|
|
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
| |||||||||
This excerpt taken from the NDAQ DEF 14A filed Apr 17, 2008. Performance Compensation Awards (a) General. The Committee shall have the authority, at the time of grant of any Award described in Sections 6 through 8 (other than Options and stock appreciation rights (to the extent otherwise granted pursuant to the provisions of Section 8) granted with an exercise price or grant price, as the case may be, less than the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant), to designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award in order to qualify such Award as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code. The Committee shall have the authority to grant cash bonuses under the Plan with the intent that such bonuses shall qualify for the exemption from Section 162(m) of the Code provided pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.162- 27(f)(l), for the reliance period described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(f)(4)(iii). In addition, the Committee shall have the authority to make an award of a cash bonus to any Participant and designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award in order to qualify such Award as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m). (b) Eligibility. The Committee will, in its sole discretion, designate within the first 90 days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code) which Participants will be eligible to receive Performance Compensation Awards in respect of such Performance Period. However, designation of a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder for a Performance Period shall not in any manner entitle the Participant to receive payment in respect of any Performance Compensation Award for such Performance Period. The determination as to whether or not such Participant becomes entitled to payment in respect of any Performance Compensation Award shall be decided solely in accordance with the provisions of this Section 9. Moreover, designation of a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder for a particular Performance Period shall not require designation of such Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder in any subsequent Performance Period and designation of one person as a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder shall not require designation of any other person as a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder in such period or in any other period. (c) Discretion of Committee with Respect to Performance Compensation Awards. With regard to a particular Performance Period, the Committee shall have full discretion to select the length of such Performance Period, the type(s) of Performance Compensation Awards to be issued, the Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goal(s), the kind(s) and/or level(s) of the Performance Goals(s) that is (are) to apply to the Company and the Performance Formula. Within the first 90 days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code), the Committee shall, with regard to the Performance Compensation Awards to be issued for such Performance Period, exercise its discretion with respect to each of the matters enumerated in the immediately preceding sentence of this Section 9(c) and record the same in writing. (d) Payment of Performance Compensation Awards. (i) Condition to Receipt of Payment. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant must be employed by the Company on the last day of a Performance Period to be eligible for payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award for such Performance Period. (ii) Limitation. A Participant shall be eligible to receive payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award only to the extent that: (A) the Performance Goals for such period are achieved; and (B) the Performance Formula as applied against such Performance Goals determines that all or some portion of such Participants Performance Award has been earned for the Performance Period. (iii) Certification. Following the completion of a Performance Period, the Committee shall review and certify in writing whether, and to what extent, the Performance Goals for the Performance Period have been achieved and, if so, calculate and certify in writing that amount of the Performance Compensation Awards
B-9
Table of Contentsearned for the period based upon the Performance Formula. The Committee shall then determine the actual size of each Participants Performance Compensation Award for the Performance Period and, in so doing, may apply Negative Discretion in accordance with Section 9(d)(iv) hereof, if and when it deems appropriate. (iv) Use of Discretion. In determining the actual size of an individual Performance Award for a Performance Period, the Committee may reduce or eliminate the amount of the Performance Compensation Award earned under the Performance Formula in the Performance Period through the use of Negative Discretion if, in its sole judgment, such reduction or elimination is appropriate. The Committee shall not have the discretion to (a) grant or provide payment in respect of Performance Compensation Awards for a Performance Period if the Performance Goals for such Performance Period have not been attained; or (b) increase a Performance Compensation Award above the maximum amount payable under Section 4(a) (as modified by Section 4(b) or Section 9(d)(vi) of the Plan). (v) Timing of Award Payments. Performance Compensation Awards granted for a Performance Period shall be paid to Participants as soon as administratively practicable following completion of the certifications required by this Section 9. (vi) Maximum Award Payable. Notwithstanding any provision contained in this Plan to the contrary, the maximum Performance Compensation Award payable to any one Participant under the Plan for a Performance Period is 150,000 Shares or, in the event such Performance Compensation Award is paid in cash, the equivalent cash value thereof on the first or last day of the Performance Period to which such Award relates, as determined by the Committee. The maximum amount that can be paid in any calendar year to any Participant pursuant to a cash bonus Award described in the last sentence of Section 9(a) shall be the greater of 3% of the Companys before tax net income, as calculated in accordance with GAAP, or $3,000,000. Furthermore, any Performance Compensation Award that has been deferred shall not (between the date as of which the Award is deferred and the payment date) increase (A) with respect to a Performance Compensation Award that is payable in cash, by a measuring factor for each year greater than a reasonable rate of interest set by the Committee or (B) with respect to a Performance Compensation Award that is payable in shares of Stock, by an amount greater than the appreciation of a share of Stock from the date such Award is deferred to the payment date. This excerpt taken from the NDAQ DEF 14A filed Apr 20, 2007. Performance Compensation Awards (a) General. The Committee shall have the authority, at the time of grant of any Award described in Sections 6 through 8 (other than Options and stock appreciation rights (to the extent otherwise granted pursuant to the provisions of Section 8) granted with an exercise price or grant price, as the case may be, less than the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant), to designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award in order to qualify such Award as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code. The Committee shall have the authority to grant cash bonuses under the Plan with the intent that such bonuses shall qualify for the exemption from Section 162(m) of the Code provided pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(f)(1), for the reliance period described in Treasury Regulation Section 1.162-27(f)(4)(iii). In addition, the Committee shall have the authority to make an award of a cash bonus to any Participant and designate such Award as a Performance Compensation Award in order to qualify such Award as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m). (b) Eligibility. The Committee will, in its sole discretion, designate within the first 90 days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code) which Participants will be eligible to receive Performance Compensation Awards in respect of such Performance Period. However, designation of a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder for a Performance Period shall not in any manner entitle the Participant to receive payment in respect of any Performance Compensation Award for such Performance Period. The determination as to whether or not such Participant becomes entitled to payment in respect of any Performance Compensation Award shall be decided solely in accordance with the provisions of this Section 9. Moreover, designation of a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder for a particular Performance Period shall not require designation of such Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder in any subsequent Performance Period and designation of one person as a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder shall not require designation of any other person as a Participant eligible to receive an Award hereunder in such period or in any other period. (c) Discretion of Committee with Respect to Performance Compensation Awards. With regard to a particular Performance Period, the Committee shall have full discretion to select the length of such Performance Period, the
B-9
Table of Contentstype(s) of Performance Compensation Awards to be issued, the Performance Criteria that will be used to establish the Performance Goal(s), the kind(s) and/or level(s) of the Performance Goals(s) that is(are) to apply to the Company and the Performance Formula. Within the first 90 days of a Performance Period (or, if longer or shorter, within the maximum period allowed under Section 162(m) of the Code), the Committee shall, with regard to the Performance Compensation Awards to be issued for such Performance Period, exercise its discretion with respect to each of the matters enumerated in the immediately preceding sentence of this Section 9(c) and record the same in writing. (d) Payment of Performance Compensation Awards. (i) Condition to Receipt of Payment. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant must be employed by the Company on the last day of a Performance Period to be eligible for payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award for such Performance Period. (ii) Limitation. A Participant shall be eligible to receive payment in respect of a Performance Compensation Award only to the extent that: (A) the Performance Goals for such period are achieved; and (B) the Performance Formula as applied against such Performance Goals determines that all or some portion of such Participants Performance Award has been earned for the Performance Period. (iii) Certification. Following the completion of a Performance Period, the Committee shall review and certify in writing whether, and to what extent, the Performance Goals for the Performance Period have been achieved and, if so, calculate and certify in writing that amount of the Performance Compensation Awards earned for the period based upon the Performance Formula. The Committee shall then determine the actual size of each Participants Performance Compensation Award for the Performance Period and, in so doing, may apply Negative Discretion in accordance with Section 9(d)(iv) hereof, if and when it deems appropriate. (iv) Use of Discretion. In determining the actual size of an individual Performance Award for a Performance Period, the Committee may reduce or eliminate the amount of the Performance Compensation Award earned under the Performance Formula in the Performance Period through the use of Negative Discretion if, in its sole judgment, such reduction or elimination is appropriate. The Committee shall not have the discretion to (a) grant or provide payment in respect of Performance Compensation Awards for a Performance Period if the Performance Goals for such Performance Period have not been attained; or (b) increase a Performance Compensation Award above the maximum amount payable under Section 4(a) (as modified by Section 4(b) or Section 9(d)(vi) of the Plan. (v) Timing of Award Payments. Performance Compensation Awards granted for a Performance Period shall be paid to Participants as soon as administratively practicable following completion of the certifications required by this Section 9. (vi) Maximum Award Payable. Notwithstanding any provision contained in this Plan to the contrary, the maximum Performance Compensation Award payable to any one Participant under the Plan for a Performance Period is 150,000 Shares or, in the event such Performance Compensation Award is paid in cash, the equivalent cash value thereof on the first or last day of the Performance Period to which such Award relates, as determined by the Committee. The maximum amount that can be paid in any calendar year to any Participant pursuant to a cash bonus Award described in the last sentence of Section 9(a) shall be the greater of 3% of the Companys before tax net income, as calculated in accordance with GAAP, or $3,000,000. Furthermore, any Performance Compensation Award that has been deferred shall not (between the date as of which the Award is deferred and the payment date) increase (A) with respect to a Performance Compensation Award that is payable in cash, by a measuring factor for each year greater than a reasonable rate of interest set by the Committee or (B) with respect to a Performance Compensation Award that is payable in shares of Stock, by an amount greater than the appreciation of a share of Stock from the date such Award is deferred to the payment date.
B-10
Table of Contents | EXCERPTS ON THIS PAGE:
RELATED TOPICS for NDAQ: |
| |||||||