1
Exhibit 99.14
IMMEDIATELY EXERCISABLE
ACT NETWORKS, INC.
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
RECITALS
A. The Board has adopted the Plan for the purpose of retaining the
services of selected Employees, non-employee members of the Board or the board
of directors of any Parent or Subsidiary and consultants and other independent
advisors who provide services to the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary).
B. Optionee is to render valuable services to the Corporation (or a
Parent or Subsidiary), and this Agreement is executed pursuant to, and is
intended to carry out the purposes of, the Plan in connection with the
Corporation's grant of an option to Optionee.
C. All capitalized terms in this Agreement shall have the meaning
assigned to them in the attached Appendix.
NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby agreed as follows:
1. GRANT OF OPTION. The Corporation hereby grants to Optionee, as of
the Grant Date, an option to purchase up to the number of Option Shares
specified in the Grant Notice. The Option Shares shall be purchasable from time
to time during the option term specified in Paragraph 2 at the Exercise Price.
2. OPTION TERM. This option shall have a term of ten (10) years
measured from the Grant Date and shall accordingly expire at the close of
business on the Expiration Date, unless sooner terminated in accordance with
Paragraph 5 or 6.
3. LIMITED TRANSFERABILITY. This option shall be neither
transferable nor assignable by Optionee other than by will or by the laws of
descent and distribution following Optionee's death and may be exercised, during
Optionee's lifetime, only by Optionee. However, if this option is designated a
Non-Statutory Option in the Grant Notice, then this option may also be assigned
in whole or in part during Optionee's lifetime in accordance with the terms of a
Qualified Domestic Relations Order. The assigned portion shall be exercisable
only by the person or persons who acquire a proprietary interest in the option
pursuant to such Qualified Domestic Relations Order. The terms applicable to the
assigned portion shall be the same as those in effect for this option
immediately prior to such assignment and shall be set forth in such documents
issued to the assignee as the Plan Administrator may deem appropriate.
2
4. EXERCISABILITY/VESTING.
(a) This option shall be immediately exercisable for any or all
of the Option Shares, whether or not the Option Shares are vested in accordance
with the Vesting Schedule, and shall remain so exercisable until the Expiration
Date or sooner termination of the option term under Paragraph 5 or 6. Any
unvested Option Shares purchased under this option shall be subject to
repurchase of the Corporation, at the Exercise Price paid per share, upon
Optionee's cessation of service prior to vesting in those Option Shares.
(b) Optionee shall, in accordance with the Vesting Schedule, vest
in the Option Shares in one or more installments over his or her period of Board
service. Vesting in the Option Shares may be accelerated pursuant to the
provisions of Paragraph 5 or 6. In no event, however, shall any additional
Option Shares vest following Optionee's cessation of Service.
5. CESSATION OF SERVICE. The option term specified in Paragraph 2
shall terminate (and this option shall cease to be outstanding) prior to the
Expiration Date should any of the following provisions become applicable:
(i) Should Optionee cease to remain in Service for any
reason (other than death, Permanent Disability, or Misconduct) while
this option is outstanding, then Optionee shall have a period of three
(3) months (commencing with the date of such cessation of Service)
during which to exercise this option, but in no event shall this option
be exercisable at any time after the Expiration Date.
(ii) Should Optionee die while this option is outstanding,
then the personal representative of Optionee's estate or the person or
persons to whom the option is transferred pursuant to Optionee's will
or in accordance with the laws of descent and distribution shall have
the right to exercise this option. Such right shall lapse and this
option shall cease to be outstanding upon the earlier of (A) the
expiration of the twelve (12)- month period measured from the date of
Optionee's death or (B) the Expiration Date.
(iii) Should Optionee cease Service by reason of Permanent
Disability while this option is outstanding, then Optionee shall have a
period of twelve (12) months (commencing with the date of such
cessation of Service) during which to exercise this option. In no event
shall this option be exercisable at any time after the Expiration Date.
(iv) Should Optionee's Service be terminated for Misconduct,
then this option shall terminate immediately and cease to remain
outstanding.
2.
3
(v) During the limited post-Service exercise period, this
option may not be exercised in the aggregate for more than the number
of Option Shares in which Optionee is, at the time of Optionee's
cessation of Service, vested in accordance with the Vesting Schedule.
Upon the expiration of such limited exercise period or (if earlier)
upon the Expiration Date, this option shall terminate and cease to be
outstanding for any vested Option Shares for which the option has not
been exercised. To the extent Optionee is not vested in the Option
Shares at the time of Optionee's cessation of Service, this option
shall immediately terminate and cease to be outstanding with respect to
those shares.
(vi) In the event of a Corporate Transaction, the provisions
of Paragraph 6 shall govern the period for which this option is to
remain exercisable following Optionee's cessation of Service and shall
supersede any provisions to the contrary in this paragraph.
6. SPECIAL ACCELERATION OF OPTION.
(a) All the Option Shares subject to this option at the time of a
Corporate Transaction but not otherwise vested shall automatically vest and the
Corporation's repurchase rights with respect to those Option Shares shall
immediately terminate so that this option shall, immediately prior to the
effective date of the Corporate Transaction, become exercisable for all of the
Option Shares as fully-vested shares of Common Stock and may be exercised for
any or all of those Option Shares. No such accelerated vesting of the Option
Shares, however, shall occur if and to the extent: (i) this option is, in
connection with the Corporate Transaction, either to be assumed by the successor
corporation (or parent thereof) or to be replaced with a comparable option to
purchase shares of the capital stock of the successor corporation (or parent
thereof), and the Corporation's repurchase rights with respect to the unvested
Option Shares are to be assigned to such successor corporation (or parent
thereof) or (ii) this option is to be replaced with a cash incentive program of
the successor corporation which preserves the spread existing on the unvested
Option Shares at the time of the Corporate Transaction (the excess of the Fair
Market Value of those Option Shares over the Exercise Price payable for such
shares) and provides for subsequent payout in accordance with the Vesting
Schedule.
(b) Immediately following the Corporate Transaction, this option
shall terminate and cease to be outstanding, except to the extent assumed by the
successor corporation (or parent thereof) in connection with the Corporate
Transaction.
(c) If this option is assumed in connection with a Corporate
Transaction, then this option shall be appropriately adjusted, immediately after
such Corporate Transaction, to apply to the number and class of securities which
would have been issuable to Optionee in consummation of such Corporate
Transaction had the option been exercised immediately prior to such Corporate
Transaction, and appropriate
3.
4
adjustments shall also be made to the Exercise Price, provided the aggregate
Exercise Price shall remain the same.
(d) Should there occur an Involuntary Termination of Optionee's
Service within eighteen (18) months following a Corporate Transaction in which
this option is assumed or replaced and the Corporation's repurchase rights with
respect to the unvested Option Shares are assigned, then all the Option Shares
at the time subject to this option but not otherwise vested shall automatically
vest and the Corporation's repurchase rights with respect to those Option Shares
shall terminate so that this option shall immediately become exercisable for all
those Option Shares as fully-vested shares of Common Stock and may be exercised
for any or all of those vested Option Shares at any time prior to the earlier of
(i) the Expiration Date or (ii) the expiration of the one (l)-year period
measured from the date of such Involuntary Termination.
(e) This Agreement shall not in any way affect the right of the
Corporation to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or otherwise change its capital or
business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve, liquidate or sell or
transfer all or any part of its business or assets.
7. ADJUSTMENT IN OPTION SHARES. Should any change be made to the Common
Stock by reason of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization,
combination of shares, exchange of shares or other change affecting the
outstanding Common Stock as a class without the Corporation's receipt of
consideration, appropriate adjustments shall be made to (i) the total number
and/or class of securities subject to this option and (ii) the Exercise Price in
order to reflect such change and thereby preclude a dilution or enlargement of
benefits hereunder.
8. STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS. The holder of this option shall not have any
stockholder rights with respect to the Option Shares until such person shall
have exercised the option, paid the Exercise Price and become a holder of record
of the purchased shares.
9. MANNER OF EXERCISING OPTION.
(a) In order to exercise this option with respect to all or any part
of the Option Shares for which this option is at the time exercisable, Optionee
(or any other person or persons exercising the option) must take the following
actions:
(i) To the extent the option is exercised for vested Option
Shares, execute and deliver to the Corporation a Notice of Exercise for
the Option Shares for which the option is exercised. To the extent this
option is exercised for unvested Option Shares, execute and deliver to
the Corporation a Purchase Agreement for those shares.
4.
5
(ii) Pay the aggregate Exercise Price for the purchased
shares in one or more of the following forms:
(A) cash or check made payable to the Corporation;
(B) a promissory note payable to the Corporation, but
only to the extent authorized by the Plan Administrator in
accordance with Paragraph 13;
(C) shares of Common Stock held by Optionee (or any
other person or persons exercising the option) for the
requisite period necessary to avoid a charge to the
Corporation's earnings for financial reporting purposes and
valued at Fair Market Value on the Exercise Date; or
(D) to the extent the option is exercised for vested
Option Shares, through a special sale and remittance procedure
pursuant to which Optionee (or any other person or persons
exercising the option) shall concurrently provide irrevocable
written instructions (I) to a Corporation-designated brokerage
firm to effect the immediate sale of the purchased shares and
remit to the Corporation, out of the sale proceeds available
on the settlement date, sufficient funds to cover the
aggregate Exercise Price payable for the purchased shares plus
all applicable Federal, state and local income and employment
taxes required to be withheld by the Corporation by reason of
such exercise and (II) to the Corporation to deliver the
certificates for the purchased shares directly to such
brokerage firm in order to complete the sale transaction.
Except to the extent the sale and remittance procedure is
utilized in connection with the option exercise, payment of
the Exercise Price must accompany the Notice of Exercise (or
the Purchase Agreement) delivered to the Corporation in
connection with the option exercise.
(iii) Furnish to the Corporation appropriate documentation
that the person or persons exercising the option (if other than
Optionee) have the right to exercise this option.
(iv) Make appropriate arrangements with the Corporation (or
Parent or Subsidiary employing or retaining Optionee) for the
satisfaction of all Federal, state and local income and employment tax
withholding requirements applicable to the option exercise.
5.
6
(b) As soon as practical after the Exercise Date, the Corporation
shall issue to or on behalf of Optionee (or any other person or persons
exercising this option) a certificate for the purchased Option Shares, with the
appropriate legends affixed thereto. To the extent any such Option Shares are
unvested, the certificates for those Option Shares shall be endorsed with an
appropriate legend evidencing the Corporation's repurchase rights and may be
held in escrow with the Corporation until such shares vest.
(c) In no event may this option be exercised for any fractional
shares.
10. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
(a) The exercise of this option and the issuance of the Option
Shares upon such exercise shall be subject to compliance by the Corporation and
Optionee with all applicable requirements of law relating thereto and with all
applicable regulations of any stock exchange (or the Nasdaq National Market, if
applicable) on which the Common Stock may be listed for trading at the time of
such exercise and issuance.
(b) The inability of the Corporation to obtain approval from any
regulatory body having authority deemed by the Corporation to be necessary to
the lawful issuance and sale of any Common Stock pursuant to this option shall
relieve the Corporation of any liability with respect to the non-issuance or
sale of the Common Stock as to which such approval shall not have been obtained.
The Corporation, however, shall use its best efforts to obtain all such
approvals.
11. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. Except to the extent otherwise provided in
Paragraphs 3 and 6, the provisions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit
of, and be binding upon, the Corporation and its successors and assigns and
Optionee, Optionee's assigns and the legal representatives, heirs and legatees
of Optionee's estate.
12. NOTICES. Any notice required to be given or delivered to the
Corporation under the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing and addressed
to the Corporation at its principal corporate offices. Any notice required to be
given or delivered to Optionee shall be in writing and addressed to Optionee at
the address indicated below Optionee's signature line on the Grant Notice. All
notices shall be deemed effective upon personal delivery or upon deposit in the
U.S. mail, postage prepaid and properly addressed to the party to be notified.
13. FINANCING. The Plan Administrator may, in its absolute discretion
and without any obligation to do so, permit Optionee to pay the Exercise Price
for the purchased Option Shares by delivering a promissory note. The terms of
any such promissory note
6.
7
(including the interest rate, the requirements for collateral and the terms of
repayment) shall be established by the Plan Administrator in its sole
discretion.(1/)
14. CONSTRUCTION. This Agreement and the option evidenced hereby are
made and granted pursuant to the Plan and are in all respects limited by and
subject to the terms of the Plan. All decisions of the Plan Administrator with
respect to any question or issue arising under the Plan or this Agreement shall
be conclusive and binding on all persons having an interest in this option.
15. GOVERNING LAW. The interpretation, performance and enforcement of
this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California without
resort to that State's conflict-of-laws rules.
16. EXCESS SHARES. If the Option Shares covered by this Agreement
exceed, as of the Grant Date, the number of shares of Common Stock which may
without stockholder approval be issued under the Plan, then this option shall be
void with respect to such excess shares, unless stockholder approval of an
amendment sufficiently increasing the number of shares of Common Stock issuable
under the Plan is obtained in accordance with the provisions of the Plan.
17. ADDITIONAL TERMS APPLICABLE TO AN INCENTIVE OPTION. In the event
this option is designated an Incentive Option in the Grant Notice, the following
terms and conditions shall also apply to the grant:
(i) This option shall cease to qualify for favorable tax
treatment as an Incentive Option if (and to the extent) this option is
exercised for one or more Option Shares: (A) more than three (3) months
after the date Optionee ceases to be an Employee for any reason other
than death or Permanent Disability or (B) more than twelve (12) months
after the date Optionee ceases to be an Employee by reason of Permanent
Disability.
(ii) This option shall not become exercisable in the calendar
year in which granted if (and to the extent) the aggregate Fair Market
Value (determined at the Grant Date) of the Common Stock for which this
option would otherwise first become exercisable in such calendar year
would, when added to the aggregate value (determined as of the
respective date or dates of grant) of the Common Stock and any other
securities for which one or more other Incentive Options granted to
Optionee
--------
(1/) Authorization of payment of the Exercise Price by a promissory note may,
under currently proposed Treasury Regulations, result in the loss of incentive
stock option treatment under the Federal tax laws.
7.
8
prior to the Grant Date (whether under the Plan or any other option
plan of the Corporation or any Parent or Subsidiary) first become
exercisable during the same calendar year, exceed One Hundred Thousand
Dollars ($100,000) in the aggregate. To the extent the exercisability
of this option is deferred by reason of the foregoing limitation, the
deferred portion shall become exercisable in the first calendar year or
years thereafter in which the One Hundred Thousand Dollar ($100,000)
limitation of this Paragraph 18(ii) would not be contravened, but such
deferral shall in all events end immediately prior to the effective
date of a Corporate Transaction in which this option is not to be
assumed or the Optionee's Involuntary Termination in connection with a
Corporate Transaction, whereupon the option shall become immediately
exercisable as a Non-Statutory Option for the deferred portion of the
Option Shares.
(iii) Should Optionee hold, in addition to this option, one or
more other options to purchase Common Stock which become exercisable
for the first time in the same calendar year as this option, then the
foregoing limitations on the exercisability of such options as
Incentive Options shall be applied on the basis of the order in which
such options are granted.
8.
9
EXHIBIT I
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
I hereby notify ACT Networks, Inc. (the "Corporation") that I elect to
purchase _______ shares of the Corporation's Common Stock (the "Purchased
Shares") at the option exercise price of $______ per share (the "Exercise
Price") pursuant to that certain option (the "Option") granted to me under the
Corporation's 1995 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan on _____________, 199__ .
Concurrently with the delivery of this Exercise Notice to the
Corporation, I shall hereby pay to the Corporation the Exercise Price for the
Purchased Shares in accordance with the provisions of my agreement with the
Corporation (or other documents) evidencing the Option and shall deliver
whatever additional documents may be required by such agreement as a condition
for exercise. Alternatively, I may utilize the special broker-dealer sale and
remittance procedure specified in my agreement to effect payment of the Exercise
Price.
___________________, 199_
Date
_______________________________
Optionee
Address:_______________________
_______________________________
Print name in exact manner
it is to appear on the
stock certificate: _______________________________
Address to which certificate
is to be sent, if different
from address above: _______________________________
_______________________________
Social Security Number: _______________________________
Employee Number: _______________________________
10
APPENDIX
The following definitions shall be in effect under the
Agreement:
A. AGREEMENT shall mean this Stock Option Agreement.
B. BOARD shall mean the Corporation's Board of Directors.
C. CODE shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
D. COMMON STOCK shall mean the Corporation's common stock.
E. CORPORATE TRANSACTION shall mean either of the following
stockholder-approved transactions to which the Corporation is a party:
(i) a merger or consolidation in which securities possessing
more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the
Corporation's outstanding securities are transferred to a person or
persons different from the persons holding those securities immediately
prior to such transaction, or
(ii) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the Corporation's assets in complete liquidation
or dissolution of the Corporation.
F. CORPORATION shall mean ACT Networks, Inc., a Delaware
corporation.
G. DOMESTIC RELATIONS ORDER shall mean any judgment, decree or
order (including approval of a property settlement agreement) which provides or
otherwise conveys, pursuant to applicable State domestic relations laws
(including community property laws), marital property rights to any spouse or
former spouse of the Optionee.
H. EMPLOYEE shall mean an individual who is in the employ of the
Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary), subject to the control and direction
of the employer entity as to both the work to be performed and the manner and
method of performance.
I. EXERCISE DATE shall mean the date on which the option shall
have been exercised in accordance with Paragraph 9 of the Agreement.
J. EXERCISE PRICE shall mean the exercise price per share as
specified in the Grant Notice.
A-1.
11
K. EXPIRATION DATE shall mean the date on which the option
expires as specified in the Grant Notice.
L. FAIR MARKET VALUE per share of Common Stock on any relevant
date shall be determined in accordance with the following provisions:
(i) If the Common Stock is at the time traded on the Nasdaq
National Market, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing
selling price per share of Common Stock on the date in question, as the
price is reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers on
the Nasdaq National Market or any successor system. If there is no
closing selling price for the Common Stock on the date in question,
then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price on the
last preceding date for which such quotation exists.
(ii) If the Common Stock is at the time listed on any Stock
Exchange, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price
per share of Common Stock on the date in question on the Stock Exchange
determined by the Plan Administrator to be the primary market for the
Common Stock, as such price is officially quoted in the composite tape
of transactions on such exchange. If there is no closing selling price
for the Common Stock on the date in question, then the Fair Market
Value shall be the closing selling price on the last preceding date for
which such quotation exists.
X. XXXXX DATE shall mean the date of grant of the option as
specified in the Grant Notice.
X. XXXXX NOTICE shall mean the Notice of Grant of Stock Option
accompanying the Agreement, pursuant to which Optionee has been informed of the
basic terms of the option evidenced hereby.
O. INCENTIVE OPTION shall mean an option which satisfies the
requirements of Code Section 422.
P. INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION shall mean the termination of
Optionee's Service which occurs by reason of:
(i) Optionee's involuntary dismissal or discharge by the
Corporation for reasons other than Misconduct, or
(ii) Optionee's voluntary resignation following (A) a change in
Optionee's position with the Corporation (or Parent or Subsidiary
employing Optionee) which materially reduces Optionee's level of
responsibility, (B) a
A-2.
12
reduction in Optionee's level of compensation (including base salary,
fringe benefits and participation in corporate-performance based bonus
or incentive programs) by more than fifteen percent (15%) or (C) a
relocation of Optionee's place of employment by more than fifty (50)
miles, provided and only if such change, reduction or relocation is
effected by the Corporation without Optionee's consent.
Q. MISCONDUCT shall mean the commission of any act of fraud,
embezzlement or dishonesty by Optionee, any unauthorized use or disclosure by
Optionee of confidential information or trade secrets of the Corporation (or any
Parent or Subsidiary), or any other intentional misconduct by Optionee adversely
affecting the business or affairs of the Corporation (or any Parent or
Subsidiary) in a material manner. The foregoing definition shall not be deemed
to be inclusive of all the acts or omissions which the Corporation (or any
Parent or Subsidiary) may consider as grounds for the dismissal or discharge of
Optionee or any other individual in the Service of the Corporation (or any
Parent or Subsidiary).
R. NON-STATUTORY OPTION shall mean an option not intended to satisfy
the requirements of Code Section 422.
S. NOTICE OF EXERCISE shall mean the notice of exercise in the form of
Exhibit I.
T. OPTION SHARES shall mean the number of shares of Common Stock
subject to the option as specified in the Grant Notice.
U. OPTIONEE shall mean the person to whom the option is granted as
specified in the Grant Notice.
V. PARENT shall mean any corporation (other than the Corporation) in an
unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Corporation, provided each
corporation in the unbroken chain (other than the Corporation) owns, at the time
of the determination, stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total
combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations
in such chain.
W. PERMANENT DISABILITY shall mean the inability of Optionee to engage
in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable
physical or mental impairment which is expected to result in death or has lasted
or can be expected to last for a continuous period of twelve (12) months or
more.
X. PLAN shall mean the Corporation's 1995 Stock Option/Stock Issuance
Plan.
Y. PLAN ADMINISTRATOR shall mean either the Board or a committee of
Board members, to the extent the committee is at the time responsible for the
administration of the Plan.
A-3.
13
Z. PURCHASE AGREEMENT shall mean the stock purchase agreement (in form
and substance satisfactory to the Corporation) which grants the Corporation the
right to repurchase, at the Exercise Price, any and all unvested Option Shares
held by Optionee at the time of Optionee's cessation of Service and which
precludes the sale, transfer or other disposition of any purchased Option Shares
while subject to such repurchase right.
AA. QUALIFIED DOMESTIC RELATIONS ORDER shall mean a Domestic Relations
Order which substantially complies with the requirements of Code Section 414(p).
The Plan Administrator shall have the sole discretion to determine whether a
Domestic Relations Order is a Qualified Domestic Relations Order.
AB. SERVICE shall mean Optionee's performance of services for the
Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) in the capacity of an Employee, a
non-employee member of the board of directors or a consultant or independent
advisor.
AC. STOCK EXCHANGE shall mean the American Stock Exchange or the New
York Stock Exchange.
AD. SUBSIDIARY shall mean any corporation (other than the Corporation)
in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Corporation, provided
each corporation (other than the last corporation) in the unbroken chain owns,
at the time of the determination, stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more
of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other
corporations in such chain.
AE. VESTING SCHEDULE shall mean the vesting schedule specified in the
Grant Notice, as such vesting is subject to acceleration in the event of a
Corporate Transaction.
A-4.
