Company Option “Company Option” shall mean an option to acquire shares of Company Common Stock from the Company, whether vested or unvested.
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.
Equity Award The Executive will be eligible to receive equity awards, if any, at such times and on such terms and conditions as the Board shall, in its sole discretion, determine.
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.
Employee Options A regular employee who is subject to displacement shall have the right to select one of the following options. Upon written presentation of the options, the employee shall have 3 full working days to select an option. This time limit may be extended by the mutual agreement of the Parties:
(a) accept training, if applicable; or
(b) accept placement in a vacant position, either within or outside the bargaining unit, in accordance with the provisions of this Article; or
(c) exercise the bumping rights referred to in this Article; or
(d) accept layoff, retaining the right to recall and to severance pay in accordance with this Agreement; or
(e) accept severance in accordance with Article 9.03 of this Agreement.
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 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.
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.
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.
