Unvested Options Each unvested outstanding Company Option held by a Continuing Employee (each an “Unvested Company Option”) shall be assumed by Parent (the “Assumed Options”) and will continue to have, and be subject to, the same terms and conditions set forth in the applicable Unvested Company Option documents (including any applicable Company Option Plan and stock option agreement or other document evidencing such Unvested Company Option, including but not limited to any employment or other agreement providing for accelerated vesting or other terms governing such Assumed Options) immediately prior to the Effective Time (including any repurchase rights or vesting provisions), except that (i) each such Unvested Company Option will be exercisable (or will become exercisable in accordance with its terms) for that number of whole shares of Parent Stock equal to the product of the number of shares of Company Common Stock that were subject to such Unvested Company Option immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by the Conversion Rate (rounded down to the next whole number of shares of Parent Stock, with no cash being payable for any fractional share eliminated by such rounding), and (ii) the per share exercise price for the shares of Parent Stock issuable upon exercise of such assumed Unvested Company Option will be equal to the quotient determined by dividing the exercise price per share of Company Common Stock at which such Unvested Company Option was exercisable immediately prior to the Effective Time by the Conversion Rate, rounded up to the nearest whole cent. The assumption and conversion of Unvested Company Options by Parent are intended to satisfy the requirements of Treasury Regulations Section 1.424-1 (to the extent such options were incentive stock options) and of Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(v)(D). Following the Effective Time, the Board of Directors of Parent or a committee thereof shall succeed to the authority and responsibility of the Board of Directors of Company or any committee thereof with respect to each Assumed Option and references to Company shall become references to Parent under the applicable Company Option Plan and stock option agreement or other document evidencing such Assumed Option. Each unvested outstanding Company Option that is not an Unvested Company Option shall be treated as a Cancelled Option and shall be cancelled and extinguished, with no consideration payable in connection with such cancellation and no further rights to the holder thereof, at the Effective Time.
Vested Options Each vested outstanding Company Option that is outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time (the “Cashed-Out Options”) shall be cancelled at the Effective Time and converted into the right to receive an amount in cash equal to the Option Consideration after which it shall be cancelled and extinguished. If the Per Share Conversion Common Amount does not exceed the per share exercise price of each such outstanding Company Option, then such Company Option shall be cancelled and extinguished, with no consideration payable in connection with such cancellation and no further rights to the holder thereof (the “Cancelled Options”) and such Company Option shall not be deemed a Cashed-Out Option. Company shall take any and all necessary action to provide for the cancellation of each Company Option in accordance with this Section 1.6(b)(i). As soon as reasonably practicable after the Effective Time, through its payroll system on a special payroll run on the Closing Date, the Surviving Corporation shall or shall direct its payroll agent to, in accordance with its customary payroll practices, pay to each holder of a Cashed-Out Option that was granted to the holder in the holder’s capacity as an employee of Company or any of its Subsidiaries for applicable employment Tax purposes (“Employee Cashed-Out Option Holder”) the applicable portion of the Option Consideration (subject to applicable withholding Taxes) payable in respect of each such Cashed-Out Option (“Employee Option Consideration”); provided, that, if any such Employee Cashed-Out Holder has not executed and delivered to Parent a Cashed-Out Option Agreement (a “Cashed-Out Option Agreement”) in substantially the form attached hereto as EXHIBIT I, as of such date, the payment to such Employee Cashed-Out Option Holder shall be made as soon as reasonably practicable following the execution and delivery to Parent of a Cashed-Out Option Agreement. Each holder of a Cashed-Out Option that was granted to the holder in the holder’s capacity as a non-employee service provider to Company or any of its Subsidiaries for applicable employment Tax purposes (“Non-Employee Cashed-Out Option Holder”) shall be paid the applicable portion of the Option Consideration by the Exchange Agent in the manner provided in Section 1.11. No interest shall accrue or be paid on the Option Consideration payable with respect to any Cashed-Out Options. In no event shall any Cashed-Out Option or Cancelled Option be assumed by Parent.
Company Options (a) At the Effective Time, each Company Option, whether vested or unvested, will be assumed by NetRatings as contemplated by this Section 5.7. Section 5.7 of the Company Disclosure Schedule hereto sets forth a true and complete list as of the date of this Agreement of all holders of outstanding Company Options, including the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to each such option, the exercise or vesting schedule, the exercise price per share and the term of each such Company Option. On the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver to NetRatings an updated Section 5.7 of the Company Disclosure Schedule hereto current as of such date. Each such Company Option so assumed by NetRatings under this Agreement shall continue to have, and be subject to, the same terms and conditions set forth in the Company Option Plan and any other document governing such Company Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, except that (i) such Company Option will be exercisable for that number of whole shares of NetRatings Common Stock equal to the product of the number of shares of Company Common Stock that were issuable upon exercise of such Company Option immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by the Common Exchange Ratio and rounded down to the nearest whole number of shares of NetRatings Common Stock, (ii) the per share exercise price for the shares of NetRatings Common Stock issuable upon exercise of such assumed option will be equal to the quotient determined by dividing the exercise price per share at which such Company Option was exercisable immediately prior to the Effective Time by the Common Exchange Ratio, rounded up to the nearest whole tenth of a cent, and (iii) the term, vesting schedule and other provisions of such Company Option shall remain unchanged, provided that all outstanding Options shall be exercisable as of the Effective Time to the extent vested as of the Effective Time and will continue to become exercisable as they vest after the Effective Time. Consistent with the terms of the Company Option Plan and the documents governing the outstanding Company Options, the Merger will not result in the termination of any of the outstanding Company Options or, except as contemplated by the preceding sentence, the acceleration of the exercisability or vesting of such Company Options upon NetRatings' assumption of the Company Options in the Merger. Within 20 business days after the Effective Time, NetRatings will issue to each person who, immediately prior to the Effective Time, was a holder of an outstanding Company Option a document in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to ACN evidencing the foregoing assumption of such Company Option by NetRatings.
(b) As soon as practicable after the Effective Time, but in any event within 30 days thereafter, NetRatings shall file a registration statement on Form S-8 (or any successor or other appropriate forms), with respect to the shares of NetRatings Common Stock subject to the Company Options assumed by NetRatings and shall use its best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement or registration statements (and maintain the current status of the prospectus or prospectuses in connection therewith) for so long as the assumed Company Options remain outstanding.
Company Option “Company Option” shall mean an option to acquire shares of Company Common Stock from the Company, whether vested or unvested.
Company RSUs (i) Except as set forth in Section 2.8 of the Company Disclosure Letter, at the Effective Time each award of Company RSUs that (A) is vested and outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time or (B) pursuant to its terms as in effect as of the date hereof, would become vested as of the Effective Time (in each case, with any performance conditions applicable to such award of Company RSUs determined in accordance with the applicable award agreement relating thereto as of immediately prior to the Effective Time), will automatically, without any action on the part of the holder thereof, be cancelled and converted into the right to receive an amount in cash, without interest thereon and subject to applicable withholding Taxes, equal to the product of (x) the Per Share Price and (y) the total number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such award of Company RSUs as of immediately prior to the Effective Time (the “Cash-Out RSU Consideration,” and together with the Cash-Out Option Consideration, the “Cash-Out Equity Award Consideration”).
(ii) Except as set forth in Section 2.8 of the Company Disclosure Letter, at the Effective Time, each award of Company RSUs that (A) was granted prior to the date hereof and (B) is outstanding and unvested as of the Effective Time shall, by virtue of the Merger and without further action on the part of the holder thereof, be cancelled and converted into the contractual right to receive a payment in an amount in cash (without interest and subject to applicable withholding Taxes) equal to the product of (x) the Per Share Price and (y) the total number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such award of Company RSUs as of immediately prior to the Effective Time (each, a “Converted RSU Cash Award”). Except as otherwise provided in this Section 2.8(c)(ii), each Converted RSU Cash Award shall be subject to the same terms and conditions (including time-based vesting conditions) as applied to the corresponding award of Company RSUs immediately prior to the Effective Time and will become payable to the holder thereof in accordance with the original vesting schedule applicable to the corresponding Company RSU; provided, that each Converted RSU Cash Award shall provide that the unvested portion, if any, of such Converted RSU Cash Award will immediately vest and become payable upon a termination of the holder’s employment or services by the Surviving Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries without “Cause” or a resignation by the holder for “Good Reason” (each as defined in Section 6.10(d) of the Company Disclosure Letter) that occurs within the twelve (12) month period following the Effective Time.
(iii) At the Effective Time, each award of Company RSUs that is (A) granted on or after the date hereof (to the extent expressly permitted pursuant to Section 5.2(g)) and (B) outstanding and unvested as of the Effective Time shall, by virtue of the Merger and without further action on the part of the holder thereof, be assumed by Parent and converted into an Ultimate Parent restricted stock unit award (each, an “Assumed RSU Award”) on the same terms and conditions (including applicable vesting and expiration provisions) as applied to each such award of Company RSUs immediately prior to the Effective Time, except that each Assumed RSU Award shall cover that number of whole shares of Ultimate Parent Common Stock equal to the product of (x) the number of shares of Company Common Stock underlying such award of Company RSUs immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by (y) the Equity Award Exchange Ratio, with the result rounded down to the nearest whole number of shares of Ultimate Parent Common Stock.
Treatment of Expired Options and Unexercised Convertible Securities If, in any case, the total number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of any Option or upon conversion or exchange of any Convertible Securities is not, in fact, issued and the rights to exercise such Option or to convert or exchange such Convertible Securities shall have expired or terminated, the Exercise Price then in effect will be readjusted to the Exercise Price which would have been in effect at the time of such expiration or termination had such Option or Convertible Securities, to the extent outstanding immediately prior to such expiration or termination (other than in respect of the actual number of shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise or conversion thereof), never been issued.
Stock Options With respect to the stock options (the “Stock Options”) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Company Stock Plans”), (i) each Stock Option intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) so qualifies, (ii) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be effective (the “Grant Date”) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with GAAP in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company and disclosed in the Company’s filings with the Commission in accordance with the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Stock Options prior to, or otherwise coordinating the grant of Stock Options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its subsidiaries or their results of operations or prospects.
Company Stock Options At the Effective Time, each Company Stock --------------------- Option shall be deemed to have been assumed by Evergreen, without further action by Evergreen, and shall thereafter be deemed an option to acquire, on the same terms and conditions as were applicable under such Company Stock Option, that number of shares of Surviving Corporation Common Stock that would have been received in respect of such Company Stock Option if it had been exercised immediately prior to the Effective Time (such Company Stock Options assumed by Evergreen, the "Assumed Chancellor Stock Options"); provided, however, that, for -------- ------- each optionholder, (i) the aggregate fair market value of Surviving Corporation Common Stock subject to Assumed Chancellor Stock Options immediately after the Effective Time shall not exceed the aggregate exercise price thereof by more than the excess of the aggregate fair market value of Company Common Stock subject to Company Stock Options immediately before the Effective Time over the aggregate exercise price thereof and (ii) on a share-by-share comparison, the ratio of the exercise price of the Assumed Chancellor Stock Option to the fair market value of the Surviving Corporation Common Stock immediately after the Effective Time is no more favorable to the optionholder than the ratio of the exercise price of the Company Stock Option to the fair market value of the Company Common Stock immediately before the Effective Time; and provided, -------- further, that no fractional shares shall be issued on the exercise of such ------- Assumed Chancellor Stock Option and, in lieu thereof, the holder of such Assumed Chancellor Stock Option shall only be entitled to a cash payment in the amount of such fraction multiplied by the closing price per share of Surviving Corporation Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market on the business day immediately prior to the date of such exercise.
Share Options With respect to the share options (the “Share Options”) granted pursuant to the share-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Company Share Plans”), (i) each Share Option intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), so qualifies, (ii) each grant of a Share Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Share Option was by its terms to be effective (the “Grant Date”) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required shareholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Share Plans, the Exchange Act, and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, including the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”), and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with IFRS in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Share Options prior to, or otherwise coordinating the grant of Share Options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its subsidiaries or their results of operations or prospects.
Options (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) below with respect to the Company's 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended (the "Company ESPP"), at the Effective Time, each then outstanding and unexercised option (the "Company Options") exercisable for shares of Company Stock shall become fully vested and exercisable (by virtue of their terms) and Purchaser shall cause each holder of a Company Option to receive, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, options exercisable for shares of Purchaser Stock ("Purchaser Replacement Options") having the same terms and conditions as the Company Options (including such terms and conditions as may be incorporated by reference into the agreements evidencing the Company Options pursuant to the plans or arrangements pursuant to which such Company Options were granted) except that the exercise price and the number of shares issuable upon exercise shall be divided and multiplied, respectively, by the Conversion Fraction, and rounded to the nearest whole cent or number, respectively. Purchaser shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure that any Company Options that qualified as incentive stock options under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") prior to the Effective Time continue to so qualify after the Effective Time. Purchaser shall take all corporate action necessary to reserve for issuance a sufficient number of shares of Purchaser Stock for delivery upon the exercise of Purchaser Replacement Options after the Effective Time. Promptly after the Effective Time, Purchaser shall file or cause to be filed all registration statements on Form S-8 or other appropriate form as may be necessary in connection with the purchase and sale of Purchaser Stock contemplated by such Purchaser Replacement Options subsequent to the Effective Time, and shall maintain the effectiveness of such registration statements (and maintain the current status of the prospectus or prospectuses contained therein) for so long as any of the Purchaser Replacement Options registered thereunder remain outstanding. As soon as practicable after the Effective Time, Purchaser shall qualify under applicable state securities laws the issuance of such shares of Purchaser Stock issuable upon exercise of Purchaser Replacement Options. Purchaser's Board of Directors shall take all actions necessary on the part of Purchaser to enable the acquisition of Purchaser Stock, Purchaser Replacement Options and subsequent transactions in Purchaser Stock after the Effective Time pursuant to Purchaser Replacement Options by persons subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act (as defined below) to be exempt from the application of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act, to the extent permitted thereunder.
(b) The current offerings in process as of the date of this Agreement under the Company ESPP shall continue, and Company Shares shall be issued to participants thereunder on the next currently scheduled purchase dates thereunder occurring after the date hereof as provided under, and subject to the terms and conditions of, the Company ESPP. The Company may, consistent with past practice, commence new offering periods under the Company ESPP on or after the date hereof and prior to the Effective Time at an exercise price for each such offering not less than as is required under the Company ESPP. Immediately prior to the Effective Time, pursuant to the Company ESPP, all offerings under the Company ESPP shall be terminated, and each participant shall be deemed to have purchased immediately prior to the Effective Time, to the extent of payroll deductions accumulated by such participant as of such offering period end, the number of whole shares of Company Stock at a per share price determined pursuant to the provisions of the Company ESPP, and each participant shall receive a cash payment equal to the balance, if any, of such accumulated payroll deductions remaining after such purchase of such shares. As of the Effective Time, each participant shall receive, by virtue of the Merger, the number of whole shares of Purchaser Stock or cash into which the shares of Company Stock such participant has so purchased under the Company ESPP have been converted pursuant to the Merger as provided in Section 1.3(a) hereof, plus the cash value of any fraction of a share of Purchaser Common Stock as provided in Section 1.5(h) hereof, plus any dividends or distributions as provided in Section 1.
