DIONEX CORPORATION
STOCK OPTION PLAN
ADOPTED AUGUST 2, 1990
(AS AMENDED AND RESTATED JULY 27, 1995)
1. PURPOSES.
(a) The purpose of the Plan is to provide a means by which selected
Employees of and Consultants to the Company, and its Affiliates, may be given an
opportunity to purchase stock of the Company.
(b) The Company, by means of the Plan, seeks to retain the services of
persons who are now Employees of or Consultants to the Company or its
Affiliates, to secure and retain the services of new Employees, Consultants, and
to provide incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for the success
of the Company and its Affiliates.
(c) The Company intends that the Options issued under the Plan shall, in
the discretion of the Board or any Committee to which responsibility for
administration of the Plan has been delegated pursuant to subsection 3(c), be
either Incentive Stock Options or Nonstatutory Stock Options. All Options shall
be separately designated Incentive Stock Options or Nonstatutory Stock Options
at the time of grant, and in such form as issued pursuant to Section 6, and a
separate certificate or certificates will be issued for shares purchased on
exercise of each type of Option.
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2. DEFINITIONS.
(a) 'AFFILIATE' means any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation,
whether now or hereafter existing, as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e)
and (f) respectively, of the Code.
(b) 'BOARD' means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(c) 'CODE' means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(d) 'COMMITTEE' means a Committee appointed by the Board in accordance
with subsection 3(c) of the Plan.
(e) 'COMPANY' means Dionex Corporation, a Delaware corporation.
(f) 'CONSULTANT' means any person, including an advisor, engaged by the
Company or an Affiliate to render consulting services and who is compensated for
such services, provided that the term 'Consultant' shall not include Directors
who are paid only a director's fee by the Company or who are not compensated by
the Company for their services as Directors.
(g) 'CONTINUOUS STATUS AS AN EMPLOYEE OR CONSULTANT' means the employment
or relationship as a Consultant is not interrupted or terminated. The Board, in
its sole discretion, may determine whether Continuous Status as an Employee or
Consultant shall be considered interrupted in the case of: (i) any leave of
absence approved by the Board, including sick leave, military leave, or any
other personal leave; or (ii) transfers between locations of the Company or
between the Company, Affiliates or their successors.
(h) 'COVERED EMPLOYEE' means the chief executive officer and the four (4)
other highest compensated officers of the Company for
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whom total compensation is required to be reported to shareholders under the
Exchange Act, as determined for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code.
(i) 'DIRECTOR' means a member of the Board.
(j) 'DISINTERESTED PERSON' means a Director who either (i) was not during
the one year prior to service as an administrator of the Plan granted or awarded
equity securities pursuant to the Plan or any other plan of the Company or any
Affiliate entitling the participants therein to acquire equity securities of the
Company or any Affiliate except as permitted by Rule 16b-3(c)(2)(i); or (ii) is
otherwise considered to be a 'disinterested person' in accordance with Rule
16b-3(c)(2)(i), or any other applicable rules, regulations or interpretations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(k) 'EMPLOYEE' means any person, including Officers and Directors, employed
by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company. Neither service as a Director
nor payment of a director's fee by the Company shall be sufficient to constitute
'employment' by the Company.
(l) 'EXCHANGE ACT' means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(m) 'FAIR MARKET VALUE' means, as of any date, the value of the common
stock of the Company determined as follows:
(1) If the common stock is listed on any established stock exchange or
a national market system, including without limitation the National Market
System of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated
Quotation ('NASDAQ') System, the Fair Market Value of a share of common stock
shall be the closing sales price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales
were reported) as quoted on such system or exchange (or the exchange with the
greatest volume of trading
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in common stock) on the last market trading day prior to the day of
determination, as reported in the Wall Street Journal or such other source as
the Board deems reliable;
(2) If the common stock is quoted on the NASDAQ System (but not on the
National Market System thereof) or is regularly quoted by a recognized
securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, the Fair Market Value of
a share of common stock shall be the mean between the bid and asked prices for
the common stock on the last market trading day prior to the day of
determination, as reported in the Wall Street Journal or such other source as
the Board deems reliable;
(3) In the absence of an established market for the common stock, the
Fair Market Value shall be determined in good faith by the Board.
(n) 'INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION' means an Option intended to qualify as an
incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and the
regulations promulgated thereunder.
(o) 'NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION' means an Option not intended to qualify as
an Incentive Stock Option.
(p) 'OFFICER' means a person who is an officer of the Company within the
meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
(q) 'OPTION' means a stock option granted pursuant to the Plan.
(r) 'OPTION AGREEMENT' means a written agreement between the Company and an
Optionee evidencing the terms and conditions of an individual Option grant. Each
Option Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
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(s) 'OPTIONEE' means an Employee or Consultant who holds an outstanding
Option.
(t) 'OUTSIDE DIRECTOR' means a Director who either (i) is not a current
employee of the Company or an 'affiliated corporation' (within the meaning of
the Treasury regulations promulgated under Section 162(m) of the Code), is not a
former employee of the Company or an 'affiliated corporation' receiving
compensation for prior services (other than benefits under a tax qualified
pension plan), was not an officer of the Company or an 'affiliated corporation'
at any time, and is not currently receiving direct or indirect remuneration from
the Company or an 'affiliated corporation' for services in any capacity other
than as a Director, or (ii) is otherwise considered an 'outside director' for
purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code.
(u) 'PLAN' means this Dionex Corporation Stock Option Plan.
(v) 'RULE 16b-3' means Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor to
Rule 16b-3, as in effect when discretion is being exercised with respect to the
Plan.
3. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) The Plan shall be administered by the Board unless and until the Board
delegates administration to a Committee, as provided in subsection 3(c).
(b) The Board shall have the power, subject to, and within the limitations
of, the express provisions of the Plan:
(1) To determine from time to time which of the persons eligible under
the Plan shall be granted Options; when and how each Option shall be granted;
whether an Option will be an Incentive
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Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option; the provisions of each Option
granted (which need not be identical), including the time or times such Option
may be exercised in whole or in part; and the number of shares for which an
Option shall be granted to each such person.
(2) To construe and interpret the Plan and Options granted under it,
and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for its administration.
The Board, in the exercise of this power, may correct any defect, omission or
inconsistency in the Plan or in any Option Agreement, in a manner and to the
extent it shall deem necessary or expedient to make the Plan fully effective.
(3) To amend the Plan or an Option as provided in Section 11.
(4) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as the
Board deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company.
(c) The Board may delegate administration of the Plan to a committee
composed of not fewer than two (2) members (the 'Committee'), all of the members
of which Committee shall be Disinterested Persons and may also be, in the
discretion of the Board, Outside Directors. If administration is delegated to a
Committee, the Committee shall have, in connection with the administration of
the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed by the Board (and references in this
Plan to the Board shall thereafter be to the Committee), subject, however, to
such resolutions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as may be
adopted from time to time by the Board. The Board may abolish the Committee at
any time and revest in the Board the administration of the Plan.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3 to the contrary, the Board or the
Committee may delegate to a committee of one or more
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members of the Board the authority to grant Options to eligible persons who (1)
are not then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act and/or (2) are either (i)
not then Covered Employees and are not expected to be Covered Employees at the
time of recognition of income resulting from such Option, or (ii) not persons
with respect to whom the Company wishes to comply with Section 162(m) of the
Code.
(d) Any requirement that an administrator of the Plan be a Disinterested
Person shall not apply if the Board or the Committee expressly declares that
such requirement shall not apply. Any Disinterested Person shall otherwise
comply with the requirements of Rule 16b-3.
4. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 10 relating to adjustments upon
changes in stock, the stock that may be sold pursuant to Options shall not
exceed in the aggregate One Million Three Hundred Thousand (1,300,000) shares of
the Company's common stock. If any Option shall for any reason expire or
otherwise terminate, in whole or in part, without having been exercised in full,
the stock not purchased under such Option shall revert to and again become
available for issuance under the Plan.
(b) The stock subject to the Plan may be unissued shares or reacquired
shares, bought on the market or otherwise.
5. ELIGIBILITY.
(a) Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees. Nonstatutory
Stock Options may be granted only to Employees or Consultants.
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(b) A Director shall in no event be eligible for the benefits of the Plan
unless at the time discretion is exercised in the selection of the Director as a
person to whom Options may be granted, or in the determination of the number of
shares which may be covered by Options granted to the Director: (i) the Board
has delegated its discretionary authority over the Plan to a Committee which
consists solely of Disinterested Persons; or (ii) the Plan otherwise complies
with the requirements of Rule 16b-3. The Board shall otherwise comply with the
requirements of Rule 16b-3. This subsection 5(b) shall not apply if the Board
or Committee expressly declares that it shall not apply.
(c) No person shall be eligible for the grant of an Incentive Stock Option
if, at the time of grant, such person owns (or is deemed to own pursuant to
Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the
total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of any of
its Affiliates unless the exercise price of such Option is at least one hundred
ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of such stock at the date of grant
and the Incentive Stock Option is not exercisable after the expiration of five
(5) years from the date of grant.
(d) Subject to the provisions of Section 10 relating to adjustments upon
changes in stock, no person shall be eligible to be granted Options covering
more than two hundred thousand (200,000) shares of the Company's common stock in
any twelve (12) month period.
6. OPTION PROVISIONS.
Each Option shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate. The provisions of separate
Options need not be identical, but each Option
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shall include (through incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the
Option or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:
(a) TERM. No Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10)
years from the date it was granted.
(b) PRICE. The exercise price of each Incentive Stock Option shall be not
less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the stock
subject to the Option on the date the Option is granted. The exercise price of
each Nonstatutory Stock Option shall be not less than eighty-five percent (85%)
of the Fair Market Value of the stock subject to the Option on the date the
Option is granted.
(c) CONSIDERATION. The purchase price of stock acquired pursuant to an
Option shall be paid, to the extent permitted by applicable statutes and
regulations, either (i) in cash at the time the Option is exercised, or (ii) at
the discretion of the Board or the Committee, at the time of the grant of the
Option, (A) by delivery to the Company of other common stock of the Company, (B)
according to a deferred payment or other arrangement (which may include, without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the use of other common stock of the
Company) with the person to whom the Option is granted or to whom the Option is
transferred pursuant to subsection 6(d), or (C) in any other form of legal
consideration that may be acceptable to the Board.
In the case of any deferred payment arrangement, interest shall be
payable at least annually and shall be charged at the minimum rate of interest
necessary to avoid the treatment as interest, under any applicable provisions of
the Code, of any amounts other than amounts stated to be interest under the
deferred payment arrangement.
(d) TRANSFERABILITY. An Incentive Stock Option shall not be transferable
except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and
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shall be exercisable during the lifetime of the person to whom the Incentive
Stock Option is granted only by such person. A Nonstatutory Stock Option shall
not be transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution or
pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order satisfying the requirements of
Rule 16b-3 and the rules thereunder (a 'QDRO'), and shall be exercisable during
the lifetime of the person to whom the Option is granted only by such person or
any transferee pursuant to a QDRO. The person to whom the Option is granted may,
by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form satisfactory to the
Company, designate a third party who, in the event of the death of the Optionee,
shall thereafter be entitled to exercise the Option.
(e) VESTING. The total number of shares of stock subject to an Option may,
but need not, be allotted in periodic installments (which may, but need not, be
equal). The Option Agreement may provide that from time to time during each of
such installment periods, the Option may become exercisable ('vest') with
respect to some or all of the shares allotted to that period, and may be
exercised with respect to some or all of the shares allotted to such period
and/or any prior period as to which the Option became vested but was not fully
exercised. The Option may be subject to such other terms and conditions on the
time or times when it may be exercised (which may be based on performance or
other criteria) as the Board may deem appropriate. The provisions of this
subsection 6(e) are subject to any Option provisions governing the minimum
number of shares as to which an Option may be exercised.
(f) SECURITIES LAW COMPLIANCE. The Company may require any Optionee, or
any person to whom an Option is transferred under subsection 6(d), as a
condition of exercising any such Option, (1) to give written assurances
satisfactory to the Company as to the Optionee's
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knowledge and experience in financial and business matters and/or to employ a
purchaser representative reasonably satisfactory to the Company who is
knowledgeable and experienced in financial and business matters, and that he or
she is capable of evaluating, alone or together with the purchaser
representative, the merits and risks of exercising the Option; and (2) to give
written assurances satisfactory to the Company stating that such person is
acquiring the stock subject to the Option for such person's own account and not
with any present intention of selling or otherwise distributing the stock. The
foregoing requirements, and any assurances given pursuant to such requirements,
shall be inoperative if (i) the issuance of the shares upon the exercise of the
Option has been registered under a then currently effective registration
statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 'Securities Act'),
or (ii) as to any particular requirement, a determination is made by counsel for
the Company that such requirement need not be met in the circumstances under the
then applicable securities laws. The Company may, upon advice of counsel to the
Company, place legends on stock certificates issued under the Plan as such
counsel deems necessary or appropriate in order to comply with applicable
securities laws, including, but not limited to, legends restricting the transfer
of the stock.
(g) TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT OR RELATIONSHIP AS A CONSULTANT. In the
event an Optionee's Continuous Status as an Employee or Consultant terminates
(other than upon the Optionee's death or disability), the Optionee may exercise
his or her Option (to the extent that the Optionee was entitled to exercise it
at the date of termination) but only within such period of time ending on the
earlier of (i) the date thirty (30) days after the termination of the Optionee's
Continuous Status as an Employee or Consultant, or such longer or shorter period
specified
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in the Option Agreement, or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option as set
forth in the Option Agreement. If, after termination, the Optionee does not
exercise his or her Option within the time specified in the Option Agreement,
the Option shall terminate, and the shares covered by such Option shall revert
to and again become available for issuance under the Plan.
(h) DISABILITY OF OPTIONEE. In the event an Optionee's Continuous Status
as an Employee or Consultant terminates as a result of the Optionee's
disability, the Optionee may exercise his or her Option (to the extent that the
Optionee was entitled to exercise it at the date of termination), but only
within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date one (1) year
following such termination (or such longer or shorter period specified
in the Option Agreement), or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option as
set forth in the Option Agreement. If, at the date of termination, the Optionee
is not entitled to exercise his or her entire Option, the shares covered by the
unexercisable portion of the Option shall revert to and again become available
for issuance under the Plan. If, after termination, the Optionee does not
exercise his or her Option within the time specified herein, the Option shall
terminate, and the shares covered by such Option shall revert to and again
become available for issuance under the Plan.
(i) DEATH OF OPTIONEE. In the event of the death of an Optionee during, or
within a period specified in the Option after the termination of, the Optionee's
Continuous Status as an Employee or Consultant, the Option may be exercised (to
the extent the Optionee was entitled to exercise the Option at the date of
death) by the Optionee's estate, by a person who acquired the right to exercise
the Option by bequest or inheritance or by a person designated to exercise the
option
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upon the Optionee's death pursuant to subsection 6(d), but only within the
period ending on the earlier of (i) the date eighteen (18) months following the
date of death (or such longer or shorter period specified in the Option
Agreement), or (ii) the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in
the Option Agreement. If, at the time of death, the Optionee was not entitled to
exercise his or her entire Option, the shares covered by the unexercisable
portion of the Option shall revert to and again become available for issuance
under the Plan. If, after death, the Option is not exercised within the time
specified herein, the Option shall terminate, and the shares covered by such
Option shall revert to and again become available for issuance under the Plan.
(j) EARLY EXERCISE. The Option may, but need not, include a provision
whereby the Optionee may elect at any time while an Employee or Consultant to
exercise the Option as to any part or all of the shares subject to the Option
prior to the full vesting of the Option. Any unvested shares so purchased may
be subject to a repurchase right in favor of the Company or to any other
restriction the Board determines to be appropriate.
(k) WITHHOLDING. To the extent provided by the terms of an Option
Agreement, the Optionee may satisfy any federal, state or local tax withholding
obligation relating to the exercise of such Option by any of the following means
or by a combination of such means: (1) tendering a cash payment; (2)
authorizing the Company to withhold shares from the shares of the common stock
otherwise issuable to the Optionee as a result of the exercise of the Option; or
(3) delivering to the Company owned and unencumbered shares of the common stock
of the Company.
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7. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
(a) During the terms of the Options, the Company shall keep available at
all times the number of shares of stock required to satisfy such Options.
(b) The Company shall seek to obtain from each regulatory commission or
agency having jurisdiction over the Plan such authority as may be required to
issue and sell shares of stock upon exercise of the Options; provided, however,
that this undertaking shall not require the Company to register under the
Securities Act either the Plan, any Option or any stock issued or issuable
pursuant to any such Option. If, after reasonable efforts, the Company is
unable to obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency the authority
which counsel for the Company deems necessary for the lawful issuance and sale
of stock under the Plan, the Company shall be relieved from any liability for
failure to issue and sell stock upon exercise of such Options unless and until
such authority is obtained.
8. USE OF PROCEEDS FROM STOCK.
Proceeds from the sale of stock pursuant to Options shall constitute
general funds of the Company.
9. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) The Board shall have the power to accelerate the time at which an
Option may first be exercised or the time during which an Option or any part
thereof will vest pursuant to subsection 6(e), notwithstanding the provisions in
the Option stating the time at which it may first be exercised or the time
during which it will vest.
(b) Neither an Optionee nor any person to whom an Option is transferred
under subsection 6(d) shall be deemed to be the holder of,
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or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares subject to
such Option unless and until such person has satisfied all requirements for
exercise of the Option pursuant to its terms.
(c) Throughout the term of any Option, the Company shall make available to
the holder of such Option, not later than one hundred twenty (120) days after
the close of each of the Company's fiscal years during the Option term, upon
request, such financial and other information regarding the Company as comprises
the annual report to the stockholders of the Company provided for in the bylaws
of the Company.
(d) Nothing in the Plan or any instrument executed or Option granted
pursuant thereto shall confer upon any Employee, Consultant or Optionee any
right to continue in the employ of the Company or any Affiliate (or to continue
acting as a Consultant) or shall affect the right of the Company or any
Affiliate to terminate the employment or relationship as a Consultant of any
Employee, Consultant or Optionee with or without cause.
(e) To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the
time of grant) of stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options granted
after 1986 are exercisable for the first time by any Optionee during any
calendar year under all plans of the Company and its Affiliates exceeds one
hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), the Options or portions thereof which
exceed such limit (according to the order in which they were granted) shall be
treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options.
10. ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN STOCK.
(a) If any change is made in the stock subject to the Plan, or subject to
any Option (through merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization,
stock dividend, dividend in property other than cash,
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stock split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares,
change in corporate structure or otherwise), the Plan will be appropriately
adjusted in the class(es) and maximum number of shares subject to the Plan
pursuant to subsection 4(a) and the maximum number of shares subject to award to
any person during any twelve (12) month period pursuant to subsection 5(d), and
the outstanding Options will be appropriately adjusted in the class(es) and
number of shares and price per share of stock subject to such outstanding
Options.
(b) In the event of: (1) a dissolution, liquidation or sale of
substantially all of the assets of the Company; (2) a merger or consolidation in
which the Company is not the surviving corporation; or (3) a reverse merger in
which the Company is the surviving corporation but the shares of the Company's
common stock outstanding immediately preceding the merger are converted by
virtue of the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities,
cash or otherwise, then to the extent permitted by applicable law: (i) any
surviving corporation shall assume any Options outstanding under the Plan or
shall substitute similar Options for those outstanding under the Plan, or (ii)
such Options shall continue in full force and effect. In the event any
surviving corporation refuses to assume or continue such Options, or to
substitute similar options for those outstanding under the Plan, then, with
respect to Options held by persons then performing services as Employees or
Consultants, the time during which such Options may be exercised shall be
accelerated and the Options terminated if not exercised prior to such event.
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11. AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN AND OPTIONS.
(a) The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend the Plan.
However, except as provided in Section 10 relating to adjustments upon changes
in stock, no amendment shall be effective unless approved by the stockholders of
the Company within twelve (12) months before or after the adoption of the
amendment, where the amendment will:
(1) Increase the number of shares reserved for Options under the Plan;
(2) Modify the requirements as to eligibility for participation in the
Plan (to the extent such modification requires stockholder approval in order for
the Plan to satisfy the requirements of Section 422 of the Code); or
(3) Modify the Plan in any other way if such modification requires
stockholder approval in order for the Plan to satisfy the requirements of
Section 422 of the Code or to comply with the requirements of Rule 16b-3.
(b) The Board may in its sole discretion submit any other amendment to the
Plan for stockholder approval, including, but not limited to, amendments to the
Plan intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code and the
regulations promulgated thereunder regarding the exclusion of performance-based
compensation from the limit on corporate deductibility of compensation paid to
certain executive officers.
(c) It is expressly contemplated that the Board may amend the Plan in any
respect the Board deems necessary or advisable to provide Optionees with the
maximum benefits provided or to be provided under
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the provisions of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder relating
to Incentive Stock Options and/or to bring the Plan and/or Incentive Stock
Options granted under it into compliance therewith.
(d) Rights and obligations under any Option granted before amendment of the
Plan shall not be impaired by any amendment of the Plan unless (i) the Company
requests the consent of the person to whom the Option was granted and (ii) such
person consents in writing.
(e) The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend the terms of
any one or more Options; provided, however, that the rights and obligations
under any Option shall not be impaired by any such amendment unless (i) the
Company requests the consent of the person to whom the Option was granted and
(ii) such person consents in writing.
12. TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF THE PLAN.
(a) The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. Unless sooner
terminated, the Plan shall terminate on August 26, 2005, which shall be within
ten (10) years from the date the Plan is adopted by the Board or approved by the
stockholders of the Company, whichever is earlier. No Options may be granted
under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after it is terminated.
(b) Rights and obligations under any Option granted while the Plan is in
effect shall not be impaired by suspension or termination of the Plan, except
with the consent of the person to whom the Option was granted.
13. EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN.
The Plan shall become effective as determined by the Board, but no
Options granted under the Plan shall be exercised unless and until the Plan has
been approved by the stockholders of the Company, which
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approval shall be within twelve (12) months before or after the date the Plan is
adopted by the Board, and, if required, an appropriate permit has been issued by
the Commissioner of Corporations of the State of California.
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Stock Option Plan - Dionex Corp.
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