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): November 18, 2010
THE HAIN CELESTIAL GROUP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 0-22818 | 22-3240619 | ||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
58 South Service Road, Melville, NY 11747
(Address of principal executive offices)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (631) 730-2200
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
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)) |
| Item 5.02 | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. |
At the Annual Meeting of Stockholders on November 18, 2010 (the “Annual Meeting”), the stockholders of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (the “Company”) approved the amendment to The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. Amended and Restated 2002 Long Term Incentive and Stock Award Plan (the “2002 Plan”), which was recommended to the Board of Directors (the “Board”) by the Compensation Committee (the “Committee”) and approved by the Board on October 14, 2010, subject to approval by the stockholders.
The 2002 Plan was amended to:
| • | increase the maximum number of shares authorized for issuance under the 2002 Plan by 1,700,000 shares, to a total of 10,250,000 shares; |
| • | decrease the multiplier that each award granted (other than a stock option or stock appreciation right (“SAR”)) shall be deemed to equal for the purposes of calculating the number of shares authorized for issuance under the plan from 2.4 shares to 2.07 shares; and |
| • | prohibit the repricing of SARs without shareholder approval. |
The purpose of the 2002 Plan is to advance the interests of the Company and its stockholders by providing a means to attract, retain, and motivate employees, consultants and directors, upon whose judgment, initiative and efforts the continued success, growth and development of the Company is dependent.
Under the 2002 Plan, the grants of awards will be made by those directors who are non-employee directors within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and outside directors within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), provided that the Committee shall have the authority to grant awards on a quarterly basis to new hires. The awards may be in the form of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and restricted stock units, performance shares and performance units and dividend equivalents.
The 2002 Plan may be amended, suspended or terminated by the Board at any time, in whole or in part. The Board may seek the approval of any amendment or modification by the Company’s stockholders to the extent it deems necessary or advisable in its discretion for purposes of compliance with Section 162(m) or Section 422 of the Code, the listing requirements of the applicable exchange or securities market or for any other purpose. The 2002 Plan is effective as of December 1, 2005. Unless earlier terminated, the 2002 Plan will terminate as to future awards on December 1, 2015.
The foregoing does not constitute a complete summary of the terms of the 2002 Plan, and reference is made to the complete text of the 2002 Plan, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated by reference.
| Item 5.03 | Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year. |
At the Annual Meeting, the stockholders of the Company approved an amendment to the Amended and Restated By-Laws (the “By-Laws”) to:
| • | allow holders of at least 25% of the Company’s outstanding capital stock to call a special meeting of stockholders; |
| • | clarify that executive officer compensation shall be approved by either the Committee or the Board; and |
| • | provide that the record date may be fixed not more than sixty nor less than ten days before a meeting of the stockholders. |
The foregoing does not constitute a complete summary of the amendments to the By-Laws, and reference is made to the complete text of the By-Laws, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.2 and incorporated by reference.
| Item 5.07 | Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders. |
At the Annual Meeting, the Company submitted the following matters to a vote of security holders:
| 1. | To elect all of the director nominees to serve until the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified; |
| 2. | To vote, on an advisory basis, for the compensation awarded to the named executive officers for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010 as set forth in the summary compensation table of the 2010 proxy statement; |
| 3. | To approve an amendment of the Amended and Restated 2002 Long Term Incentive and Stock Award Plan; |
| 4. | To approve an amendment to the By-Laws providing stockholders with the ability to call special meetings of stockholders; and |
| 5. | To ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our registered independent accountants for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011. |
Proposal No. 1 - Election of Directors:
The stockholders elected the persons named below, the Company’s nominees, as directors of the Company, with the following vote:
| Name: |
For | Withheld | Abstain |
Broker Non-Votes | ||||||||
| Irwin D. Simon |
34,043,425 | 1,183,764 | — | — | ||||||||
| Barry J. Alperin |
34,045,227 | 1,181,962 | — | — | ||||||||
| Richard C. Berke |
29,550,483 | 5,676,706 | — | — | ||||||||
| Jack Futterman |
28,613,227 | 6,613,962 | — | — | ||||||||
| Marina Hahn |
33,866,083 | 1,361,106 | — | — | ||||||||
| Brett Icahn |
34,236,882 | 990,307 | — | — | ||||||||
| Roger Meltzer |
30,673,151 | 4,554,038 | — | — | ||||||||
| David Schechter |
33,931,533 | 1,295,656 | — | — | ||||||||
| Lewis D. Schiliro |
29,762,781 | 5,464,408 | — | — | ||||||||
| Lawrence S. Zilavy |
33,807,996 | 1,419,193 | — | — | ||||||||
Proposal No. 2 - Advisory Vote regarding the Compensation of the Company’s Named Executive Officers:
The stockholders approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation awarded to the named executive officers for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010 as set forth in the summary compensation table of the 2010 proxy statement with the following vote:
| For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non-Votes | |||
| 20,603,857 | 7,892,353 | 6,730,979 | — |
Proposal No. 3 - Approval of the Amendment of the Amended and Restated 2002 Long Term Incentive and Stock Award Plan:
The stockholders approved the amendment of the Amended and Restated 2002 Long Term Incentive and Stock Award Plan with the following vote:
| For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non-Votes | |||
| 23,328,485 | 11,483,109 | 415,595 | — |
Proposal No. 4 - Approval of an Amendment to the Company’s By-Laws regarding Special Stockholder Meetings
The stockholders approved an amendment to the By-Laws providing stockholders with the ability to call special meetings of stockholders with the following vote:
| For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non-Votes | |||
| 35,030,336 | 172,016 | 24,837 | — |
Proposal No. 5 - Ratification of Appointment of Registered Independent Accountants
The stockholders ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP with the following vote:
| For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non-Votes | |||
| 34,388,747 | 824,697 | 13,745 | — |
| Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits.
| Exhibit No. |
Description | |
| 3.2 | The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. Amended and Restated By-Laws | |
| 10.1 | The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. Amended and Restated 2002 Long Term Incentive and Stock Award 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.
Date: November 22, 2010
| THE HAIN CELESTIAL GROUP, INC. | ||
| (Registrant) | ||
| By: | /S/ IRA J. LAMEL | |
| Name: | Ira J. Lamel | |
| Title: | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | |
Exhibit 3.2
AMENDED AND RESTATED
BY-LAWS
OF
THE HAIN CELESTIAL GROUP, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
(as amended through November 18, 2010)
AMENDED AND RESTATED
BY-LAWS OF
THE HAIN CELESTIAL GROUP, INC.
(A Delaware Corporation)
ARTICLE I
OFFICES
SECTION 1. PRINCIPAL OFFICE. The principal office of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (the “Corporation”) shall be located at 58 South Service Road, Melville, New York or such other location as may be designated by the Board of Directors from time to time.
SECTION 2. REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT. The registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, Wilmington, Delaware 19808. The registered agent shall be The Prentice-Hall Corporation System, Inc.
SECTION 3. OTHER OFFICES. The Corporation may also have an office or offices other than said principal office at such place or places, either within or without the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors shall from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.
ARTICLE II
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
SECTION 1. PLACE OF MEETINGS. All meetings of the stockholders for the election of directors or for any other purpose shall be held at such place as may be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors, or at such other place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 2. ANNUAL MEETINGS. The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation for the election of directors and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting, shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 3. SPECIAL MEETINGS. (a) General. Special meetings of the stockholders, unless otherwise prescribed by statute, may be called at any time by the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board, if one shall have been elected, or the Vice-Chairman of the Board, if one shall have been elected, or the President.
(b) Stockholder Requested Special Meetings. Subject to the provisions of this Section 3(b), a special meeting of the stockholders shall be called by a majority of the entire Board of Directors following receipt by the Secretary of a written request for a special meeting (a “Special Meeting Request”) from the holders of record representing not less than twenty-five percent of all outstanding shares of common stock of the Corporation entitled to vote on the matter or matters to be brought before the proposed special meeting (the “Requisite Percent”), so long as such Special Meeting Request complies with the requirements of this Section 3(b) and all other
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applicable sections of these By-Laws (a “Stockholder Requested Special Meeting”). The Board of Directors shall determine in good faith whether all requirements set forth in these By-Laws relating to a Stockholder Requested Special Meeting have been satisfied and such determination shall be binding on the Corporation and its stockholders.
For purposes of this Section 3(b) and for determining the Requisite Percent, a stockholder of record or a beneficial owner, as the case may be, shall be deemed to own the shares of capital stock of the Corporation that such stockholder or, if such stockholder is a nominee, custodian or other agent that is holding the shares on behalf of another person (the “beneficial owner”), that the beneficial owner would be deemed to own pursuant to Rule 200(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), excluding any shares as to which such stockholder or beneficial owner, as the case may be, does not have the right to vote or direct the vote at the special meeting or as to which such stockholder or beneficial owner, as the case may be, has entered into a derivative or other agreement, arrangement or understanding that hedges or transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, any of the economic consequences of ownership of such shares. The terms owned, owning and other variations of the word own shall have correlative meanings. Whether shares are owned for these purposes shall be decided by the Board of Directors in its good faith.
| (1) | A Special Meeting Request shall be delivered by registered U.S. mail, return receipt requested or courier service, postage prepaid, to the attention of the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation. A Special Meeting Request shall only be valid if it is signed and dated by each of the record holders of shares representing in the aggregate at least the Requisite Percent or their duly authorized agent and includes: (i) a statement of the specific purpose(s) of the special meeting, the matter(s) proposed to be acted on at the special meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at the special meeting; (ii) the text of any proposal or business to be considered at the special meeting (including the text of any resolutions proposed to be considered and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend these By-Laws, the language of the proposed amendment); (iii) the name and address, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, of each stockholder of record signing such request, the date of each such stockholder’s signature and the name and address of any beneficial owner on whose behalf such request is made; (iv) the class or series and number of shares of the Corporation that are owned of record or beneficially by each such stockholder and any such beneficial owner and documentary evidence of such record or beneficial ownership; (v) any material interest of each stockholder or any such beneficial owner in the business proposed to be conducted at the special meeting; (vi) a representation that the stockholders and such beneficial owners submitting the Special Meeting Request intend to appear in person or by proxy at the special meeting to present the proposal(s) or business to be brought before the special meeting; (vii) if any stockholder submitting the Special Meeting Request intends to solicit proxies with respect to the stockholders’ proposal(s) or business to be presented at the special meeting, a representation to that effect; (viii) all information relating to each stockholder signing the Special Meeting Request that must be disclosed in solicitations for proxies for election of directors in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act; (ix) an agreement by the requesting stockholder(s) to notify the Corporation immediately in the case of any disposition prior to the record date for the Stockholder Requested Special Meeting of shares of common stock of the Corporation owned of record and an acknowledgement that any such disposition shall be deemed a revocation of such Special Meeting Request to the extent of such disposition, such that the number of shares disposed of shall not be included in determining whether the Requisite |
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| Percent has been reached; and (x) if the purpose of the special meeting includes the nomination, election or removal of one or more directors, a statement in writing setting forth the name of the person or persons to be nominated, the number and class of all shares of each class of stock of the Corporation owned of record and beneficially by each such person, as reported to such stockholder by such person, the factual information regarding each such person required by paragraphs (a), (e) and (f) of Item 401 of Regulation S-K adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, each such person’s signed consent to serve as a director of the Corporation if elected, such stockholder’s name and address, the class or series and number of all shares of the Corporation owned of record or beneficially by such stockholder and, in the case of a person (a “Nominee Holder”) that holds such stock through a nominee or “street name” holder, evidence establishing such Nominee Holder’s indirect ownership of stock and entitlement to vote such stock for the election of directors at the special meeting. The Corporation may require any proposed director nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require. |
| (2) | In determining whether a special meeting of stockholders has been requested by the record holders of shares representing in the aggregate at least the Requisite Percent, multiple Special Meeting Requests delivered to the Secretary will be considered together only if each such Special Meeting Request (x) identifies substantially the same purpose or purposes of the special meeting and substantially the same matters proposed to be acted on at the special meeting (in each case as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors), and (y) has been dated and delivered to the Secretary within thirty days of the earliest dated of such Special Meeting Requests. |
| (3) | Any requesting stockholder may revoke his, her or its Special Meeting Request at any time by written revocation delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation; provided, however, that if following such revocation (or any deemed revocation pursuant to Section 3(b)(1)(ix) above), the unrevoked valid Special Meeting Requests represent in the aggregate less than the Requisite Percent, there shall be no requirement to hold a special meeting. The first date on which unrevoked valid Special Meeting Requests constituting not less than the Requisite Percent shall have been delivered to the Corporation is referred to herein as the “Request Receipt Date”. |
| (4) | A Special Meeting Request shall not be valid if: |
(i) the Special Meeting Request does not comply with this Section 3(b);
(ii) the Special Meeting Request relates to an item of business that is not a proper subject for stockholder action under applicable law;
(iii) the Request Receipt Date is during the period commencing ninety days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the immediately preceding annual meeting and ending on the date of the next annual meeting;
(iv) the purpose specified in the Special Meeting Request is an identical or substantially similar item of business (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, a “Similar Item”) to an item of business that was presented at any meeting of stockholders held within 120 days before the Receipt Request Date;
(v) the Board of Directors has called or calls for an annual or special meeting of stockholders to be held within 120 days after the Request Receipt Date and the business to be conducted at such meeting includes the Similar Item; or
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(vi) the Special Meeting Request(s) was made in a manner that involved a violation of Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act, or other applicable law. For purposes of this Section 3(b)(4), the nomination, election or removal of directors shall be deemed to be a Similar Item with respect to all items of business involving the nomination, election or removal of directors, changing the size of the Board of Directors and filling of vacancies and/or newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors.
(5) Special meetings shall be held at such date and time as fixed by the Board of Directors in accordance with these By-Laws; provided; however, that a Stockholder Requested Special Meeting shall not be held more than ninety days after the Request Receipt Date.
(6) Business transacted at any Stockholder Requested Special Meeting shall be limited to the purpose(s) stated in the Company’s notice for such meeting. Nothing contained herein shall prohibit the Board of Directors from submitting matters to the stockholders at any special meeting.
(7) If none of the stockholders who submitted the Special Meeting Request appears or sends a qualified representative to present the matters for consideration that were specified in the Stockholder Meeting Request, the Corporation need not present such matters for a vote at such meeting, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such matter may have been received by the Corporation.
SECTION 4. NOTICE OF MEETINGS. Notice of the place, date and hour of holding of each annual and special meeting of the stockholders and, unless it is the annual meeting, the purpose or purposes thereof, shall be given personally, by mail in a postage prepaid envelope, or, with the consent of the stockholder entitled to receive notice, by facsimile or other means of electronic transmission. Such notice shall be given not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of such meeting, to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting, and, if mailed, it shall be directed to such stockholder at his address as it appears on the record of stockholders, unless he shall have filed with the Secretary of the Corporation a written request that notices to him be mailed at some other address, in which case it shall be directed to him at such other address. Notice given by electronic transmission pursuant to this subsection shall be deemed given: (1) if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a facsimile telecommunication number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (2) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (3) if by posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and (4) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder. An affidavit of the secretary or an assistant secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given by personal delivery, by mail, or by a form of electronic transmission shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. Any such notice for any meeting other than the annual meeting shall indicate that it is being issued at the direction of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Vice-Chairman of the Board or the President, whichever shall have called the meeting. Notice of any meeting of stockholders shall not be required to be given to any stockholder who shall attend such meeting in person or by proxy and shall not, prior the conclusion of such meeting, protest the lack of notice thereof, or who shall, either before or after the meeting, submit a signed waiver of notice, in person or by proxy. Unless the Board of Directors shall fix a new record date for an adjourned meeting, notice of such adjourned meeting need not be given if the time and place to which the meeting shall be adjourned were announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken.
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SECTION 5. QUORUM. At all meetings of the stockholders the holders of a majority of the shares of the Corporation issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat shall be present in person or by proxy to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, except as otherwise provided by statute. In the absence of a quorum, the holders of a majority of the shares present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote may adjourn the meeting from time to time. At any such adjourned meeting at which a quorum may be present any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally called.
SECTION 6. ORGANIZATION. At each meeting of the stockholders, the Chairman of the Board, if one shall have been elected, shall act as chairman of the meeting. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board or if one shall not have been elected, the Vice-Chairman of the Board, or in his absence or if one shall not have been elected, the President shall act as chairman of the meeting. The Secretary, or in his absence or inability to act, the person whom the chairman of the meeting shall appoint secretary of the meeting, shall act as secretary of the meeting and keep the minutes thereof.
SECTION 7. ORDER OF BUSINESS. The order of business at all meetings of the stockholders shall be determined by the chairman of the meeting.
SECTION 8. VOTING. Except as otherwise provided by statute or the Certificate of Incorporation, each holder of record of shares of the Corporation having voting power shall be entitled at each meeting of the stockholders to one vote for each share standing in his name on the record of stockholders of the Corporation:
(a) on the date fixed pursuant to the provisions of Section 6 of Article V of these By-Laws as the record date for the determination of the stockholders who shall be entitled to notice of and to vote at such meeting; or
(b) if no such record date shall have been so fixed, then at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice thereof shall be given.
Each stockholder entitled to vote at any meeting of the stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for them by a proxy signed by such stockholder or his attorney-in-fact. Any such proxy shall be delivered to the secretary of such meeting at or prior to the time designated in the order of business for so delivering such proxies. Except as otherwise provided by statute or the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, any corporate action to be taken by vote of the stockholders shall be authorized by a majority of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders by the holders of shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on such action. Unless required by statute, or determined by the chairman of the meeting to be advisable, the vote on any question need not be by ballot. On a vote by ballot, each ballot shall be signed by the stockholder acting, or by his proxy, if there be such proxy, and shall state the number of shares voted.
SECTION 9. LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS. A list of stockholders as of the record date, certified by the Secretary of the Corporation or by the transfer agent for the Corporation, shall be produced at any meeting of the stockholders upon the request of any stockholder made at or prior to such meeting.
SECTION 10. INSPECTORS. The Board of Directors may, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more inspectors to act at such meeting or any adjournment thereof. If any of the inspectors so appointed shall fail to appear or act or on the request of any stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting, the chairman of the meeting shall, or if inspectors shall not have
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been appointed, the chairman of the meeting may, appoint one or more inspectors. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector at such meeting with strict impartiality and according to the best of his ability. The inspectors shall determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the number of shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum, the validity and effect of proxies, and shall receive votes, ballots or consents, hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in connection with the right to vote, count and tabulate all votes, ballots or consents, determine the results, and do such acts as are proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all stockholders. On request of the chairman of the meeting or any stockholder entitled to vote thereat, the inspector shall make a report in writing of any challenge, request or matter determined by them and shall execute a certificate of any fact found by him. No director or candidate for the office of director shall act as an inspector of an election of directors. Inspectors need not be stockholders.
SECTION 11. ACTION BY CONSENT. Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action by vote, such action may be taken without a meeting on written consent, setting forth the action so taken signed by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon. An electronic transmission consenting to an action to be taken and transmitted by a stockholder, or by a proxy holder or other person authorized to act for a stockholder, shall be deemed to be written, signed and dated for the purpose of this Section 11, provided that such electronic transmission sets forth or is delivered with information from which the Corporation can determine (i) that the electronic transmission was transmitted by the stockholder or by a person authorized to act for the stockholder and (ii) the date on which such stockholder or authorized person transmitted such electronic transmission. The date on which such electronic transmission is transmitted shall be deemed to be the date on which such consent was signed. No consent given by electronic transmission shall be deemed to have been delivered until such consent is reproduced in paper form and until such paper form shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the books in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded.
ARTICLE III
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SECTION 1. GENERAL POWERS. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed under the direction of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may exercise all such authority and powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or the Certificate of Incorporation directed or required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.
SECTION 2. NUMBER, QUALIFICATIONS, ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICE. The number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall be determined by the Board of Directors from time to time. Any decrease in the number of directors shall be effective at the time of the next succeeding annual meeting of the stockholders unless there shall be vacancies in the Board of Directors, in which case such decrease may become effective at any time prior to the next succeeding annual meeting to the extent of the number of such vacancies. All the directors shall be at least eighteen years of age. Directors need not be stockholders. Except as otherwise provided by statute or these By-Laws, the directors (other than members of the initial Board of Directors) shall be elected at the annual meeting of the stockholders. At each meeting of the stockholders for the election of directors at which a quorum is present the persons receiving a
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plurality of the votes cast at such election shall be elected. Each director shall hold office until the next annual meeting of the stockholders and until his successor shall have been elected and qualified, or until his death, or until he shall have resigned, or have been removed, as hereinafter provided in these By-Laws.
SECTION 3. PLACE OF MEETINGS. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at the principal office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware or at such other place, within or without such State, as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or as shall be specified in the notice of any such meeting.
SECTION 4. REGULAR MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such time and place as the Board of Directors may fix. If any day fixed for a regular meeting shall be a legal holiday at the place where the meeting is to be held, then the meeting which would otherwise be held on that day shall be held at the same hour on the next succeeding business day. Notice of regular meetings of the Board of Directors need not be given except as otherwise required by statute or these By-Laws.
SECTION 5. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President or by a majority of the directors.
SECTION 6. NOTICE OF MEETING. Notice of each special meeting of the Board of Directors (and of each regular meeting for which notice shall be required) shall be given by the Secretary as hereinafter provided in this Section 6, in which notice shall be stated the time and place of the meeting. Except as otherwise required by these By-Laws, such notice need not state the purposes of such meeting. Notice of each such meeting shall be (i) mailed, postage prepaid, to each director, addressed to him at his residence or usual place of business, by first-class mail, at least five days before the day on which such meeting is to be held, or (ii) sent addressed to him at such place by facsimile to his last known facsimile number, or by other electronic transmission, or be delivered to him personally or be given to him by telephone or voice message system, at least forty-eight hours before the time at which such meeting is to be held. Notice of any such meeting need not be given to any director who shall, either before or after the meeting, submit a signed waiver of notice or who shall attend such meeting without protesting, prior to or at its commencement, the lack of notice to him.
SECTION 7. QUORUM AND MANNER OF ACTING. A majority of the entire Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board of Directors, and, except as otherwise expressly required by statute or the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors. In the absence of a quorum at any meeting of the Board of Directors, a majority of the directors present thereat may adjourn such meeting to another time and place. Notice of the time and place of any such adjourned meeting shall be given to the directors unless such time and place were announced at the meeting at which the adjournment was taken, to the other directors. At any adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally called. The directors shall act only as a Board and the individual directors shall have no power as such.
SECTION 8. ORGANIZATION. At each meeting of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, if one shall have been elected, shall act as the Chairman of the meeting, or if one shall not have been elected, the Vice-Chairman of the Board, or in his absence, or if one shall not have been elected, the President (or, in his absence, another director chosen by a majority of the
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directors present) shall act as Chairman of the meeting and preside thereat. The Secretary (or, in his absence, any person — who shall be an Assistant Secretary, if any of them shall be present at such meeting — appointed by the chairman) shall act as secretary of the meeting and keep the minutes thereof.
SECTION 9. RESIGNATIONS. Any director of the Corporation may resign at any time by giving written notice of his resignation to the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board or the Vice-Chairman of the Board or the President or the Secretary. Any such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or, if the time when it shall become effective shall not be specified therein, immediately upon its receipt. Unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
SECTION 10. VACANCIES. Subject to any express provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, any vacancy in the Board of Directors, whether arising from death, resignation, removal (with or without cause), an increase in the number of directors or any other cause, may be filled by the vote of a majority of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum, or by the stockholders at the next annual meeting thereof or at a special meeting thereof. Each director so elected shall hold office until the next meeting of the stockholders in which the election of directors is in the regular order of business and until his successor shall have been elected and qualified.
SECTION 11. REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS. Except as otherwise provided by statute, any director may be removed, either with or without cause, at any time, by the stockholders at a special meeting thereof. Except as otherwise provided by statute, any director may be removed for cause by the Board of Directors at a special meeting thereof.
SECTION 12. COMPENSATION. The Board of Directors shall have authority to fix the compensation, including fees and reimbursement of expenses, of directors for services to the Corporation in any capacity.
SECTION 13. COMMITTEES. The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the entire Board of Directors, designate one or more committees, including an executive committee, each committee to consist of three or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent member at any meeting of the committee. Except to the extent restricted by statute or the Certificate of Incorporation, each such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution creating it, shall have and may exercise all the authority of the Board of Directors. Each such committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors and have such name as may be determined from time to time by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board of Directors.
SECTION 14. ACTION BY CONSENT. Unless restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board of Directors or any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board of Directors or such committee consent in writing or by electronic transmission to the adoption of a resolution authorizing the action. The resolution and the written consents or electronic transmissions thereto by the members of the Board of Directors or such committee shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board of Directors or such committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
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SECTION 15. TELEPHONIC MEETING. Unless restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or by statute, any one or more members of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or such committee by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment allowing all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other at the same time. Participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
SECTION 1. NUMBER AND QUALIFICATIONS. The officers of the Corporation shall be elected by the Board of Directors and shall include the President, one or more Vice-Presidents, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. If the Board of Directors wishes, it may also elect as officers of the Corporation a Chairman of the Board and a Vice-Chairman of the Board and may elect other officers (including one or more Assistant Treasurers and one or more Assistant Secretaries, as may be necessary or desirable for the business of the Corporation). Any two or more offices may be held by the same person, except the offices of President and Secretary. Each officer shall hold office until the first meeting of the Board of Directors following the next annual meeting of the stockholders, and until his successor shall have been elected and shall have qualified, or until his death, or until he shall have resigned or have been removed, as hereinafter provided in these By-Laws.
SECTION 2. RESIGNATIONS. Any officer of the Corporation may resign at any time by giving written notice of his resignation to the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board or the Vice-Chairman of the Board or the President or the Secretary. Any such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or, if the time when it shall become effective shall not be specified therein, immediately upon its receipt. Unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of any such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
SECTION 3. REMOVAL. Any officer of the Corporation may be removed, either with or without cause, at any time, by the Board of Directors at any meeting thereof.
SECTION 4. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. The Chairman of the Board, if one shall have been elected, and, if present, shall preside at each meeting of the Board of Directors or the stockholders. He shall perform all duties incident to the office of Chairman and shall perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him by the Board of Directors. The Board may, but need not, designate the Chairman as the chief executive officer of the Corporation, in which event he shall exercise all those general supervisory functions described in Section 6 below, and the President will thereupon act as Chief Operating Officer of the Corporation, subject to the direction of the Chairman and the Board.
SECTION 5. VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. The Vice-Chairman of the Board, if one shall have been elected, shall be a member of the Board, an officer of the Corporation and, if present, shall preside at each meeting of the Board of Directors if no Chairman of the Board has been elected or if the Chairman of the Board is absent, or is unable or refuses to act. He shall advise and counsel the Chairman of the Board and the President, and, in the President’s absence, other executives of the Corporation, and shall perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him by the Board of Directors.
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SECTION 6. THE PRESIDENT. Unless the Board shall have designated the Chairman as the chief executive officer of the Corporation, the President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation and shall have general supervision over the business of the Corporation, subject, however, to the control of the Board and the Chairman, if any, and of any duly authorized committee of directors. The President shall, if present, and in the absence of the Chairman of the Board and the Vice-Chairman of the Board or if either shall not have been elected, preside at each meeting of the Board of Directors or the stockholders. He shall perform all duties incident to the office of President and chief operating officer and such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 7. VICE-PRESIDENT. Each Vice-President shall perform all such duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the Board of Directors or the President. At the request of the President or in his absence or in the event of his inability or refusal to act, the Vice-President, or if there shall be more than one, the Vice-Presidents in the order determined by the Board of Directors (or if there be no such determination, then the Vice-Presidents in the order of their election), shall perform the duties of the President, and, when so called, shall have the power of and be subject to the restrictions placed upon the President in respect of the performance of such duties.
SECTION 8. TREASURER. The treasurer shall
(a) have charge and custody of, and be responsible for, all the funds and securities of the Corporation;
(b) keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation;
(c) deposit all moneys and other valuables to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors or pursuant to its direction;
(d) receive, and give receipts for, moneys due and payable to the Corporation from any source whatsoever;
(e) disburse the funds of the Corporation and supervise the investments of its funds, taking proper vouchers therefor;
(f) render to the Board of Directors, whenever the Board of Directors may require, an account of the financial condition of the Corporation; and
(g) in general, perform all duties incident to the office of the Treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 9. SECRETARY. The Secretary shall
(a) keep or cause to be kept in one or more books provided for the purpose, the minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors, the committees of the Board of Directors and the stockholders;
(b) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these By-Laws and as required by law;
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(c) be custodian of the records and the seal of the Corporation and affix and attest the seal to all certificates for shares of the Corporation (unless the seal of the Corporation on such certificates shall be a facsimile, as hereinafter provided) and affix and attest the seal to all other documents to be executed on behalf of the Corporation under its seal;
(d) see that the books, reports, statements, certificates and other documents and records required by law to be kept and filed are properly kept and filed; and
(e) in general, perform all duties incident to the office of the Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 10. THE ASSISTANT TREASURER. The Assistant Treasurer, or if there shall be more than one, the Assistant Treasurers in the order determined by the Board of Directors (or if there be no such determination, then in the order of their election), shall, in the absence of the Treasurer or in the event of his inability or refusal to act, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Treasurer and shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 11. THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY. The Assistant Secretary, or if there be more than one, the Assistant Secretaries in the order determined by the Board of Directors (or if there be no such determination, then in the order of their election), shall, in the absence of the Secretary or in the event of his inability or refusal to act, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Secretary and shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 12. OFFICERS’ BONDS OR OTHER SECURITY. If required by the Board of Directors, any officer of the Corporation shall give a bond or other security for the faithful performance of his duties, in such amount and with such surety or sureties as the Board of Directors may require.
SECTION 13. COMPENSATION. The compensation of the executive officers of the Corporation for their services as such officers shall be fixed from time to time by the Compensation Committee or the Board of Directors. An officer of the Corporation shall not be prevented from receiving compensation by reason of the fact that he is also a director of the Corporation.
ARTICLE V
SHARES, ETC.
SECTION 1. SHARE CERTIFICATES; UNCERTIFICATED SHARES. The stock of the Corporation may be either certificated, uncertificated or a combination thereof. The Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of the Corporation’s stock may be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation (or the Corporation’s transfer agent or registrar, as the case may be). Notwithstanding the adoption of such resolution by the Board of Directors, every holder of stock represented by certificates and, upon request to the Corporation or the Corporation’s transfer agent or registrar, any holder of uncertificated shares, shall be entitled to have a certificate, in such form as shall be approved by the Board of Directors, certifying the number of shares of the Corporation owned by him. The
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certificates representing shares shall be signed in the name of the Corporation by the Chairman of the Board or the Vice-Chairman of the Board or the President or a Vice-President and by the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, and sealed with the seal of the Corporation (which seal may be a facsimile, engraved or printed); provided, however, that where any such certificate is countersigned by a transfer agent, or is registered by a registrar (other than the Corporation or one of its employees), the signatures of the Chairman of the Board, Vice-Chairman of the Board, President, Vice-President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer upon such certificates may be facsimiles, engraved or printed. In case any officer who shall have signed any such certificate shall have ceased to be such officer before such certificate shall be issued, it may nevertheless be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such officer were still in office at the date of their issue. When the Corporation is authorized to issue shares of more than one class, there shall be set forth upon the face or back of the certificate (or the certificate shall have a statement that the Corporation will furnish to any stockholder upon request and without charge) a full statement of the designation, relative rights, preferences, and limitations of the shares of each separate class, or of the different shares within each class, authorized to be issued and, if the Corporation is authorized to issue any class of preferred shares in series, the designation, relative rights, preferences and limitations of each such series so far as the same have been fixed and the authority of the Board of Directors to designate and fix the relative rights, preferences and limitations of other series.
SECTION 2. BOOKS OF ACCOUNT AND RECORD OF STOCKHOLDERS. There shall be kept correct and complete books and records of account of all the business and transactions of the Corporation. There shall also be kept, at the office of the Corporation, or at the office of its transfer agent, a record containing the names and addresses of all stockholders of the Corporation, the number of shares held by each, and the dates when they became the holders of record thereof.
SECTION 3. TRANSFER OF SHARES. Except as otherwise established by rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Directors, and subject to applicable law, transfers of shares of the Corporation shall be made on the records of the Corporation: (i) in the case of shares represented by a certificate, by the surrender to the Corporation or its transfer agent of the certificate representing such shares properly endorsed or accompanied by a written assignment or power of attorney properly executed, and with such proof of authority or authenticity of signature as the Corporation or its transfer agent may reasonably require; and (ii) in the case of uncertificated shares, upon the receipt of proper transfer instructions from the registered owner thereof and, in each case, after payment of all taxes thereon. The person in whose name shares shall stand on the record of stockholders of the Corporation shall be deemed the owner thereof for all purposes as regards the Corporation. Whenever any transfer of shares shall be made for collateral security and not absolutely and written notice thereof shall be given to the Secretary or to a transfer agent, such fact shall be noted on the records of the Corporation.
SECTION 4. TRANSFER AGENTS AND REGISTRARS. The Board of Directors may appoint, or authorize any officer or officers to appoint, one or more transfer agents and one or more registrars and may require all certificates for shares of stock to bear the signature of any of them.
SECTION 5. REGULATIONS. The Board of Directors may make such additional rules and regulations, not inconsistent with these By-Laws, as it may deem expedient concerning the issue, transfer and registration of certificates for shares of the Corporation.
SECTION 6. FIXING OF RECORD DATE. The Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a date not more than sixty nor less than ten days before the date when fixed for the holding of any meeting of the stockholders or before the last day on which the consent or dissent of the
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stockholders may be effectively expressed for any purpose without a meeting, as the time as of which the stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at such meeting or whose consent or dissent is required or may be expressed for any purpose, as the case may be, shall be determined, and all persons who were stockholders of record of voting shares at such time, and no others, shall be entitled to notice of and to vote at such meeting or to express their consent or dissent, as the case may be. The Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a date not more than sixty nor less than ten days preceding the date fixed for the payment of any dividend or the making of any distribution or the allotment of rights to subscribe for securities of the Corporation, or for the delivery of evidences of rights or evidences of interests arising out of any change, conversion or exchange of shares or other securities, as the record date for the determination of the stockholders entitled to receive any such dividend, distribution, allotment, rights or interests, and in such case only the stockholders of record at the time so fixed shall be entitled to receive such dividend, distribution, allotment, rights or interests.
SECTION 7. LOST, DESTROYED OR MUTILATED CERTIFICATES. The holder of any certificate representing shares of the Corporation shall immediately notify the Corporation of any loss, destruction or mutilation of such certificate, and the Corporation may issue a new certificate (or uncertificated shares if the shares represented by such certificate have been designated as uncertificated shares in accordance with Section 1 of this Article V) in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it which the owner thereof shall allege to have been lost or destroyed or which shall have been mutilated. The Board of Directors may, in its discretion, require such owner or his legal representatives to provide reasonable evidence of such loss, destruction or mutilation and to give to the Corporation a bond in such sum, limited or unlimited, and in such form and with such surety or sureties as the Board of Directors in its absolute discretion shall determine, to indemnify the Corporation and any transfer agent or registrar against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss or destruction of any such certificate, or the issuance of such new certificate (or uncertificated shares).
ARTICLE VI
INDEMNIFICATION
The Corporation to the extent permitted by law may provide for indemnification and advancement of expenses of directors in any civil or criminal action or proceeding, including one in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor, for acts or decisions made by them in good faith while performing services for the Corporation. Such indemnification may be authorized by resolution of the Board of Directors or resolution of the stockholders.
ARTICLE VII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
SECTION 1. DIVIDENDS. Subject to statute and the Certificate of Incorporation, dividends upon the shares of the Corporation may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the Corporation, unless otherwise provided by statute or the Certificate of Incorporation.
SECTION 2. RESERVES. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board of Directors may, from time to time, in its absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the
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Corporation or for such other purpose as the Board of Directors may think conducive to the interests of the Corporation. The Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserves in the manner in which it was created.
SECTION 3. FISCAL YEAR. The first fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed, and once fixed, may thereafter be changed, by resolution of the Board of Directors.
SECTION 4. CHECKS, NOTES, DRAFTS, ETC. All checks, notes, drafts or other orders for the payment of money of the Corporation shall be signed, endorsed or accepted in the name of the Corporation by such officer, officers, person or persons as from time to time may be designated by the Board of Directors to make such designation.
SECTION 5. EXECUTION OF CONTRACTS, DEEDS, ETC. The Board of Directors may authorize any officer or officers, agent or agents, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation to enter into or execute and deliver any and all deeds, bonds, mortgages, contracts and other obligations or instruments, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.
SECTION 6. VOTING OF SHARES IN OTHER CORPORATIONS. Unless otherwise provided by resolution of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the Vice-Chairman of the Board, or the President, from time to time, may (or may appoint one or more attorneys or agents to) cast the votes which the Corporation may be entitled to cast as a stockholder or otherwise in any other corporation, any of whose shares or securities may be held by the Corporation, at meetings of the holders of the shares or other securities of such other corporations, or to consent in writing to any action by any such other corporation. In the event one or more attorneys or agents are appointed, the Chairman of the Board, the Vice-Chairman of the Board, or the President may instruct the person or persons so appointed as to the manner of casting such votes or giving such consent. The Chairman of the Board, the Vice-Chairman of the Board, or the President may, or may instruct the attorneys or agents appointed to, execute or cause to be executed in the name and on behalf of the Corporation and under its seal or otherwise, such written proxies, consents, waivers or other instruments as may be necessary or proper in the premises.
ARTICLE VIII
FORCE AND EFFECT OF BY-LAWS
These By-Laws are subject to the provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law and the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation, as it may be amended from time to time. If any provision in these By-Laws is inconsistent with a provision in that Act or the certificate of incorporation, the provision of that Act or the certificate of incorporation shall govern. Wherever in these By-Laws references are made to more than one incorporator, director, or stockholder, they shall, if this is a sole incorporator, director, stockholder corporation, be construed to mean the solitary person; and all provisions dealing with the quantum of majorities or quorums shall be deemed to mean the action by the one person constituting the corporation.
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ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS
These By-Laws may be amended or repealed or new By-Laws may be adopted at an annual or special meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is present or represented, by the vote of the holders of shares entitled to vote in the election of directors provided that notice of the proposed amendment or repeal or adoption of new By-Laws is contained in the notice of such meeting. These By-Laws may also be amended or repealed or new By-Laws may be adopted by the Board by resolution of the Board of Directors. If any By-Law regulating an impending election of directors is adopted, amended or repealed by the Board of Directors, there shall be set forth in the notice of the next meeting of the stockholders for the election of directors the By-Law so adopted, amended or repealed, together with a concise statement of the changes made. By-Laws adopted by the Board of Directors may be amended or repealed by the stockholders.
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Exhibit 10.1
THE HAIN CELESTIAL GROUP, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED
2002 LONG TERM INCENTIVE AND STOCK AWARD PLAN
1. Purposes.
The purposes of the Amended and Restated 2002 Long Term Incentive and Stock Award Plan are to advance the interests of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. and its stockholders by providing a means to attract, retain, and motivate employees, consultants and directors of the Company upon whose judgment, initiative and efforts the continued success, growth and development of the Company is dependent.
2. Definitions.
For purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below:
(a) “Affiliate” means any entity other than the Company and its Subsidiaries that is designated by the Board or the Committee as a participating employer under the Plan; provided, however, that the Company directly or indirectly owns at least 50% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of such entity or at least 50% of the ownership interests in such entity.
(b) “Award” means any Option, SAR, Restricted Share, Restricted Share Unit, Performance Share, Performance Unit, Dividend Equivalent, or Other Share-Based Award granted to an Eligible Person under the Plan.
(c) “Award Agreement” means any written agreement, contract, or other instrument or document evidencing an Award.
(d) “Beneficiary” means the person, persons, trust or trusts which have been designated by an Eligible Person in his or her most recent written beneficiary designation filed with the Company to receive the benefits specified under this Plan upon the death of the Eligible Person, or, if there is no designated Beneficiary or surviving designated Beneficiary, then the person, persons, trust or trusts entitled by will or the laws of descent and distribution to receive such benefits.
(e) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(f) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. References to any provision of the Code shall be deemed to include successor provisions thereto and regulations thereunder.
(g) “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board, or such other Board committee (which may include the entire Board) as may be designated by the Board to administer the Plan; provided, however, that, unless otherwise determined by the Board, the Committee shall consist of two or more directors of the Company, each of whom is a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, to the extent applicable, and each of whom is an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, to the extent applicable; provided, further, that the mere fact that the Committee shall fail to qualify under either of the foregoing requirements shall not invalidate any Award made by the Committee which Award is otherwise validly made under the Plan.
(h) “Company” means The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware, or any successor corporation.
(i) “Director” means a member of the Board who is not an employee of the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate.
(j) “Dividend Equivalent” means a right, granted under Section 5(g), to receive cash, Shares, or other property equal in value to dividends paid with respect to a specified number of Shares. Dividend Equivalents may be awarded on a free-standing basis or in connection with another Award, and may be paid currently or on a deferred basis.
(k) “Eligible Person” means (i) an employee of the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate, including any director who is an employee, (ii) a consultant to the Company or (iii) a Director.
(1) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time. References to any provision of the Exchange Act shall be deemed to include successor provisions thereto and regulations thereunder.
(m) “Fair Market Value” means, with respect to Shares or other property, the fair market value of such Shares or other property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Granting Authority. If the Shares are listed on any established stock exchange or a national market system, the Fair Market Value of Shares shall mean the closing price on the date of the grant (or, if the Shares were not traded on that day, the next preceding day that the Shares are traded) on the principal exchange or market system on which the Shares are traded, as such prices are officially quoted on such exchange.
(n) “Granting Authority” means the Independent Members or the Committee that grants an Award as specified in Section 3, or each of them as required by the context.
(o) “ISO” means any Option intended to be and designated as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
(p) “Independent Members” means each Director, but no less than two, who is a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act and each of whom is an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code; provided that the mere fact that the Independent Members shall fail to qualify under either of the foregoing requirements shall not invalidate any Award made by the Independent Members which Award is otherwise validly made under the Plan.
(q) “NQSO” means any Option that is not an ISO.
(r) “Option” means a right, granted under Section 5(b), to purchase Shares.
(s) “Other Share-Based Award” means a right, granted under Section 5(h), that relates to or is valued by reference to Shares.
(t) “Participant” means an Eligible Person who has been granted an Award under the Plan.
(u) “Performance Share” means a performance share granted under Section 5(f).
(v) “Performance Unit” means a performance unit granted under Section 5(f).
(w) “Plan” means this Amended and Restated 2002 Long Term Incentive and Stock Award Plan.
(x) “Restricted Shares” means an Award of Shares under Section 5(d) that may be subject to certain restrictions and to a risk of forfeiture.
(y) “Restricted Share Unit” means a right, granted under Section 5(e), to receive Shares or cash at the end of a specified deferral period.
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(z) “Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3, as from time to time in effect and applicable to the Plan and Participants, promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
(aa) “SAR” or “Share Appreciation Right” means the right, granted under Section 5(c), to be paid an amount measured by the difference between the exercise price of the right and the Fair Market Value of Shares on the date of exercise of the right, with payment to be made in cash, Shares, or property as specified in the Award or determined by the Committee.
(bb) “Shares” means common stock, $.01 par value per share, of the Company.
(cc) “Subsidiary” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if each of the corporations (other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain) owns shares possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in the chain.
3. Administration.
(a) Granting Authority. The Independent Members shall have the authority to make grants of Awards under the Plan, provided that the Committee shall have authority to make grants of Awards under the Plan on a quarterly basis to Eligible Persons newly hired or retained since the most recent grants awarded by the Independent Members. Each Granting Authority shall have full and final authority to take the following actions with respect to the Awards granted by it, in each case subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan:
(i) to select Eligible Persons to whom Awards may be granted;
(ii) to designate Affiliates;
(iii) to determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Eligible Person;
(iv) to determine the type and number of Awards to be granted, the number of Shares to which an Award may relate, the terms and conditions of any Award granted under the Plan (including, but not limited to, any exercise price, grant price, or purchase price, any restriction or condition, any schedule for lapse of restrictions or conditions relating to transferability or forfeiture, exercisability, or settlement of an Award, and waiver or accelerations thereof, and waivers of performance conditions relating to an Award, based in each case on such considerations as the Granting Authority shall determine), and all other matters to be determined in connection with an Award;
(v) to determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances an Award may be settled, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid, in cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property, or an Award may be canceled, forfeited, exchanged, or surrendered;
(vi) to determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property payable with respect to an Award will be deferred either automatically, at the election of the Granting Authority, or at the election of the Eligible Person;
(vii) to prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for each Eligible Person;
(viii) to correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan and to construe and interpret the Plan and any Award, rules and regulations, Award Agreement, or other instrument hereunder;
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(ix) to accelerate the exercisability or vesting of all or any portion of any Award or to extend the period during which an Award is exercisable;
(x) to determine whether uncertificated Shares may be used in satisfying Awards and otherwise in connection with the Plan; and
(xi) to make all other decisions and determinations as may be required under the terms of the Plan or as the Granting Authority may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Awards granted by it.
Subject to the foregoing authority expressly granted to the Independent Members with respect to Awards granted by them, the Committee shall have general authority and responsibility for the administration of the Plan, including the authority to adopt, amend, suspend, waive, and rescind such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan.
(b) Manner of Exercise of Authority. Each Granting Authority shall have sole discretion in exercising its authority under the Plan. Any action of a Granting Authority with respect to grants made by it shall be final, conclusive, and binding on all persons, including the Company, Subsidiaries, Affiliates, Eligible Persons, any person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any Eligible Person, and stockholders. The express grant of any specific power to a Granting Authority, and the taking of any action by the Granting Authority, shall not be construed as limiting any power or authority of a Granting Authority. A Granting Authority may delegate to other members of the Board or officers or managers of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate the authority, subject to such terms as the Granting Authority shall determine, to perform administrative functions and, with respect to Awards granted to persons not subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, to perform such other functions as the Granting Authority may determine, to the extent permitted under Rule 16b-3 (if applicable) and applicable law.
(c) Limitation of Liability. Each member of the Granting Authority shall be entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to him or her by any officer or other employee of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, the Company’s independent certified public accountants, or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan. No member of the Granting Authority, and no officer or employee of the Company acting on behalf of the Granting Authority, shall be personally liable for any action, determination, or interpretation taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan, and all members of the Granting Authority and any officer or employee of the Company acting on their behalf shall, to the extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company with respect to any such action, determination, or interpretation.
(d) Limitation on Committee’s Discretion. Anything in this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, in the case of any Award which is intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m) (4)(C) of the Code, unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, there shall not be an increase in the amount of compensation payable under the Award to the extent such an increase would cause the Award to lose its qualification as such performance-based compensation.
4. Shares Subject to the Plan.
(a) Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(d) hereof, the total number of Shares reserved for issuance in connection with Awards under the Plan shall be 10,250,000. Each Share subject to an Award (other than an Option or SAR) shall count as 2.07 Shares for the purposes of the limit set forth in the preceding sentence. No Award may be granted if the number of Shares to which such Award relates, when added to the number of Shares previously issued under the Plan, exceeds the number of Shares reserved under the preceding sentence. If any Awards are forfeited, canceled, terminated, exchanged or surrendered or such Award is settled in cash or otherwise terminates without a distribution of Shares to the Participant,
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any Shares counted against the number of Shares reserved and available under the Plan with respect to such Award shall, to the extent of any such forfeiture, settlement, termination, cancellation, exchange or surrender, again be available for Awards under the Plan. Upon the exercise of any Award granted in tandem with any other Awards, such related Awards shall be canceled to the extent of the number of Shares as to which the Award is exercised.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary: (i) shares tendered or withheld in payment of the exercise price of an Option shall not be added to the maximum share limitations described in Section 4(a) above; (ii) shares tendered or withheld to satisfy the tax withholding obligation shall not be added to the maximum share limitations described in Section 4(a) above; and (iii) all shares covered by a SAR, to the extent that it is exercised and whether or not the Shares are actually issued to the Participant upon exercise of the right, shall be considered issued or transferred pursuant to the Plan.
(c) Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(d) hereof and notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the maximum number of Shares (i) with respect to which Options or SARs may be granted during a calendar year to any Eligible Person under this Plan shall be 1,000,000 Shares, and (ii) with respect to Performance Shares, Performance Units, Restricted Shares or Restricted Share Units intended to qualify as performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code shall be the equivalent of 800,000 Shares during a calendar year to any Eligible Person under this Plan.
(d) In the event that the Committee shall determine that any dividend in Shares, recapitalization, Share split, reverse split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or share exchange, or other similar corporate transaction or event, affects the Shares such that an adjustment is appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of Eligible Persons under the Plan, then the Committee shall make such equitable changes or adjustments as it deems appropriate and, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust any or all of (i) the number and kind of shares which may thereafter be issued under the Plan, (ii) the number and kind of shares, other securities or other consideration issued or issuable in respect of outstanding Awards, and (iii) the exercise price, grant price, or purchase price relating to any Award; provided, however, in each case that, with respect to ISOs, such adjustment shall be made in accordance with Section 424(a) of the Code, unless the Committee determines otherwise. In addition, the Committee is authorized to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria and performance objectives, if any, included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or non-recurring events (including, without limitation, events described in the preceding sentence) affecting the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate or the financial statements of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, or in response to changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles; provided, however, that, unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, there shall be no increase in the amount of compensation payable under the Award to the extent such an increase would cause the Award to lose its qualification as performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code and the regulations thereunder.
(e) Any Shares distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Shares or treasury Shares including Shares acquired by purchase in the open market or in private transactions.
5. Specific Terms of Awards.
(a) General. Awards may be granted on the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 5. In addition, the Granting Authority may impose on any Award or the exercise thereof, at the date of grant or thereafter (subject to Section 7(d)), such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Granting Authority shall determine, including terms regarding forfeiture of Awards or continued exercisability of Awards in the event of termination of service by the Eligible Person.
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(b) Options. The Granting Authority is authorized to grant Options, which may be NQSOs or ISOs, to Eligible Persons on the following terms and conditions:
(i) Exercise Price. The exercise price per Share purchasable under an Option shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date such Option is granted.
(ii) Option Term. The term of each Option shall be a maximum of seven (7) years from the date of grant of the Option.
(iii) Time and Method of Exercise. The Granting Authority shall determine at the date of grant or thereafter the time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part (including, without limitation, upon achievement of performance criteria if deemed appropriate by the Granting Authority), the methods by which such exercise price may be paid or deemed to be paid (including, without limitation, broker-assisted exercise arrangements), the form of such payment (including, without limitation, cash, Shares, or other property), and the methods by which Shares will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Eligible Persons.
(iv) ISOs. The terms of any ISO granted under the Plan shall comply in all respects with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code, including but not limited to the requirement that the ISO shall be granted within ten years from the earlier of the date of adoption or stockholder approval of the Plan. ISOs may only be granted to employees of the Company or a Subsidiary.
(c) SARs. The Granting Authority is authorized to grant SARs (Share Appreciation Rights) to Eligible Persons on the following terms and conditions:
(i) Right to Payment. A SAR shall confer on the Eligible Person to whom it is granted a right to receive with respect to each Share subject thereto, upon exercise thereof, the excess of (1) the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of exercise (or, if the Granting Authority shall so determine in the case of any such right, the Fair Market Value of one Share at any time during a specified period before or after the date of exercise) over (2) the exercise price per Share of the SAR on the date of grant of the SAR, which shall not be less than Fair Market Value (which in the case of a SAR granted in tandem with an Option, shall be equal to the exercise price of the underlying Option).
(ii) SAR Term. The term of each SAR shall be a maximum of seven (7) years from the date of grant of the SAR.
(iii) Other Terms. The Granting Authority shall determine, at the time of grant or thereafter, the time or times at which a SAR may be exercised in whole or in part, the method of exercise, method of settlement, form of consideration payable in settlement, method by which Shares will be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Eligible Persons, whether or not a SAR shall be in tandem with any other Award, and any other terms and conditions of any SAR. Unless the Granting Authority determines otherwise, a SAR (1) granted in tandem with an NQSO may be granted at the time of grant of the related NQSO or at any time thereafter and (2) granted in tandem with an ISO may only be granted at the time of grant of the related ISO.
(d) Restricted Shares. The Granting Authority is authorized to grant Restricted Shares to Eligible Persons on the following terms and conditions:
(i) Issuance and Restrictions. Restricted Shares shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability and other restrictions, if any, as the Granting Authority may impose at the date of grant or thereafter, which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, under such circumstances
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(including, without limitation, upon achievement of performance criteria if deemed appropriate by the Granting Authority), in such installments, or otherwise, as the Granting Authority may determine. Except to the extent restricted under the Award Agreement relating to the Restricted Shares, an Eligible Person granted Restricted Shares shall have all of the rights of a stockholder including, without limitation, the right to vote Restricted Shares and the right to receive dividends thereon. If the lapse of restrictions is conditioned on the achievement of performance criteria, the Granting Authority shall select the criterion or criteria from the list of criteria set forth in Section 5(f)(i). The Granting Authority must certify in writing prior to the lapse of restrictions conditioned on achievement of performance criteria that such performance criteria were in fact satisfied.
(ii) Forfeiture. Except as otherwise determined by the Granting Authority, at the date of grant or thereafter, upon termination of service during the applicable restriction period, Restricted Shares and any accrued but unpaid dividends or Dividend Equivalents that are at that time subject to restrictions shall be forfeited; provided, however, that the Granting Authority may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award Agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Shares will be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and the Granting Authority may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of Restricted Shares.
(iii) Certificates for Shares. Restricted Shares granted under the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Granting Authority shall determine. If certificates representing Restricted Shares are registered in the name of the Eligible Person, such certificates shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Shares, and the Company shall retain physical possession of the certificate.
(iv) Dividends. Dividends paid on Restricted Shares shall be either paid at the dividend payment date, or deferred for payment to such date as determined by the Granting Authority, in cash or in unrestricted Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends. Shares distributed in connection with a Share split or dividend in Shares, and other property distributed as a dividend, shall be subject to restrictions and a risk of forfeiture to the same extent as the Restricted Shares with respect to which such Shares or other property has been distributed.
(e) Restricted Share Units. The Granting Authority is authorized to grant Restricted Share Units to Eligible Persons, subject to the following terms and conditions:
(i) Award and Restrictions. Delivery of Shares or cash, as the case may be, will occur upon expiration of the deferral period specified for Restricted Share Units by the Granting Authority (or, if permitted by the Granting Authority, as elected by the Eligible Person). In addition, Restricted Share Units shall be subject to such restrictions as the Granting Authority may impose, if any (including, without limitation, the achievement of performance criteria if deemed appropriate by the Granting Authority), at the date of grant or thereafter, which restrictions may lapse at the expiration of the deferral period or at earlier or later specified times, separately or in combination, in installments or otherwise, as the Granting Authority may determine. If the lapse of restrictions is conditioned on the achievement of performance criteria, the Granting Authority shall select the criterion or criteria from the list of criteria set forth in Section 5(f)(i). The Granting Authority must certify in writing prior to the lapse of restrictions conditioned on the achievement of performance criteria that such performance criteria were in fact satisfied.
(ii) Forfeiture. Except as otherwise determined by the Granting Authority at date of grant or thereafter, upon termination of service (as determined under criteria established by the Granting Authority) during the applicable deferral period or portion thereof to which forfeiture conditions apply (as provided in the Award Agreement evidencing the Restricted Share Units), or upon failure to satisfy any other conditions precedent to the delivery of Shares or cash to which such Restricted Share Units
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relate, all Restricted Share Units that are at that time subject to deferral or restriction shall be forfeited; provided, however, that the Granting Authority may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award Agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Share Units will be waived in whole or in part in the event of termination resulting from specified causes, and the Granting Authority may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of Restricted Share Units.
(f) Performance Shares and Performance Units. The Granting Authority is authorized to grant Performance Shares or Performance Units or both to Eligible Persons on the following terms and conditions:
(i) Performance Period. The Granting Authority shall determine a performance period (the “Performance Period”) of one or more years and shall determine the performance objectives for grants of Performance Shares and Performance Units. Performance objectives may vary from Eligible Person to Eligible Person and shall be based upon one or more of the following performance criteria as the Granting Authority may deem appropriate: share price; earnings per share; return to shareholders (including dividends); return on equity; revenues; sales; sales by category, brand, territory or geography; unit growth; customer growth (including new customers and increased sales to existing customers); EBITDA or EBIT; operating income or operating profit; net income; gross margin; operating margin; return on capital or return on invested capital; economic value added; economic profit; cash flows; cash flow from operations; market share; inventory levels; inventory days outstanding; consumption; size of line in total or by category or type; consumer and strategic investments; advertising, brand and product innovation; research and development; costs; managing commodity costs; capital expenditures; working capital; net fixed assets; accounts receivable; days sales outstanding; period overhead; expenses; productivity; market capitalization; customer satisfaction; pro forma net income; return on equity; return on designated assets; expenses; free cash flow; cash flow return on investment; net profit margin; cash conversion cycle; and service levels. The performance objectives may be determined by reference to the performance of the Company, or of a Subsidiary or Affiliate, or of a division or unit of any of the foregoing. Performance Periods may overlap and Eligible Persons may participate simultaneously with respect to Performance Shares and Performance Units for which different Performance Periods are prescribed.
(ii) Award Value. At the beginning of a Performance Period, the Granting Authority shall determine for each Eligible Person or group of Eligible Persons with respect to that Performance Period the range of number of Shares, if any, in the case of Performance Shares, and the range of dollar values, if any, in the case of Performance Units, which may be fixed or may vary in accordance with such performance or other criteria specified by the Granting Authority, which shall be paid to an Eligible Person as an Award if the relevant measure of Company performance for the Performance Period is met. The Granting Authority must certify in writing that the applicable performance criteria were satisfied prior to payment under any Performance Shares or Performance Units.
(iii) Significant Events. If during the course of a Performance Period there shall occur significant events as determined by the Granting Authority which the Granting Authority expects to have a substantial effect on a performance objective during such period, the Granting Authority may revise such objective; provided, however, unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, there shall not be an increase in the amount of compensation payable under the Award to the extent such an increase would cause the Award to lose its qualification as performance-based compensation for purposes of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code and the regulations thereunder.
(iv) Forfeiture. Except as otherwise determined by the Granting Authority, at the date of grant or thereafter, upon termination of service during the applicable Performance Period, Performance Shares and Performance Units for which the Performance Period was prescribed shall be forfeited; provided, however, that the Granting Authority may provide, by rule or regulation or in any Award Agreement, or may determine in an individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Performance
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Shares and Performance Units will be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and the Granting Authority may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of Performance Shares and Performance Units.
(v) Payment. Each Performance Share or Performance Unit may be paid in whole Shares, or cash, or a combination of Shares and cash either as a lump sum payment or in installments, all as the Granting Authority shall determine, at the time of grant of the Performance Share or Performance Unit or otherwise, commencing as soon as practicable after the end of the relevant Performance Period. The Granting Authority must certify in writing prior to the payment of any Performance Share or Performance Unit that the performance objectives and any other material terms were in fact satisfied.
(g) Dividend Equivalents. The Granting Authority is authorized to grant Dividend Equivalents to Eligible Persons. The Granting Authority may provide, at the date of grant or thereafter, that Dividend Equivalents shall be paid or distributed when accrued or shall be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Shares, or other investment vehicles as the Granting Authority may specify; provided, however, that Dividend Equivalents (other than freestanding Dividend Equivalents) shall be subject to all conditions and restrictions of the underlying Awards to which they relate.
(h) Other Share-Based Awards. The Granting Authority is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law, to grant to Eligible Persons such other Awards that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Shares, as deemed by the Granting Authority to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan, including, without limitation, unrestricted shares awarded purely as a “bonus” and not subject to any restrictions or conditions, other rights convertible or exchangeable into Shares, purchase rights for Shares, Awards with value and payment contingent upon performance of the Company or any other factors designated by the Granting Authority, and Awards valued by reference to the performance of specified Subsidiaries or Affiliates. The Granting Authority shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards at date of grant or thereafter. Shares delivered pursuant to an Award in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 5(h) shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for at such times, by such methods, and in such forms, including, without limitation, cash, Shares, notes or other property, as the Granting Authority shall determine. Cash awards, as an element of or supplement to any other Award under the Plan, shall also be authorized pursuant to this Section 5(h).
6. Certain Provisions Applicable to Awards.
(a) Stand-Alone, Additional, and Tandem. Awards granted under the Plan may, in the discretion of the Granting Authority, be granted to Eligible Persons either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, any other Award granted under the Plan or any award granted under any other plan or agreement of the Company, any Subsidiary or Affiliate.
(b) Substitute Awards in Transactions. Nothing contained in the Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Granting Authority to grant Awards under the Plan in connection with the acquisition, whether by purchase, merger, consolidation or other transaction, of the business or assets of any corporation or other entity. Without limiting the foregoing, the Granting Authority may grant Awards under the Plan to an employee or director of another corporation or other entity who becomes an Eligible Person by reason of any such transaction in substitution for awards previously granted by such corporation or entity to such employee or director. The terms and conditions of the substitute Awards may vary from the terms and conditions that would otherwise be required by the Plan solely to the extent the Granting Authority deems necessary for such purpose.
(c) Term of Awards. The term of each Award granted to an Eligible Person shall be for such period as may be determined by the Granting Authority; provided, however, that in no event shall the term of any Option or a SAR exceed a period of seven years from the date of its grant (or such shorter period as may be applicable under Section 422 of the Code).
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(d) Repricing Prohibited. Subject to the anti-dilution adjustment provisions contained in Section 4(d) hereof, without the prior approval of the Company’s stockholders, neither the Granting Authority nor the Board shall cause the amendment of an Option or SAR that would have the effect of reducing the exercise price of an Option or SAR previously granted under the Plan, the cancellation or exchange of an Option or SAR for cash, other awards, or an Option or SAR with an exercise price that is less than the exercise price of the original Option or SAR or otherwise approve any modification to an Option or SAR that would be treated as a “repricing” of such Option or SAR under any then applicable rules, regulations or listing requirements.
(e) Form of Payment Under Awards. Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, payments to be made by the Company or a Subsidiary or Affiliate upon the grant, maturation, or exercise of an Award may be made in such forms as the Granting Authority shall determine at the date of grant or thereafter, including, without limitation, cash, Shares, notes or other property, and may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments, or on a deferred basis. The Granting Authority may make rules relating to installment or deferred payments with respect to Awards, including the rate of interest to be credited with respect to such payments, subject to applicable law.
(f) Nontransferability. Awards shall not be transferable by an Eligible Person except (i) by will or the laws of descent and distribution (except pursuant to a Beneficiary designation) or (ii) with respect to NQSOs, by gift to a family member of the Participant to the extent permitted in the applicable Award Agreement and shall be exercisable during the lifetime of an Eligible Person only by such Eligible Person or his guardian or legal representative unless it has been transferred by gift to a family member of the Participant, in which case it shall be exercisable only by such transferee. For the purpose of this provision, a “family member” shall have the meaning set forth in the General Instructions to Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. An Eligible Person’s rights under the Plan may not be pledged, mortgaged, hypothecated, or otherwise encumbered, and shall not be subject to claims of the Eligible Person’s creditors.
(g) Repayment. If the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement to correct an accounting error included in a report on Form 10-Q or 10-K caused by the misconduct of a Participant, the Participant shall return to the Company, or forfeit if not paid, any Award arising out of the misconduct for or during such restated period.
(h) Noncompetition. The Granting Authority may, by way of the Award Agreements or otherwise, establish such other terms, conditions, restrictions and/or limitations, if any, of any Award, provided they are not inconsistent with the Plan, including, without limitation, the requirement that the Participant not engage in competition with the Company.
7. General Provisions.
(a) Compliance with Legal and Trading Requirements. The Plan, the granting and exercising of Awards thereunder, and the other obligations of the Company under the Plan and any Award Agreement, shall be subject to all applicable federal, state and foreign laws, rules and regulations, and to such approvals by any regulatory or governmental agency as may be required. The Company, in its discretion, may postpone the issuance or delivery of Shares under any Award until completion of such stock exchange or market system listing or registration or qualification of such Shares or other required action under any state or federal law, rule or regulation as the Company may consider appropriate, and may require any Participant to make such representations and furnish such information as it may consider appropriate in connection with the issuance or delivery of Shares in compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations. No provisions of the Plan shall be interpreted or construed to obligate the Company to register any Shares under federal, state or foreign law. The Shares issued under the Plan may be subject to such other restrictions on transfer as determined by the Committee.
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(b) No Right to Continued Employment or Service. Neither the Plan nor any action taken thereunder shall be construed as giving any employee, consultant, or director the right to be retained in the employ or service of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates to terminate any employee’s, consultant’s or director’s employment or service at any time.
(c) Taxes. The Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate is authorized to withhold from any Award granted, any payment relating to an Award under the Plan, including from a distribution of Shares, or any payroll or other payment to an Eligible Person, amounts of withholding and other taxes due in connection with any transaction involving an Award, and to take such other action as the Committee may deem advisable to enable the Company and Eligible Persons to satisfy obligations for the payment of withholding taxes and other tax obligations relating to any Award. This authority shall include authority to withhold or receive Shares or other property and to make cash payments in respect thereof in satisfaction of an Eligible Person’s tax obligations; provided, however, that the amount of tax withholding to be satisfied by withholding Shares shall be limited to the minimum amount of taxes, including employment taxes, required to be withheld under applicable Federal, state and local law.
(d) Amendment. The Board may at any time and from time to time and in any respect, amend or modify the Plan and any Award granted under the Plan. The Board may seek the approval of any amendment or modification by the Company’s stockholders to the extent it deems necessary or advisable in its discretion for purposes of compliance with Section 162(m) or Section 422 of the Code, the listing requirements of the applicable exchange or securities market or for any other purpose. Except as may be required to comply with Section 409A of the Code, no amendment or modification of the Plan or any Award shall adversely affect any Award theretofore granted without the consent of the Eligible Person or the permitted transferee of the Award.
(e) No Rights to Awards; No Stockholder Rights. No Eligible Person or employee shall have any claim to be granted any Award under the Plan, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Eligible Persons and employees. No Award shall confer on any Eligible Person any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company unless and until Shares are duly issued or transferred to the Eligible Person in accordance with the terms of the Award.
(f) Unfunded Status of Awards. The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award shall give any such Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company; provided, however, that the Committee may authorize the creation of trusts or make other arrangements to meet the Company’s obligations under the Plan to deliver cash, Shares, other Awards, or other property pursuant to any Award, which trusts or other arrangements shall be consistent with the “unfunded” status of the Plan unless the Committee otherwise determines with the consent of each affected Participant.
(g) Nonexclusivity of the Plan. Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor its submission to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of options and other awards otherwise than under the Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases.
(h) Not Compensation for Benefit Plans. No Award payable under this Plan shall be deemed salary or compensation for the purpose of computing benefits under any benefit plan or other arrangement of the Company for the benefit of its employees, consultants or directors unless the Company shall determine otherwise.
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(i) No Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, other Awards, or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of such fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.
(j) Governing Law. The validity, construction, and effect of the Plan, any rules and regulations relating to the Plan, and any Award Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the laws of New York without giving effect to principles of conflict of laws thereof.
(k) Effective Date; Plan Termination. The Plan shall become effective as of December 1, 2005 (the “Effective Date”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the adoption of this Plan is expressly conditioned upon the approval of the stockholders of the Company. The Plan shall terminate as to future awards on the date which is ten (10) years after the Effective Date.
(l) Titles and Headings. The titles and headings of the sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only. In the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control.
(m) Section 409A. It is intended that the Plan and Awards issued thereunder will comply with Section 409A of the Code (and any regulations and guidelines issued thereunder) to the extent the Awards are subject thereto, and the Plan and such Awards shall be interpreted on a basis consistent with such intent. The Plan and any Award Agreements issued thereunder may be amended in any respect deemed by the Board or the Committee to be necessary in order to preserve compliance with Section 409A of the Code.
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