EXHIBIT 4.4 |
2005 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN |
Article 1. Establishment, Purpose, and Duration |
1.1Establishment. Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as the "Company"), establishes an incentive compensation plan to be known as the 2005 Omnibus Incentive Plan (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"), as set forth in this document. |
This Plan permits the grant of Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units, Cash-Based Awards, and Other Stock-Based Awards. |
This Plan shall become effective upon stockholder approval (the "Effective Date") and shall remain in effect as provided in Section 1.3 hereof. |
1.2Purpose of this Plan. The purpose of this Plan is to enable the Company and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates to retain and motivate key employees, and to encourage stock ownership by such key employees, by providing them with a means to acquire and increase their proprietary interest in the success of the Company. |
1.3Duration of this Plan. Unless sooner terminated as provided herein, this Plan shall terminate ten (10) years from the Effective Date. After this Plan is terminated, no new Awards may be granted but Awards previously granted shall remain outstanding in accordance with their applicable terms and conditions and this Plan's terms and conditions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Incentive Stock Options may be granted more than ten (10) years after the earlier of (a) adoption of this Plan by the Board or (b) the Effective Date. |
Article 2. Definitions |
Whenever used in this Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below, and when the meaning is intended, the initial letter of the word shall be capitalized. |
2.1"Affiliate"shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations of the Exchange Act. |
2.2"Annual Award Limit"or"Annual Award Limits"have the meaning set forth in Section 4.3. |
2.3"Award"means, individually or collectively, a grant under this Plan of Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units, Cash-Based Awards, Other Stock-Based Awards, or Substitute Awards, in each case subject to the terms of this Plan. |
2.4"Award Agreement"means either (i) a written agreement entered into by the Company and a Participant setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to an Award granted under this Plan, or (ii) a written or electronic statement issued by the Company to a Participant describing the terms and provisions of such Award. |
2.5"Beneficial Owner"or"Beneficial Ownership"shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 13d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act. |
2.6"Board"or"Board of Directors"means the Board of Directors of the Company. |
2.7"Cash-Based Award"means an Award granted to a Participant as described in Article 10. |
2.8"Change of Control"means any of the following events: | ||
(a) | any "person" (as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and as used in Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) is or becomes a "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 20% or more of the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding securities eligible to vote for the election of the Board (the "Company Voting Securities"); provided, however, that the event described in this paragraph (a) shall not be deemed to be a Change of Control by virtue of any of the following acquisitions: (A) by the Company or any Subsidiary, (B) by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Subsidiary, (C) by any underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities or (D) a transaction (other than one described in (b) below) in which Company Voti ng Securities are acquired from the Company, if a majority of the incumbent Directors approve a resolution providing expressly that the acquisition pursuant to this clause (D) does not constitute a Change of Control under this paragraph (a); | |
(b) | the consummation of a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that requires the approval of the Company's stockholders, whether for such transaction or the issuance of securities in the transaction (a "Business Combination"), unless immediately following such Business Combination: (A) more than 60% of the total voting power of (x) the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (the "Surviving Corporation"), or (y) if applicable, the ultimate parent corporation that directly or indirectly has beneficial ownership of 100% of the voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Surviving Corporation (the "Parent Corporation"), is represented by Company Voting Securities that were outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination (or, if applicable, is represented by shares into which such Company Voting Securities were converted pursuant to such Business Combin ation), and such voting power among (and only among) the holders thereof is in substantially the same proportion as the voting power of such Company Voting Securities among the holders thereof immediately prior to the Business Combination, (B) no person (other than any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Surviving Corporation or the Parent Corporation) is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 20% or more of the total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) and (C) at least 50% of the members of the board of directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) following the consummation of the Business Combination were incumbent Directors at the time of the Board's approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such Business Combination; or | |
(c) | during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board of Directors and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section) whose election by the Board of Directors or nomination for election by the Company's stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or | |
(d) | the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or a sale of all or substantially all of the Company's assets. | |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change of Control of the Company shall not be deemed to occur solely because any person acquires beneficial ownership of more than 20% of the Company Voting Securities as a result of the acquisition of Company Voting Securities by the Company which reduces the number of Company Voting Securities outstanding; provided, that if after such acquisition by the Company such person becomes the beneficial owner of additional Company Voting Securities that increases the percentage of outstanding Company Voting Securities beneficially owned by such person, a Change of Control of the Company shall then occur. | ||
2.9"Code"means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. | ||
2.10"Committee"means the Compensation and Benefits Committee of the Board or a subcommittee thereof, or any other committee designated by the Board to administer this Plan; provided that the Committee shall consist of three or more directors, each of whom is (1) an "independent" director under the New York Stock Exchange's listing requirements, (2) a "Non-Employee Director" within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, and (3) an "outside director" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and the applicable regulation thereunder. However, if a member of the Committee does not meet each of the foregoing requirements, the Committee may delegate some or all of its functions under the Plan to a committee or subcommittee composed of members that meet the relevant requirements. The term "Committee" includes any such committee or subcommittee, to the extent of the Executive Compensation and Development Committee's delegation. The members of the Committee s hall be appointed from time to time by and shall serve at the discretion of the Board. | ||
2.11"Company"means Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. and any successor thereto as provided in Article 22 herein. | ||
2.12"Consolidated Operating Earnings"means the consolidated earnings before income taxes of the Company, computed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, but shall exclude the effects of Extraordinary Items. | ||
2.13"Covered Employee"means any key Employee who is or may become a "Covered Employee," as defined in Code Section 162(m), and who is designated, either as an individual Employee or class of Employees, by the Committee within the shorter of (i) ninety (90) days after the beginning of the Performance Period, or (ii) twenty five percent (25%) of the Performance Period has elapsed, as a "Covered Employee" under this Plan for such applicable Performance Period. | ||
2.14"Effective Date"has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1. | ||
2.15"Employee"means any person designated as an employee of the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries on the payroll records thereof. An Employee shall not include any individual during any period he or she is classified or treated by the Company, Affiliate, and/or Subsidiary as an independent contractor, a consultant, or any employee of an employment, consulting, or temporary agency or any other entity other than the Company, Affiliate, and/or Subsidiary, without regard to whether such individual is subsequently determined to have been, or is subsequently retroactively reclassified as a common-law employee of the Company, Affiliate, and/or Subsidiary during such period. | ||
2.16"Exchange Act"means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, or any successor act thereto. | ||
2.17"Extraordinary Items"means (i) extraordinary, unusual, and/or nonrecurring items of gain or loss; (ii) gains or losses on the disposition of a business; (iii) changes in tax or accounting regulations or laws; or (iv) the effect of a merger or acquisition, all of which must be identified in the audited financial statements, including footnotes, or Management Discussion and Analysis section of the Company's annual report. | ||
2.18"Fair Market Value"or"FMV"means a price that is based on the opening, closing, actual, high, low, or average selling prices of a Share reported on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") or other established stock exchange (or exchanges) on the applicable date, the preceding trading day, the next succeeding trading day, or an average of trading days, as determined by the Committee in its discretion. Unless the Committee determines otherwise, if the Shares are traded over the counter at the time a determination of its Fair Market Value is required to be made hereunder, its Fair Market Value shall be deemed to be equal to the average between the reported high and low, closing bid and asked, or opening and closing prices of a Share on the most recent date on which Shares were publicly traded. In the event Shares are not publicly traded at the time a determination of their value is required to be made hereunder, the determination of their Fair Market Value shall be made by the Committee in such manner as it deems appropriate. Such definition(s) of FMV shall be specified in each Award Agreement and may differ depending on whether FMV is in reference to the grant, exercise, vesting, settlement, or payout of an Award. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Committee's determination of FMV for the exercise price for stock options and SARs, shall be consistent with the meaning of "fair market value" under Section 409A of the Code. | ||
2.19"Freestanding SAR"means a SAR that is granted independently of any Options, as described in Article 7. | ||
2.20"Full Value Award"means an Award other than in the form of an ISO, NQSO, or SAR, and which is settled by the issuance of Shares. | ||
2.21"Grant Price"means the price established at the time of grant of a SAR pursuant to Article 7, used to determine whether there is any payment due upon exercise of the SAR. | ||
2.22"Incentive Stock Option"or"ISO"means an Option to purchase Shares granted under Article 6 to an Employee and that is designated as an Incentive Stock Option and that is intended to meet the requirements of Code Section 422, or any successor provision. | ||
2.23"Net Income"means the consolidated net income before taxes for a Plan Year, as reported in the Company's annual report to stockholders or as otherwise reported to stockholders. | ||
2.24"Nonqualified Stock Option"or"NQSO"means an Option that is not intended to meet the requirements of Code Section 422, or that otherwise does not meet such requirements. | ||
2.25"Operating Cash Flow"means cash flow from operating activities as defined in SFAS Number 95, Statement of Cash Flows. | ||
2.26"Option"means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option, as described in Article 6. | ||
2.27"Option Price"means the price at which a Share may be purchased by a Participant pursuant to an Option. | ||
2.28"Other Stock-Based Award"means an equity-based or equity-related Award not otherwise described by the terms of this Plan, granted pursuant to Article 10. | ||
2.29"Participant"means any eligible individual as set forth in Article 5 to whom an Award is granted. | ||
2.30"Performance-Based Compensation"means compensation under an Award that satisfies the requirements of Code Section 162(m) for certain performance-based compensation paid to Covered Employees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Plan shall be construed to mean that an Award which does not satisfy the requirements for performance-based compensation under Code Section 162(m) does not constitute performance-based compensation for other purposes, including Code Section 409A. | ||
2.31"Performance Measures"means measures as described in Article 12 on which the performance goals are based and which are approved by the Company's stockholders pursuant to this Plan in order to qualify Awards as Performance-Based Compensation. | ||
2.32"Performance Period"means the period of time during which the performance goals must be met in order to determine the degree of payout and/or vesting with respect to an Award. | ||
2.33"Performance Share"means an Award under Article 9 herein and subject to the terms of this Plan, denominated in Shares, the value of which at the time it is payable is determined as a function of the extent to which corresponding performance criteria have been achieved. | ||
2.34"Performance Unit"means an Award under Article 9 herein and subject to the terms of this Plan, denominated in units, the value of which at the time it is payable is determined as a function of the extent to which corresponding performance criteria have been achieved. | ||
2.35"Period of Restriction"means the period when Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units are subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture (based on the passage of time, the achievement of performance goals, or upon the occurrence of other events as determined by the Committee, in its discretion), as provided in Article 8. | ||
2.36"Person"shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, including a "group" as defined in Section 13(d) thereof. | ||
2.37"Plan"means the Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. 2005 Omnibus Incentive Plan. | ||
2.38"Plan Year"means the calendar year. | ||
2.39"Restricted Stock" means an Award granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 8. | ||
2.40"Restricted Stock Unit"means an Award granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 8, except no Shares are actually awarded to the Participant on the date of grant. | ||
2.41"Share"means a share of common stock of the Company, $0.01 par value per share. | ||
2.42"Stock Appreciation Right"or"SAR" means an Award, designated as a SAR, pursuant to the terms of Article 7 herein. | ||
2.43"Subsidiary"means any corporation or other entity, whether domestic or foreign, in which the Company has or obtains, directly or indirectly, a proprietary interest of more than fifty percent (50%) by reason of stock ownership or otherwise. | ||
2.44"Substitute Awards"means grants by the Company of Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units or Other Stock-Based Awards, in compliance with Section 409A of the Code, in assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for, awards previously granted, or the right or obligation to make future awards, by a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines. | ||
2.45"Tandem SAR"means a SAR that is granted in connection with a related Option pursuant to Article 7 herein, the exercise of which shall require forfeiture of the right to purchase a Share under the related Option (and when a Share is purchased under the Option, the Tandem SAR shall similarly be canceled). | ||
2.46"Third Party Service Provider"means any consultant, agent, advisor, or independent contractor who renders services to the Company, a Subsidiary, or an Affiliate that (a) are not in connection with the offer and sale of the Company's securities in a capital raising transaction, and (b) do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company's securities. | ||
Article 3. Administration | ||
3.1General. The Committee shall be responsible for administering this Plan, subject to this Article 3 and the other provisions of this Plan. The Committee may employ attorneys, consultants, accountants, agents, and other individuals, any of whom may be an Employee, and the Committee, the Company, and its officers and Directors shall be entitled to rely upon the advice, opinions, or valuations of any such individuals. All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee shall be final and binding upon the Participants, the Company, and all other interested individuals. | ||
3.2Authority of the Committee. The Committee shall have full and exclusive discretionary power to interpret the terms and the intent of this Plan and any Award Agreement or other agreement or document ancillary to or in connection with this Plan, to determine eligibility for Awards and to adopt such rules, regulations, forms, instruments, and guidelines for administering this Plan as the Committee may deem necessary or proper. Such authority shall include, but not be limited to, selecting Award recipients, establishing all Award terms and conditions, including the terms and conditions set forth in Award Agreements, granting Awards as an alternative to or as the form of payment for grants or rights earned or due under compensation plans or arrangements of the Company, construing any ambiguous provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement and, subject to Article 17, adopting modifications and amendments to this Plan or any Award Agreement, including without limitation, an y that are necessary to comply with the laws of the countries and other jurisdictions in which the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries operate. | ||
3.3Delegation. The Committee may delegate to one or more of its members or to one or more officers of the Company, and/or its Subsidiaries and Affiliates or to one or more agents or advisors such administrative duties or powers as it may deem advisable, and the Committee or any individuals to whom it has delegated duties or powers as aforesaid may employ one or more individuals to render advice with respect to any responsibility the Committee or such individuals may have under this Plan. The Committee may, by resolution, authorize one or more officers of the Company to do one or both of the following on the same basis as can the Committee: (a) designate Employees to be recipients of Awards; and (b) determine the size of any such Awards; provided, however, (i) only the Committee may select and grant Awards to Participants who are Covered Employees or who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act; (ii) the resolution providing such authorization sets forth the total number of Awards such officer(s) may grant; and (iii) the officer(s) shall report periodically to the Committee regarding the nature and scope of the Awards granted pursuant to the authority delegated. | ||
Article 4. Shares Subject to this Plan and Maximum Awards | ||
4.1Number of Shares Available for Awards. | ||
(a) | Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.4, the maximum number of Shares available for grant to Participants under this Plan on or after the Effective Date (the "Share Authorization") shall be four million (4,000,000) Shares. | |
(b) | Of the Shares reserved for grant under Section 4.1(a) of this Plan, no more than four hundred thousand (400,000) of the reserved Shares may be granted pursuant to Full Value Awards. | |
(c) | Subject to the limit set forth in Section 4.1(a) on the number of Shares that may be granted in the aggregate under this Plan, the maximum number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to ISOs shall be four million (4,000,000) Shares. | |
4.2Share Usage. Shares covered by an Award shall only be counted as used to the extent they are actually issued; provided, however, that the full number of Stock Appreciation Rights granted that are to be settled by the issuance of Shares shall be counted against the number of Shares available for award under the Plan, regardless of the number of Shares actually issued upon settlement of such Stock Appreciation Rights. Any Shares related to Awards which terminate by expiration, forfeiture, cancellation, or otherwise without the issuance of such Shares, are settled in cash in lieu of Shares, or are exchanged with the Committee's permission, prior to the issuance of Shares, for Awards not involving Shares, shall be available again for grant under this Plan. The Shares available for grant under this Plan may be authorized and unissued Shares or treasury Shares. | ||
4.3Annual Award Limits. Unless and until the Committee determines that an Award to a Covered Employee shall not be designed to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the following limits (each an "Annual Award Limit" and, collectively, "Annual Award Limits") shall apply to grants of such Awards under this Plan: | ||
(a) | Options: The maximum aggregate number of Shares subject to Options granted in any one Plan Year to any one Participant shall be four hundred thousand (400,000) plus the amount of the Participant's unused applicable Annual Award Limit for Options as of the close of the previous Plan Year. | |
(b) | SARs: The maximum number of Shares subject to Stock Appreciation Rights granted in any one Plan Year to any one Participant shall be four hundred thousand (400,000) plus the amount of the Participant's unused applicable Annual Award Limit for SARs as of the close of the previous Plan Year. | |
(c) | Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units: The maximum aggregate grant with respect to Awards of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units in any one Plan Year to any one Participant shall be one hundred fifty thousand (150,000) plus the amount of the Participant's unused applicable Annual Award Limit for Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units as of the close of the previous Plan Year. | |
(d) | Performance Units or Performance Shares: The maximum aggregate Award of Performance Units or Performance Shares that a Participant may receive in any one Plan Year shall be one hundred fifty thousand (150,000) Shares, or equal to the value of one hundred fifty thousand (150,000) Shares determined as of the date of vesting or payout, as applicable plus the amount of the Participant's unused applicable Annual Award Limit for Performance Units or Performance Shares as of the close of the previous Plan Year. | |
(e) | Cash-Based Awards: The maximum aggregate amount awarded or credited with respect to Cash-Based Awards to any one Participant in any one Plan Year may not exceed two million dollars ($2,000,000) plus the amount of the Participant's unused applicable Annual Award Limit for Cash-Based Awards as of the close of the previous Plan Year. | |
(f) | Other Stock-Based Awards: The maximum aggregate grant with respect to other Stock-Based Awards pursuant to Section 10.2 in any one Plan Year to any one Participant shall be one hundred fifty thousand (150,000) plus the amount of the Participant's unused applicable Annual Award Limit for Other Stock-Based Awards as of the close of the previous Plan Year. | |
4.4Adjustments in Authorized Shares. In the event of any corporate event or transaction (including, but not limited to, a change in the Shares of the Company or the capitalization of the Company) such as a merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, partial or complete liquidation, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, split up, spin-off, or other distribution of stock or property of the Company, combination of Shares, exchange of Shares, dividend in kind, or other like change in capital structure or distribution (other than normal cash dividends) to stockholders of the Company, or any similar corporate event or transaction, the Committee, in its sole discretion, in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of Participants' rights under this Plan, shall substitute or adjust, as applicable, the number and kind of Shares that may be issued under this Plan or under particular forms of Awards, the number and kind of Shares subject to outstanding Awa rds, the Option Price or Grant Price applicable to outstanding Awards, the Annual Award Limits, and other value determinations applicable to outstanding Awards. | ||
The Committee, in its sole discretion, may also make appropriate adjustments in the terms of any Awards under this Plan to reflect or related to such changes or distributions and to modify any other terms of outstanding Awards, including modifications of performance goals and changes in the length of Performance Periods. The determination of the Committee as to the foregoing adjustments, if any, shall be conclusive and binding on Participants under this Plan. | ||
Subject to the provisions of Article 17, without affecting the number of Shares reserved or available hereunder, the Committee may authorize the issuance or assumption of benefits under this Plan in connection with any merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, or reorganization upon such terms and conditions as it may deem appropriate, subject to compliance with the ISO rules under Section 422 of the Code, where applicable. | ||
Article 5. Eligibility and Participation | ||
5.1Eligibility. Individuals eligible to participate in this Plan include all Employees. | ||
5.2Actual Participation. Subject to the provisions of this Plan, the Committee may, from time to time, select from all eligible individuals, those individuals to whom Awards shall be granted and shall determine, in its sole discretion, the nature of, any and all terms permissible by law, and the amount of each Award. | ||
Article 6. Stock Options | ||
6.1Grant of Options. Subject to the terms and provisions of this Plan, Options may be granted to Participants in such number, and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion; provided that ISOs may be granted only to eligible Employees of the Company or of any parent or subsidiary corporation (as permitted under Code Sections 422 and 424). However, an Employee who is employed by an Affiliate and/or Subsidiary, may only be granted Options to the extent the Affiliate and/or Subsidiary is part of the Company's consolidated group for United States federal tax purposes. | ||
6.2Award Agreement. Each Option grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Option Price, the maximum duration of the Option, the number of Shares to which the Option pertains, the conditions upon which an Option shall become vested and exercisable, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine which are not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan. The Award Agreement also shall specify whether the Option is intended to be an ISO or a NQSO. | ||
6.3Option Price. The Option Price for each grant of an Option under this Plan shall be as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion and shall be specified in the Award Agreement; provided, however, the Option Price on the date of grant must be at least equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the FMV of the Shares on the date of grant except for grants of Substitute Awards. | ||
6.4Term of Options. Each Option granted to a Participant shall expire at such time as the Committee shall determine at the time of grant; provided, however, that no Option shall be exercisable later than the tenth (10th) anniversary date of its grant. | ||
6.5Exercise of Options. Options granted under this Article 6 shall be exercisable at such times and be subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Committee shall in each instance approve, which terms and restrictions need not be the same for each grant or for each Participant. Options issued in the form of Incentive Stock Options shall, in addition to being subject to the terms and conditions of this Article, comply with Section 422 of the Code. Accordingly, the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time the Incentive Stock Option was granted) of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year (under this Plan or any other plan of the Company) shall not exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) (or such other limit as may be required by the Code). | ||
6.6Payment. Options granted under this Article 6 shall be exercised by the delivery of a notice of exercise to the Company or an agent designated by the Company in a form specified or accepted by the Committee, or by complying with any alternative procedures which may be authorized by the Committee, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is to be exercised, accompanied by full payment for the Shares. | ||
A condition of the issuance of the Shares as to which an Option shall be exercised shall be the payment of the Option Price. The Option Price of any Option shall be payable to the Company in full: (a) in cash or its equivalent; (b) by tendering (either by actual delivery or attestation) previously acquired Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the Option Price (provided that except as otherwise determined by the Committee, the Shares that are tendered must have been held by the Participant for at least six (6) months (or such other period, if any, as the Committee may permit) prior to their tender to satisfy the Option Price if acquired under this Plan or any other compensation plan maintained by the Company or have been purchased on the open market); (c) a cashless (broker-assisted) exercise; (d) by a combination of (a), (b) and (c); or (e) any other method approved or accepted by the Committee in its sole discretion. The Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have the right to suspend payment of the Option Price pursuant to clauses (b), (c), (d) or (e) of the preceding sentence. | ||
Subject to any governing rules or regulations, as soon as practicable after receipt of written notification of exercise and full payment (including satisfaction of any applicable tax withholding), the Company shall deliver to the Participant evidence of book entry Shares, or upon the Participant's request, Share certificates in an appropriate amount based upon the number of Shares purchased under the Option(s). | ||
Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, all payments under all of the methods indicated above shall be paid in United States dollars. | ||
6.7Termination of Employment. Each Participant's Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to exercise the Option following termination of the Participant's employment or provision of services to the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, shall be included in the Award Agreement entered into with each Participant, need not be uniform among all Options issued pursuant to this Article 6, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination. | ||
6.8Notification of Disqualifying Disposition. If any Participant shall make any disposition of Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an ISO under the circumstances described in Code Section 421(b) (relating to certain disqualifying dispositions), such Participant shall notify the Company of such disposition within ten (10) days thereof. | ||
Article 7. Stock Appreciation Rights | ||
7.1Grant of SARs. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan, SARs may be granted to Participants at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee; provided however, that no SARs shall be granted that constitute deferred compensation under Section 409A. The Committee may grant Freestanding SARs, Tandem SARs, or any combination of these forms of SARs. However, an Employee who is employed by an Affiliate and/or Subsidiary may only be granted SARs to the extent the Affiliate and/or Subsidiary is part of the Company's consolidated group for United States federal tax purposes. | ||
Subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan, the Committee shall have complete discretion in determining the number of SARs granted to each Participant and, consistent with the provisions of this Plan, in determining the terms and conditions pertaining to such SARs. | ||
The Grant Price for each grant of a Freestanding SAR shall be determined by the Committee and shall be specified in the Award Agreement; provided, however, the Grant Price on the date of grant must be at least equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the FMV of the Shares on the date of grant. The Grant Price of Tandem SARs shall be equal to the Option Price of the related Option which may be lower than FMV of the Shares if the Tandem SAR is added to an Option after the grant date of the Option. | ||
7.2SAR Agreement. Each SAR Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Grant Price, the term of the SAR, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine. | ||
7.3Term of SAR. The term of a SAR granted under this Plan shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion, and except as determined otherwise by the Committee and specified in the SAR Award Agreement, no SAR shall be exercisable later than the tenth (10th) anniversary date of its grant. | ||
7.4Exercise of Freestanding SARs. Freestanding SARs may be exercised upon whatever terms and conditions the Committee, in its sole discretion, imposes. | ||
7.5Exercise of Tandem SARs. Tandem SARs may be exercised for all or part of the Shares subject to the related Option upon the surrender of the right to exercise the equivalent portion of the related Option. A Tandem SAR may be exercised only with respect to the Shares for which its related Option is then exercisable. | ||
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, with respect to a Tandem SAR granted in connection with an ISO: (a) the Tandem SAR will expire no later than the expiration of the underlying ISO; (b) the value of the payout with respect to the Tandem SAR may be for no more than one hundred percent (100%) of the excess of the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the underlying ISO at the time the Tandem SAR is exercised over the Option Price of the underlying ISO; and (c) the Tandem SAR may be exercised only when the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to the ISO exceeds the Option Price of the ISO. | ||
7.6Settlement of SAR Amount. Upon the exercise of an SAR, a Participant shall be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount determined by multiplying: | ||
(a) | The excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over the Grant Price; by | |
(b) | The number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised. | |
The payment upon SAR exercise shall be in Shares (determined according to the FMV of a Share on the date of exercise). | ||
7.7Termination of Employment. Each Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to exercise the SAR following termination of the Participant's employment with or provision of services to the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, shall be included in the Award Agreement entered into with Participants, need not be uniform among all SARs issued pursuant to this Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination. | ||
7.8Other Restrictions. The Committee shall impose such other conditions and/or restrictions on any Shares received upon exercise of a SAR granted pursuant to this Plan as it may deem advisable or desirable. These restrictions may include, but shall not be limited to, a requirement that the Participant hold the Shares received upon exercise of a SAR for a specified period of time. | ||
Article 8. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units | ||
8.1Grant of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units. Subject to the terms and provisions of this Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Shares of Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units to Participants in such amounts as the Committee shall determine. Restricted Stock Units shall be similar to Restricted Stock except that no Shares are actually awarded to the Participant on the date of grant. | ||
8.2Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Unit Agreement. Each Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Unit grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Period(s) of Restriction, the number of Shares of Restricted Stock or the number of Restricted Stock Units granted, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine. | ||
8.3Other Restrictions. The Committee shall impose such other conditions and/or restrictions on any Shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Plan as it may deem advisable including, without limitation, a requirement that Participants pay a stipulated purchase price for each Share of Restricted Stock or each Restricted Stock Unit, restrictions based upon the achievement of specific performance goals, time-based restrictions on vesting following the attainment of the performance goals, time-based restrictions, and/or restrictions under applicable laws or under the requirements of any stock exchange or market upon which such Shares are listed or traded, or holding requirements or sale restrictions placed on the Shares by the Company upon vesting of such Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units. | ||
To the extent deemed appropriate by the Committee, the Company may retain the certificates representing Shares of Restricted Stock in the Company's possession until such time as all conditions and/or restrictions applicable to such Shares have been satisfied or lapse. | ||
Except as otherwise provided in this Article 8, Shares of Restricted Stock covered by each Restricted Stock Award shall become freely transferable by the Participant after all conditions and restrictions applicable to such Shares have been satisfied or lapse (including satisfaction of any applicable tax withholding obligations), and Restricted Stock Units shall be paid in cash, Shares, or a combination of cash and Shares as the Committee, in its sole discretion shall determine. | ||
8.4Certificate Legend. In addition to any legends placed on certificates pursuant to Section 8.3, each certificate representing Shares of Restricted Stock granted pursuant to this Plan may bear a legend such as the following or as otherwise determined by the Committee in its sole discretion: | ||
The sale or transfer of Shares of stock represented by this certificate, whether voluntary, involuntary, or by operation of law, is subject to certain restrictions on transfer as set forth in the Cullen/ Frost Bankers, Inc. 2005 Omnibus Incentive Plan, and in the associated Award Agreement. A copy of this Plan and such Award Agreement may be obtained from Cullen/ Frost Bankers, Inc. | ||
8.5Voting Rights. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee and set forth in a Participant's Award Agreement, to the extent permitted or required by law, as determined by the Committee, Participants holding Shares of Restricted Stock granted hereunder may be granted the right to exercise full voting rights with respect to those Shares during the Period of Restriction. A Participant shall have no voting rights with respect to any Restricted Stock Units granted hereunder. | ||
8.6Termination of Employment. Each Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to retain Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units following termination of the Participant's employment with or provision of services to the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, shall be included in the Award Agreement entered into with each Participant, need not be uniform among all Shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units issued pursuant to this Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination. | ||
8.7Section 83(b) Election. The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement that the Award of Restricted Stock is conditioned upon the Participant making or refraining from making an election with respect to the Award under Code Section 83(b). If a Participant makes an election pursuant to Code Section 83(b) concerning a Restricted Stock Award, the Participant shall be required to file promptly a copy of such election with the Company. | ||
Article 9. Performance Units/ Performance Shares | ||
9.1Grant of Performance Units/ Performance Shares. Subject to the terms and provisions of this Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Performance Units and/or Performance Shares to Participants in such amounts and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine. | ||
9.2Value of Performance Units/ Performance Shares. Each Performance Unit shall have an initial value that is established by the Committee at the time of grant. Each Performance Share shall have an initial value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant. The Committee shall set performance goals in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the value and/or number of Performance Units/ Performance Shares that will be paid out to the Participant. | ||
9.3Earning of Performance Units/ Performance Shares. Subject to the terms of this Plan, after the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of Performance Units/ Performance Shares shall be entitled to receive payout on the value and number of Performance Units/ Performance Shares earned by the Participant over the Performance Period, to be determined as a function of the extent to which the corresponding performance goals have been achieved. | ||
9.4Form and Timing of Payment of Performance Units/ Performance Shares. Payment of earned Performance Units/ Performance Shares shall be as determined by the Committee and as evidenced in the Award Agreement. Subject to the terms of this Plan, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may pay earned Performance Units/ Performance Shares in the form of cash or in Shares (or in a combination thereof) equal to the value of the earned Performance Units/ Performance Shares at the close of the applicable Performance Period, or as soon as practicable after the end of the Performance Period. Any Shares may be granted subject to any restrictions deemed appropriate by the Committee. The determination of the Committee with respect to the form of payout of such Awards shall be set forth in the Award Agreement pertaining to the grant of the Award. | ||
9.5Termination of Employment. Each Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to retain Performance Units and/or Performance Shares following termination of the Participant's employment with or provision of services to the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, shall be included in the Award Agreement entered into with each Participant, need not be uniform among all Awards of Performance Units or Performance Shares issued pursuant to this Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination. | ||
Article 10. Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards | ||
10.1Grant of Cash-Based Awards. Subject to the terms and provisions of this Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Cash-Based Awards to Participants in such amounts and upon such terms, including the achievement of specific performance goals, as the Committee may determine. | ||
10.2Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee may grant other types of equity-based or equity-related Awards not otherwise described by the terms of this Plan (including the grant or offer for sale of unrestricted Shares) in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions, as the Committee shall determine. Such Awards may involve the transfer of actual Shares to Participants, or payment in cash or otherwise of amounts based on the value of Shares and may include, without limitation, Awards designed to comply with or take advantage of the applicable local laws of jurisdictions other than the United States. | ||
10.3Value of Cash-Based and Other Stock-Based Awards. Each Cash-Based Award shall specify a payment amount or payment range as determined by the Committee. Each Other Stock-Based Award shall be expressed in terms of Shares or units based on Shares, as determined by the Committee. The Committee may establish performance goals in its discretion. If the Committee exercises its discretion to establish performance goals, the number and/or value of Cash-Based Awards or Other Stock-Based Awards that will be paid out to the Participant will depend on the extent to which the performance goals are met. | ||
10.4Payment of Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards. Payment, if any, with respect to a Cash-Based Award or an Other Stock-Based Award shall be made in accordance with the terms of the Award, in cash or Shares as the Committee determines. | ||
10.5Termination of Employment. The Committee shall determine the extent to which the Participant shall have the right to receive Cash-Based Awards or Other Stock-Based Awards following termination of the Participant's employment with or provision of services to the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, such provisions may be included in an Award Agreement entered into with each Participant, but need not be uniform among all Awards of Cash-Based Awards or Other Stock-Based Awards issued pursuant to this Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination. | ||
Article 11. Transferability of Awards | ||
11.1Transferability. Except as provided in Section 11.2 below, during a Participant's lifetime, his or her Awards shall be exercisable only by the Participant. Awards shall not be transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; Awards shall not be subject, in whole or in part, to attachment, execution, or levy of any kind; and any purported transfer in violation hereof shall be null and void. The Committee may establish such procedures as it deems appropriate for a Participant to designate a beneficiary to whom any amounts payable or Shares deliverable in the event of, or following, the Participant's death, may be provided. | ||
11.2Committee Action. The Committee may, in its discretion, upon written request from a Participant, determine that notwithstanding Section 11.1, any or all of the Participant's Awards (other than ISOs) shall be transferable to and exercisable by a transferee, and subject to such terms and conditions, as the Committee may deem appropriate; provided, however, that only the Participant to which the Award had been granted, a "family member" (as defined below in Section 11.4 below) of such Participant, or a charity may be a transferee of such Award. Such a request and determination may be made at the time an Award is granted or at any time thereafter. | ||
11.3Domestic Relations Orders. Without limiting the generality of Section 11.1, and notwithstanding Section 11.2, no domestic relations order purporting to authorize a transfer of an Award shall be recognized as valid. | ||
11.4Family Member. For purposes of Section 11.2, "family member" shall mean a Participant's child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships, any person sharing the Participant's household (other than a tenant of the Participant), a trust in which these persons (or the Participant) have more than fifty percent (50%) of the beneficial interest, a foundation in which these persons (or the Participant) control the management of assets, and any other entity in which these persons (or the Participant) own more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting interests. | ||
Article 12. Performance Measures | ||
12.1Performance Measures. The performance goals upon which the payment or vesting of an Award to a Covered Employee that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation shall be limited to the following Performance Measures: | ||
(a) | Net earnings or net income (before or after taxes); | |
(b) | Earnings per share; | |
(c) | Net sales or revenue growth; | |
(d) | Net operating profit; | |
(e) | Return measures (including, but not limited to, return on assets, capital, invested capital, equity, sales, or revenue); | |
(f) | Cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow, cash flow return on equity, and cash flow return on investment); | |
(g) | Earnings before or after taxes, interest, depreciation, and/or amortization; | |
(h) | Gross or operating margins; | |
(i) | Productivity ratios; | |
(j) | Share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total shareholder return); | |
(k) | Expense targets; | |
(l) | Margins; | |
(m) | Operating efficiency; | |
(n) | Market share; | |
(o) | Customer satisfaction; | |
(p) | Working capital targets; | |
(q) | Economic value added or EVA® (net operating profit after tax minus the sum of capital multiplied by the cost of capital); and | |
(r) | Performance against budget. | |
Any Performance Measure(s) may be used to measure the performance of the Company, Subsidiary, and/or Affiliate as a whole or any business unit of the Company, Subsidiary, and/or Affiliate or any combination thereof, as the Committee may deem appropriate, or any of the above Performance Measures as compared to the performance of a group of comparator companies, or published or special index that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, or the Company may select Performance Measure (j) above as compared to various stock market indices. The Committee also has the authority to provide for accelerated vesting of any Award based on the achievement of performance goals pursuant to the Performance Measures specified in this Article 12. | ||
12.2Evaluation of Performance. The Committee may provide in any such Award that any evaluation of performance may include or exclude any of the following events that occurs during a Performance Period: (a) asset write-downs, (b) litigation or claim judgments or settlements, (c) the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or provisions affecting reported results, (d) any reorganization and restructuring programs, (e) extraordinary nonrecurring items as described in Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 30 and/or in management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations appearing in the Company's annual report to stockholders for the applicable year, (f) acquisitions or divestitures, and (g) foreign exchange gains and losses. To the extent such inclusions or exclusions affect Awards to Covered Employees, they shall be prescribed in a form that meets the requirements of Code Section 162(m) for deductibility. | ||
12.3Adjustment of Performance-Based Compensation. Awards that are intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation may not be adjusted upward. The Committee shall retain the discretion to adjust such Awards downward, either on a formula or discretionary basis or any combination, as the Committee determines. | ||
12.4Committee Discretion. In the event that applicable tax and/or securities laws change to permit Committee discretion to alter the governing Performance Measures without obtaining stockholder approval of such changes, the Committee shall have sole discretion to make such changes without obtaining stockholder approval. In addition, in the event that the Committee determines that it is advisable to grant Awards that shall not qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the Committee may make such grants without satisfying the requirements of Code Section 162(m) and base vesting on Performance Measures other than those set forth in Section 12.1. | ||
Article 13. Dividend Equivalents | ||
Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted dividend equivalents based on the dividends declared on Shares that are subject to any Award, to be credited as of dividend payment dates, during the period between the date the Award is granted and the date the Award is exercised, vests or expires, as determined by the Committee. Such dividend equivalents may, in the sole discretion of the Committee, accrue interest or be converted to cash or additional Shares by such formula and at such time and subject to such limitations as may be determined by the Committee. | ||
Article 14. Benefits Upon Death | ||
Awards remaining unpaid or rights remaining unexercised at the Participant's death shall be paid to the Participant's estate and may be exercised by the Participant's executor, administrator, or authorized legal representative. | ||
Article 15. Rights of Participants | ||
15.1Employment. Nothing in this Plan or an Award Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries, to terminate any Participant's employment at any time or for any reason not prohibited by law, nor confer upon any Participant any right to continue his employment for any specified period of time. | ||
Neither an Award nor any benefits arising under this Plan shall constitute an employment contract with the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries and, accordingly, subject to Articles 3 and 17, this Plan and the benefits hereunder may be terminated at any time in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Committee without giving rise to any liability on the part of the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries. | ||
15.2Participation. No individual shall have the right to be selected to receive an Award under this Plan, or, having been so selected, to be selected to receive a future Award. | ||
15.3Rights as a Shareholder. Except as otherwise provided herein, a Participant shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares covered by any Award until the Participant becomes the record holder of such Shares. | ||
Article 16. Change of Control | ||
16.1Change of Control. If at any time there shall occur a Change of Control, then the time at which all then-outstanding Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights may be exercised shall be accelerated and the Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights shall immediately become fully vested and exercisable at the time of such Change of Control, and all other then-outstanding Awards whose exercisability depends merely on the satisfaction of a service obligation by a Participant to the Company, any Subsidiary or an Affiliate thereof shall vest in full and be free of restrictions related to the vesting of such Awards at the time of such Change of Control. The treatment of any other Awards shall be as determined by the Committee in connection with the grant thereof, as reflected in the applicable Award Agreement. | ||
Except to the extent that another Award meeting the requirements of Section 16.2 (a "Replacement Award") is provided to the Participant to replace such Award (the "Replaced Award"), the Committee may, in its sole discretion, (i) determine that any or all outstanding Awards granted under the Plan, whether or not exercisable, will be canceled and terminated and that in connection with such cancellation and termination the holder of such Award may receive for each Share subject to such Awards a cash payment (or the delivery of shares of stock, other securities or a combination of cash, stock and securities equivalent to such cash payment) equal to the difference, if any, between the consideration received by shareholders of the Company in respect of a Share in connection with such transaction and the purchase price per share, if any, under the Award multiplied by the number of Shares subject to such Award; provided that if such product is zero or less or to the extent that the Aw ard is not then exercisable, the Awards will be canceled and terminated without payment therefor; or (ii) provide that the period to exercise Stock Options or Stock Appreciation Rights shall be extended (but not beyond the expiration of such Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right). | ||
16.2Replacement Awards. An Award shall meet the conditions of this Section 16.2 (and hence qualify as a Replacement Award) if: (i) it has a value at least equal to the value of the Replaced Award as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion; (ii) it relates to publicly traded equity securities of the Company or its successor in the Change of Control or another entity that is affiliated with the Company or its successor following the Change of Control; and (iii) its other terms and conditions are not less favorable to the Participant than the terms and conditions of the Replaced Award (including the provisions that would apply in the event of a subsequent Change of Control). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Replacement Award may take the form of a continuation of the Award if the requirements of the preceding sentence are satisfied. The determination of whether the conditions of this Section 16.2 are satisfied shall be made by the Committee , as constituted immediately before the Change of Control, in its sole discretion. | ||
Article 17. Amendment, Modification, Suspension, and Termination | ||
17.1Amendment, Modification, Suspension, and Termination. Subject to Section 17.3, the Committee may, at any time and from time to time, alter, amend, modify, suspend, or terminate this Plan and any Award Agreement in whole or in part; provided, however, that, without the prior approval of the Company's stockholders and except as provided in Section 4.4, Options or SARs issued under this Plan will not be repriced, replaced, or regranted through cancellation, or by lowering the Option Price of a previously granted Option or the Grant Price of a previously granted SAR, and no material amendment of this Plan shall be made without stockholder approval if stockholder approval is required by law, regulation, or stock exchange rule, including, but not limited to, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and, if applicable, the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual issuer rules. | ||
17.2Adjustment of Awards Upon the Occurrence of Certain Unusual or Nonrecurring Events. The Committee may make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, the events described in Section 4.4 hereof) affecting the Company or the financial statements of the Company or of changes in applicable laws, regulations, or accounting principles, whenever the Committee determines that such adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent unintended dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under this Plan. The determination of the Committee as to the foregoing adjustments, if any, shall be conclusive and binding on Participants under this Plan. | ||
17.3Awards Previously Granted. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary (other than Section 17.4), no termination, amendment, suspension, or modification of this Plan or an Award Agreement shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted under this Plan, without the written consent of the Participant holding such Award. | ||
17.4Amendment to Conform to Law. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, the Board of Directors may amend the Plan or an Award Agreement, to take effect retroactively or otherwise, as deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of conforming the Plan or an Award Agreement to any present or future law relating to plans of this or similar nature (including, but not limited to, Code Section 409A), and to the administrative regulations and rulings promulgated thereunder. | ||
Article 18. Withholding | ||
18.1Tax Withholding. The Company shall have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, the minimum statutory amount to satisfy federal, state, and local taxes, domestic or foreign, required by law or regulation to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising as a result of this Plan. | ||
18.2Share Withholding. With respect to withholding required upon the exercise of Options or SARs, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units, or upon the achievement of performance goals related to Performance Shares, or any other taxable event arising as a result of an Award granted hereunder, Participants may elect to satisfy the withholding requirement, in whole or in part, by having the Company withhold Shares having a Fair Market Value on the date the tax is to be determined equal to the minimum statutory total tax that could be imposed on the transaction. All such elections shall be irrevocable, made in writing, and signed by the Participant, and shall be subject to any restrictions or limitations that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate. | ||
Article 19. Successors | ||
All obligations of the Company under this Plan with respect to Awards granted hereunder shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company. | ||
Article 20. General Provisions | ||
20.1Forfeiture Events. | ||
(a) | The Committee may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participant's rights, payments, and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture, or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Award. Such events may include, but shall not be limited to, termination of employment for cause, termination of the Participant's provision of services to the Company, Affiliate, and/or Subsidiary, violation of material Company, Affiliate, and/or Subsidiary policies, breach of noncompetition, confidentiality, or other restrictive covenants that may apply to the Participant, or other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries. | |
(b) | If the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to the material noncompliance of the Company, as a result of misconduct, with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, and if the Participant knowingly or grossly negligently engaged in the misconduct, or knowingly or grossly negligently failed to prevent the misconduct, or if the Participant is one of the individuals subject to automatic forfeiture under Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Participant shall reimburse the Company the amount of any payment in settlement of an Award earned or accrued during the twelve- (12-) month period following the first public issuance or filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (whichever just occurred) of the financial document embodying such financial reporting requirement. | |
20.2Legend. The certificates for Shares may include any legend which the Committee deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on transfer of such Shares. | ||
20.3 Gender and Number. Except where otherwise indicated by the context, any masculine term used herein also shall include the feminine, the plural shall include the singular, and the singular shall include the plural. | ||
20.4 Severability. In the event any provision of this Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of this Plan, and this Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included. | ||
20.5 Requirements of Law. The granting of Awards and the issuance of Shares under this Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required. | ||
20.6 Delivery of Title. The Company shall have no obligation to issue or deliver evidence of title for Shares issued under this Plan prior to: | ||
(a) | Obtaining any approvals from governmental agencies that the Company determines are necessary or advisable; and | |
(b) | Completion of any registration or other qualification of the Shares under any applicable national or foreign law or ruling of any governmental body that the Company determines to be necessary or advisable. | |
20.7 Inability to Obtain Authority. The inability or failure of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company's counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained. | ||
20.8 Investment Representations. The Committee may require any individual receiving Shares pursuant to an Award under this Plan to represent and warrant in writing that the individual is acquiring the Shares for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares. | ||
20.9 Employees Based Outside of the United States. Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, in order to comply with the laws in other countries in which the Company, its Affiliates, and/or its Subsidiaries operate or have Employees, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have the power and authority to: | ||
(a) | Determine which Affiliates and Subsidiaries shall be covered by this Plan; | |
(b) | Determine which Employees outside the United States are eligible to participate in this Plan; | |
(c) | Modify the terms and conditions of any Award granted to Employees outside the United States to comply with applicable foreign laws; | |
(d) | Establish subplans and modify exercise procedures and other terms and procedures, to the extent such actions may be necessary or advisable. Any subplans and modifications to Plan terms and procedures established under this Section 20.9 by the Committee shall be attached to this Plan document as appendices; and | |
(e) | Take any action, before or after an Award is made, that it deems advisable to obtain approval or comply with any necessary local government regulatory exemptions or approvals. | |
Notwithstanding the above, the Committee may not take any actions hereunder, and no Awards shall be granted, that would violate applicable law. | ||
20.10 Uncertificated Shares. To the extent that this Plan provides for issuance of certificates to reflect the transfer of Shares, the transfer of such Shares may be effected on a noncertificated basis, to the extent not prohibited by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange. | ||
20.11 Unfunded Plan. Participants shall have no right, title, or interest whatsoever in or to any investments that the Company, and/or its Subsidiaries, and/or its Affiliates may make to aid it in meeting its obligations under this Plan. Nothing contained in this Plan, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind, or a fiduciary relationship between the Company and any Participant, beneficiary, legal representative, or any other individual. To the extent that any person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company, its Subsidiaries, and/or its Affiliates under this Plan, such right shall be no greater than the right of an unsecured general creditor of the Company, a Subsidiary, or an Affiliate, as the case may be. All payments to be made hereunder shall be paid from the general funds of the Company, a Subsidiary, or an Affiliate, as the case may be and no special or separate fund shall be established and no segregation of assets shall be made to assure payment of such amounts except as expressly set forth in this Plan. | ||
20.12 No Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to this Plan or any Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, Awards, or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated. | ||
20.13 Retirement and Welfare Plans. Neither Awards made under this Plan nor Shares or cash paid pursuant to such Awards may be included as "compensation" for purposes of computing the benefits payable to any Participant under the Company's or any Subsidiary's or Affiliate's retirement plans (both qualified and non-qualified), welfare benefit plans or employment contracts or arrangements unless such other plan or contract or arrangement expressly provides that such compensation shall be taken into account in computing a Participant's benefit. | ||
20.14 No Deferred Compensation. No deferral of compensation (as defined under Code Section 409A or guidance thereto) is intended under this Plan. However, the Committee may permit deferrals of compensation pursuant to the terms of an individual's Award, a separate plan or a subplan which meets the requirements of Code Section 409A and the regulations thereunder. Additionally, to the extent any Award is subject to Code Section 409A, notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the Plan does not permit the acceleration of the time or schedule of any distribution related to such Award, except as permitted by Code Section 409A, the regulations thereunder, and/or the Secretary of the United States Treasury. | ||
20.15 Nonexclusivity of this Plan. The adoption of this Plan shall not be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board or Committee to adopt such other compensation arrangements as it may deem desirable for any Participant. | ||
20.16 No Constraint on Corporate Action. Nothing in this Plan shall be construed to: (i) limit, impair, or otherwise affect the Company's or a Subsidiary's or an Affiliate's right or power to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations, or changes of its capital or business structure, or to merge or consolidate, or dissolve, liquidate, sell, or transfer all or any part of its business or assets or engage in any other type of transaction; or, (ii) limit the right or power of the Company or a Subsidiary or an Affiliate to take any action which such entity deems to be necessary or appropriate. | ||
20.17 No Golden Parachute Payments. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to make any payment under this Plan or an Award Agreement that would be a golden parachute payment within the meaning of Section 18(k) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act that is prohibited by applicable law. | ||
20.18 Governing Law. The Plan and each Award Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Texas, excluding any conflicts or choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of this Plan to the substantive law of another jurisdiction. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, recipients of an Award under this Plan are deemed to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the federal or state courts of Texas, to resolve any and all issues that may arise out of or relate to this Plan or any related Award Agreement. | ||
20.19 Indemnification. Subject to requirements of Texas law, each individual who is or shall have been a member of the Board, or a Committee appointed by the Board, or an employee of the Company to whom authority was delegated in accordance with Article 3, (each, an "Indemnified Person") shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by him in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action taken or failure to act under this Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him in settlement thereof, with the Company's approval, or paid by him in satisfaction of any judgement in any such action, suit, or proceeding against him, provided he shall give the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he undertake s to handle and defend it on his own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be available to an Indemnified Person to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment or other final adjudication, in either case, not subject to further appeal, determines that the acts or omissions of such Indemnified Person giving rise to the indemnification claim resulted from such Indemnified Person's bad faith, fraud or willful criminal act or omission. | ||
The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such individuals may be entitled under the Company's Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless. |