Accelerated Vesting of Equity Awards One hundred percent (100%) of Executive’s then-outstanding and unvested Equity Awards will become vested in full. If, however, an outstanding Equity Award is to vest and/or the amount of the award to vest is to be determined based on the achievement of performance criteria, then the Equity Award will vest as to one hundred percent (100%) of the amount of the Equity Award assuming the performance criteria had been achieved at target levels for the relevant performance period(s).
Forfeiture of Awards The Restricted Stock Units granted hereunder (and gains earned or accrued in connection therewith) shall be subject to such generally applicable policies as to forfeiture and recoupment (including, without limitation, upon the occurrence of material financial or accounting errors, financial or other misconduct or Competitive Activity) as may be adopted by the Administrator or the Board from time to time and communicated to the Employee or as required by applicable law, and are otherwise subject to forfeiture or disgorgement of profits as provided by the Plan.
Grant of Performance Share Units The Company hereby grants to the Participant the Target Number of PSUs Granted, effective as of the Date of Award and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Award Agreement. Each PSU represents the unsecured right to receive a number of Shares, if any, in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement. The Participant shall not be required to pay any additional consideration for the issuance of the Shares, if any, upon settlement of the PSUs.
Performance Vesting Within sixty (60) days following the completion of the Performance Period, the Plan Administrator shall determine the applicable number of Performance Shares in accordance with the provisions of the Award Notice and Schedule I attached thereto.
Performance-Based Vesting At the end of each Measurement Year, on the Measurement Date, the percentage of Shares set forth above shall be eligible to vest (the "Eligible Shares"). On each Measurement Date, 50% of the Eligible Shares shall become Vested Shares if at least 90% of the Target EBITDA amount was met for the prior Measurement Year. If more than 90% of the Target EBITDA amount was met for the prior Measurement Year, then the Eligible Shares shall become Vested Shares on a straight line basis such that an additional 5% of Eligible Shares shall become Vested Shares for each 1% that actual Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA exceeds 90% of the Target EBITDA amount.
Vesting of Award Subject to Section 2(b) below and the other terms and conditions of this Agreement, this Award shall become vested in three equal annual installments on the first, second and third anniversaries of the date hereof. Unless otherwise provided by the Company, all dividends and other amounts receivable in connection with any adjustments to the Shares under Section 4(c) of the Plan shall be subject to the vesting schedule in this Section 2(a).
Equity-Based Awards (a) Except as set forth in Section 2.04(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter, the terms of each outstanding option to purchase shares of Company Stock under any equity compensation plan of the Company (a “Company Stock Option”), whether or not exercisable or vested, shall be adjusted as necessary to provide that, at the Effective Time, each Company Stock Option outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into an option (each, an “Adjusted Option”) to acquire, on the same terms and conditions as were applicable under such Company Stock Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, the number of shares of Parent Stock equal to the product of (i) the number of shares of Company Stock subject to such Company Stock Option immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by (ii) the Per Share Consideration, with any fractional shares rounded down to the next lower whole number of shares. The exercise price per share of Parent Stock subject to any such Adjusted Option will be an amount (rounded up to the nearest whole cent) equal to the quotient of (A) the exercise price per share of Company Stock subject to such Company Stock Option immediately prior to the Effective Time divided by (B) the Per Share Consideration, with any fractional cents rounded up to the next higher number of whole cents. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the conversion of a Company Stock Option in accordance with the preceding provisions of this Section 2.04(a) would cause the related Adjusted Option to be treated as the grant of new stock right for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, such Company Stock Option shall not be converted in accordance with the preceding provisions but shall instead be converted in a manner that would not cause the related Adjusted Option to be treated as the grant of new stock right for purposes of Section 409A. Except as set forth in Section 2.04(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter, no Company Stock Option shall be subject to accelerated vesting upon or in connection with the transactions contemplated herein.
(b) Each restricted stock award or performance share award outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time under any equity compensation plan of the Company (each, a “Company Stock Award”) shall be adjusted as necessary to provide that, at the Effective Time, such Company Stock Award shall be converted into a restricted stock award or performance share award, as applicable, relating to the number of shares of Parent Stock equal to the product of (i) the number of shares of Company Stock relating to such Company Stock Award immediately prior to the Effective Time multiplied by (ii) the Per Share Consideration, with any fractional shares rounded down to the next lower whole number of shares. Except as set forth in Section 2.04(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter, each converted Company Stock Award shall be subject to the same terms, conditions and restrictions as were applicable under such Company Stock Award immediately prior to the Effective Time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Company Stock Award vesting condition contingent on the achievement of specified Company stock targets (“Stock Vesting Targets”) shall be adjusted so that each Stock Vesting Target is equal to the quotient of: (A) the Stock Vesting Target divided by (B) the Per Share Consideration, with any fractional cents rounded up to the next higher number of whole cents. Except as set forth in Section 2.04(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter, no Company Stock Award shall be subject to accelerated vesting upon or in connection with the transactions contemplated herein.
(c) Parent shall take such actions as are necessary for the assumption of the Company Stock Options pursuant to this Section 2.04, including the reservation, issuance and listing of Parent Stock as is necessary to effectuate the transactions contemplated by this Section 2.04. Parent shall prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement on an appropriate form, or a post-effective amendment to a registration statement previously filed under the 1933 Act, with respect to the shares of Parent Stock subject to the Company Stock Options and, where applicable, shall use its reasonable best efforts to have such registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable following the Effective Time and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement covering such Company Stock Options (and to maintain the current status of the prospectus contained therein) for so long as any such Company Stock Options remain outstanding. With respect to those individuals, if any, who, subsequent to the Effective Time, will be subject to the reporting requirements under Section 16(a) of the 1934 Act, where applicable, Parent shall administer any equity compensation plan of the Company assumed pursuant to this Section 2.04 in a manner that complies with Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the 1934 Act to the extent such equity compensation plan of the Company complied with such rule prior to the Merger.
(d) Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall, with respect to stock option or compensation plans or arrangements, use its reasonable efforts to give effect to the transactions contemplated by this Section 2.04.
Grant of Performance Stock Units Subject to the terms of this Agreement, and the Incentive Plan, effective as of the Grant Date the Participant is hereby granted [Number] Performance Stock Units (the “Target Performance Units”). This Award contains the right to dividend equivalents (“Dividend Equivalents”) with respect to Earned Performance Units (as defined in Section 3(a)) as described in Section 4. Each Performance Stock Unit awarded hereunder shall become earned and vested as described in Section 3 and each Earned Performance Unit (and associated Earned Dividend Equivalents thereon as described in Section 4) shall be settled in accordance with Section 5.
Payment of Awards The payment of the Award shall be made in shares of Common Stock. The payment of an Award shall be made within 70 days following the end of the Restricted Period.
Forfeiture of Award Section 4.1 If, at any time during the Award Recipient’s tenure as a director of the Company or within 18 months after termination of such tenure, the Award Recipient engages in any activity in competition with any activity of CenturyTel or its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”), or inimical, contrary or harmful to the interests of the Company, including but not limited to: (a) conduct relating to the Award Recipient’s service on the Board for which either criminal or civil penalties against the Award Recipient may be sought, (b) conduct or activity that results in removal of the Award Recipient from the Board for cause, (c) violation of the Company’s policies, including, without limitation, the Company’s xxxxxxx xxxxxxx policy or corporate compliance program, (d) accepting employment after the date hereof with, acquiring a 5% or more equity or participation interest in, serving as a consultant, advisor, director or agent of, directly or indirectly soliciting or recruiting any officer of the Company who was employed at any time during the Award Recipient’s service on the Board, or otherwise assisting in any other capacity or manner any company or enterprise that is directly or indirectly in competition with or acting against the interests of the Company or any of its lines of business (a “competitor”), except for (A) any employment, investment, service, assistance or other activity that is undertaken at the request or with the written permission of the CenturyTel Board of Directors or (B) any assistance of a competitor that is provided in the ordinary course of the Award Recipient engaging in his or her principal occupation in the good faith and reasonable belief that such assistance will neither harm the Company’s interests in any substantial manner or violate any of the Award Recipient’s duties or responsibilities under the Company’s policies or applicable law, (e) disclosing or misusing any confidential information or material concerning the Company, (f) engaging in, promoting, assisting or otherwise participating in a hostile takeover attempt of the Company or any other transaction or proxy contest that could reasonably be expected to result in a Change of Control (as defined in the Plan) not approved by the CenturyTel Board of Directors or (g) making any statement or disclosing any information to any customers, suppliers, lessors, lessees, licensors, licensees, regulators, employees or others with whom the Company engages in business that is defamatory or derogatory with respect to the business, operations, technology, management, or other employees of the Company, or taking any other action that could reasonably be expected to injure the Company in its business relationships with any of the foregoing parties or result in any other detrimental effect on the Company, then (i) all unvested shares of Restricted Stock granted hereunder shall automatically terminate and be forfeited effective on the date on which the Award Recipient first engages in such activity and (ii) all shares of Common Stock acquired by the Award Recipient upon vesting of the Restricted Stock hereunder after the date that precedes by one year the date on which the Award Recipient’s tenure as a director of the Company terminated or the date the Award Recipient first engaged in such activity if no such termination occurs (or other securities into which such shares have been converted or exchanged) shall be returned to the Company or, if no longer held by the Award Recipient, the Award Recipient shall return to the Company, without interest, all cash, securities or other assets received by the Award Recipient upon the sale or transfer of such stock or securities.
Section 4.2 If the Award Recipient owes any amount to the Company under Section 4.1 above, the Award Recipient acknowledges that the Company may, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, deduct such amount from any amounts the Company owes the Award Recipient from time to time for any reason (including without limitation amounts owed to the Award Recipient as directors fees, reimbursements, retirement payments, or other compensation or benefits). Whether or not the Company elects to make any such set-off in whole or in part, if the Company does not recover by means of set-off the full amount the Award Recipient owes it, the Award Recipient hereby agrees to pay immediately the unpaid balance to the Company.
Section 4.3 The Award Recipient may be released from the Award Recipient’s obligations under Sections 4.1 and 4.2 above only if the CenturyTel Board of Directors determines in its sole discretion that such action is in the best interests of the Company.
