OAK TECHNOLOGY, INC. OFFER TO EXCHANGE OUTSTANDING OPTIONS UNDER OAK TECHNOLOGY'S 1994 STOCK OPTION PLAN HELD BY ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE AN EXERCISE PRICE OF $15.00 PER SHARE OR MORE FOR NEW OPTIONS ===================================================================== THIS OFFER AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS EXPIRE AT 11:59 P.M., PACIFIC DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME, ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2001, UNLESS THE OFFER IS EXTENDED ===================================================================== Oak Technology, Inc., which we refer to as "we," "Oak Technology" or "Oak," is offering eligible employees holding outstanding options to purchase shares of our common stock granted under the Oak Technology, Inc. 1994 Stock Option Plan, as amended (the " Plan"), that have an exercise price of at least $15.00 per share, the opportunity to exchange those options for new options that we will grant under the Plan. We are extending this offer upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this offer to exchange and in the related acceptance letter (which together, as each may be amended or supplemented from time to time, constitute the "offer"). We intend to grant options to acquire the same number of shares as are covered by the options you tender. We will grant the new options on a date that is at least six months and one day following the date we cancel the options accepted for exchange. This offer is not conditioned upon a minimum number of options being tendered, but is subject to conditions that we describe in Section 6 of this offer to exchange, including our right to accept or reject any options tendered in response to this offer. Participation in this offer is completely voluntary. Subject to our rights to extend, terminate and amend the offer, we currently expect that we will accept, promptly after the expiration of the offer, all properly tendered options that have not been validly withdrawn. If you tender options for exchange and we accept them, we will grant you new options under the Plan and a new option agreement between us and you, all as more fully described in the offer. The exercise price per share of the new options will equal the fair market value of our common stock on the date of the grant. The new options will vest on the same schedule as the options you elect for exchange and have other terms and conditions that are substantially the same as those of the cancelled options. ALTHOUGH OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS APPROVED THIS OFFER, NEITHER WE NOR OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAKES ANY RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU SHOULD TENDER YOUR OPTIONS FOR EXCHANGE. YOU MUST MAKE YOUR OWN DECISION WHETHER TO TENDER YOUR OPTIONS. Shares of our common stock are quoted on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol "OAKT." On August 10, 2001, the last reported sale price of the common stock on the NASDAQ National Market was $9.05 per share. WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU OBTAIN CURRENT MARKET QUOTATIONS FOR OUR COMMON STOCK BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER TO TENDER YOUR OPTIONS. THIS TRANSACTION HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (THE "SEC") OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION, NOR HAS THE SEC OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON THE FAIRNESS OR MERITS OF SUCH TRANSACTION OR UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS OFFER TO EXCHANGE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. You should direct questions about this offer or requests for assistance or for additional copies of the offer to exchange or the acceptance letter to Karen Pereira, Stock Administrator, at Oak Technology, Inc., 139 Kifer Court, Sunnyvale, California 94086 (telephone number: (408) 328-6881). IMPORTANT HOW TO PARTICIPATE; HOW TO ACCEPT THE OFFER. To participate and accept the offer to exchange your eligible options for new options, you must be an eligible employee. If you wish to tender your eligible options for exchange, you must complete and sign the acceptance letter in accordance with its instructions, and mail, fax or hand deliver it and any other required documents to us before 11:59 p.m., Pacific daylight savings time, on September 13, 2001, at Oak Technology, Inc, 139 Kifer Court, Sunnyvale, California 94086, Attn: Karen Pereira, Stock Administrator, Fax (408) 523-6623. WITHDRAWAL OF ACCEPTANCE. You can withdraw your acceptance of our offer to exchange by delivering, by mail, fax or hand delivery, the notice of withdrawal, properly completed and signed, to us at the same address as the acceptance letter. You must withdraw all tendered options; you may not withdraw only a portion of tendered options. DEADLINE TO ACCEPT THE OFFER OR TO WITHDRAW A PREVIOUS ACCEPTANCE; "EXPIRATION DATE". Your acceptance letter and any notice of withdrawal must be received by us before 11:59 p.m., Pacific daylight savings time, on September 13, 2001, unless we extend the expiration date for the offer. If we extend this offer beyond that time, you may tender your eligible options or withdraw a previous acceptance of the offer to tender eligible options by delivering the signed acceptance letter or notice of withdrawal, as the case may be, so long as we receive your signed letter or notice before the extended expiration of this offer. OFFER SUBJECT TO LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF JURISDICTIONS. We are not making this offer to, nor will we accept any tender of options from or on behalf of, eligible employees in any jurisdiction in which the offer to exchange or the acceptance of any tender of options would not be in compliance with the laws of such jurisdiction. However, we may, at our discretion, take any actions necessary for us to make this offer to eligible employees in any such jurisdiction. WE HAVE NOT AUTHORIZED ANY PERSON TO MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATION ON OUR BEHALF AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU SHOULD TENDER YOUR OPTIONS PURSUANT TO THE OFFER. YOU SHOULD RELY ii ONLY ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT OR TO WHICH WE HAVE REFERRED YOU. WE HAVE NOT AUTHORIZED ANYONE TO GIVE YOU ANY INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFER OTHER THAN THE INFORMATION AND REPRESENTATIONS CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT OR IN THE RELATED ACCEPTANCE LETTER. IF ANYONE MAKES ANY RECOMMENDATION OR REPRESENTATION TO YOU OR GIVES YOU ANY INFORMATION, YOU MUST NOT RELY UPON THAT RECOMMENDATION, REPRESENTATION OR INFORMATION AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY US. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY TERM SHEET.......................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION................................................................ 13 THE OFFER................................................................... 13 1. Number Of Options; Eligible Employees; Expiration Date .............. 13 2. Purpose Of The Offer ................................................ 15 3. Procedures For Tendering Options..................................... 17 4. Withdrawal Rights.................................................... 18 5. Acceptance Of Options For Exchange And Issuance Of New Options ...... 18 6. Conditions Of The Offer.............................................. 19 7. Price Range Of Common Stock Underlying The Options................... 21 8. Source And Amount Of Consideration; Terms Of New Options............. 22 9. Information Concerning Oak Technology................................ 27 10. Interests Of Directors And Officers; Transactions And Arrangements Concerning The Options............................................... 27 11. Status Of Options Acquired By Us In The Offer; Accounting Consequences Of The Offer ........................................... 29 12. Legal Matters; Regulatory Approvals.................................. 30 13. Material Federal Income Tax Consequences ............................ 30 14. Extension Of Offer; Termination; Amendment .......................... 31 15. Fees And Expenses.................................................... 32 16. Additional Information............................................... 32 17. Forward Looking Statements........................................... 33 18. Miscellaneous........................................................ 34 SCHEDULE A: Information concerning the directors and executive officers of Oak Technology iv SUMMARY TERM SHEET Below we provide answers to some of the questions that you may have about this offer. We urge you to read carefully the summary of this offer to exchange, the remainder of this offer to exchange and the accompanying acceptance letter because the information in this summary is not complete and additional important information is contained in the remainder of this offer to exchange and the other documents. We have included page references to the remainder of this offer to exchange where you can find a more complete description of the topics in this summary. WHY ARE WE MAKING THE OFFER? We implemented this offer to exchange because a considerable number of our employees have stock options, whether or not they are currently exercisable, that are priced significantly above the current and recent trading prices of our common stock. We believe these options are unlikely to be exercised in the foreseeable future. For our stock option program to provide the intended retention and performance incentives for employees, they must feel that our options provide them with an opportunity to realize value within a reasonable period of time. With the uncertainty of current market conditions, we believe that employees may feel that the opportunity for realizing value is limited with their existing options. This program is voluntary and will allow employees to choose whether to keep their current eligible options at their current exercise price, or to rescind those options in exchange for a new option for the same number of shares to be granted on a date which is at least six months and one day from the date we cancel the options accepted for exchange. By making this offer to exchange, we hope to provide our employees with the benefit of owning options that over time may have a greater potential to increase in value thereby encouraging our employees to remain with us, and ultimately maximize shareholder value. While it is hoped that this program will ameliorate the current underwater options issue, this cannot be guaranteed considering the ever-present risks associated with a volatile and unpredictable stock market. (Page 15) WHAT SECURITIES ARE WE OFFERING TO EXCHANGE? We are offering to exchange all stock options granted to eligible employees having an exercise price of $15.00 per share or more, that are outstanding under the Oak Technology, Inc. 1994 Stock Option Plan, as amended, which we refer to as the Plan. (Page 13) WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OFFER? The offer is available to eligible employees of Oak Technology who hold options under the Plan that have an exercise price of $15.00 per share or more. As of August 10, 2001, there were outstanding options to purchase 808,080 shares of our common stock that have an exercise price of $15.00 per share or more. "Eligible employees" are all employees, including executive officers, of Oak Technology or one of its subsidiaries who are actively employed or on an authorized short-term leave of absence on August 15, 2001 and on the date the offer expires and whose services are performed in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea, Taiwan or Japan. Also, an employee will not be considered an "eligible employee" and accordingly, will not be eligible to participate in this offer if, on or before the date the offer expires, the employee is no longer employed by Oak Technology or any of its subsidiaries, for any reason, including the employee: o receives a notice of involuntary termination (including, without limitation, redundancy), with or without cause, from Oak Technology or one of its subsidiaries; o resigns or gives notice of resignation from such employment, whether voluntarily or involuntarily or with or without good reason; o enters into an agreement with Oak Technology or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the employee's resignation, whether voluntarily or involuntarily or with or without good reason; o takes a long-term leave of absence (over six months in duration) or if currently on a short-term leave of absence, does not return within the authorized six month period, resulting in a recategorization of the leave as long-term; or o dies. Non-employee directors of Oak Technology are not eligible to participate in the offer. IF, FOR ANY REASON, YOU ARE NOT AN EMPLOYEE OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES, FROM THE DATE YOU TENDER OPTIONS THROUGH THE DATE THE OFFER EXPIRES, YOU WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OFFER. PARTICIPATION IN THE OFFER DOES NOT CONFER UPON YOU THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN THE EMPLOY OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES. (Page 14) IF I TENDER OPTIONS IN THIS OFFER, ARE THERE ANY ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS I MUST SATISFY AFTER THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE OFFER IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE NEW OPTIONS? To receive a grant of new options pursuant to the offer, you must be eligible to receive options pursuant to the Plan from the date you tender options through the date we grant the new options. You must be continuously and actively employed by or on an authorized short-term leave of absence from Oak Technology or one of its subsidiaries from the date you tender eligible options for exchange through, and including, the date of grant of the new options. An employee who is on an authorized short-term leave of absence of six months or less, including a short-term disability leave, is considered to be an employee of Oak Technology or its subsidiaries. You will not be eligible to receive the new options on the new option grant date if you are not employed by Oak Technology or any of its subsidiaries at any time between the date you tender options and the date of grant of the new options, for any reason, including the following: o you receive a notice of involuntary termination (including, without limitation, redundancy), with or without cause, from Oak Technology or one of its subsidiaries; o you resign or give notice of resignation from such employment, whether 2 voluntarily or involuntarily or with or without good reason; o you enter into an agreement with Oak Technology or one of its subsidiaries with respect to your resignation, whether voluntarily or involuntarily or with or without good reason; o you take a long-term leave of absence (lasting more than six months) or if you are currently on a short-term leave of absence, you do not return to active employment within the authorized six month period, resulting in a recategorization of the leave as long-term; or o you die. IF, FOR ANY REASON, INCLUDING THOSE DESCRIBED ABOVE, YOU ARE NOT AN EMPLOYEE OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES, FROM THE DATE YOU TENDER OPTIONS THROUGH THE DATE WE GRANT THE NEW OPTIONS, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY NEW OPTIONS OR ANY OTHER CONSIDERATION IN EXCHANGE FOR YOUR TENDERED OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE ACCEPTED FOR EXCHANGE. PARTICIPATION IN THE OFFER DOES NOT CONFER UPON YOU THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN THE EMPLOY OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES. YOU ARE EMPLOYED BY OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ONE OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES ON AN "AT-WILL" BASIS. AS AN AT-WILL EMPLOYEE, YOUR CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT IS AT THE WILL AND SOLE DISCRETION OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ITS SUBSIDIARIES. WE CANNOT GUARANTEE OR PROVIDE YOU WITH ANY ASSURANCES THAT YOU WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION OR THAT YOU WILL OTHERWISE REMAIN IN THE EMPLOY OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES UNTIL THE NEW OPTION GRANT DATE. (Page 25) IS THIS A REPRICING? No, this is not a stock option repricing in the traditional sense. Under a traditional stock option repricing, the exercise price of a holder's current options would be immediately repriced to the then current fair value of the company's common stock and that company would have a variable accounting charge against earnings. (Page 29) WHY CAN'T OAK TECHNOLOGY SIMPLY REPRICE MY OPTIONS, AS I HAVE SEEN DONE AT OTHER COMPANIES? In 1998, the Financial Accounting Standards Board adopted unfavorable accounting charge consequences for companies that reprice options. As a result of this action, many companies have ceased "repricing" options to avoid this negative consequence. If we were to simply reprice options, this would result in "variable" accounting treatment for such options. This would require us, for financial reporting purposes, to record additional compensation expense each quarter until the repriced options are exercised, canceled or expired. This would reduce our reported earnings for each fiscal quarter that the repriced options remained outstanding. This could have a negative impact on our stock price performance and would be unfavorable to Oak Technology and its shareholders. (Page 29) 3 WHY WON'T I RECEIVE MY NEW OPTIONS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE OFFER? If we were to grant the new options on any date that is earlier than six months and one day after the date we cancel the options accepted for exchange and the new options had an exercise price that was lower than the exercise price of the cancelled eligible options, we would be required to employ what is called variable accounting, which, as described above, is an unfavorable accounting treatment for financial reporting purposes. This would reduce our reported earnings for each fiscal quarter that the new options remained outstanding. This could have a negative impact on our stock price performance. (Page 29) WHY CAN'T I JUST BE GRANTED MORE OPTIONS WITHOUT HAVING MY OPTIONS CANCELLED? We have a limited pool of options available for grant to our employees and directors. The grant of supplemental options, without the cancellation of outstanding eligible options, would reduce the number of options that are currently available for grant to our employees and directors under the Plan. Because the outstanding options under the Plan are, to a large extent, "underwater" (i.e., the exercise prices of such options are greater than the current trading price for our common stock), we have determined that it is in the best interest of Oak Technology and our shareholders (including our employee shareholders) to offer this exchange program as designed. This offer attempts to minimize the future dilutive impact of our ongoing stock option program. Options that are cancelled in this offer will become available for new option grants and future option grants under the Plan. (Page 29) WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS TO THE OFFER? The offer is not conditioned upon a minimum number of options being tendered. Participation in this offer is completely voluntary. However, the offer is subject to a number of other conditions with regard to events that could occur prior to the expiration of the offer. These events include, among other things, a change in accounting principles, a lawsuit challenging the tender offer, a third-party tender offer for our common stock or other acquisition proposal, or a change in your employment status with us. These and various other conditions are more fully described in Section 6 of this offer to exchange. Once the offer has expired and the tendered options have been accepted and cancelled in the offer, the conditions will no longer apply, even if the specified events occur during the period between the expiration date and the date of grant of the new options. However, as described herein, a change in your employment status during that period could result in you not receiving a grant of new options. (Page 20) IF I TENDER OPTIONS IN THIS OFFER, HOW MANY NEW OPTIONS WILL I RECEIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR MY TENDERED OPTIONS? Provided you meet the eligibility requirements and subject to the terms of this offer, we will grant to you new options to purchase a number of shares of our common stock equal to the number of shares of common stock subject to the options that you tender and that we accept for exchange. All new options will be granted under, and will be subject to the terms and conditions of, the Plan and of a new option agreement between you and us. The new option agreement will be in substantially the same form as the option agreement or agreements for your current options, 4 except for the exercise price and the term of the option. You must execute the new option agreement prior to receiving new options. (Page 15) IF I TENDER OPTIONS IN THIS OFFER, WHEN WILL I RECEIVE MY NEW OPTIONS? We expect to grant the new options on a business day that is at least six months and one day after the date we cancel the options accepted for exchange. Our board of directors or compensation committee will select the actual grant date of the new options after the expiration of the offer, in accordance with the Plan. If we cancel tendered options on September 14, 2001, the business day following the scheduled expiration date, the grant date of the new options will be no earlier than March 16, 2002. However, if the expiration date of the offer is extended by us, the grant date for the new options may also be extended. You must be an employee, or otherwise be eligible to receive options pursuant to the Plan on the grant date to receive the new options. The date on which the new options are granted may fall within certain "black out" periods designated by Oak Technology during which its officers, directors and employees are restricted from trading in our securities. These trading restrictions normally go into effect at the close of market on the fifteenth day of the last month of each fiscal quarter and are lifted three days after Oak Technology issues its earnings release for that quarter. Accordingly, you may not be able to exercise the new options granted to you on the grant date until the expiration of any applicable black out periods. (Page 15) WILL THE TERMS OF THE NEW OPTIONS BE THE SAME AS THE TERMS OF THE OPTIONS TENDERED FOR EXCHANGE? The new options will be issued under the Plan, which is the same option plan as the related options cancelled in the offer, and will be issued pursuant to a new option agreement that is substantially similar to the option agreement pursuant to which the related options tendered and cancelled in the offer were issued. The new options will have substantially the same terms and conditions as the related options cancelled in the offer, except for the following: o EXERCISE PRICE. Although the method for determining the exercise price (also known as the grant price) of the new options is the same as the method used for determining the exercise price of the options tendered for exchange (i.e., based on the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant for options granted), it is likely that the exercise price of the new options will be different from the exercise price of the tendered options. o TERM. The new options will have a term of ten years from the original date of grant of the tendered options (not from the new option grant date). However, as with the cancelled options, the new options are subject to earlier termination in the event of a termination of the eligible employee's employment. In accordance with the terms of the Plan or related option agreement, all of the new options will remain exercisable for three months following a termination of employment or possibly longer in certain circumstances such as death or disability. (Page 22) 5 IF I TENDER OPTIONS IN THIS OFFER, WHEN WILL THE NEW OPTIONS VEST? The new options granted in the exchange will have the same vesting schedule as the related options cancelled in the offer. Accordingly, the new options will be vested on the date of grant to the extent that the related options cancelled in this offer would have been vested on that date and the remaining new options will become vested in accordance with the vesting schedule (based on the same vesting dates and percentages) applicable to the related grant of options that were cancelled in the offer. Accordingly, you will not lose the benefit of any vesting under your tendered options that are accepted for exchange and cancelled in this offer. For example, new options that are granted in exchange for options that are already vested today or that would have become vested after today and before the grant date of the new options will be vested on the date of grant of such new options. The remaining new options will become vested in accordance with the current vesting schedule and on the same vesting dates applicable to the options for which such new options are exchanged. The number of new options that are vested or become vested on the current vesting dates for the related eligible options will correspond to the number of options that would have vested on such dates. (Page 24) WHAT WILL THE EXERCISE PRICE OF THE NEW OPTIONS BE? The exercise price (also known as the grant price) of the new options will equal the fair market value of our common stock on the date we grant the new options, determined in accordance with the terms of the Plan. BECAUSE WE WILL NOT GRANT NEW OPTIONS UNTIL AT LEAST SIX MONTHS AND ONE DAY AFTER THE DATE WE CANCEL THE OPTIONS ACCEPTED FOR EXCHANGE, WE CANNOT PREDICT THE EXERCISE PRICE OF THE NEW OPTIONS. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE NEW OPTIONS MAY HAVE A HIGHER EXERCISE PRICE THAN SOME OR ALL OF YOUR CURRENT OPTIONS THAT ARE CANCELLED IN THE OFFER, AND THEREFORE, YOUR NEW OPTIONS COULD BE WORTH LESS THAN YOUR OLD OPTIONS. WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU OBTAIN CURRENT MARKET QUOTATIONS FOR OUR COMMON STOCK BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER TO TENDER YOUR OPTIONS. See Section 7 in the offer to exchange for information concerning our stock price during the past two years. (Page 23) CAN I CANCEL ONLY PART OF MY ELIGIBLE OPTIONS? No, we cannot partially cancel your eligible options. If you choose to cancel options, then you must tender for exchange all of your options that have an exercise price of $15 or more. This means that an eligible employee may not tender some of his or her eligible options for cancellation and retain some eligible options; if an employee wishes to tender any of his or her eligible options, the eligible employee must tender all of his or her eligible options. (Page 14) WHAT HAPPENS TO OPTIONS THAT I TENDER AND ARE ACCEPTED FOR EXCHANGE? Tendered options that are accepted for exchange will be cancelled and will become available for future grants (including the new options) under the Plan, under which such options were originally granted. (Page 29) 6 WHAT IF I TENDER OPTIONS AND OAK TECHNOLOGY UNDERGOES A CHANGE OF CONTROL, SUCH AS A MERGER, BEFORE THE NEW OPTIONS ARE GRANTED? If we undergo a change of control, such as a merger, prior to the grant of the new options, it would be our intent to negotiate the terms of that change of control transaction such that you could receive options to purchase securities of the acquiror. However, we have the right to take any actions we deem necessary or appropriate to complete a transaction that our board of directors believes is in our best interest and our stockholders' best interest, and this could result in your not being granted the new options. (Page 26) WHAT HAPPENS IF I TENDER MY ELIGIBLE OPTIONS AND I AM ON AN AUTHORIZED LEAVE OF ABSENCE ON THE NEW OPTION GRANT DATE? An employee who is on an authorized short-term leave of absence, including a short-term disability leave, is considered to be an employee of Oak Technology or its subsidiaries. An authorized short-term leave of absence is a leave of absence that has been approved in accordance with policy or practice by Oak Technology or its subsidiary that employs you, and that has a duration of six months or less, at the end of which the employee returns to active employment with Oak Technology or one of its subsidiaries. Authorized short-term leaves may include approved bereavement leave, family medical leave, personal medical leave, including short term disability, jury duty leave, maternity and paternity leave and military leave. If you tender your options and they are cancelled in the offer and you are on an authorized short-term leave of absence, including a short-term disability leave, on the new option grant date, you are considered to be an employee of Oak Technology or its subsidiary that employs you, and will be entitled to a grant of new options on the new grant date. However, you will not be eligible to receive the new options on the new option grant date if at any time between the date you tender options and the date of grant of the new option, including on the new option grant date, you are on a long-term leave of absence (over six months in duration). Similarly, you will not be eligible to receive the new options on the new option grant date if you are currently on a short-term leave of absence, but do not return to active employment within the authorized six month period, resulting in a recategorization of your short-term leave as a long-term leave. (Page 19) WHAT HAPPENS IF I TENDER MY OPTIONS AND I RECEIVE A NOTICE OF INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION AFTER THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE OFFER AND PRIOR TO THE NEW OPTION GRANT DATE? If you tender your eligible options and they are cancelled in the offer and, after the expiration date of the offer and prior to the new option grant date, you receive a notice of involuntary termination (including, without limitation, redundancy), with or without cause, from Oak Technology or one of its subsidiaries, you will not receive a grant of new options or any other consideration or payment for such tendered and cancelled options. As indicated earlier, you must be an eligible employee of Oak Technology or any of our subsidiaries, from the date you tender options through the date we grant the new options, in order to be eligible to receive new options for your tendered options that we have accepted for exchange. 7 PARTICIPATION IN THE OFFER DOES NOT CONFER UPON YOU THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN THE EMPLOY OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES. YOU ARE EMPLOYED BY OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ONE OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES ON AN "AT-WILL" BASIS. AS AN AT-WILL EMPLOYEE, YOUR CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT IS AT THE WILL AND SOLE DISCRETION OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ITS SUBSIDIARIES. WE CANNOT GUARANTEE OR PROVIDE YOU WITH ANY ASSURANCES THAT YOU WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION OR THAT YOU WILL OTHERWISE REMAIN IN THE EMPLOY OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES UNTIL THE NEW OPTION GRANT DATE. (Page 19, 25) WHAT HAPPENS IF I TENDER MY OPTIONS AND MY EMPLOYMENT WITH OAK TECHNOLOGY CEASES AS A DIRECT RESULT OF A BUSINESS TRANSACTION OR THE OUTSOURCING OF MY POSITION AFTER THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE OFFER AND PRIOR TO THE NEW OPTION GRANT DATE? If you tender your eligible options and they are cancelled in the offer and, after the expiration date of the offer and prior to the new option grant date your employment ceases as a direct result of the divestiture of your business unit (either through a sale, corporate spin-off, joint venture or similar business transaction) or the outsourcing of your position, you are not eligible for new options. You must be an eligible employee of Oak Technology or any of our subsidiaries, from the date you tender options through the date we grant the new options, in order to be eligible to receive new options for your tendered options that we have accepted for exchange. PARTICIPATION IN THE OFFER DOES NOT CONFER UPON YOU THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN THE EMPLOY OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES. YOU ARE EMPLOYED BY OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ONE OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES ON AN "AT-WILL" BASIS. AS AN AT-WILL EMPLOYEE, YOUR CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT IS AT THE WILL AND SOLE DISCRETION OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ITS SUBSIDIARIES. WE CANNOT GUARANTEE OR PROVIDE YOU WITH ANY ASSURANCES THAT YOU WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION OR THAT YOU WILL OTHERWISE REMAIN IN THE EMPLOY OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES UNTIL THE NEW OPTION GRANT DATE. (Page 19, 25) WHAT HAPPENS IF I TENDER MY OPTIONS AND I RESIGN AFTER THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE OFFER AND BEFORE THE NEW OPTION GRANT DATE? If you resign after the expiration date of the offer and prior to the new option grant date and your eligible options have been tendered and cancelled in the offer, you will not receive a grant of new options or any other consideration or payment for such tendered and cancelled eligible options. You must be an eligible employee of Oak Technology or any of our subsidiaries, from the date you tender options through the date we grant the new options, in order to be eligible to receive new options for your tendered options that we have accepted for exchange. (Page 19, 25) 8 WHAT HAPPENS IF I TENDER MY ELIGIBLE OPTIONS AND I DIE AFTER THE EXPIRATION DATE OF THE OFFER AND BEFORE THE NEW OPTION GRANT DATE? If you die after the expiration date of the offer and prior to the new option grant date and your eligible options have been tendered and cancelled in the offer, neither you nor your beneficiaries will receive a grant of new options or any other consideration or payment for such tendered and cancelled eligible options. You must be an eligible employee of Oak Technology or any of our subsidiaries, from the date you tender options through the date we grant the new options, in order to be eligible to receive new options for your tendered options that we have accepted for exchange. (Page 19, 25). ARE THERE OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH I WOULD NOT BE GRANTED NEW OPTIONS? It is possible that even if we accept your tendered options, we will not issue new options to you if we are prohibited by applicable law or regulations from doing so. We will use reasonable efforts to avoid such prohibition. (Page 30) WILL WE GRANT OPTIONS TO ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN AUGUST 15, 2001, THE DATE THIS OFFER COMMENCES, AND THE DATE TENDERED OPTIONS ARE CANCELLED (CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO BE SEPTEMBER 14, 2001)? To avoid any possible adverse accounting consequences, we intend not to grant options to eligible employees during the period starting on August 15, 2001 (the date the offer commences) and ending on the date tendered eligible options are cancelled (currently scheduled to be September 14, 2001). (Page 19) IF I TENDER OPTIONS IN THE OFFER, WILL I BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE OTHER OPTION GRANTS BEFORE I RECEIVE MY NEW OPTIONS? If we accept options you tender in the offer, we will defer until the grant date for your new options, our grant to you of other options, such as annual, bonus or promotional options, for which you may be eligible between the date hereof and the new option grant date. We will defer the grant to you of these other options if we determine it is necessary for us to do so to avoid incurring adverse accounting treatment because of accounting rules that could apply to these interim option grants as a result of the offer. If you do not tender options in the offer, however, we may grant you promptly following the expiration of the offer options that you were eligible to receive between the date hereof and the expiration date. (Page 19) WHAT WILL MY NEW OPTION TYPE BE, INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION OR NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION? Currently all options granted under the Plan with an exercise price of at least $15.00 per share and held by eligible employees are non-qualified stock options. Accordingly, all new options will be granted as non-qualified stock options. (Page 23) 9 WILL I HAVE TO PAY TAXES IF I EXCHANGE MY OPTIONS IN THE OFFER? If you exchange your current options for new options, we believe you will not be required under current law to recognize income for federal income tax purposes at the time of the exchange. We believe that the exchange will be treated as a non-taxable exchange. Further, at the date of grant of the new options, we believe that you will not be required under current law to recognize income for federal income tax purposes. Special considerations may apply to employees located in the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea, Taiwan and Japan. In some of these countries, the application of local taxation rules may have an impact upon the re-grant. We recommend that you consult with your own tax advisor to determine the tax consequences of tendering options pursuant to the offer, including under the laws of the country that applies to you. Oak Technology is not responsible for any personal adverse tax or other financial consequences that may result from your voluntary participation in the exchange. (Page 30) AFTER THE RE-GRANT, WHAT HAPPENS IF I AGAIN END UP UNDERWATER? We are conducting this offer only at this time, considering the unusual stock market conditions that have affected many companies throughout the country. This is therefore considered a one-time offer and is not expected to be offered again in the future. As your stock options are valid for ten years from the date of initial grant, subject to continued employment, the price of our common stock may appreciate over the long term even if your options are underwater for some period of time after the grant date of the new options. HOWEVER, WE CAN PROVIDE NO ASSURANCE AS TO THE PRICE OF OUR COMMON STOCK AT ANY TIME IN THE FUTURE. (Page 16) WHAT HAPPENS TO OPTIONS THAT I CHOOSE NOT TO TENDER OR THAT ARE NOT ACCEPTED FOR EXCHANGE? Nothing. An option that you choose not to tender for exchange or that we do not accept for exchange remains outstanding until it is exercised or expires in accordance with its terms and retains its current exercise price and current exercise schedule. We currently expect that we will accept all properly tendered eligible options promptly after the expiration of this offer. (Page 17) WHAT HAPPENS TO ANY CURRENT OPTIONS GRANTED TO ME UNDER THE PLAN THAT DO NOT HAVE AN EXERCISE PRICE ABOVE $15.00 AND ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR TENDER? The offer will have no effect on those options that do not have an exercise price above $15.00 and are therefore, not eligible for tender in this offer. Those options will remain outstanding in accordance with, and subject to, their current terms, whether or not you tender your eligible options. (Page 14) 10 HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER TO TENDER OPTIONS IN THE OFFER? CAN THE OFFER BE EXTENDED, AND IF SO, HOW WILL I BE NOTIFIED IF IT IS EXTENDED? You have until at least 11:59 p.m., Pacific daylight savings time, on September 13, 2001, to tender your options in the offer. Although we do not currently intend to do so, we may, in our discretion, extend the offer at any time. If we extend the offer, we will make a public announcement of the extension no later than 9:00 a.m., Pacific daylight savings time, on the next business day following the previously scheduled expiration date. If the offer is extended, then the cancellation date for tendered eligible options accepted for exchange and the grant date of the new options may be extended if necessary to avoid the possibility that we would have to recognize any charges in our financial statements which would reduce our reported earnings. Under the accounting rules applicable to us, the new options must be granted more than six months following the date tendered eligible options are cancelled. (Page 15, 31) HOW DO I TENDER MY OPTIONS? If you decide to tender your options, you must deliver, before the offer expires, a properly completed and duly executed acceptance letter and any other documents required by the acceptance letter to Oak Technology, Inc., 139 Kifer Court, Sunnyvale, California 94086, Attn: Karen Pereira, Stock Administrator (facsimile number: (408) 523-6623). We will only accept delivery of the signed acceptance letter by regular external mail, facsimile or hand delivery. If you choose to deliver your signature page by external mail, we recommend that you use registered mail with return receipt requested. Delivery by e-mail will NOT be accepted. You must allow for delivery time based on the method of delivery that you choose to ensure we receive your acceptance letter on time. This is a one-time offer, and we will strictly enforce the tender offer period. We reserve the right to reject any or all tenders of options that we determine are not in appropriate form or that we determine are unlawful to accept. We also reserve the right to waive any of the conditions of the offer or any defect or irregularity in any tender. Subject to our rights to extend, terminate and amend the offer, we currently expect that we will accept all properly tendered options promptly after the expiration of the offer. (Page 17) DURING WHAT PERIOD OF TIME MAY I WITHDRAW PREVIOUSLY TENDERED OPTIONS? You may withdraw your tendered options at any time before the offer expires at 11:59 p.m., Pacific daylight savings time, on September 13, 2001. If we extend this offer beyond that time, you may withdraw your tendered options at any time until the extended expiration of this offer. To withdraw tendered options, you must deliver to us at the address or facsimile number listed above a written notice of withdrawal with the required information while you still have the right to withdraw the tendered options. As in the case of delivery of the acceptance letter, you may deliver the signed notice of withdrawal to us at the address noted above by regular external mail, facsimile or hand delivery. Once you have withdrawn options, you may re-tender options only by again following the delivery procedures described above. (Page 18) 11 IF I CHOOSE NOT TO TENDER MY ELIGIBLE OPTIONS FOR EXCHANGE, WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO? If you choose to keep your eligible options and not participate in the offer, we ask that you complete the decline letter indicating your intent not to participate in the exchange and promptly return the letter to us. This will aid us in our efforts with respect to administration of the option exchange program. Even if you return the decline letter to us indicating your nonparticipation in the program, you may subsequently elect to participate in the exchange at any time prior to the expiration of the offer by delivering to us a properly completed and signed acceptance letter. (Page 17) HOW WILL I KNOW IF OAK TECHNOLOGY HAS RECEIVED MY ACCEPTANCE LETTER ELECTING TO TENDER MY ELIGIBLE OPTIONS? We will confirm receipt of your acceptance letter tendering your eligible options (and any withdrawal) shortly after we receive it. Also, after the expiration date of the offer, we will advise you whether or not your tender was accepted. Personalized confirmations of your eligible options that have been tendered and cancelled in the offer will be sent to you within sixty (60) days of the expiration of the offer. (Page 20) WHAT DO WE AND OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS THINK OF THE OFFER? Although our board of directors has approved this offer, neither we nor our board of directors makes any recommendation as to whether or not you should tender your options. You must make your own decision whether to tender options. For questions regarding tax implications or other investment-related questions, you should talk to your own legal counsel, accountant and/or financial advisor. (Page 31, 34) WHO CAN I TALK TO IF I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OFFER? For additional information or assistance, you should contact: Karen Pereira Stock Administrator Oak Technology, Inc. 139 Kifer Court Sunnyvale, California 94086 (telephone number: (408) 328-6881) 12 INTRODUCTION Oak Technology, Inc. ("Oak Technology," "we" or the "Company") is offering eligible employees holding outstanding options to purchase shares of our common stock granted under the Oak Technology, Inc. 1994 Stock Option Plan, as amended (the "Plan"), that have an exercise price of at least $15.00 per share, the opportunity to exchange those options for new options that we will grant under the Plan. We are extending this offer upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this offer to exchange (the "offer to exchange") and in the related acceptance letter (which together, as each may be amended or supplemented from time to time, constitute the "offer"). We intend to grant options to acquire the same number of shares as are covered by the options you tender. We will grant the new options on a date that is at least six months and one day following the date we cancel the options accepted for exchange. This offer is not conditioned upon a minimum number of options being tendered, but is subject to conditions that we describe in Section 6 of this offer to exchange, including our right to accept or reject any options tendered in response to this offer. Subject to our rights to extend, terminate and amend the offer, we currently expect that we will accept promptly after the expiration of the offer all properly tendered options that have not been validly withdrawn. As of August 10, 2001, options to purchase 8,268,522 shares of our common stock were issued and outstanding under the Plan. Of these options, options to purchase 808,080 shares of our common stock, constituting 9.8%, had an exercise price of $15.00 or more and are eligible to be exchanged in the offer. If you tender options for exchange and we accept such options, we will grant you new options under the Plan and enter into a new option agreement between us and you, all as more fully described below. The exercise price of the new options will equal the fair market value of our common stock on the date of the grant. The vesting schedule for the new options granted will be exactly the same as the vesting schedule for the cancelled options, and the other terms and conditions of the new options will be substantially the same as the cancelled options. Accordingly, the new options will be vested on the date of grant to the extent that the related options cancelled in this offer would have been vested on that date and the remaining new options will become vested in accordance with the vesting schedule (based on the same vesting dates and percentages) applicable to the related grant of options that were cancelled in the offer. Accordingly, you will not lose the benefit of any vesting under your tendered eligible options that are accepted for exchange and cancelled in this offer. THE OFFER 1. Number Of Options; Eligible Employees; Expiration Date. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the offer, including our right to accept or reject any options tendered in response to this offer, we will exchange for new options to purchase common stock under the Plan all outstanding options under the Plan held by eligible employees that have an exercise price of at least $15.00 per share, that are properly tendered in 13 accordance with Section 3 and not validly withdrawn in accordance with Section 4 before the "expiration date," as defined below. We will not accept partial tenders of eligible options. Therefore, if you choose to participate, you must tender all of your eligible options. To receive a grant of new options pursuant to the offer and under the terms of the Plan, an employee must be eligible to receive options pursuant to the Plan from the date he or she tenders options through the date Oak Technology grants the new options. "Eligible employees" are all employees, including executive officers, of Oak Technology or one of its subsidiaries who are actively employed or on an authorized short-term leave of absence on August 15, 2001 and on the date the offer expires and whose services are performed in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea, Taiwan or Japan. An employee who is on an authorized short-term leave of absence of six months or less, including a short-term disability leave, is considered to be an employee of Oak Technology or its subsidiaries. Also, an employee will not be considered an "eligible employee" and accordingly, will not be eligible to participate in this offer if, on or before the date the offer expires, the employee is no longer employed by Oak Technology or any of its subsidiaries, for any reason, including the employee: o receives a notice of involuntary termination (including, without limitation, redundancy), with or without cause, from Oak Technology or one of its subsidiaries; o resigns or gives notice of resignation from such employment, whether voluntarily or involuntarily or with or without good reason; o enters into an agreement with Oak Technology or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the employee's resignation, whether voluntarily or involuntarily or with or without good reason; o takes a long-term leave of absence (over six months in duration) or if currently on a short-term leave of absence, does not return within the authorized six month period, resulting in a recategorization of the leave as long-term; or o dies. Non-employee directors of Oak Technology are not eligible to participate in the offer. IF, FOR ANY REASON, YOU ARE NOT AN EMPLOYEE OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES, FROM THE DATE YOU TENDER OPTIONS THROUGH THE DATE THE OFFER EXPIRES, YOU WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OFFER. PARTICIPATION IN THE OFFER DOES NOT CONFER UPON YOU THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN THE EMPLOY OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES. The offer is available to eligible employees of Oak Technology who hold options under the Plan that have an exercise price of $15.00 per share or more. As of August 10, 2001, there were outstanding options to purchase 808,080 shares of our common stock under the Plan that have an exercise price of $15.00 per share or more. 14 If your options are properly tendered and accepted for exchange, unless we terminate this offer pursuant to the terms and conditions hereof, you will be entitled to receive, on a business day that is at least six months and one day following the date we accept the options tendered for exchange, new options to purchase the number of shares of our common stock that is equal to the number of shares subject to the options that you tendered and we accepted, subject to adjustments for any stock splits, stock dividends and similar events that occur prior to the grant date of the new options. The exercise price (also known as the grant price) on the date of grant of the new options will be determined in accordance with the terms of the Plan. Because the new options will be granted at least six months and one day following the date eligible options are cancelled, we cannot predict the exercise price of the new options. Accordingly, the new options may have a higher exercise price than some or all of the eligible options that are cancelled in the offer. We recommend that eligible employees obtain current market quotations for our common stock before deciding whether to tender their eligible options. See section 8 for a description of the determination of market price and for other terms of the new options. The term "expiration date" means 11:59 p.m., Pacific daylight savings time, on September 13, 2001, unless and until we, in our discretion, have extended the period of time during which the offer will remain open, in which event the term "expiration date" refers to the latest time and date at which the offer, as so extended, expires. See Section 14 for a description of our rights to extend, delay, terminate and amend the offer. For purposes of this offer, a "business day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or United States Federal holiday and consists of the time period from 12:01 a.m. through 11:59 p.m., Pacific daylight savings time. 2. Purpose Of The Offer. We issued the options outstanding under the Plan to: o provide our employees an opportunity to acquire or increase a proprietary interest in us, thereby creating a stronger incentive to expend maximum effort for our growth and success; and o encourage our employees to continue their employment with us. Many of our outstanding options, whether or not they are currently exercisable, have exercise prices that are higher than the current and recent trading prices of our common stock. We believe many of these options are unlikely to be exercised in the foreseeable future. We understand that for our stock option program to provide the intended retention and performance incentives for our employees, they must feel that our options provide them with an opportunity to realize value within a reasonable period of time. With the uncertainty of current market conditions, we believe that our employees may feel that the opportunity for realizing value is limited with their existing options. By making this offer to exchange eligible options for new options that will (1) have an exercise price equal to 100% of the market price of our common 15 stock on the grant date of the new options (determined under and subject to the terms of the Plan) and (2) vest in accordance with the vesting schedule applicable to the related eligible options cancelled in this offer, we hope to provide our employees with the benefit of owning options that over time may have a greater potential to increase in value thereby encouraging our employees to remain with us, and ultimately maximize shareholder value. While it is hoped that this program will ameliorate the current underwater options issue, this cannot be guaranteed considering the ever-present risks associated with a volatile and unpredictable stock market. Subject to the foregoing, and except as otherwise disclosed in this offer or in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other than transactions among or between our subsidiaries and our affiliates, we presently have no plans or proposals that relate to or would result in: (a) any extraordinary corporate transaction, such as a merger, reorganization or liquidation, involving us or any of our subsidiaries; (b) any purchase, sale or transfer of a material amount of our assets or the assets of any of our subsidiaries; (c) any material change in our present dividend rate or policy, or our indebtedness or capitalization; (d) any material change in our present board of directors or management, other than changes in the number or term of directors or to fill any existing board vacancies, or as may otherwise occur in the ordinary course of business; (e) any other material change in our corporate structure or business; (f) our common stock not being authorized for quotation in an automated quotation system operated by a national securities association; (g) our common stock becoming eligible for termination of registration pursuant to Section 12(g)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act; (h) the suspension of our obligation to file reports pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act; (i) the acquisition by any person of any material amount of our securities or the disposition of any material amount of our securities; or (j) any change in our certificate of incorporation or bylaws, or any actions which may impede the acquisition of control of us by any person. From time to time we entertain proposals from third parties regarding potential strategic relationships or transactions, which in some cases could include a merger or sale of Oak Technology. We have no definitive plans with respect to any such strategic relationship or transaction as of the date hereof. Neither we nor our Board of Directors makes any recommendation as to whether you should tender your options, nor have we authorized any person to make any such recommendation. You are urged to evaluate carefully all of the information in this offer to 16 exchange and to consult your own legal, investment and/or tax advisors. You must make your own decision whether to tender your options for exchange. 3. Procedures For Tendering Options. PROPER TENDER OF OPTIONS. To validly tender your options pursuant to the offer, you must, in accordance with the terms of the acceptance letter, properly complete, duly execute and deliver to us the acceptance letter, or a facsimile thereof, along with any other required documents. We must receive all of the required documents at Oak Technology, Inc., 139 Kifer Court, Sunnyvale, California 94086, Attn: Karen Pereira, Stock Administrator, before the expiration date. The only acceptable methods of delivery are regular external mail, facsimile and hand delivery. Your eligible options will not be considered tendered until we receive them. Delivery by e-mail will not be accepted. THE METHOD OF DELIVERY OF ALL DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING THE ACCEPTANCE LETTER AND ANY OTHER REQUIRED DOCUMENTS, IS AT YOUR ELECTION AND RISK. IF YOU DELIVER BY MAIL, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE REGISTERED MAIL WITH RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED AND PROPERLY INSURE THE MATERIALS. IN ALL CASES, YOU SHOULD ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME TO ENSURE TIMELY DELIVERY. DETERMINATION OF VALIDITY; REJECTION OF OPTIONS; WAIVER OF DEFECTS; NO OBLIGATION TO GIVE NOTICE OF DEFECTS. We will determine, in our sole discretion, all questions as to form of documents and the validity, form, eligibility, including time of receipt, and acceptance of any tender of options. Our determination of these matters will be final and binding on all parties. We reserve the right to reject any or all tenders of options that we determine are not in appropriate form or that we determine are unlawful to accept. Otherwise, we will accept properly and timely tendered options that are not validly withdrawn. We also reserve the right to waive any of the conditions of the offer or any defect or irregularity in any tender with respect to any particular options or any particular option holder. No tender of options will be deemed to have been properly made until all defects or irregularities have been cured by the tendering option holder or waived by us. Neither we nor any other person is obligated to give notice of any defects or irregularities in tenders, nor will anyone incur any liability for failure to give any such notice. OUR ACCEPTANCE CONSTITUTES AN AGREEMENT. Your tender of options pursuant to the procedures described above constitutes your acceptance of the terms and conditions of the offer. OUR ACCEPTANCE FOR EXCHANGE OF YOUR OPTIONS TENDERED BY YOU PURSUANT TO THE OFFER WILL CONSTITUTE A BINDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN US AND YOU UPON THE TERMS AND SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS OF THE OFFER. Subject to our rights to extend, terminate and amend the offer, we currently expect that we will accept promptly after the expiration of the offer all properly tendered options that have not been validly withdrawn. 17 4. Withdrawal Rights. You may only withdraw your tendered options in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4. You may withdraw your tendered options at any time before 11:59 p.m., Pacific daylight savings time, on September 13, 2001. If the offer is extended by us beyond that time, you may withdraw your tendered eligible options at any time until the extended expiration of the offer. You must withdraw all tendered eligible options; you may not withdraw only a portion of tendered eligible options. To validly withdraw tendered options, an eligible employee must deliver to us at the address set forth in Section 3 a written notice of withdrawal, or a facsimile thereof, with the required information, while such employee still has the right to withdraw the tendered options. The notice of withdrawal must specify the name of the employee who tendered the options to be withdrawn. Except as described in the following sentence, the notice of withdrawal must be executed by the employee who tendered the options to be withdrawn exactly as such option holder's name appears on the acceptance letter previously submitted by the employee. If the signature is by a trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, attorney-in-fact or another person acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, the signer's full title and proper evidence of the authority of such person to act in such capacity must be identified on the notice of withdrawal. You may not rescind any withdrawal. Any options you withdraw will thereafter be deemed not properly tendered for purposes of the offer, unless you properly re-tender those options before the expiration date by following the procedures described in Section 3. Neither we nor any other person is obligated to give notice of any defects or irregularities in any notice of withdrawal, nor will anyone incur any liability for failure to give any such notice. We will determine, in our discretion, all questions as to the form and validity, including time of receipt, of notices of withdrawal. Our determination of these matters will be final and binding. 5. Acceptance Of Options For Exchange And Issuance Of New Options. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this offer and promptly following the expiration date, we will accept for exchange and cancel options properly tendered and not validly withdrawn before the expiration date. If we cancel eligible options accepted for exchange on September 14, 2001, the business day following the scheduled expiration date of the offer, you will be granted new options no earlier than March 16, 2002, which is the first business day that is at least six months and one day following the date we anticipate accepting options for exchange. If the offer is extended, then the grant date of the new options will also be extended if necessary to ensure that the new option grant date is six months and one day following the date eligible options are cancelled. Our board of directors or compensation committee will select the actual grant date for the new options after the expiration date of the offer in accordance with the Plan. The exercise price of the new options will equal the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant. 18 To be entitled to the new options after your tendered eligible options have been cancelled in the offer, you must be eligible to receive options pursuant to the Plan from the date you tender options through the date Oak Technology grants the new options. You must be continuously and actively employed by or on an authorized short-term leave of absence from Oak Technology or one of its subsidiaries from the date you tender eligible options for exchange through, and including, the date of grant of the new options. An employee who is on an authorized short-term leave of absence of six months or less, including a short-term disability leave, is considered to be an employee of Oak Technology or its subsidiaries. You will not be eligible to receive the new options on the new option grant date if you are not employed by Oak Technology or any of its subsidiaries at any time between the date you tender options and the date of grant of the new options, for any reason, including the following: o you receive a notice of involuntary termination (including, without limitation, redundancy), with or without cause, from Oak Technology or one of its subsidiaries; o you resign or give notice of resignation from such employment, whether voluntarily or involuntarily or with or without good reason; o you enter into an agreement with Oak Technology or one of its subsidiaries with respect to your resignation, whether voluntarily or involuntarily or with or without good reason; o you take a long-term leave of absence (lasting more than six months) or if you are currently on a short-term leave of absence, you do not return to active employment within the authorized six month period, resulting in a recategorization of the leave as long-term; or o you die. IF, FOR ANY REASON, INCLUDING THOSE DESCRIBED ABOVE, YOU ARE NOT AN EMPLOYEE OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES, FROM THE DATE YOU TENDER OPTIONS THROUGH THE DATE WE GRANT THE NEW OPTIONS, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY NEW OPTIONS OR ANY OTHER CONSIDERATION IN EXCHANGE FOR YOUR TENDERED OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE ACCEPTED FOR EXCHANGE. PARTICIPATION IN THE OFFER DOES NOT CONFER UPON YOU THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN THE EMPLOY OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES. YOU ARE EMPLOYED BY OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ONE OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES ON AN "AT-WILL" BASIS. AS AN AT-WILL EMPLOYEE, YOUR CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT IS AT THE WILL AND SOLE DISCRETION OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ITS SUBSIDIARIES. WE CANNOT GUARANTEE OR PROVIDE YOU WITH ANY ASSURANCES THAT YOU WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION OR THAT YOU WILL OTHERWISE REMAIN IN THE EMPLOY OF OAK TECHNOLOGY OR ANY OF OUR SUBSIDIARIES UNTIL THE NEW OPTION GRANT DATE. If we accept options you tender in the offer, we will defer until the grant date for your new options our grant to you of other options, such as annual, bonus or promotional options, for which you may be eligible between the date hereof and the new option grant date. We will defer the grant to you of these other options if we determine it is necessary for us to do so to avoid incurring adverse accounting treatment because of accounting rules that could apply to these 19 interim option grants as a result of the offer. If you do not tender options in the offer, however, we may grant you promptly following the expiration of the offer options that you were eligible to receive between the date hereof and the expiration date. For purposes of the offer, we will be deemed to have accepted for exchange options that are validly tendered and not properly withdrawn as, if and when we give oral or written notice to the option holders of our acceptance for exchange of such options. Subject to our rights to extend, terminate and amend the offer, we currently expect that we will accept promptly after the expiration of the offer all properly tendered options that are not validly withdrawn. Promptly after we accept tendered options for exchange, we will send each tendering option holder a letter indicating the number of shares subject to the options that we have accepted for exchange. 6. Conditions Of The Offer. Notwithstanding any other provision of the offer, we will not be required to accept any options tendered for exchange, and we may terminate or amend the offer, or postpone our acceptance and cancellation of any options tendered for exchange, in each case, subject to Rule 13e-4(f)(5) under the Securities Exchange Act, if at any time on or after August 15, 2001 and prior to the expiration date (1) any of the following events has occurred, or has been determined by us to have occurred, and, (2) in our reasonable judgment in any such case and regardless of the circumstances giving rise thereto, including any action or omission to act by us, the occurrence of such event or events makes it inadvisable for us to proceed with the offer or with such acceptance and cancellation of options tendered for exchange: (a) there shall have been threatened or instituted or be pending any action or proceeding by any government or governmental, regulatory or administrative agency, authority or tribunal or any other person, before any court, authority, agency or tribunal that directly or indirectly challenges the making of the offer, the acquisition of some or all of the tendered options pursuant to the offer, the issuance of new options, or otherwise relates in any manner to the offer or that, in our reasonable judgment, could materially and adversely affect the business, condition (financial or other), income, operations or prospects of Oak Technology or our subsidiaries, or otherwise materially impair in any way the contemplated future conduct of our business or the business of any of our subsidiaries or materially impair the contemplated benefits of the offer to us; (b) there shall have been any action threatened, pending or taken, or approval withheld, or any statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order or injunction threatened, proposed, sought, promulgated, enacted, entered, amended, enforced or deemed to be applicable to the offer or Oak Technology or any of our subsidiaries, by any court or any authority, agency or tribunal that, in our reasonable judgment, would or might directly or indirectly: (1) make the acceptance for exchange of, or issuance of new options for, some or all of the tendered options illegal or otherwise restrict or prohibit consummation of the offer or otherwise relates in any manner to the offer; 20 (2) delay or restrict our ability, or render us unable, to accept for exchange, or issue new options for, some or all of the tendered options; (3) materially impair the contemplated benefits of the offer to us; or (4) materially and adversely affect the business, condition (financial or other), income, operations or prospects of Oak Technology or our subsidiaries, or otherwise materially impair in any way the contemplated future conduct of our business or the business of any of our subsidiaries or materially impair the contemplated benefits of the offer to us. (c) there shall have occurred any change, development, clarification or position taken in generally accepted accounting principles which could or would require us to record compensation expense against our earnings in connection with the offer for financial reporting purposes; (d) a tender or exchange offer with respect to some or all of our common stock, or a merger or acquisition proposal for us, shall have been proposed, announced or made by another person or entity or shall have been publicly disclosed; or (e) any change or changes shall have occurred in the business, condition (financial or other), assets, income, operations, prospects or stock ownership of Oak Technology or our subsidiaries that, in our reasonable judgment, is or may be material to Oak Technology or our subsidiaries or materially impairs or may materially impair the contemplated benefits of the offer to us. The conditions to the offer are for our benefit. We may assert them in our discretion regardless of the circumstances giving rise to them prior to the expiration date. We may waive them, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time prior to the expiration date, in our discretion, whether or not we waive any other condition to the offer. Our failure at any time to exercise any of these rights will not be deemed a waiver of any such rights. The waiver of any of these rights with respect to particular facts and circumstances will not be deemed a waiver with respect to any other facts and circumstances. Any determination we make concerning the events described in this Section 6 will be final and binding upon all persons. 7. Price Range Of Common Stock Underlying The Options. Our common stock is quoted on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol "OAKT." The following table shows, for the periods indicated, the high and low closing prices per share of our common stock as reported by the NASDAQ National Market.
Offer to Exchange Outstanding Options For New Options - Oak Technology Inc.
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