three (3) multiplied by the Share Reserve.

 

(d)     Limitation on Compensation of Non-Employee Directors. The maximum number of shares of Common Stock subject to Stock Awards granted under this Plan or otherwise during any one year to any Non-Employee Director, taken together with any cash fees paid by the Company to such Non-Employee Director during such year for service on the Board, will not exceed U.S. $600,000 in total value (calculating the value of any such Stock Awards based on the grant date fair value of such Stock Awards for financial reporting purposes), or, with respect to the calendar year in which a Non-Employee Director is first appointed or elected to the Board, $750,000.

 

(e)     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 Stock 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). Stock Awards other than Incentive Stock Options may be granted to Employees, Directors and Consultants; provided, however, that Stock 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 of the Securities Act, unless (i) the stock underlying such Stock Awards is treated as “service recipient stock” under Section 409A of the Code (for example, because the Stock Awards are granted pursuant to a corporate transaction such as a spin off transaction), (ii) the Company, in consultation with its legal counsel, has determined that such Stock Awards are otherwise exempt from Section 409A of the Code, or (iii) the Company, in consultation with its legal counsel, has determined that such Stock Awards comply with the distribution requirements of 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 of such Option is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant 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 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 provisions of separate Options or SARs need not be identical; provided, however, that each Award Agreement will conform to (through incorporation of 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 ten years from the date of its grant or such shorter period specified in the Award Agreement.

 

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(b)     Exercise Price. Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b) regarding Ten Percent Stockholders, the exercise or strike price of each Option or SAR will be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Option or SAR on the date the Award is granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Option or SAR may be granted with an exercise or strike price lower than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Award 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)     Purchase Price for Options. The purchase price of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Option may be paid, to the extent permitted by applicable law and as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, by any combination of the methods of payment set forth below. The Board will have the authority to grant Options that do not permit all of the following methods of payment (or otherwise restrict the ability to use certain methods) and to grant Options that require the consent of the Company to use a particular method of payment. The permitted methods of payment are as follows:

 

(i)     by cash, 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 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 Stock Appreciation Right 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 following restrictions on the transferability of Options and SARs will apply:

 

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(i)     Restrictions on Transfer. An Option or SAR will not be transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution (or pursuant to subsections (ii) and (iii) below), and will be exercisable during the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant. The Board may permit transfer of the Option or SAR in a manner that is not prohibited by applicable laws or regulations. 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) or comparable non-U.S. law. 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 or to any third party designated by 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 or the Participant’s legal heirs 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 Generally. 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 agreement between the Participant and the Company, 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 Award as of the date of termination of Continuous Service) within the period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date which occurs three (3) months following the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service (or such longer or shorter period specified in the applicable Award Agreement), and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after termination of Continuous Service, the Participant does not exercise his or her Option or SAR (as applicable) within the applicable time frame, the Option or SAR will terminate.

 

(h)     Extension of Termination Date. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, if the exercise of an Option or SAR following the termination of the 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, and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. In addition, unless otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, if the sale of any Common Stock received upon exercise of an Option or SAR following the termination of the 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 the period of months (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.

 

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(i)     Disability of Participant. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, 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 which occurs 12 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 termination of Continuous Service, the Participant does not exercise his or her Option or SAR within the applicable time frame, the Option or SAR (as applicable) will terminate.

 

(j)     Death of Participant. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, if (i) a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Participant’s death, or (ii) the 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 Option or SAR may be exercised (to the extent 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 the period ending on the earlier of (i) the date 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 such Option or SAR as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after the Participant’s death, the Option or SAR is not exercised within the applicable time frame, the Option or SAR (as applicable) will terminate.

 

(k)     Termination for Cause. Except as explicitly provided otherwise in the applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement between the Participant and the Company, if a Participant’s Continuous Service is terminated for Cause, the Option or SAR will terminate immediately upon such Participant’s termination of Continuous Service, and the Participant will be prohibited from exercising his or her Option or SAR from and after the date of such termination of Continuous Service. If a Participant’s Continuous Service is suspended pending an investigation of the existence of Cause, all of the Participant’s rights under the Option or SAR will also be suspended during the investigation period.

 

(l)     Non-Exempt Employees. If an Option or SAR is granted to an Employee who is a non-exempt employee for purposes of the U.S. 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 U.S. 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 agreement between the Participant and the Company, or, if no such definition, in accordance with the Company'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 U.S. 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 Stock Award will be exempt from the employee’s regular rate of pay, the provisions of this Section 5(l) will apply to all Stock Awards and are hereby incorporated by reference into such Stock Award Agreements.

 

6.     Provisions of Stock 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 will deem appropriate. To the extent consistent with the Company’s bylaws, at the Board’s election, shares of Common Stock may be (x) held in book entry form subject to the Company’s instructions until any restrictions relating to the Restricted Stock Award lapse; or (y) evidenced by a certificate, which certificate will be held in such form and manner as determined by the Board. The terms and conditions of Restricted Stock Award Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and conditions of separate Restricted Stock Award Agreements need not be identical. Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will conform to (through incorporation of the provisions hereof by reference in the agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:

 

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(i)     Consideration. A Restricted Stock Award may be awarded in consideration for (A) cash, 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 the Restricted Stock Award Agreement may be subject to forfeiture to the Company in accordance with a vesting schedule to be determined by the Board.

 

(iii)     Termination of Participant’s 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 termination of Continuous Service under the terms of the Restricted Stock Award Agreement.

 

(iv)     Transferability. Rights to acquire shares of Common Stock under the 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.

 

(v)     Dividends. A Restricted Stock Award Agreement may provide that any dividends paid on Restricted Stock will be subject to the same vesting and forfeiture restrictions as apply to the shares subject to the Restricted Stock Award to which they relate.

 

(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 will deem appropriate. The terms and conditions of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and conditions of separate Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements need not be identical. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will conform to (through incorporation of the provisions hereof by reference in the 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 a Restricted Stock Unit Award to a time after the vesting of such Restricted Stock Unit Award.

 

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(v)     Dividend Equivalents. Dividend equivalents may be credited in respect of shares of Common Stock covered by a Restricted Stock Unit Award, as determined by the Board and contained in the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement. At the sole discretion of the Board, such dividend equivalents may be converted into additional shares of Common Stock covered by the Restricted Stock Unit Award in such manner as determined by the Board. Any additional shares covered by the Restricted Stock Unit Award credited by reason of such dividend equivalents will be subject to all of the same terms and conditions of the underlying Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement to which they relate.

 

(vi)     Termination of Participant’s Continuous Service. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement, such portion of the Restricted Stock Unit Award that has not vested will be forfeited upon the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service.

 

(c)     Performance Awards.

 

(i)     Performance Stock Awards. A Performance Stock Award is a Stock Award that is payable (including that may be granted, may vest or may be exercised) contingent upon the attainment during a Performance Period of certain 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 or Committee, 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)     Performance Cash Awards. A Performance Cash Award is a cash award that is payable contingent upon the attainment during a Performance Period of certain Performance Goals. A Performance Cash Award may also require the completion of a specified period of Continuous Service. At the time of grant of a Performance Cash Award, 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 or Committee, in its sole discretion. The Board may specify the form of payment of Performance Cash Awards, which may be cash or other property, or may provide for a Participant to have the option for his or her Performance Cash Award, or such portion thereof as the Board may specify, to be paid in whole or in part in cash or other property.

 

(iii)     Board Discretion. The Board retains the discretion to adjust or eliminate the compensation or economic benefit due upon attainment of Performance Goals and to define the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for a Performance Period.

 

(d)     Other Stock Awards. Other forms of Stock Awards valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, Common Stock, including the appreciation in value thereof (e.g., options or stock rights with an exercise price or strike price less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock at the time of grant) may be granted either alone or in addition to Stock Awards provided for under Section 5 and the preceding provisions of 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 Stock Awards.

 

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(b)     Compliance with Law. The Company will seek to obtain from each regulatory commission or agency, as necessary, such authority as may be required to grant Stock Awards and to issue and sell shares of Common Stock upon exercise or vesting of the Stock Awards; provided, however, that this undertaking will not require the Company to register under the Securities Act the Plan or other securities or applicable laws, any Stock Award or any Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any such Stock 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 or advisable 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 or vesting of such Stock 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 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 or tax treatment of exercising such Stock 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 pursuant to Stock 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 Consultant pursuant to the terms of such Consultant’s agreement with the Company or an Affiliate, or (iii) the service of a Director pursuant to the bylaws of the Company or an Affiliate, and any applicable provisions of the corporate law of the state or foreign jurisdiction in which the Company or the Affiliate is domiciled or incorporated, as the case may be. Furthermore, to the extent the Company is not the employer of a Participant, the grant of an Award will be not establish an employment or other service relationship between the Company and the Participant.

 

(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 and any Affiliates is reduced (for example, and without limitation, if the Participant is an Employee of the Company and the Employee 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 (x) 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 (y) 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.

 

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(f)     Incentive Stock Option Limitations. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time of grant) of Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Optionholder during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and any Affiliates) exceeds U.S. $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 such Participant 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 U.S. and non-U.S. federal, state or local 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 Stock Award; provided, however, that (A) no shares of Common Stock are withheld with a value exceeding 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 the Stock Award as a liability for financial accounting purposes) ), and (B) with respect to an Award held by any Participant who is subject to the filing requirements of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any such share withholding must be specifically approved by the Compensation Committee as the applicable method that must be used to satisfy the tax withholding obligation or such share withholding procedure must otherwise satisfy the requirements for an exempt transaction under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act; (iii) withholding cash from an Award settled in cash; (iv) withholding payment from any amounts otherwise payable to the Participant; (v) by means of a “cashless exercise” pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board, or (vi) 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. 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.

 

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(k)     Compliance with Section 409A of the Code. 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, 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 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 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 can 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 U.S. Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or other applicable law. 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 an event constituting 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 Stock 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 Stock Award Agreement, in the event of a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, all outstanding Stock Awards (other than Stock Awards consisting of vested and outstanding shares of Common Stock not subject to a forfeiture condition or the Company’s right of repurchase) will terminate immediately prior to the completion of such dissolution or liquidation, and the shares of Common Stock subject to the Company’s repurchase rights or subject to a forfeiture condition may be repurchased or reacquired by the Company notwithstanding the fact that the holder of such Stock Award is providing Continuous Service; provided, however, that the Board may, in its sole discretion, cause some or all Stock Awards to become fully vested, exercisable and/or no longer subject to repurchase or forfeiture (to the extent such Stock Awards have not previously expired or terminated) before the dissolution or liquidation is completed but contingent on its completion.

 

(c)     Corporate Transaction. The following provisions will apply to Stock Awards in the event of a Corporate Transaction unless otherwise provided in the Stock Award Agreement or any other written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant or unless otherwise expressly provided by the Board at the time of grant of a Stock Award. In the event of a Corporate Transaction, then, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Board may take one or more of the following actions with respect to Stock Awards, contingent upon the closing or completion of the Corporate Transaction:

 

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(i)     arrange for the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company) to assume or continue the Stock Award or to substitute a similar stock award for the Stock Award (including, but not limited to, an award to acquire the same consideration paid to the stockholders of the Company pursuant to the 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 Stock Award to the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company);

 

(iii)     accelerate the vesting, in whole or in part, of the Stock Award (and, if applicable, the time at which the Stock Award may be exercised) to a date prior to the effective time of such Corporate Transaction as the Board determines (or, if the Board does not determine such a date, to the date that is five days prior to the effective date of the Corporate Transaction), which exercise is contingent upon the effectiveness of such Corporate Transaction with such Stock Award terminating if not exercised (if applicable) at or prior to the effective time of the Corporate Transaction; provided, however, that the Board may require Participants to complete and deliver to the Company a notice of exercise before the effective date of a Corporate Transaction

 

(iv)     arrange for the lapse, in whole or in part, of any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company with respect to the Stock Award;

 

(v)     cancel or arrange for the cancellation of the Stock Award, to the extent not vested or not exercised prior to the effective time of the Corporate Transaction, in exchange for such cash consideration, if any, as the Board, in its sole discretion, may consider appropriate; and

 

(vi)     make a payment, in such form as may be determined by the Board equal to the excess, if any, of (A) the per share amount (or value of property per share) payable to holders of Common Stock in connection with the Transaction, over (B) the per share exercise price under the applicable Stock Award, multiplied by the number of shares subject to the Stock Award. For clarity, this payment may be zero (U.S. $0) if the amount per share (or value of property per share) payable to the holders of the Common Stock is equal to or less than the exercise price of the Stock Award. In addition, any escrow, holdback, earnout or similar provisions in the definitive agreement for the Transaction may apply to such payment to the holder of the Stock Award to the same extent and in the same manner as such provisions apply to the holders of Common Stock.

 

The Board need not take the same action or actions with respect to all Stock Awards or portions thereof or with respect to all Participants. The Board may take different actions with respect to the vested and unvested portions of a Stock Award.

 

(d)     Change in Control. A Stock Award may be subject to additional acceleration of vesting and exercisability upon or after a Change in Control as may be provided in the Stock Award Agreement for such Stock Award or as may be provided in any other written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant, but in the absence of such provision, no such acceleration will occur.

 

10.     Termination or Suspension of the Plan.

 

The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. No Incentive Stock Options 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.

 

11.     Existence of the Plan.

 

The Plan will become effective on the Effective Date.

 

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12.     Choice of Law.

 

The law 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 the date the Plan is 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 of the Securities Act. 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)     “Award” means a Stock Award or a Performance Cash Award.

 

(d)     “Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing the terms and conditions of an Award.

 

(e)     “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

(f)     “Capital Stock means each and every class of common stock of the Company, regardless of the number of votes per share.

 

(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 Stock Award after the Effective 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 Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor thereto). 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 the Participant and the Company defining such term and, in the absence of such agreement, such term means, with respect to a Participant, the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) such Participant’s commission of any felony or any crime involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or any applicable foreign jurisdiction; (ii) such Participant’s attempted commission of, or participation in, a fraud or act of dishonesty against the Company or any Affiliate; (iii) such Participant’s intentional, material violation of any contract or agreement between the Participant and the Company or any Affiliate or of any statutory duty owed to the Company or any Affiliate; (iv)  such Participant’s unauthorized use or disclosure of the Company’s or any Affiliate’s confidential information or trade secrets; or (v) such Participant’s gross misconduct. The determination that a termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service is either for Cause or without Cause shall be made by the Company in its sole discretion. Any determination by the Company that the Continuous Service of a Participant was terminated by reason of dismissal without Cause for the purposes of outstanding Stock Awards held by such Participant shall have no effect upon any determination of the rights or obligations of the Company or such 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:

 

14

 

 

(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)     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

 

(iv)     individuals who, on the date the Plan is adopted by the Board, 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 the Plan, 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 the definition of Change in Control (or any analogous term) in an individual written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant will supersede the foregoing definition with respect to Awards subject to such agreement; provided, however, that 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. To the extent required for compliance with Section 409A of the Code, in no event will a Change in Control be deemed to have occurred if such transaction is not also a “change in the ownership or effective control of” the Company or “a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of” the Company 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 “Change in Control” 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, having one vote per share.

 

15

 

 

(m)     “Company” means Vaxart, 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, Consultant or Director or a change in the entity for which the Participant renders such service, provided that there is no interruption or termination of the Participant’s 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 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. In addition, to the extent required for exemption from or compliance with Section 409A of the Code, the determination of whether there has been a termination of Continuous Service will be made, and such term will be construed, in a manner that is consistent with the definition of “separation from service” as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h) (without regard to any alternative definition thereunder).

 

(p)     “Corporate Transaction” means the consummation, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:

 

(i)     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)     a sale or other disposition of more than 50% of the outstanding securities of the Company;

 

(iii)     a merger, consolidation or similar transaction following which the Company is not the surviving corporation; or

 

(iv)     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 a Corporate Transaction be deemed to have occurred if such transaction is not also a “change in the ownership or effective control of” the Company or “a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of” the Company as determined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) (without regard to any alternative definition thereunder).

 

(q)      “Director” means a member of the Board.

 

16

 

 

(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 document, which is the date of the annual meeting of stockholders of the Company held in 2019, provided 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 U.S. 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 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)     If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or traded on any established market, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock will be, unless otherwise determined by the Board, 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 will be the closing selling price 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 will be determined by the Board in good faith and in a manner that complies with Sections 409A and 422 of the Code.

 

(y)     “Incentive Stock Option” means an option granted pursuant to Section 5 of the Plan that is intended to be, and qualifies as, an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

 

(z)      “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.

 

17

 

 

(aa)     “Nonstatutory Stock Option” means any Option granted pursuant to Section 5 of the Plan that does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(bb)     “Officer” means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

 

(cc)     “Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to the Plan.

 

(dd)     “Option Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and an Optionholder evidencing the terms and conditions of an Option grant. Each Option Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

 

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

 

(ff)     “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).

 

(gg)     “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.

 

(hh)      “Own, Owned, Owner, Ownership means 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.

 

(ii)     “Parent” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Company, if each of the corporations other than the Company owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain. A corporation that attains the status of a Parent on a date after the adoption of the Plan shall be considered a Parent commencing as of such date.

 

(jj)     “Participant” means a person to whom an Award is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Stock Award.

 

(kk)     “Performance Cash Award” means an award of cash granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 6(c)(ii).

 

(ll)     “Performance Criteria” means the one or more criteria that the Board or Committee (as applicable) 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 or Committee (as applicable): (1) earnings (including earnings per share and net earnings); (2) earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation; (3) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; (4) total stockholder return; (5) return on equity or average stockholder’s equity; (6) return on assets, investment, or capital employed; (7) stock price; (8) margin (including gross margin); (9) income (before or after taxes); (10) operating income; (11) operating income after taxes; (12) pre-tax profit; (13) operating cash flow; (14) sales or revenue targets; (15) increases in revenue or product revenue; (16) expenses and cost reduction goals; (17) improvement in or attainment of working capital levels; (18) economic value added (or an equivalent metric); (19) market share; (20) cash flow; (21) cash flow per share; (22) share price performance; (23) debt reduction; (24) implementation or completion of projects or processes; (25) subscriber satisfaction; (26) stockholders’ equity; (27) capital expenditures; (28) debt levels; (29) operating profit or net operating profit; (30) workforce diversity; (31) growth of net income or operating income; (32) billings; (33) the number of subscribers, including but not limited to unique subscribers; (34) employee retention; and (35) other measures of performance selected by the Board.

 

18

 

 

(mm)     “Performance Goals” means, for a Performance Period, the one or more goals established by the Board or Committee (as applicable) 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. Unless specified otherwise by the Board or Committee (as applicable) (i) in the Award Agreement at the time the Award is granted or (ii) in such other document setting forth the Performance Goals at the time the Performance Goals are established, the Board or Committee (as applicable) will appropriately make adjustments in the method of calculating the attainment of Performance Goals for a Performance Period as follows: (1) to exclude restructuring and/or other nonrecurring charges; (2) to exclude exchange rate effects; (3) to exclude the effects of changes to generally accepted accounting principles; (4) to exclude the effects of items that are “unusual” in nature or occur “infrequently” as determined under generally accepted accounting principles; (6) to exclude the dilutive effects of acquisitions or joint ventures; (7) to assume that any business divested by the Company achieved performance objectives at targeted levels during the balance of a Performance Period following such divestiture; (8) to exclude the effect of any change in the outstanding shares of common stock of the Company by reason of any stock dividend or split, stock repurchase, reorganization, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares or other similar corporate change, or any distributions to common stockholders other than regular cash dividends; (9) to exclude the effects of stock based compensation and the award of bonuses under the Company’s bonus plans; (10) to exclude costs incurred in connection with potential acquisitions or divestitures that are required to be expensed under generally accepted accounting principles; and (11) to exclude the goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges that are required to be recorded under generally accepted accounting principles. In addition, the Board or Committee (as applicable) retains the discretion to reduce or eliminate the compensation or economic benefit due upon attainment of Performance Goals and to define the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for such Performance Period. Partial achievement of the specified criteria may result in the payment or vesting corresponding to the degree of achievement as specified in the Stock Award Agreement or the written terms of a Performance Cash Award.

 

(nn)     “Performance Period” means the period of time selected by the Board or Committee (as applicable) 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 Stock Award or a Performance Cash Award. Performance Periods may be of varying and overlapping duration, at the sole discretion of the Board or Committee (as applicable).

 

(oo)     “Performance Stock Award” means a Stock Award granted under the terms and conditions of Section 6(c)(i).

 

(pp)     “Plan” means this Vaxart, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, as it may be amended.

 

(qq)     “Restricted Stock Award” means an award of shares of Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 6(a).

 

(rr)     “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.

 

(ss)     “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).

 

19

 

 

(tt)     “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.

 

(uu)     “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.

 

(vv)     “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

(ww)     “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.

 

(xx)     “Stock Appreciation Right 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.

 

(yy)     “Stock Award” means any right to receive Common Stock granted under the Plan, including an Incentive Stock Option, a Nonstatutory Stock Option, a Restricted Stock Award, a Restricted Stock Unit Award, a Stock Appreciation Right, a Performance Stock Award or any Other Stock Award.

 

(zz)     “Stock Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing the terms and conditions of a Stock Award grant. Each Stock Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

 

(aaa)     “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%.

 

(bbb)     “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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20

 

ex_141493.htm

Exhibit 10.2

 

Vaxart, Inc.
Stock Option Grant Notice
(2019 Equity Incentive Plan)

 

Vaxart, Inc. (the “Company”), pursuant to its 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), hereby grants to Optionholder an option to purchase the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock set forth below. This option is subject to all of the terms and conditions as set forth in this stock option grant notice (this “Stock Option Grant Notice”), in the Option Agreement (the “Agreement”), the Plan and the Notice of Exercise, all of which are attached hereto and incorporated herein in their entirety. Capitalized terms not explicitly defined herein but defined in the Plan or the Agreement will have the same definitions as in the Plan or the Agreement. If there is any conflict between the terms herein and the Plan, the terms of the Plan will control.

 

 

Optionholder:

 

 

Date of Grant:

 

 

Vesting Commencement Date:

 

 

Number of Shares Subject to Option:

 

 

Exercise Price (Per Share):

$

 

Total Exercise Price:

$

 

Expiration Date:

 

 

Type of Grant:      Incentive Stock Option1      ☐ Nonstatutory Stock Option

 

Exercise Schedule:     Same as Vesting Schedule

 

Vesting Schedule:

[___________________]

 

Payment:      By one or a combination of the following items (described in the Agreement):

 

☐      By cash, check, bank draft, wire transfer or money order payable to the Company

☐     Pursuant to a Regulation T Program if the shares are publicly traded

☐     By delivery of already-owned shares if the shares are publicly traded

 

If and only to the extent this option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, and subject to the Company’s consent at the time of exercise, by a “net exercise” arrangement

 

 

Additional Terms/Acknowledgements: Optionholder acknowledges receipt of, and understands and agrees to all of the terms and conditions set forth in, this Stock Option Grant Notice, the Agreement and the Plan. Optionholder acknowledges and agrees that this Stock Option Grant Notice and the Agreement may not be modified, amended or revised except as provided in the Plan. Optionholder further acknowledges that as of the Date of Grant, this Stock Option Grant Notice, the Agreement, and the Plan set forth the entire understanding between Optionholder and the Company regarding this option award and supersede all prior oral and written agreements, promises and/or representations on that subject with the exception of (i) options previously granted and delivered to Optionholder, (ii) any compensation recovery policy that is adopted by the Company or is otherwise required by applicable law and (iii) any written employment or severance arrangement that would provide for vesting acceleration of this option upon the terms and conditions set forth therein.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                 

[1] If this is an Incentive Stock Option, it (plus other outstanding Incentive Stock Options) cannot be first exercisable for more than $100,000 in value (measured by exercise price) in any calendar year.  Any excess over $100,000 is a Nonstatutory Stock Option.

 

 

 

By accepting this option, Optionholder consents 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 a third party designated by the Company.

 

Vaxart, Inc.

By:                                                                                                                                  

Name:                                                                                                                             

Title:                                                                                                                               

Date:                                                                                                                               

 «Optionholder»

 

 

                                                                                               

Signature

 

Date:                                                                                                                     

 

 

Attachments: Agreement, 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, and Notice of Exercise

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment I

 

Vaxart, Inc.

2019 Equity Incentive Plan

Option Agreement

(Incentive Stock Option or Nonstatutory Stock Option)

 

Pursuant to your Stock Option Grant Notice (“Stock Option Grant Notice”) and this Option Agreement (this “Agreement”), Vaxart, Inc. (the “Company”) has granted you an option under its 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) to purchase the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock indicated in your Stock Option Grant Notice at the exercise price indicated in your Stock Option Grant Notice. The option is granted to you effective as of the date of grant set forth in the Stock Option Grant Notice (the “Date of Grant”). If there is any conflict between the terms in this Agreement and the Plan, the terms of the Plan will control. Capitalized terms not explicitly defined in this Agreement or in the Stock Option Grant Notice but defined in the Plan will have the same definitions as in the Plan.

 

The details of your option, in addition to those set forth in the Stock Option Grant Notice and the Plan, are as follows:

 

1.     Vesting. Your option will vest as provided in your Stock Option Grant Notice. Vesting will cease upon the termination of your Continuous Service, as described in Section 8 below.

 

2.     Number of Shares and Exercise Price. The number of shares of Common Stock subject to your option and your exercise price per share in your Stock Option Grant Notice will be adjusted for Capitalization Adjustments.

 

3.     Exercise Restriction for Non-Exempt Employees. If you are an Employee eligible for overtime compensation under the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended (that is, a “Non-Exempt Employee”), and except as otherwise provided in the Plan, you may not exercise your option until you have completed at least six (6) months of Continuous Service measured from the Date of Grant, even if you have already been an employee for more than six (6) months. Consistent with the provisions of the U.S. Worker Economic Opportunity Act, you may exercise your option as to any vested portion prior to such six (6) month anniversary in the case of (i) your death or disability, (ii) a Corporate Transaction in which your option is not assumed, continued or substituted, (iii) a Change in Control or (iv) your termination of Continuous Service on your “retirement” (as defined in the Company’s benefit plans).

 

4.     Incentive Stock Option Limitation. If your option is an Incentive Stock Option, then, to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the Date of Grant) of the shares of Common Stock with respect to which your option plus all other Incentive Stock Options you hold are exercisable for the first time by you during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and its Affiliates) exceeds one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), your option(s) or portions thereof that exceed such limit (according to the order in which they were granted) will be treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options.

 

5.     Method of Payment. You must pay the full amount of the exercise price for the shares you wish to exercise. You may pay the exercise price in cash or by check, bank draft, wire transfer or money order payable to the Company or in any other manner permitted by your Stock Option Grant Notice, which may include one or more of the following:

 

1

 

 

(a)     Provided that at the time of exercise the Common Stock is publicly traded, pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board that, prior to the issuance of Common Stock, 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. This manner of payment is also known as a “broker-assisted exercise,” “same day sale,” or “sell to cover.”

 

(b)     Provided that at the time of exercise the Common Stock is publicly traded, by delivery to the Company (either by actual delivery or attestation) of already-owned shares of Common Stock that are owned free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances or security interests, and whose Fair Market Value is equal to the aggregate exercise price on the date of exercise. “Delivery” for these purposes, in the sole discretion of the Company at the time you exercise your option, will include delivery to the Company of your attestation of ownership of such shares of Common Stock in a form approved by the Company. You may not exercise your option by delivery to the Company of Common Stock if doing so would violate the provisions of any law, regulation or agreement restricting the redemption of the Company’s stock.

 

6.     Whole Shares. You may exercise your option only for whole shares of Common Stock.

 

7.     Compliance. In no event may you exercise your option unless the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise are then registered under the Securities Act or, if not registered, the Company has determined that your exercise and the issuance of the shares would be exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The exercise of your option also must comply with all other applicable laws and regulations governing your option, including any U.S. state, federal and local laws, and you may not exercise your option if the Company determines that such exercise would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations (including any restrictions on exercise required for compliance with Treas. Reg. 1.401(k)-1(d)(3), if applicable).

 

8.     Term. You may not exercise your option before the Date of Grant or after the expiration of the option’s term. The term of your option expires, subject to the provisions of Section 5(h) of the Plan, upon the earliest of the following:

 

(a)     immediately upon the termination of your Continuous Service for Cause;

 

(b)     three (3) months after the termination of your Continuous Service for any reason other than Cause, your Disability, or your death (except as otherwise provided in Section 8(d) below); provided, however, that if during any part of such three-month period your option is not exercisable solely because of the condition set forth in the section above relating to “Compliance,” your option will not expire until the earlier of the Expiration Date or until it has been exercisable for an aggregate period of three (3) months after the termination of your Continuous Service; provided further, that if (i) you are a Non-Exempt Employee, (ii) your Continuous Service terminates within six (6) months after the Date of Grant, and (iii) you have vested in a portion of your option at the time of your termination of Continuous Service, your option will not expire until the earlier of (x) the later of (A) the date that is seven (7) months after the Date of Grant, and (B) the date that is three (3) months after the termination of your Continuous Service, and (y) the Expiration Date;

 

(c)     twelve (12) months after the termination of your Continuous Service due to your Disability (except as otherwise provided in Section 8(d) below);

 

2

 

 

(d)     eighteen (18) months after your death if you die either during your Continuous Service or within three (3) months after your Continuous Service terminates for any reason other than Cause;

 

(e)     the Expiration Date indicated in your Stock Option Grant Notice; and

 

(f)     the day before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Date of Grant.

 

If your option is an Incentive Stock Option, note that to obtain the U.S. federal income tax advantages associated with an Incentive Stock Option, the Code requires that at all times beginning on the Date of Grant and ending on the day three (3) months before the date of your option’s exercise, you must be an employee of the Company or an Affiliate, except in the event of your death or Disability. The Company has provided for extended exercisability of your option under certain circumstances for your benefit but cannot guarantee that your option will necessarily be treated as an Incentive Stock Option if you continue to provide services to the Company or an Affiliate as a Consultant or Director after your employment terminates or if you otherwise exercise your option more than three (3) months after the date your employment with the Company or an Affiliate terminates.

 

For purposes of your option, your Continuous Service will be considered terminated (regardless of the reason of termination, whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment or other laws or rules in the jurisdiction where you are providing services or the terms of your employment or service agreement, if any) effective as of the date that you cease to actively provide services to the Company or any Affiliate and will not be extended by any notice period (e.g., employment or service would not include any contractual notice period or any period of “garden leave” or similar period mandated under employment or other laws in the jurisdiction where you are employed or providing services or the terms of your employment or service agreement, if any). The Board shall have exclusive discretion to determine when you are no longer actively employed or providing services for purposes of the Plan (including whether you still may be considered to be providing services while on a leave of absence).

 

9.     Exercise.

 

(a)     You may exercise the vested portion of your option during its term by (i) delivering a Notice of Exercise (in a form designated by the Company) or completing such other documents and/or procedures designated by the Company for exercise and (ii) paying the exercise price and any applicable Tax-Related Items (as defined in Section 11 below) to the Company’s Secretary, stock plan administrator, or such other person as the Company may designate, together with such additional documents as the Company may then require.

 

(b)     By exercising your option you agree that, as a condition to any exercise of your option, the Company may require you to enter into an arrangement providing for the payment by you to the Company of any Tax-Related Items.

 

(c)     If your option is an Incentive Stock Option, by exercising your option you agree that you will notify the Company in writing within fifteen (15) days after the date of any disposition of any of the shares of the Common Stock issued upon exercise of your option that occurs within two (2) years after the Date of Grant or within one (1) year after such shares of Common Stock are transferred upon exercise of your option.

 

3

 

 

(d)     By exercising your option you agree that you will not sell, dispose of, transfer, make any short sale of, grant any option for the purchase of, or enter into any hedging or similar transaction with the same economic effect as a sale with respect to any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company held by you, for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the effective date of a registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act (the “Lock-Up Period”); provided, however, that nothing contained in this section will prevent the exercise of a repurchase option, if any, in favor of the Company during the Lock-Up Period. You further agree to execute and deliver such other agreements as may be reasonably requested by the Company or the underwriters that are consistent with the foregoing or that are necessary to give further effect thereto. In order to enforce the foregoing covenant, the Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to your shares of Common Stock until the end of such period. You also agree that any transferee of any shares of Common Stock (or other securities) of the Company held by you will be bound by this Section 9(d). The underwriters of the Company’s stock are intended third party beneficiaries of this Section 9(d) and will have the right, power and authority to enforce the provisions hereof as though they were a party hereto.

 

10.     Transferability. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 10, your option is not transferable, except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and is exercisable during your life only by you.

 

(a)     Certain Trusts. Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, you may transfer your option to a trust if you are considered to be the sole beneficial owner (determined under Section 671 of the Code and applicable U.S. state law) while the option is held in the trust. You and the trustee must enter into transfer and other agreements required by the Company.

 

(b)     Domestic Relations Orders. Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, and provided that you and the designated transferee enter into transfer and other agreements required by the Company, you may transfer your option pursuant to the terms of a domestic relations order, official marital settlement agreement or other divorce or separation instrument as permitted by Treasury Regulation 1.421-1(b)(2) that contains the information required by the Company to effectuate the transfer. You are encouraged to discuss the proposed terms of any division of this option with the Company prior to finalizing the domestic relations order or marital settlement agreement to help ensure the required information is contained within the domestic relations order or marital settlement agreement. If this option is an Incentive Stock Option, this option may be deemed to be a Nonstatutory Stock Option as a result of such transfer.

 

(c)     Beneficiary Designation. Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, you may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form approved by the Company and any broker designated by the Company to handle option exercises, designate a third party who, on your death, will thereafter be entitled to exercise this option and receive the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise. In the absence of such a designation, your executor or administrator of your estate or your legal heirs will be entitled to exercise this option and receive, on behalf of your estate, the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise.

 

4

 

 

11.     Responsibility for Taxes.

 

(a)     You acknowledge that, regardless of any action the Company or, if different, your employer (the “Employer”) takes with respect to any or all income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, fringe benefit tax, payment on account or other tax related items related to your participation in the Plan and legally applicable to you (“Tax-Related Items”), the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items is and remains your responsibility and may exceed the amount actually withheld by the Company or the Employer, if any. You further acknowledge that the Company and the Employer (i) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of your option, including, but not limited to, the grant, vesting or exercise of your option, the subsequent sale of shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to such exercise and the issuance of any dividends; and (ii) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of your option to reduce or eliminate your liability for Tax-Related Items or achieve any particular tax result. You acknowledge and agree that you will not make any claim against the Company, or any of its Officers, Directors, Employees or Affiliates for Tax-Related Items arising from your option. In particular, you acknowledge that this option is exempt from Section 409A of the Code only if the exercise price per share specified in the Grant Notice is at least equal to the “fair market value” per share of the Common Stock on the Date of Grant and there is no other impermissible deferral of compensation associated with the option. Further, if you are subject to Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction, you acknowledge that the Company and/or the Employer may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction.

 

(b)     Prior to the relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, you agree to make adequate arrangements satisfactory to the Company and/or the Employer to satisfy all Tax-Related Items. In this regard, you authorize the Company and/or the Employer, or their respective agents, at their discretion, to satisfy their withholding obligations with regard to all Tax-Related Items by: (i) withholding from your wages or other cash compensation paid to you by the Company and/or the Employer, (ii) withholding from the proceeds of the sale of shares of Common Stock acquired at exercise of your option and sold either through a voluntary sale or through a mandatory sale arranged by the Company (on your behalf pursuant to this authorization without further consent); and/or (iii) if this option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, withholding a number of shares of Common Stock that are otherwise deliverable to you upon exercise.

 

(c)     Depending on the withholding method, the Company or the Employer may withhold or account for Tax-Related Items by considering applicable minimum statutory withholding amounts or other applicable withholding rates, including maximum applicable rates, in which case you may receive a refund of any over-withheld amount in cash and will have no entitlement to the Common Stock equivalent. If the obligation for Tax-Related Items is satisfied by withholding a number of shares of Common Stock, for tax purposes, you are deemed to have been issued the full number of shares of Common Stock, notwithstanding that a number of the shares of Common Stock is held back solely for the purpose of paying the Tax-Related Items.

 

(d)     You agree to pay to the Company or the Employer any amount of Tax-Related Items that the Company or the Employer may be required to withhold or account for as a result of your participation in the Plan that cannot be satisfied by the means previously described. You acknowledge and agree that the Company may refuse to honor the exercise and refuse to issue or deliver the shares of Common Stock, or the proceeds of the sale of the shares of Common Stock, if you fail to comply with your obligations in connection with the Tax-Related Items.

 

5

 

 

12.     Nature of Grant. In accepting your option, you acknowledge, understand and agree that:

 

(a)     the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature and it may be modified, amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time, to the extent permitted under the Plan;

 

(b)     the grant of this option is exceptional, voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future grants of options (whether on the same or different terms), or benefits in lieu of options, even if options have been granted in the past;

 

(c)     all decisions with respect to future options or other grants, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;

 

(d)     you are voluntarily participating in the Plan;

 

(e)     this option and the shares of Common Stock subject to this option, and the income and value of same, are not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation;

 

(f)     the future value of the shares of Common Stock underlying the option is unknown, indeterminable, and cannot be predicted with certainty;

 

(g)     if the underlying shares of Common Stock do not increase in value, the option will have no value;

 

(h)     if you exercise the option and acquire shares of Common Stock, the value of such shares of Common Stock may increase or decrease in value, even below the exercise price

 

(i)     no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of this option resulting from the termination of your Continuous Service (for any reason whatsoever, whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where you are employed or rendering services or the terms of your employment or service agreement, if any), and in consideration of the grant of this option, you irrevocably agree not to institute any claim against the Company or any Affiliate,

 

(j)     unless otherwise provided in the Plan or by the Company in its discretion, the option and the benefits evidenced by this Agreement do not create any entitlement to have the option or any such benefits transferred to, or assumed by, another company nor to be exchanged, cashed out or substituted for, in connection with any corporate transaction affecting the shares of Common Stock; and

 

(k)     unless otherwise agreed with the Company, this option and any shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan, and the income and value of same, are not granted as consideration for, or in connection with, the service you may provide as a director of an Affiliate.

 

13.     No Advice Regarding Grant. The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding your participation in the Plan, or your acquisition or sale of the underlying shares of Common Stock. You are hereby advised to consult with your own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding your participation in the Plan before taking any action related to the Plan.

 

14.     Right of Repurchase. The Company will have the right to repurchase all of the shares of Common Stock you acquire pursuant to the exercise of your option upon termination of your Continuous Service for Cause. Such repurchase will be at the exercise price you paid to acquire the shares and will be effected pursuant to such other terms and conditions, and at such time, as the Company will determine.

 

6

 

 

15.     Option not a Service Contract. Your option is not an employment or service contract, and nothing in your option will be deemed to create in any way whatsoever any obligation on your part to continue in the employ of the Employer, or of the Employer to continue your employment. In addition, nothing in your option 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 a Director or Consultant for the Company or an Affiliate. Finally, the grant of the option shall not be interpreted as forming an employment or service contract with the Company.

 

16.     Notices. Any notices provided for in your option 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 participation in the Plan and this option by electronic means or to request your consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. By accepting this option, 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 a third party designated by the Company.

 

17.     Governing Plan Document. Your option is subject to all the provisions of the Plan, the provisions of which are hereby made a part of your option, 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. If there is any conflict between the provisions of your option and those of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan will control. In addition, your option (and any compensation paid or shares issued under your option) is subject to recoupment in accordance with The U.S. Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any implementing regulations thereunder, any clawback policy adopted by the Company and any compensation recovery policy otherwise required by applicable law. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to voluntarily terminate employment upon a resignation for “good reason,” or for a “constructive termination” or any similar term under any plan of or agreement with the Company.

 

18.     Other Documents. You hereby acknowledge receipt of and 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 only during certain “window” periods and the Company’s insider trading policy, in effect from time to time.

 

19.     Voting Rights. You will not have voting or any other rights as a shareholder of the Company with respect to the shares to be issued pursuant to this option until such shares are issued to you. Upon such issuance, you will obtain full voting and other rights as a shareholder of the Company. Nothing contained in this option, 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.

 

20.     Severability. If all or 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 shall, 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.

 

7

 

 

21.     Insider Trading Restrictions/Market Abuse Laws. You acknowledge that you may be subject to insider trading restrictions and/or market abuse laws, which may affect your ability to acquire or sell the shares of Common Stock or rights to the shares of Common Stock under the Plan during such times as you are considered to have “inside information” regarding the Company (as defined by the laws). Any restrictions under these laws or regulations are separate from and in addition to any restrictions that may be imposed under any applicable Company insider trading policy. You acknowledge that it is your responsibility to comply with any applicable restrictions, and you are advised to speak to your personal advisor on this matter.

 

22.     Imposition of Other Requirements. The Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on your participation in the Plan, and on any shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan, to the extent the Company determines it is necessary or advisable for legal or administrative reasons, and to require you to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing.

 

23.     Governing Law/Venue. The interpretation, performance and enforcement of this Agreement will be governed by the law of the State of Delaware without regard to that state’s conflicts of laws rules. For purposes of any action, lawsuit or other proceedings brought to enforce this Agreement, including its Exhibit, relating to it, or arising from it, the parties hereby submit to and consent to the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the courts within Santa Clara County, State of California, and no other courts, where this grant is made and/or to be performed.

 

24.     Miscellaneous.

 

(a)     The rights and obligations of the Company under your option 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 your option.

 

(c)     You acknowledge and agree that you have reviewed your option in its entirety, have had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting your option, and fully understand all provisions of your option.

 

(d)     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 Agreement will be deemed to be signed by you upon the signing by you or otherwise by your acceptance of the Grant Notice to which it is attached.

 

 

 

 

 

8

 

 

Attachment II

 

2019 Equity Incentive Plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment III

 

NOTICE OF EXERCISE

 

Vaxart, Inc.

290 Utah Ave, Suite 200

South San Francisco, CA 94080

Date of Exercise: _________________________

 

This constitutes notice to Vaxart, Inc. (the “Company”) under my stock option that I elect to purchase the below number of shares of Common Stock of the Company (the “Shares”) for the exercise price set forth below.

 

Type of option (check one):

Incentive

 

Nonstatutory

 

Stock option dated:

______________________________________

 

____________________________________

 

Number of Shares as to which option is exercised:

______________________________________

 

____________________________________

 

Certificates to be issued in name of:

______________________________________

 

____________________________________

 

Total exercise price:

$_____________________________________

 

$___________________________________

 

Cash payment delivered herewith:

$_____________________________________

 

$___________________________________

 

Regulation T Program (cashless exercise1):

$_____________________________________

 

$___________________________________

 

Value of Shares delivered herewith2:

$_____________________________________

 

$___________________________________

 

By this exercise, I agree (i) to provide such additional documents as you may require pursuant to the terms of the Vaxart, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, (ii) to provide for the payment by me to you (in the manner designated by you) of your withholding obligation, if any, relating to this option, and (iii) if this exercise relates to an incentive stock option, to notify you in writing within fifteen (15) days after the date of any disposition of any of the Shares issued upon exercise of this option that occurs within two (2) years after the date of grant of this option or within one (1) year after such Shares are issued upon exercise of this option.

 

 

                                                                                                  

 

1 Shares must meet the public trading requirements set forth in the option agreement.

 

2 Shares must meet the public trading requirements set forth in the option. Shares must be valued in accordance with the terms of the option being exercised, and must be owned free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances or security interests. Certificates must be endorsed or accompanied by an executed assignment separate from certificate.

 

 

 

 

 

I further agree that, if required by the Company (or a representative of the underwriters) in connection with the first underwritten registration of the offering of any securities of the Company under the Securities Act, I will not sell, dispose of, transfer, make any short sale of, grant any option for the purchase of, or enter into any hedging or similar transaction with the same economic effect as a sale with respect to any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the effective date of a registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act (or such longer period as the underwriters or the Company will request to facilitate compliance with FINRA Rule 2241 or any successor or similar rule or regulation) (the “Lock-Up Period”). I further agree to execute and deliver such other agreements as may be reasonably requested by the Company or the underwriters that are consistent with the foregoing or that are necessary to give further effect thereto. In order to enforce the foregoing covenant, the Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to securities subject to the foregoing restrictions until the end of such period.

 

 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

                                                                                        
Signature

 

                                                                                         

Print Name

 

Address of Record:

 

                                                                                         

 

                                                                                        

 

Email Address:                                                               

 

 

 

ex_141494.htm

Exhibit 10.3

 

 

 

Vaxart, Inc.

Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice
(2019 Equity Incentive Plan)

 

Vaxart, Inc. (the “Company”), pursuant to its 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), hereby awards to Participant a Restricted Stock Unit Award for the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock (“Restricted Stock Units”) set forth below (the “Award”). The Award is subject to all of the terms and conditions as set forth in this notice of grant (this “Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice”), the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (the “Award Agreement”), and in the Plan, all of which are attached hereto and incorporated herein in their entirety. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein will have the meanings set forth in the Plan or the Award Agreement. In the event of any conflict between the terms in the Award and the Plan, the terms of the Plan will control.

 

Participant:                                                                                                  

Date of Grant:                                                                                             

Vesting Commencement Date:                                                                   

Number of Restricted Stock Units/Shares:                                                 

 

 

Vesting Schedule:

[___________________]

 

 

Issuance Schedule:

The shares of Common Stock to be issued in respect of the Award will be issued in accordance with the issuance schedule set forth in Section 6 of the Restricted Stock Unit Agreement.

 

Additional Terms/Acknowledgements: Participant acknowledges receipt of, and understands and agrees to all of the terms and conditions set forth in this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice, the Award Agreement and the Plan. Participant acknowledges and agrees that this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice and the Award Agreement may not be modified, amended or revised except as provided in the Plan. Participant further acknowledges that as of the Date of Grant, this Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice, the Award Agreement and the Plan set forth the entire understanding between Participant and the Company regarding the acquisition of Common Stock pursuant to the Award and supersede all prior oral and written agreements on that subject with the exception, if applicable, of (i) equity awards previously granted and delivered to Participant, (ii) any compensation recovery policy that is adopted by the Company or is otherwise required by applicable law, and (iii) any written employment or severance arrangement that would provide for vesting acceleration of this Award upon the terms and conditions set forth therein.

 

By accepting this Award, Participant consents 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 a third party designated by the Company.

 

 

 

 

 

Vaxart, Inc.                                                               Participant

 

 

By:                                                                                                                                                     

                           Signature                                                            Signature

 

Title:                                                                            Date:                                                             

 

Date:                                                                

 

 

 

Attachments:

Award Agreement and 2019 Equity Incentive Plan

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment I

 

Vaxart, Inc.

2019 Equity Incentive Plan

Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement

 

Pursuant to the Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice (the “Grant Notice”) and this Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (the “Award Agreement”) Vaxart, Inc. (the “Company”) has awarded you a Restricted Stock Unit Award (the “Award”) pursuant to Section 6 of the Company’s 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) for the number of Restricted Stock Units/shares indicated in the Grant Notice. Capitalized terms not explicitly defined in this Award Agreement or the Grant Notice will have the same meanings given to them in the Plan. The terms of your Award, in addition to those set forth in the Grant Notice and the Plan, are as follows

 

1.     Grant of the Award. This Award represents the right to be issued on a future date one (1) share of Common Stock for each Restricted Stock Unit that vests on the applicable vesting date(s) (subject to any adjustment under Section 3 below) as indicated in the Grant Notice. As of the Date of Grant, the Company will credit to a bookkeeping account maintained by the Company, or a third party designated by the Company, for your benefit (the “Account”) the number of Restricted Stock Units/shares of Common Stock subject to the Award. Except as otherwise provided herein, you will not be required to make any payment to the Company or an Affiliate (other than services to the Company or an Affiliate) with respect to your receipt of the Award, the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units or the delivery of the Company’s Common Stock to be issued in respect of the Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company reserves the right to issue you the cash equivalent of Common Stock, in part or in full satisfaction of the delivery of Common Stock upon vesting of your Restricted Stock Units, and, to the extent applicable, references in this Award Agreement and the Grant Notice to Common Stock issuable in connection with your Restricted Stock Units will include the potential issuance of its cash equivalent pursuant to such right, unless otherwise provided for your country in the Appendix.

 

2.     Vesting. Subject to the limitations contained herein, your Award will vest, if at all, in accordance with the vesting schedule provided in the Grant Notice, provided that vesting will cease upon the termination of your Continuous Service. Upon such termination of your Continuous Service, the Restricted Stock Units/shares of Common Stock credited to the Account that were not vested on the date of such termination will be forfeited at no cost to the Company and you will have no further right, title or interest in or to such underlying shares of Common Stock.

 

For purposes of your Award, your Continuous Service will be considered terminated (regardless of the reason of termination, whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment or other laws or rules in the jurisdiction where you are providing services or the terms of your employment or service agreement, if any) effective as of the date that you cease to actively provide services to the Company or any Affiliate and will not be extended by any notice period (e.g., employment or service would not include any contractual notice period or any period of “garden leave” or similar period mandated under employment or other laws in the jurisdiction where you are employed or providing services or the terms of your employment or service agreement, if any). The Board shall have exclusive discretion to determine when you are no longer actively employed or providing services for purposes of the Plan (including whether you still may be considered to be providing services while on a leave of absence).

 

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3.     Number of Shares. The number of Restricted Stock Units/shares subject to your Award may be adjusted from time to time for Capitalization Adjustments, as provided in the Plan. Any additional Restricted Stock Units, shares, cash or other property that become subject to the Award pursuant to this Section 3, if any, will be subject, in a manner determined by the Board, to the same forfeiture restrictions, restrictions on transferability, and time and manner of delivery as applicable to the other Restricted Stock Units and shares covered by your Award. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3, no fractional shares or rights for fractional shares of Common Stock will be created pursuant to this Section 3. Any fraction of a share will be rounded down to the nearest whole share.

 

4.     Compliance. You may not be issued any Common Stock under your Award unless the shares of Common Stock underlying the Restricted Stock Units are either (i) then 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. Your Award must also comply with other applicable laws and regulations governing the Award, including any U.S. state, federal and local laws, and you will not receive such Common Stock if the Company determines that such receipt would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations.

 

5.     Transfer Restrictions. Prior to the time that shares of Common Stock have been delivered to you, you may not transfer, pledge, sell or otherwise dispose of this Award or the shares issuable in respect of your Award, except as expressly provided in this Section 5. For example, you may not use shares that may be issued in respect of your Restricted Stock Units as security for a loan. The restrictions on transfer set forth herein will lapse upon delivery to you of shares in respect of your vested Restricted Stock Units. Notwithstanding the foregoing, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form satisfactory to the Company, you may designate a third party who, in the event of your death, will thereafter be entitled to receive any distribution of Common Stock to which you were entitled at the time of your death pursuant to this Award Agreement. In the absence of such a designation, your legal representative will be entitled to receive, on behalf of your estate, such Common Stock or other consideration.

 

(a)     Death. Your Award is transferable by will and by the laws of descent and distribution. At your death, vesting of your Award will cease and your executor or administrator of your estate will be entitled to receive, on behalf of your estate, any Common Stock or other consideration that vested but was not issued before your death.

 

(b)     Domestic Relations Orders. Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, and provided that you and the designated transferee enter into transfer and other agreements required by the Company, you may transfer your right to receive the distribution of Common Stock or other consideration hereunder, pursuant to a domestic relations order, official marital settlement agreement or other divorce or separation instrument that contains the information required by the Company to effectuate the transfer. You are encouraged to discuss the proposed terms of any division of this Award with the Company General Counsel prior to finalizing the domestic relations order or marital settlement agreement to verify that you may make such transfer, and if so, to help ensure the required information is contained within the domestic relations order or marital settlement agreement.

 

6.     Date of Issuance.

 

(a)     The issuance of shares in respect of the Restricted Stock Units is intended to comply with Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) and will be construed and administered in such a manner. Subject to the satisfaction any withholding obligation for Tax-Related Items (as defined in Section 10 below), in the event one or more Restricted Stock Units vests, the Company will issue to you one (1) share of Common Stock for each Restricted Stock Unit that vests on the applicable vesting date(s) (subject to any adjustment under Section 3 above, and subject to any different provisions in the Grant Notice). The issuance date determined by this paragraph is referred to as the “Original Issuance Date”.

 

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(b)     If the Original Issuance Date falls on a date that is not a business day, delivery will instead occur on the next following business day. In addition, if:

 

(i)     the Original Issuance Date does not occur (1) 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 (2) on a date when you are otherwise permitted to sell shares of Common Stock on an established stock exchange or stock market (including but not limited to under a previously established written trading plan that meets the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act and was entered into in compliance with the Company’s policies (a “10b5-1 Plan”)), and

 

(ii)     either (1) withholding obligations for Tax-Related Items (as defined in Section 10 below) do not apply, or (2) the Company decides, prior to the Original Issuance Date, (A) not to satisfy the withholding obligation for Tax-Related Items (as defined in Section 10 below) by withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares otherwise due, on the Original Issuance Date, to you under this Award, and (B) not to permit you to enter into a “same day sale” commitment with a broker-dealer pursuant to Section 10 of this Award Agreement (including but not limited to a commitment under a 10b5-1 Plan) and (C) not to permit you to pay the Tax-Related Items in cash or from other compensation otherwise payable to you by the Company (as defined in Section 10 below),

 

then the shares that would otherwise be issued to you on the Original Issuance Date will not be delivered on such Original Issuance Date and will instead be delivered on the first business day when you are not prohibited from selling shares of the Company’s Common Stock in the open public 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 and only 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 applicable year following the year in which the shares of Common Stock under this Award are no longer subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(d).

 

(c)     The form of delivery of the shares of Common Stock in respect of your Award (e.g., a stock certificate or electronic entry evidencing such shares) will be determined by the Company.

 

7.     Dividends.   You will receive no benefit or adjustment to your Award with respect to any cash dividend, stock dividend or other distribution that does not result from a Capitalization Adjustment; provided, however, that this sentence will not apply with respect to any shares of Common Stock that are delivered to you in connection with your Award after such shares have been delivered to you.

 

8.     Restrictive Legends. The shares of Common Stock issued under your Award will be endorsed with appropriate legends as determined by the Company.

 

9.     Execution of Documents. You hereby acknowledge and agree that the manner selected by the Company by which you indicate your consent to your Grant Notice is also deemed to be your execution of your Grant Notice and of this Award Agreement. You further agree that such manner of indicating consent may be relied upon as your signature for establishing your execution of any documents to be executed in the future in connection with your Award.

 

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10.     Responsibility for Taxes.

 

(a)     You acknowledge that, regardless of any action the Company or, if different, your employer (the “Employer”) takes with respect to any or all income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, fringe benefit tax, payment on account or other tax related items related to your participation in the Plan and legally applicable to you (“Tax-Related Items”), the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items is and remains your responsibility and may exceed the amount actually withheld by the Company or the Employer, if any. You further acknowledge that the Company and the Employer (i) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of your Restricted Stock Units, including, but not limited to, the grant of the Restricted Stock Units, the vesting and settlement of the Restricted Stock Units, the delivery or sale of any shares of Common Stock and the issuance of any dividends, and (ii) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of your Award to reduce or eliminate your liability for Tax-Related Items or achieve any particular tax result. You acknowledge and agree that you will not make any claim against the Company, or any of its Officers, Directors, Employees or Affiliates for Tax-Related Items arising from your Award. Further, if you are subject to Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction, you acknowledge that the Company and/or the Employer may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction.

 

(b)     Prior to the relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, you agree to make adequate arrangements satisfactorily to the Company and/or the Employer to satisfy all Tax-Related Items. In this regard, you authorize the Company and/or the Employer, or their respective agents, at their discretion, to satisfy their withholding obligations with regard to all Tax-Related Items by: (i) withholding from your wages or any other cash compensation otherwise payable to you by the Company and/or Employer; (ii) causing you to tender a cash payment; (iii) permitting or requiring you to enter into a “same day sale” commitment, if applicable, with a broker-dealer that is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (a “FINRA Dealer”) (pursuant to this authorization and without further consent) whereby you irrevocably elect to sell a portion of the shares to be delivered in connection with your Restricted Stock Units to satisfy the Tax-Related Items and whereby the FINRA Dealer irrevocably commits to forward the proceeds necessary to satisfy the Tax-Related Items directly to the Company and its Affiliates; or (iv) withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock issued or otherwise issuable to you in connection with the Award with a Fair Market Value (measured as of the date shares of Common Stock are issued to you pursuant to Section 6) equal to the amount of such Tax-Related Items; provided, however that if you are an Officer, then the Company will withhold a number of shares of Common Stock upon the relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, unless the use of such withholding method is not feasible under applicable tax or securities law or has materially adverse accounting consequences, in which case, the obligation for Tax-Related Items may be satisfied by one or a combination of methods (i)-(iii) above. Depending on the withholding method, the Company or the Employer may withhold or account for Tax-Related Items by considering applicable minimum statutory withholding amounts or other applicable withholding rates, including maximum applicable rates, in which case you may receive a refund of any over-withheld amount in cash and will have no entitlement to the Common Stock equivalent. If the obligation for Tax-Related Items is satisfied by withholding in s number of shares of Common Stock, for tax purposes, you will be deemed to have been issued the full number of shares of Common Stock subject to the vested Restricted Stock Units, notwithstanding that a number of the shares of Common Stock are held back solely for the purpose of paying the Tax-Related Items. However, the Company does not guarantee that you will be able to satisfy the Tax-Related Items through any of the methods described in the preceding provisions and in all circumstances you remain responsible for timely and fully satisfying the Tax-Related Items.

 

(c)     Unless the Tax-Related Items of the Company and any Affiliate are satisfied, the Company will have no obligation to deliver to you any Common Stock or other consideration pursuant to this Award.

 

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(d)     In the event the Company’s obligation to withhold arises prior to the delivery to you of Common Stock or it is determined after the delivery 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.     Award not a Service Contract.

 

(a)     Your Continuous Service with the Company, the Employer or any other Affiliate is not for any specified term and may be terminated by you or by the Company, the Employer or any other Affiliate at any time, for any reason, with or without cause and with or without notice. Nothing in this Award Agreement (including, but not limited to, the vesting of your Award or the issuance of the shares subject to your Award), the Plan or any covenant of good faith and fair dealing that may be found implicit in this Award Agreement or the Plan will: (i) confer upon you any right to continue in the employ of, or affiliation with the Employer; (ii) constitute any promise or commitment by the Company, the Employer or any other Affiliate regarding the fact or nature of future positions, future work assignments, future compensation or any other term or condition of employment or affiliation; (iii) confer any right or benefit under this Award Agreement or the Plan unless such right or benefit has specifically accrued under the terms of this Award Agreement or Plan; or (iv) deprive the Company or the Employer of the right to terminate you at any time and without regard to any future vesting opportunity that you may have. Finally, the grant of the Award shall not be interpreted as forming an employment or service contract with the Company.

 

(b)     By accepting this Award, you acknowledge and agree that the right to continue vesting in the Award is earned only by continuing as an Employee, Director or Consultant at the will of the Company, the Employer or any other Affiliate 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 the Employer and the loss of benefits available to you under this Award Agreement, including but not limited to, the termination of the right to continue vesting in the Award. You further acknowledge and agree that this Award Agreement, the Plan, the transactions contemplated hereunder and the vesting schedule set forth herein or any covenant of good faith and fair dealing that may be found implicit in any of them do not constitute an express or implied promise of continued engagement as an employee or consultant for the term of this Award Agreement, for any period, or at all, and will not interfere in any way with your right or the right of the Company, the Employer or any other Affiliate to terminate your Continuous Service at any time, with or without cause and with or without notice, and will not interfere in any way with the Company’s right to conduct a reorganization.

 

12.      Nature of Grant. In accepting your Award, you acknowledge, understand and agree that:

 

(a)     the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company, it is discretionary in nature and it may be modified, amended, suspended or terminated by the Company at any time, to the extent permitted under the Plan;

 

(b)     the Award is exceptional, voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future Awards (whether on the same or different terms), or benefits in lieu of an Award, even if an Award has been granted in the past;

 

(c)     all decisions with respect to future awards of Restricted Stock Units or other grants, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;

 

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(d)     you are voluntarily participating in the Plan;

 

(e)     the future value of the shares of Common Stock underlying the Award is unknown, indeterminable and cannot be predicted with certainty;

 

(f)     no claim or entitlement to compensation or damages shall arise from forfeiture of the Award resulting from the termination of your Continuous Service (for any reason whatsoever whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of employment laws in the jurisdiction where you are employed or rendering services or the terms of your employment agreement, if any), and in consideration of the grant of the Award, you agree not to institute any claim against the Company or any Affiliate;

 

(g)     unless otherwise provided herein, in the Plan or by the Company in its discretion, the Award and the benefits evidenced by this Award Agreement do not create any entitlement to have the Award or any such benefits transferred to, or assumed by, another company nor to be exchanged, cashed out or substituted for, in connection with any corporate transaction affecting the shares of Common Stock; and

 

(h)     unless otherwise agreed with the Company, the Award and the shares of Common Stock subject to the Award, and the income and value of same, are not granted as consideration for, or in connection with, the service you may provide as a director of an Affiliate.

 

13.     No Advice Regarding Grant. The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding your participation in the Plan, or your acquisition or sale of the underlying shares of Common Stock. You are hereby advised to consult with your own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding your participation in the Plan before taking any action related to the Plan.

 

14.     Unsecured Obligation. Your Award is unfunded, and as a holder of a vested Award, you will be considered an unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to the Company’s obligation, if any, to issue shares or other property pursuant to this Award Agreement. You will not have voting or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the shares to be issued pursuant to this Award Agreement until such shares are issued to you pursuant to Section 6 of this Award Agreement. Upon such issuance, you will obtain full voting and other rights as a stockholder of the Company. Nothing contained in this Award 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.

 

15.     Notices. Any notice or request required or permitted hereunder will be given in writing to each of the other parties hereto and will be deemed effectively given on the earlier of (i) the date of personal delivery, including delivery by express courier, or delivery via electronic means, or (ii) the date that is five (5) days after deposit in the United States Post Office (whether or not actually received by the addressee), by registered or certified mail with postage and fees prepaid, addressed to the Company at its primary executive offices, attention: Stock Plan Administrator, and addressed to you at your address as on file with the Company at the time notice is given.

 

16.     Headings. The headings of the Sections in this Award Agreement are inserted for convenience only and will not be deemed to constitute a part of this Award Agreement or to affect the meaning of this Award Agreement.

 

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17.     Governing Plan Document. Your Award is subject to all the provisions of the Plan, the provisions of which are hereby made a part of your 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. Your Award (and any compensation paid or shares issued under your Award) is subject to recoupment in accordance with The U.S. Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any implementing regulations thereunder, any clawback policy adopted by the Company and any compensation recovery policy otherwise required by applicable law. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to voluntarily terminate employment upon a resignation for “good reason,” or for a “constructive termination” or any similar term under any plan of or agreement with the Company.

 

18.     Other Documents. You hereby acknowledge receipt of and 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 only during certain “window” periods and the Company’s insider trading policy, in effect from time to time.

 

19.     Severability. If all or any part of this Award 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 Award Agreement or the Plan not declared to be unlawful or invalid. Any Section of this Award 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.

 

20.     Insider Trading Restrictions/Market Abuse Laws. You acknowledge that you may be subject to insider trading restrictions and/or market abuse laws, which may affect your ability to acquire or sell the shares of Common Stock or rights to the shares of Common Stock under the Plan during such times as you are considered to have “inside information” regarding the Company (as defined by the laws). Any restrictions under these laws or regulations are separate from and in addition to any restrictions that may be imposed under any applicable Company insider trading policy. You acknowledge that it is your responsibility to comply with any applicable restrictions, and you are advised to speak to your personal advisor on this matter.

 

21.     Imposition of Other Requirements. The Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on your participation in the Plan, and on any shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan, to the extent the Company determines it is necessary or advisable for legal or administrative reasons, and to require you to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing.

 

22.     Governing Law/Venue. The interpretation, performance and enforcement of this Award Agreement will be governed by the law of the State of Delaware without regard to that state’s conflicts of laws rules. For purposes of any action, lawsuit or other proceedings brought to enforce this Award Agreement, including its Exhibit, relating to it, or arising from it, the parties hereby submit to and consent to the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the courts within Santa Clara County, State of California, and no other courts, where this grant is made and/or to be performed.

 

23.     Miscellaneous.:

 

(a)     The rights and obligations of the Company under your Award will be transferable by the Company 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.

 

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(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 your Award.

 

(c)     You acknowledge and agree that you have reviewed your Award in its entirety, have had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting your Award and fully understand all provisions of your Award.

 

(d)     All obligations of the Company under the Plan and this Award 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 assets of the Company.

 

24.     Amendment. This Award Agreement may not be modified, amended or terminated except by an instrument in writing, signed by you and by a duly authorized representative of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Award Agreement may be amended solely by the Board by a writing which specifically states that it is amending this Award Agreement, so long as a copy of such amendment is delivered to you, and provided that, except as otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, no such amendment materially adversely affecting your rights hereunder may be made without your written consent. Without limiting the foregoing, the Board reserves the right to change, by written notice to you, the provisions of this Award Agreement in any way it may deem necessary or advisable to carry out the purpose of the Award as a result of any change in applicable laws or regulations or any future law, regulation, ruling, or judicial decision, provided that any such change will be applicable only to rights relating to that portion of the Award which is then subject to restrictions as provided herein.

 

25.     Compliance with Section 409A of the Code. This Award is intended to comply with the “short-term deferral” rule set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(4). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if it is determined that the Award fails to satisfy the requirements of the short-term deferral rule and is otherwise deferred compensation subject to Section 409A, and if you are a “Specified Employee” (within the meaning set forth in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code) as of the date of your “separation from service” (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h) and without regard to any alternative definition thereunder), then the issuance of any shares that would otherwise be made upon the date of the separation from service or within the first six (6) months thereafter will not be made on the originally scheduled date(s) and will instead be issued in a lump sum on the earlier of: (i) the fifth business day following your death, or (ii) the date that is six (6) months and one day after the date of the separation from service, with the balance of the shares issued thereafter in accordance with the original vesting and issuance schedule set forth above, but if and only if such delay in the issuance of the shares is necessary to avoid the imposition of adverse taxation on you in respect of the shares under Section 409A of the Code. Each installment of shares that vests is intended to constitute a “separate payment” for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2).

 

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This Award Agreement will be deemed to be signed by the Company and you upon your signing or otherwise by your acceptance of the Restricted Stock Unit Grant Notice to which it is attached.

 

 

 

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Attachment II

 

2019 Equity Incentive Plan