Company Stock Plans (a) Effective as of the Effective Time, each outstanding stock option, stock equivalent right or right to acquire Shares (each a “Company Option” and collectively, the “Company Options”) granted under the Company’s 1991 Incentive Stock Option Plan, 1997 Stock Option Plan or 2005 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Company Stock Plans”) or granted outside of a plan, without regard to the extent then vested and exercisable, shall be cancelled and, in consideration of such cancellation, Parent shall, or shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, promptly following the Effective Time, pay to such holders of Company Options, an amount in respect thereof equal to the product of (x) the excess, if any, of the Offer Price over the exercise price of each such Company Option and (y) the number of unexercised Shares subject thereto (such payment, if any, to be net of applicable Taxes withheld pursuant to Section 2.5).
(b) Effective as of the Effective Time, restrictions on each restricted stock award (each a “Company Restricted Share” and collectively, the “Company Restricted Shares”) granted under any Company Stock Plan, which is outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, will lapse as of such Effective Time and such Company Restricted Shares shall be treated in the same manner as other Shares pursuant to Section 2.1(c) (except that with respect to any restrictions which by the terms provide for a lapse to a lesser extent upon the consummation of the Merger, such restrictions shall only lapse to such lesser extent) (such payment, if any, to be net of applicable Taxes withheld pursuant to Section 2.5).
(c) As of the Effective Time, the Company Stock Plans shall terminate and all rights under any provision of any other plan, program or arrangement providing for the issuance or grant of any other interest in respect of the capital stock of the Company, or any Company Subsidiary (as defined in Section 3.4(a)), shall be cancelled. The Company shall ensure that, after the Effective Time, no person shall have any right under the Company Stock Plans to acquire any capital stock of the Company or the Surviving Corporation or any other equity interest therein (including “phantom” stock or stock appreciation rights), except as set forth herein. The Company Board of Directors (or, if appropriate, any committee thereof administering the Company Stock Plans) shall adopt such resolutions, or take such other actions as may be required, to effect the foregoing.
Company Option Plans At the Effective Time, all options (the "Company Options") then outstanding, whether or not vested and exercisable, under the Company's 1992 Stock Option Plan, 1996 Equity Incentive Plan, 1996 Directors Stock Option Plan and 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, in each case as amended (collectively, the "Company Option Plans"), shall be assumed by Parent. Each Company Option assumed by Parent other than Company Options issued pursuant to the Company 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan shall be subject to, and exercisable upon, the same terms and conditions as under the applicable Company Option Plan and the applicable option agreement issued thereunder, except that (a) each assumed Company Option shall be exercisable for, and represent the right to acquire, that number of shares of Parent Common Stock (rounded down to the nearest whole share) equal to (i) the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Option immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by (ii) the Exchange Ratio; and (b) the option price per share of Parent Common Stock subject to each assumed Company Option shall be an amount equal to (i) the option price per share of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Option in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time divided by (ii) the Exchange Ratio (rounded up to the nearest whole cent). The Company represents and warrants that each of the foregoing actions may be taken and effected by the Company without the consent of any holder of Company Options. Each assumed purchase right under the Company 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan shall continue to have, and be subject to, the terms and conditions set forth in the Company 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan and the documents governing the assumed purchase right, except that the purchase price of such shares of Parent Common Stock for each respective purchase date under each assumed purchase right shall be the lower of (i) the quotient determined by dividing eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of Company Common Stock on the offering date of each assumed offering period by the Exchange Ratio or (ii) eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of the Parent Common Stock on each purchase date of each assumed offering period occurring after the Effective Time (with the number of shares rounded to the nearest whole share and the purchase price rounded to the nearest whole cent). The assumed purchase rights shall be exercised at such times following the Effective Time as set forth in the Company 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan and each participant shall, accordingly, be issued shares of Parent Common Stock at such times pursuant to the Company 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. The Company 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan shall terminate with the exercise of the last assumed purchase right, and no additional purchase rights shall be granted under the Company Employee Stock Purchase Plan following the Effective Time. Parent agrees that from and after the Effective Time, employees of the Surviving Corporation may participate in Parent's employee stock purchase plan, subject to the terms and conditions of such plan. The adjustment provided herein with respect to stock options shall be and is intended to be effected in a manner which is consistent with Section 424(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The duration, vesting schedule, exercisability and other terms of each option immediately after the Effective Time shall be the same as the corresponding terms in effect immediately before the Effective Time, except that all references to Company in the Company Option Plans (and the corresponding references in the option agreement documenting such option) shall be deemed to be references to Parent. Except as set forth in Section 3.2(d) of the Disclosure Schedule (as defined in Article III hereof), vesting of Company Options shall not be accelerated as a result of the Merger. Continuous employment with the Company or its Subsidiaries shall be credited to the optionee for purposes of determining the vesting of all assumed Company Options after the Effective Time. As soon as reasonably practicable, but in no event later than 30 days after the Effective Time, Parent will issue to each holder of an assumed Company Option notice of the foregoing assumption by Parent. Parent shall file with the SEC, no later than ten business days after the Effective Time, a Registration Statement on Form S-8 relating to the shares of Parent Common Stock issuable with respect to the Company Options assumed by Parent in accordance with this Section 2.6.
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 Warrants (i) All Company Warrants that pursuant to their terms do not provide for assumption of such Company Warrants in connection with the Merger shall be cancelled at the Closing. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall take all actions necessary to effect the transactions anticipated by this Section 2.6(d) under all Company Warrant agreements, including delivering all notices required thereby. Within five (5) Business Days following the Effective Date, the Company shall notify the holders of such Company Warrants, which such notice shall be in compliance with the terms of such Company Warrants and shall specify the vested and unvested portions thereof, that such Company Warrants will be cancelled at the Closing. Materials to be submitted to the holders of Company Warrants in connection with the notice required under this Section 2.6(d) shall be subject to review and reasonable approval by Parent.
(ii) All Company Warrants that pursuant to their terms provide for assumption of such warrant in connection with the Merger (the “Assumed Warrants”) shall be assumed by Parent and converted into a warrant to purchase Parent Common Stock. Each Assumed Company Warrant will continue to have, and be subject to, the same terms and conditions (including with respect to vesting), except that (A) each Assumed Company Warrant shall be exercisable (or will become exercisable in accordance with its terms) for that number of whole shares of Parent Common Stock equal to the product of the number of shares of Company Common Stock that were issuable upon exercise of such Company Warrant immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by the Exchange Ratio (rounded down to the nearest whole share) and (B) the per share exercise price for the shares of Parent Common Stock issuable upon exercise of such Assumed Company Warrant shall be equal to the quotient determined by dividing the exercise price per share of Company Common Stock at which such Company Warrant was exercisable immediately prior to the Effective Time by the Exchange Ratio (rounded up to the nearest whole cent); provided, however, that the terms of each of the Company Warrants will provide (x) for an equitable adjustment in the event that any Escrow Shares are delivered by the Escrow Agent to a Parent Indemnified Party so that the holder of such Company Warrant will bear a pro rata portion (relative to the Total Outstanding Shares) of the aggregate indemnifiable Damages giving rise to such delivery of Escrow Shares and (y) upon exercise of such Company Warrant, a portion of the Company Stock issued upon such exercise (equal to the portion of Escrow Shares then held in the Escrow Account relative to the number of shares of Parent Common Stock previously delivered to the Company Stockholders pursuant to this Agreement) will be retained by Parent in escrow and transferred to either Parent or the holder of such Company Warrant, as applicable, at the same time and in the same relative proportion as the Escrow Shares are transferred out of the Escrow Account.
Stock Plans (a) At the Effective Time, the Stock Plans (other than the ESPP) and each Option which is outstanding thereunder immediately prior to the Effective Time (whether or not then vested or exercisable) shall, subject to Schedule 5.8(a), be assumed by Parent. Each such Option so assumed by Parent under this Agreement shall continue to have, and be subject to, the same terms and conditions set forth in the applicable Stock Plans and the stock option agreements, immediately prior to the Effective Time, except that (i) such Option will be exercisable for that number of whole Parent Ordinary Shares equal to the product of the number of shares of Company Common Stock that were issuable upon exercise of such Option immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by the Option Exchange Ratio and rounded down to the nearest whole number of Parent Ordinary Shares, and (ii) the per share exercise price for the Parent Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of such assumed Option will be equal to the quotient determined by dividing the exercise price per share of Company Common Stock at which such Option was exercisable immediately prior to the Effective Time by the Option Exchange Ratio, rounded up to the nearest whole cent. Except as set forth in Section 5.8 of the Disclosure Schedule, neither the Merger nor the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will terminate any of the outstanding Options under the Stock Plans or accelerate the exercisability or vesting of such Options or the Parent Ordinary Shares which will be subject to those Options upon Parent’s assumption of the Options in the Merger. It is the intention of the parties that the Options so assumed by Parent hereunder qualify, to the maximum extent permissible, following the Effective Time as “incentive stock options” as defined in Section 422 of the Code to the extent such Options qualified as incentive stock options prior to the Effective Time.
(b) For purposes of this Agreement, (i) “Option Exchange Ratio” shall be equal to the quotient obtained by dividing the Merger Consideration by the Parent Fair Market Value, and (ii) “Parent Fair Market Value” means the average closing selling price per share of Parent Ordinary Shares as quoted on the London Stock Exchange for the ten (10) trading days preceding the Closing Date (as converted to U.S. Dollars at the Currency Exchange Rate as quoted in the New York edition of The Wall Street Journal on the Effective Date).
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.
Company Equity Awards (a) Each option to purchase shares of Company Common Stock that has been granted under the Company Stock Plans (each, a “Company Option”) and that is outstanding and unexercised immediately prior to the Effective Time will, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the Company, Parent, Merger Sub or the holders thereof, be treated as follows:
(i) as of the Effective Time, each Company Option (whether or not vested) that is outstanding and unexercised immediately prior to the Effective Time and that has a per share exercise price less than the Merger Consideration (an “In-the-Money Option”) will be canceled in exchange for payment to the holder of such In-the-Money Option of an amount in cash equal to (A) the number of shares of Company Common Stock remaining subject to such In-the-Money Option immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by (B) the amount by which (x) the Merger Consideration exceeds (y) the per share exercise price for such In-the-Money Option (the “Company Option Cash Out Amount”); and
(ii) each Company Option that is not an In-the-Money Option will be canceled at the Effective Time without payment of any consideration.
(b) As of the Effective Time, each restricted stock unit award subject to time-based or other vesting restrictions that is outstanding under any Company Stock Plan (each, a “Company RSU Award””) immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall, to the extent not vested, become fully vested and then (ii) each such Company RSU Award shall be canceled without any action of the part of any holder or beneficiary thereof in consideration for the right to receive a lump sum cash payment with respect thereto equal to the product of (x) the Merger Consideration and (y) the number of shares of Company Stock represented by such Company RSU Award (the “Company RSU Cash Out Amount”).
(c) All Company Options (whether or not vested) that are outstanding and unexercised immediately prior to the Effective Time, all Company RSU Awards that are outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, and rights under the Company Stock Plans, will terminate as of, and contingent upon the occurrence of, the Effective Time (after given effect to this Section 2.3), and, following the Effective Time, no holder of any Company Option, Company RSU Award, or any other rights under the Company Stock Plans will have any right to acquire any equity securities of the Company, its Subsidiaries, or the Surviving Corporation as a result of such holder’s Company Options, Company RSU Awards, or other rights under the Company Stock Plans and the Company shall have no further Liability under or with respect to any such Company Option, Company RSU Awards, or the Company Stock Plans (except as provided pursuant to Section 2.3(a)(i) in respect of In-The-Money Options), or as provided pursuant to Section 2.3(b) in respect of the Company RSU Awards.
(d) Payment of the Company Option Cash Out Amount for each In-the-Money Option and the Company RSU Cash Out Amount for each Company RSU Award is subject to Section 2.7 and will be made as follows: No later than thirty (30) Business Days after the Closing Date, Parent shall, or shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, deliver (through the Surviving Corporation payroll or such other means of payment as Parent may provide) to the holder of any In-the-Money Option or Company RSU Award the applicable Company Option Cash Out Amount or Company RSU Cash Out Amount, net of Tax withholdings. To the extent that such Taxes are so deducted or withheld and paid over to the appropriate Taxing Authority, the amounts thereof will be treated for all purposes hereunder as having been paid to the Person to whom such amounts would otherwise have been paid.
(e) Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall take (or cause there to be taken, as the case may be) all such actions as are necessary to effect the treatment of Company Options and Company RSU Awards provided for under this Section 2.3, under all Contracts governing the terms of all Company Options and Company RSU Awards, and under any other applicable plan or arrangement to which the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound with respect to such Company Options, Company RSU Awards or the Company Stock Plans, including (A) to accelerate the vesting of any unvested Company Options that are outstanding and unvested immediately prior to the Effective Time and (B) at the request of Parent or as otherwise may be required, sending to any holders of Company Options notices (if drafted and at the request of Parent, subject to reasonable review and approval by the Company, which approval will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) with respect to the treatment of such instruments under this Agreement. The Company shall not send or otherwise make available any notices to any holders of Company Options, or solicit any consents or other approvals from the holders of any Company Options unless and until Parent has reviewed and approved all such notices and related documentation (including any email messages and notifications) to be sent or made available to such holders (which approval may not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), in each case, solely to the extent such notices, consents or approvals relate to the Merger Transaction.
(f) The Company shall promptly take (or cause there to be taken, as the case may be) all such actions as are necessary to ensure that no offering or purchase period commences under the Company ESPP and that no shares of Company Capital Stock are issued under the Company ESPP. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall take (or cause there to be taken, as the case may be) all such actions as are necessary to terminate the Company ESPP such that, from and after the time of such termination, the Company shall have no Liability under or with respect to the Company ESPP.
Treatment of Company Warrants Effective as of the First Merger Effective Time, each Company Warrant that is outstanding immediately prior to the First Merger Effective Time shall cease to represent a right to acquire Company Common Stock and shall be converted automatically into a warrant representing a right to acquire Parent Common Stock, on substantially the same terms and conditions as applied to such Company Warrant immediately prior to the First Merger Effective Time, except that: (i) the number of shares of Parent Common Stock subject to each assumed Company Warrant shall be determined by multiplying: (A) the number of shares of Company Common Stock that were subject to such Company Warrant immediately prior to the First Merger Effective Time; by (B) the Exchange Ratio, and rounding the resulting number down to the nearest whole number of shares of Parent Common Stock, with any fractional share of Parent Common Stock resulting from such rounding converted into a right to receive a cash payment (rounded up to the nearest whole cent), without interest and subject to any required Tax withholding, determined by multiplying such fractional share of Parent Common Stock by the closing price of a share of Parent Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on the trading day immediately prior to the First Merger Effective Time (after aggregating all fractional shares of Parent Common Stock issuable to such holder); and (ii) the strike price shall not be modified; provided, however, that (1) the Parent Board or a committee thereof shall succeed to the authority and responsibility of the Company Board or any committee thereof with respect to each such assumed Company Warrant, and (2) Parent shall, as promptly as practicable following the First Merger Effective Time, provide notice of such conversion, together with all material terms thereof (including the number and type of the securities issuable upon exercise) to the applicable warrant agent and the holders of the Company Warrants. Parent shall reserve for issuance a number of shares of Parent Common Stock at least equal to the number of shares of Parent Common Stock that will be subject to the Company Warrants as a result of the actions contemplated by this Section 1.10. In connection with the consummation of the Contemplated Transactions, Parent will reasonably cooperate with the Company with respect to the notification and related requirements under the agreements governing the Company Warrants.
Company Shares If the managing underwriter has not limited the number of Registrable Securities to be underwritten, the Company may include securities for its own account or for the account of others in such registration if the managing underwriter so agrees and if the number of Registrable Securities which would otherwise have been included in such registration and underwriting will not thereby be limited.
Treatment of Company Options Prior to the Effective Time, the Board of Directors of the Company (or, if appropriate, any committee thereof) shall adopt appropriate resolutions and take all other actions necessary and appropriate to provide that, at the Effective Time, each unexpired and unexercised Company Option shall become fully vested and exercisable and shall be cancelled and, in exchange therefor, each former holder of any such cancelled Company Option shall be entitled to receive, in consideration of such cancellation, payments in cash (subject to any applicable withholding or other Taxes required by applicable Law to be withheld) equal to the product of (i) the total number of shares of Common Stock previously subject to such Company Option multiplied by (ii) the amount by which the Option In-The-Money Amount, calculated as of the Effective Time and recalculated, if applicable, in connection with any recalculation of the Common Merger Consideration, exceeds the exercise price of such Company Option (for the avoidance of doubt, without duplication of any amounts previously paid to holders of such Company Options in accordance herewith). Any such amount payable hereunder with respect to any Company Option shall be referred to as an “Option Payment”, and the aggregate of all such amounts payable hereunder shall be referred to as the “Option Payments”. At or prior to the Effective Time, Parent will make available to the Surviving Corporation the cash to be delivered in respect of the Option Payments based on the calculation of the Common Merger Consideration at the Effective Time (the “Closing Option Payments”). Option Payments following the Effective Time shall be made on or about the same dates, and subject to the same terms, as payments of the Merger Consideration to the holders of Company Capital Stock. Any Company Options shall no longer be exercisable by the former holder thereof, but shall only entitle such holder to the payment of the applicable Option Payments in accordance with this Section 2.6(d), which for the avoidance of doubt includes the right to receive payments in connection with any Excess Payment or any release of funds from the General Escrow Account or the Equityholders’ Representative Escrow Account. At the Effective Time, all Company Option Plans shall be terminated and no further Company Options shall be granted thereunder. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause each holder of Company Options to enter into a written agreement effectuating the foregoing, and the payment of the Option Payment to each holder of Company Options shall be subject to such holder’s execution and delivery of such agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D (such agreement, an “Option Holder Letter”).
