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EXHIBIT 99.9
U.S. HOMECARE CORPORATION
AUTOMATIC STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
RECITALS
A. The Corporation has implemented an automatic option grant program
under the Plan pursuant to which eligible non-employee members of the Board will
automatically receive a special option grant when he or she is initially elected
or appointed to the Board in order to provide such individuals with a meaningful
incentive to continue to serve as members of the Board.
B. Optionee is an eligible non-employee Board member, and this
Agreement is executed pursuant to, and is intended to carry out the purposes of,
the Plan in connection with the automatic grant of an option to purchase shares
of Common Stock under the Plan.
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, a Non-Statutory Option to purchase up to 25,000 Option
Shares as 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, 6 or 7.
3. LIMITED TRANSFERABILITY. This option, together with the
special stock appreciation right provided under Paragraph 7(b), 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.
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, 6 or
7.
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(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, 6 or 7. In no event, however, shall
any additional Option Shares vest following Optionee's cessation of service as a
Board member.
5. CESSATION OF BOARD SERVICE. Should Optionee's service as a
Board member cease while this option remains outstanding, then the option term
specified in Paragraph 2 shall terminate (and this option shall cease to be
outstanding) prior to the Expiration Date in accordance with the following
provisions:
(a) Should Optionee cease to serve as a Board member for
any reason (other than death or Permanent Disability) while holding this option,
then the period for exercising this option shall be reduced to a twelve
(12)-month period (commencing with the date of such cessation of Board service),
but in no event shall this option be exercisable at any time after the
Expiration Date. During such limited period of exercisability, this option may
not be exercised in the aggregate for more than the number of Option Shares (if
any) in which the Optionee is vested on the date Optionee ceases service as a
Board member. Upon the earlier of (i) the expiration of such twelve (12)-month
period or (ii) the specified Expiration Date, the option shall terminate and
cease to be exercisable with respect to any vested Option Shares for which the
option has not been exercised.
(b) Should Optionee die during the twelve (12)-month period
following his or her cessation of Board service, 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 for any or
all of the Option Shares in which the Optionee is vested at the time of
Optionee's cessation of Board service (less any Option Shares purchased by
Optionee after such cessation of Board service but prior to death). Such right
of exercise shall terminate, and this option shall accordingly cease to be
exercisable for such vested Option Shares, upon the earlier of (A) the
expiration of the twelve (12)-month period measured from the date of Optionee's
death or (B) the specified Expiration Date.
(c) Should Optionee cease service as a Board member by
reason of death or Permanent Disability, then all Option Shares at the time
subject to this option but not otherwise vested shall vest in full so that the
Optionee (or the personal representative of the Optionee's estate or the person
or persons to whom the option is transferred upon the Optionee's death) shall
have the right to exercise this option for any or all of the Option Shares as
fully- vested shares of Common Stock at any time prior to the earlier of (A) the
expiration of the twelve (12)-month period measured from the date of the
Optionee's death or Permanent Disability or (B) the specified Expiration Date.
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(d) Upon Optionee's cessation of Board service for any
reason other than death or Permanent Disability, this option shall immediately
terminate and cease to be outstanding with respect to any and all Option Shares
in which the Optionee is not otherwise at that time vested in accordance with
the normal Vesting Schedule or the special vesting acceleration provisions of
Paragraph 7 or 8 below.
(e) In the event of a Corporate Transaction or Change in
Control, the provisions of Paragraph 6 or Paragraph & 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. CORPORATE TRANSACTION.
(a) In the event of any Corporate Transaction, all Option
Shares at the time subject to this option but not otherwise vested shall
automatically vest in full so that this option shall, immediately prior to the
effective date of such Corporate Transaction, become fully exercisable for all
of the Option Shares at the time subject to this option and may be exercised for
all or any portion of the Option Shares as fully-vested shares of Common Stock.
Immediately following the consummation of the Corporate Transaction, this option
shall terminate and cease to be outstanding, except to the extent assumed by the
successor corporation (or parent thereof).
(b) 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 adjustments shall also be made to the
Exercise Price, provided the aggregate Exercise Price shall remain the same.
(c) 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. CHANGE IN CONTROL/HOSTILE TAKE-OVER.
(a) All Option Shares subject to this option at the time of
a Change in Control but not otherwise vested shall automatically vest in full so
that this option shall, immediately prior to the effective date of such Change
in Control, become fully exercisable for all of the Option Shares at the time
subject to this option and may be exercised for all or any portion of such
shares as fully-vested shares of Common Stock. This option shall remain
exercisable for such fully-vested Option Shares until the earliest to occur of
(i) the Expiration Date, (ii) the sooner termination of this option in
accordance with Paragraph 5 or 6 or (iii) the surrender of the option in
connection with a Hostile Take-Over.
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(b) Provided this option has been outstanding for at least
six (6) months prior to the occurrence of a Hostile Take-Over, Optionee shall
have the unconditional right (exercisable during the thirty (30)-day period
immediately following the consummation of such Hostile Take-Over) to surrender
this option to the Corporation in exchange for a cash distribution from the
Corporation in an amount equal to the excess of (i) the Take-Over Price of the
Option Shares at the time subject to the surrendered option (whether or not
those Option Shares are otherwise at the time vested) over (ii) the aggregate
Exercise Price payable for such shares. This Paragraph 7(b) limited stock
appreciation right shall in all events terminate upon the expiration or sooner
termination of the option term and may not be assigned or transferred by
Optionee.
(c) To exercise the Paragraph 7(b) limited stock
appreciation right, Optionee must, during the applicable thirty (30)-day
exercise period, provide the Corporation with written notice of the option
surrender in which there is specified the number of Option Shares as to which
the Option is being surrendered. Such notice must be accompanied by the return
of Optionee's copy of this Agreement, together with any written amendments to
such Agreement. The cash distribution shall be paid to Optionee within five (5)
days following such delivery date, and no approval or consent of the Board shall
be required in connection with such option surrender and cash distribution. Upon
receipt of such cash distribution, this option shall be cancelled with respect
to the Option Shares subject to the surrendered option (or the surrendered
portion) and Optionee shall cease to have any further right to acquire those
Option Shares under this Agreement. The option shall, however, remain
outstanding for the balance of the Option Shares (if any) in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement, and the Corporation shall issue a new stock option
agreement (substantially in the same form as this Agreement) for those remaining
Option Shares.
8. 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.
9. SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS. The holder of this option shall not
have any shareholder 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.
10. 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:
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(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.
(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) 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
(C) 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 (a) 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 (b) to the
Corporation to deliver the certificates for the purchased
shares directly to such brokerage firm in order to complete
the sale.
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.
(b) As soon after the Exercise Date as practical, 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
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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.
11. 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.
12. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. Except to the extent otherwise
provided in Paragraph 3 or 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.
13. 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.
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.
15. GOVERNING LAW. The interpretation, performance and
enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New
York without resort to that State's conflict-of-laws rules.
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EXHIBIT I
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
I hereby notify U.S. HomeCare Corporation (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 for any Purchased Shares in which I am vested at the time of exercise of
the Option.
______________________________, 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: ____________________________
APPENDIX
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The following definitions shall be in effect under the Agreement:
A. AGREEMENT shall mean this Automatic Stock Option Agreement.
B. BOARD shall mean the Corporation's Board of Directors.
C. CHANGE IN CONTROL shall mean a change in ownership or control of the
Corporation effected through either of the following transactions:
(i) the acquisition, directly or indirectly, by any person or
related group of persons (other than the Corporation or a person that
directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common
control with, the Corporation) of beneficial ownership (within the
meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the 0000 Xxx) of securities possessing more
than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the
Corporation's outstanding securities pursuant to a tender or exchange
offer made directly to the Corporation's shareholders which the Board
does not recommend such shareholders to accept, or
(ii) a change in the composition of the Board over a period of
thirty-six (36) consecutive months or less such that a majority of the
Board members ceases, by reason of one or more contested elections for
Board membership, to be comprised of individuals who either (A) have
been Board members continuously since the beginning of such period or
(B) have been elected or nominated for election as Board members during
such period by at least a majority of the Board members described in
clause (A) who were still in office at the time the Board approved such
election or nomination.
D. CODE shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
E. COMMON STOCK shall mean the Corporation's common stock.
F. CORPORATE TRANSACTION shall mean any of the following
shareholder-approved transactions to which the Corporation is a party:
(a) a merger or consolidation in which the Corporation
is not the surviving entity, except for a transaction the principal
purpose of which is to change the state in which the Company is
incorporated;
(b) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the Corporation's assets; or
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(c) any other transaction in which substantially all of
the outstanding shares of Common Stock are exchanged for securities,
cash or other property of any other corporate or business entity.
G. CORPORATION shall mean U.S. HomeCare Corporation, a New York
corporation.
H. EXERCISE DATE shall mean the date on which the option shall have
been exercised in accordance with Paragraph 10 of the Agreement.
I. EXERCISE PRICE shall mean the exercise price per share as specified
in the Grant Notice.
J. EXPIRATION DATE shall mean the date on which the option expires as
specified in the Grant Notice.
K. 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.
(iii) If the Common Stock is listed on the Nasdaq Electronic
Bulletin Board, the Fair Market Value shall be the average of the
highest bid and lowest asked prices per share of Common Stock on the
date in question, as such prices are quoted by the National Association
of Securities Dealers on the Nasdaq Electronic Bulletin Board or any
successor system. If both bid and asked prices are not available for
the date in question, then the Fair Market Value shall be the average
of the highest bid and lowest asked prices for the last preceding date
for which such quotations exist.
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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 Non-Employee Director
Automatic Stock Option accompanying the Agreement, pursuant to which Optionee
has been informed of the basic terms of the option evidenced hereby.
N. HOSTILE TAKE-OVER shall mean a change in ownership of the
Corporation effected through the following transaction:
(i) the acquisition, directly or indirectly, by any person or
related group of persons (other than the Corporation or a person that
directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common
control with, the Corporation) of beneficial ownership (within the
meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the 0000 Xxx) of securities possessing more
than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the
Corporation's outstanding securities pursuant to a tender or exchange
offer made directly to the Corporation's shareholders which the Board
does not recommend such shareholders to accept, and
(ii) more than fifty percent (50%) of the acquired securities
are accepted from holders other than the officers and directors of the
Corporation subject to the short-swing profit restrictions of Section
16 of the 1934 Act.
O. 1934 ACT shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
P. NON-STATUTORY OPTION shall mean an option not intended to satisfy
the requirements of Code Section 422.
Q. NOTICE OF EXERCISE shall mean the notice of exercise in the form of
Exhibit I.
R. OPTION SHARES shall mean the number of shares of Common Stock
subject to the option.
S. OPTIONEE shall mean the person to whom the option is granted as
specified in the Grant Notice.
T. 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.
U. PLAN shall mean the Corporation's 1995 Stock Option/Stock Issuance
Plan.
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V. 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 Share
while subject to such repurchase right.
W. STOCK EXCHANGE shall mean the American Stock Exchange or the New
York Stock Exchange.
X. TAKE-OVER PRICE per share of Common Stock shall mean the greater of
(i) the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the date the option is
surrendered to the Corporation in connection with a Hostile Take-Over or (ii)
the highest reported price per share of Common Stock paid by the tender offeror
in effecting the Hostile Take-Over.
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