Effect of a Change in Control In the event of a Change in Control, Sections 6 through 13 of this Agreement shall become applicable to Executive. These Sections shall continue to remain applicable until the third anniversary of the date upon which the Change in Control occurs. On such third anniversary date, and provided that the employment of Executive has not been terminated on account of a Qualifying Termination (as defined in Section 5 below), this Agreement shall terminate and be of no further force or effect.
Termination in Connection with a Change in Control a. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control” means any of the following events:
Involuntary Termination in Connection with a Change in Control Notwithstanding anything contained herein, in the event of an Involuntary Termination prior to a Change in Control, if the Involuntary Termination (1) was at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect such Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of such Change in Control, then the Executive shall, in lieu of the payments described in Section 4 hereof, be entitled to the Post-Change in Control Severance Payment and the additional benefits described in this Section 5 as if such Involuntary Termination had occurred within two (2) years following the Change in Control. The amounts specified in Section 5 that are to be paid under this Section 5(h) shall be reduced by any amount previously paid under Section 4. The amounts to be paid under this Section 5(h) shall be paid within sixty (60) days after the Change in Control Date of such Change in Control.
Termination in Connection with a Change of Control If during the two (2) year period that begins on the date that is one (1) year prior to a Change of Control and ends on that date which is one (1) year following a Change of Control, Conn’s (or its successor) terminates Executive’s employment other than for Cause or as a result of Executive’s death or Disability, or Executive voluntarily terminates his employment for Good Reason, Conn’s will pay the following amounts and provide the following benefits:
(i) A lump-sum cash payment in an amount equal to three (3) times the Executive’s Base Salary, payable not later than ten (10) days following (A) Executive’s termination (if Executive’s employment terminates on or after the date of the Change of Control), or (B) the date of the Change of Control (if Executive’s employment terminates during the one-year period prior to the date of the Change of Control). Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3(c)(i)(B), the amount payable to Executive under this Section 3(c)(i) shall be reduced by the payments, if any, received by Executive pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).
(ii) During the eighteen (18) month period following such termination (the “Change of Control Severance Period”), Executive shall receive continued coverage under the Conn’s medical, dental, life, disability, and other employee welfare benefit plans in which senior executives of Conn’s are eligible to participate, to the extent Executive is eligible under the terms of such plans immediately prior to Executive’s termination. For purposes of clarity, during the term of this Agreement Conn’s shall provide Executive coverage under a major medical plan. Conn’s obligation to provide the foregoing benefits shall terminate upon Executive’s becoming eligible for comparable employee welfare benefits under a plan or arrangement provided by a new employer. Executive agrees to promptly notify Conn’s of any such employment and the material terms of any employee welfare benefits offered to Executive in connection with such employment.
(iii) All awards held by Executive under the Conn’s Amended and Restated 2003 Incentive Stock Option Plan and/or the Conn’s 2011 Omnibus Incentive Plan shall immediately vest and, if applicable, continue to be exercisable during the Change of Control Severance Period as if Executive had remained an employee of Conn’s. The terms of this Section 3(c) are continuing in nature and shall survive until the one (1) year anniversary of the earlier of Executive’s termination of employment or termination of this Agreement.
Following a Change in Control If, within thirty-six (36) months following a Change in Control, the Executive (i) is terminated without Cause, or (ii) resigns for Good Reason (as defined and qualified in Section 9(f) above), then the Executive will be entitled to receive (i) all Base Salary and benefits to be paid or provided to the Executive under this Agreement through the Date of Termination, (ii) the amount of any cash bonus related to any year ending before the Date of Termination that has been earned but remains unpaid, (iii) an amount equal to two hundred ninety-nine percent (299%) of the Adjusted Bonus Amount, (iv) an amount equal to two hundred ninety-nine percent (299%) of the Executive’s Base Salary, (v) notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any equity incentive plan or agreement, all equity incentive awards which are then outstanding, to the extent not then vested, shall vest, (vi) health insurance benefits substantially commensurate with the Company’s standard health insurance benefits for the Executive and the Executive’s spouse and dependents through the third anniversary of the Date of Termination; provided, however, that such continued benefits shall terminate on the date or dates Executive receives substantially similar coverage and benefits, without waiting period or pre-existing condition limitations, under the plans and programs of a subsequent employer (such coverage and benefits to be determined on a coverage-by-coverage or benefit-by-benefit basis); provided further, that any continued health insurance benefits which are provided under this Agreement (including benefits under Section 9(m)) shall run concurrently with any continuation coverage that the Executive or the Executive’s spouse and dependents are entitled to under COBRA and any rights (including the length of coverage) that the Executive and the Executive’s spouse and dependents may be entitled to under COBRA shall not be increased (or extended) due to any continued health insurance benefits which may be provided to the Executive and the Executive’s spouse or dependents pursuant to this Agreement, and (vii) any other unpaid benefits to which the Executive is otherwise entitled under any plan, policy or program of the Company applicable to the Executive as of the Date of Termination (such benefits shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of the applicable arrangements). The amounts referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) above will collectively be referred to as the “Change in Control Severance Amount.” The Change in Control Severance Amount will be paid to the Executive in a lump sum no later than sixty (60) days following the Date of Termination, with the date of such payment determined by the Company in its sole discretion. The Executive agrees to execute, deliver and not revoke a general release in the form attached as Exhibit A. Payments pursuant to this Section 9(h) will be made in lieu of, and not in addition to, any payment pursuant to any other paragraph of this Section 9.
Termination Upon Change in Control (1) For the purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control” shall mean any of the following events that occurs following the Effective Date:
(a) An acquisition (other than directly from the Company) of any voting securities of the Company (the “Voting Securities”) other than in a “Non-Control Acquisition” (as defined below) by any “Person” (as the term “person” is used for purposes of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the “1934 Act”)) which results in such Person first attaining “Beneficial Ownership” (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the 0000 Xxx) of fifty-one percent (51%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding Voting Securities. For purposes of the foregoing, a “Non-Control Acquisition” shall mean an acquisition by (i) an employee benefit plan (or a trust forming a part thereof) maintained by (x) the Company or (y) any corporation or other Person of which a majority of its voting power or its equity securities or equity interest is owned directly or indirectly by the Company (a “Subsidiary”), or (ii) the Company or any Subsidiary.
Prior to a Change in Control Termination by Executive for Good Reason; Termination by the Company Other Than for Poor Performance, Cause or Disability. If, prior to a Change in Control and during the Executive’s Employment Period, the Company terminates Executive’s employment other than for Poor Performance, Cause or Disability, or Executive terminates employment for Good Reason within a period of 90 days after the occurrence of the event giving rise to Good Reason, then (and with respect to the payments and benefits described in clauses (ii) through (vii) below, only if Executive executes a Release in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto (the “Release”)):
(i) the Company will pay to Executive in a lump sum in cash within 30 days after the Date of Termination the sum of (A) Executive’s Base Salary through the Date of Termination to the extent not theretofore paid, and (B) any accrued vacation pay to the extent not theretofore paid (the sum of the amounts described in clauses (A) and (B) will be hereinafter referred to as the “Accrued Obligations”); and
(ii) for the longer of six months or until Executive becomes employed with a subsequent employer, but in no event to exceed the lesser of (A) 18 months from the Date of Termination or (B) the remaining term of Executive’s Employment Period (the “Normal Severance Period”), the Company will continue to pay Executive an amount equal to his monthly Base Salary, payable in equal monthly or more frequent installments as are customary under the Company’s payroll practices from time to time; provided, however, that the Company’s obligation to make or continue such payments will cease if Executive violates any of the Restrictive Covenants (as defined in Section 13(b) of this Agreement) and fails to remedy such violation to the satisfaction of the Board within 10 days of notice of such violation; and
(iii) during the Normal Severance Period, if and to the extent Executive timely elects COBRA continuation coverage, the Company will pay for the full premium amount of such COBRA continuation coverage and will impute taxable income to the Executive equal to the full premium amount; provided, however that the Company’s obligation to provide such benefits will cease if Executive violates any of the Restrictive Covenants (as defined in Section 13(b) of this Agreement) and fails to remedy such violation to the satisfaction of the Board within 10 days of notice of such violation; provided further, that to the extent Executive continues COBRA continuation coverage beyond his Normal Severance Period, Executive will be responsible for paying the full cost of the COBRA continuation coverage in accordance with the procedures of the Company generally applicable to all qualified beneficiaries receiving COBRA continuation coverage; and
(iv) not later than 30 days after the Date of Termination, Executive will be paid a bonus for the year in which the Date of Termination occurs in a lump sum cash amount equal to 100% of his Bonus Opportunity (prorated through the Date of Termination) adjusted up or down by reference to his year-to-date performance at the Date of Termination in relation to the prior established performance objectives under Executive’s bonus plan for such year; provided, however that the bonus payment described in this Section 8(b)(iv) will be reduced by the amount (if any) of the Bonus Opportunity that Executive had previously elected to receive in the form of restricted stock of the Company; and
(v) all grants of restricted stock, restricted stock units and similar Company stock-based awards (“Restricted Stock”) held by Executive as of the Date of Termination will become immediately vested as of the Date of Termination; and
(vi) all of Executive’s options to acquire Common Stock of the Company, stock appreciation rights in Common Stock of the Company and similar Company stock-based awards (“Options”) that would have become vested (by lapse of time) within the 24-month period following the Date of Termination had Executive remained employed during such period will become immediately vested as of the Date of Termination; and
(vii) notwithstanding the provisions of the applicable Option agreement, all of Executive’s vested but unexercised Options as of the Date of Termination (including those with accelerated vesting pursuant to Section 8(b)(vi) above) will remain exercisable through the earlier of (A) the original expiration date of the Option, or (B) the 90th day following the end of the Normal Severance Period; and
(viii) to the extent not theretofore paid or provided, the Company will timely pay or provide to Executive his Other Benefits.
Effect of Change in Control In the event of a Change in Control, except to the extent that the Committee determines to cash out the Option in accordance with Section 13.1(c) of the Plan, the surviving, continuing, successor, or purchasing corporation or other business entity or parent thereof, as the case may be (the “Acquiror”), may, without the consent of the Participant, assume or continue in full force and effect the Company’s rights and obligations under all or any portion of the Option or substitute for all or any portion of the Option a substantially equivalent option for the Acquiror’s stock. For purposes of this Section, the Option or any portion thereof shall be deemed assumed if, following the Change in Control, the Option confers the right to receive, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Option Agreement, for each share of Stock subject to such portion of the Option immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash, other securities or property or a combination thereof) to which a holder of a share of Stock on the effective date of the Change in Control was entitled; provided, however, that if such consideration is not solely common stock of the Acquiror, the Committee may, with the consent of the Acquiror, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise of the Option for each share of Stock to consist solely of common stock of the Acquiror equal in Fair Market Value to the per share consideration received by holders of Stock pursuant to the Change in Control. The Option shall terminate and cease to be outstanding effective as of the time of consummation of the Change in Control to the extent that the Option is neither assumed or continued by the Acquiror in connection with the Change in Control nor exercised as of the time of the Change in Control.
Notice of Change in Control or Control Event The Company will, within five Business Days after any Responsible Officer has knowledge of the occurrence of any Change in Control or Control Event, give written notice of such Change in Control or Control Event to each holder of Notes unless notice in respect of such Change in Control (or the Change in Control contemplated by such Control Event) shall have been given pursuant to subparagraph (b) of this Section 8.3. If a Change in Control has occurred, such notice shall contain and constitute an offer to prepay Notes as described in subparagraph (c) of this Section 8.3 and shall be accompanied by the certificate described in subparagraph (g) of this Section 8.3.
Change of Control Transaction If the Company or its successor terminates the Employment upon a merger, consolidation, or transfer or sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company with or to any other individual(s) or entity (the “Change of Control Transaction”), the Executive shall be entitled to the following severance payments and benefits upon such termination: (1) a lump sum cash payment equal to 12 months of the Executive’s base salary at a rate equal to the greater of his/her annual salary in effect immediate1y prior to the termination, or his/her then current annua1 salary as of the date of such termination; (2) a lump sum cash payment equal to a pro-rated amount of his/her target annual bonus for the year immediately preceding the termination; and (3) immediate vesting of 100% of the then-unvested portion of any outstanding equity awards held by the Executive.
