Share Ownership Plan – Walmart
THE ASDA COLLEAGUE SHARE OWNERSHIP PLAN 1999
(incorporating amendments approved by
the Board of Directors of ASDA Group Limited
on April 13, 2004 and approved by the Inland
Revenue under Schedule 3 to ITEPA)
CONTENTS
| Page | ||||||
| 1. |
Definitions and Interpretation |
1 |
||||
| 2. |
Eligibility |
3 |
||||
| 3. |
Grant of Options |
3 |
||||
| 4. |
Limit |
3 |
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| 5. |
Exercise of Options |
4 |
||||
| 6. |
PAYE and NICs |
6 |
||||
| 7. |
Takeover, Reconstruction and Winding-up |
7 |
||||
| 8. |
Variation of Capital |
9 |
||||
| 9. |
Alterations |
9 |
||||
| 10. |
Miscellaneous |
10 |
||||
| 1. | Definitions and Interpretation |
|
1.1 |
In this Plan, unless the context otherwise requires: |
| “Board” |
means the board of directors of the Company or a committee appointed by such |
|
| “Company” |
means ASDA Group Limited (registered in England and Wales No. 1396513); |
|
| “Grant Date” |
in relation to an option means the date on which the option was granted; |
|
| “Group Member” |
means a Participating Company or a body corporate which is (within the |
|
| “ITEPA” |
means the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 |
|
| “Key Feature” |
means a provision of this Plan which is necessary to meet the requirements of |
|
| “Material Interest” |
has the meaning given in paragraphs 10-14 (inclusive) of Schedule 4 to ITEPA |
|
| “N.I. Regulations” |
the laws, regulations and practices currently in force relating to liability |
|
| “New York Stock Exchange” |
means the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. |
|
| “NICs” |
National Insurance contributions; |
|
| “Option Tax Liability” |
in relation to a Participant, any liability of the Participant153s Employer (or |
|
1
| “Parent Company” |
means Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; |
|
| “Participant” |
means a person who holds an option granted under the Plan; |
|
| “Participant153s Employer” |
such member of the Asda Group as is the Participant153s employer or, if he has |
|
| “Participating Company” |
means the Company or any Subsidiary; |
|
| “Plan” |
means the ASDA Colleague Share Ownership Plan 1999 as herein set out but |
|
| “Schedule 4” |
means Schedule 4 to ITEPA as defined in paragraph 30(4) of Schedule 4; |
|
| “Subsidiary” |
means a body corporate which is a subsidiary of the Company within the |
|
| “Taxes Act” |
means the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988; |
|
and expressions not otherwise defined herein have the same meanings as they
have in Schedule 4.
|
1.2 |
Any reference in the Plan to any enactment includes a reference to that |
|
1.3 |
Words denoting the masculine gender shall include the feminine. |
2
| 2. | Eligibility |
|
2.1 |
Subject to sub-rule 2.3 below, a person is eligible to be granted an option |
|
2.2 |
For the purposes of sub-rule 2.1 above a “qualifying |
|
2.3 |
A person is not eligible to be granted an option under the Plan at any time |
| 3. | Grant of Options |
|
3.1 |
Subject to Rule 4 below, the Board may grant or procure the grant to any |
|
3.2 |
The price at which shares may be acquired by the exercise of options granted |
|
3.3 |
The price at which shares may be so acquired shall not be less than: |
|
(A) |
if shares of the same class as those shares are listed on the New York Stock |
|
(B) |
if paragraph (a) above cannot apply, the market value (within the meaning of |
|
3.4 |
Subject to Rule 5.4 below, an option granted under the Plan to any person |
| 4. | Individual Limit |
|
4.1 |
No person shall be granted options under the Plan which would, at the time |
|
(A) |
30,000; or |
3
|
(B) |
if there was relevant employment income for the preceding year of assessment, |
|
(C) |
if there was no relevant employment income for the preceding year of |
and for this purpose the relevant employment income is such of the employment
income of the office or employment by virtue of which the person is eligible to
participate in the Plan and of any other office or employment held by him with a
company which is a Participating Company as is liable to be paid under deduction
of tax pursuant to the PAYE regulations made under section 684 of ITEPA, after
deducting from them amounts included by virtue of Chapter 10 of Part 3 thereof
(benefits in kind).
|
4.2 |
For the purposes of this Rule, the market value of the shares in relation to |
|
(A) |
in the case of an option granted under the Plan, shall be taken to be equal |
|
(B) |
in the case of an option granted under any other approved scheme, shall be |
|
4.3 |
Any option granted under the Plan shall be limited and take effect so that |
|
4A |
Overall Limit |
|
4A.1 |
The number of shares of the Parent Company which may be acquired pursuant to |
| 5. | Exercise of Options |
|
5.1 |
The exercise of any option granted under the Plan shall be effected in such |
4
|
5.2 |
In this Rule and in Rule 7 below, in relation to an option. |
|
(A) |
“the exercise period” means the period of two months |
|
(B) |
“the relevant fraction” means the number of complete years |
and in this sub-rule “the relevant number” means such number
as the Board shall have determined for this purpose before the grant of the
option.
|
5.3 |
Subject to sub-rules 5.4 and 5.5 below and to Rule 7 below, an option granted |
|
5.4 |
If any Participant dies before the end of the exercise period, then: |
|
(A) |
any option granted to him under the Plan may, subject to sub-rule 5.6 below, |
|
(B) |
if the option shall not have become exercisable before his death by virtue of |
|
5.5 |
Where any Participant ceases to be an employee of a Group Member before the |
|
(i) |
retirement on or after reaching age 60 or any other age which may be |
|
(ii) |
retirement through injury or disability; or |
|
(iii) |
retirement through ill-health or incapacity. |
|
(A) |
any option granted to him under the Plan may be exercised within the period |
|
(B) |
the number of the shares in respect of which the option may be so exercised |
5
Subject to Rule 5.4 above, where an option is exercised within 3 years of its
Grant Date the provisions of Rule 6 of the Plan shall apply unless the exercise
falls within (i) or (ii) above.
|
5.6 |
If any Participant ceases to be an employee of a Group Member otherwise than |
|
5.7 |
A Participant shall not be treated for the purposes of this Rule as ceasing |
|
5.8 |
A Participant shall not be eligible to exercise an option under the Plan at |
|
5.9 |
Within 30 days after an option under the Plan has been exercised by any |
|
5.10 |
Shares issued pursuant to the Plan shall rank pari passu in all respects with |
|
5.11 |
The Company shall apply or procure that an application is made to the New |
| 6. | PAYE and NICs |
|
6.1 |
If the Participant153s Employer requires, it is a condition of exercise of the |
|
6.2 |
If an Option Tax Liability arises on the exercise of an option under the Plan |
6
|
(A) |
the Participant indicates in the exercise form or in such other manner as the |
|
(B) |
within 14 days of being notified by or on behalf of the Company of the amount |
the Company may make arrangements to sell sufficient shares (at the best
price reasonably obtainable at the time of sale) on the Participant153s behalf and
arrange payment to the Participant153s Employer out of the net proceeds of sale
(after deduction of all fees, commissions and expenses incurred in relation to
such sale) of an amount equal to the Option Tax Liability and/or the
Participant153s Employer may withhold the required amount from the Participant153s
salary, to ensure the Option Tax Liability is reimbursed in full.
|
6.3 |
If so specified at the time of grant, it is a condition of exercise of an |
|
(A) |
the Participant153s Employer may recover from the Participant as mentioned in |
|
(B) |
if required (at any time before the option is first exercised) the |
|
6.4 |
The provisions of Rules 6.1 and 6.3 shall only apply in relation to options |
| 7. | Takeover, Reconstruction and Winding-up |
|
7.1 |
Sub-rule (2) below applies if, before the beginning of the exercise period, |
|
(A) |
any person obtains control of the Parent Company (within the meaning of |
|
(B) |
the Parent Company passes a resolution for voluntary winding up, or |
|
(C) |
an order is made for the compulsory winding up of the Parent Company; |
7
and for the purposes of paragraph (A) above a person shall be deemed to have
obtained control of the Parent Company if he and others acting in concert with
him have together obtained control of it.
|
7.2 |
Where this sub-rule applies – |
|
(A) |
any option granted under the Plan may, subject to Rule 5.6 above, be |
|
(B) |
the number of the shares in respect of which the option may be so exercised |
|
7.3 |
If any company (“the acquiring company“) obtains control of |
|
(i) |
a general offer to acquire the whole of the issued shares of the Parent |
|
(ii) |
a general offer to acquire all the shares in the Parent Company which are of |
any Participant may at any time within the appropriate period (which
expression shall be construed in accordance with paragraph 26(3) of schedule 4)
by agreement with the acquiring company, release any option granted under the
Plan which has not lapsed (“the old option“) in consideration
of the grant to him of an option (“the new option“) which (for
the purposes of that paragraph) is equivalent to the old option but relates to
shares in a different company (whether the acquiring company itself or some
other company falling within paragraphs 16(b) or (c) of Schedule 4).
|
7.4 |
The new option shall not be regarded for the purposes of sub-rule (3) above |
|
7.5 |
Provisions of the Plan shall for this purpose be construed as if:- |
|
(A) |
the new option were an option granted under the Plan at the same time as the |
|
(B) |
except for the purposes of the definitions of “Group |
8
| 8. | Variation of Capital |
|
8.1 |
Subject to sub-rule 8.3 below, in the event of any increase or variation of |
|
8.2 |
An adjustment made under this sub-rule shall be to the following: |
|
(A) |
the number of shares in respect of which any option granted under the Plan |
|
(B) |
the price at which shares may be acquired by the exercise of any such option; |
|
(C) |
where any such option has been exercised but no shares have been transferred |
|
(D) |
the overall limit specified in Rule 4A.1 (as from time to time renewed or |
|
8.3 |
At a time when the Plan is approved by the Inland Revenue under Schedule 4, |
|
8.4 |
Where any adjustment is made under sub-rule 8.2 above to the number of shares |
|
8.5 |
As soon as reasonably practicable after making any adjustment under sub-rule |
| 9. | Alterations |
|
9.1 |
Subject to sub-rule 9.2 below, the Board may at any time alter or add to all |
|
9.2 |
No alteration or addition to the disadvantage of any Participant shall be |
|
(A) |
the Board shall have invited every relevant Participant to give an indication |
9
|
(B) |
the alteration or addition is approved by a majority of those Participants |
|
9.3 |
As soon as reasonably practicable after making any alteration or addition |
| 10. | Miscellaneous |
|
10.1 |
If any Participant appoints any person to act on his behalf for the purposes |
|
(A) |
exercise any option granted to the Participant under the Plan; |
|
(B) |
make such arrangements for funding the exercise as may be appropriate |
|
(C) |
sell sufficient of the shares acquired by the exercise to enable the costs of |
|
(D) |
take any other action which he reasonably considers to be necessary or |
|
10.2 |
The rights and obligations of any individual under the terms of his office or |
|
10.3 |
In the event of any dispute or disagreement as to the interpretation of the |
|
10.4 |
In the event that shares are transferred to a Participant in pursuance of any |
|
10.5 |
Any notice or other communication under or in connection with the Plan may be |
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