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EXHIBIT 99.9
SPECTRUMEDIX CORPORATION
AUTOMATIC STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
RECITALS
A. SpectruMedix Corporation has implemented an automatic option grant
program under the Corporation's 1997 Stock Incentive Plan pursuant to which
eligible non-employee members of the Corporation's Board will automatically
receive special option grants at designated intervals over their period of Board
service in order to provide such individuals with a meaningful incentive to
continue to serve as a member 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 a stock option to purchase shares of
the Corporation's Common Stock under the Plan.
C. The granted option is intended to be a non-statutory option which
does not meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code.
D. All capitalized terms in this Agreement, to the extent not otherwise
defined in the 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 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 maximum 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 may, in connection with
the Optionee's estate plan, be assigned in whole or in part during Optionee's
lifetime to one or more members of the Optionee's immediate family or to a trust
established for the exclusive benefit of one or more such family members. The
assigned portion shall be exercisable only by the person or persons who acquire
a proprietary interest in the option pursuant to such assignment. The terms
applicable to the assigned portion shall be the same as those in effect for this
option
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immediately prior to such assignment and shall be set forth in such documents
issued to the assignee as the Corporation may deem appropriate. Should the
Optionee die while holding this option, then this option shall be transferred in
accordance with Optionee's will or the laws of descent and distribution.
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 set forth in the Grant Notice, and shall
remain so exercisable until the Expiration Date or the sooner termination of the
option term under Paragraph 5, 6 or 7.
(b) Optionee shall, in accordance with the Vesting
Schedule set forth in the Grant Notice, vest in the Option Shares in a series of
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 this option
is outstanding, then the period for exercising this option shall be
limited to a twelve (12)-month period commencing with the date of such
cessation of Board service. In no event, however, 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
Optionee is vested on the date of his or her cessation of Board service.
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 and hold this
option at the time of his or her death, 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 Optionee is
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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 (i) the expiration of the twelve
(12)-month period measured from the date of Optionee's cessation of
Board service or (ii) 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 immediately
vest in full so that this option may be exercised for any or all of the
Option Shares as fully-vested shares of Common Stock at any time prior
to the earlier of (i) the expiration of the twelve (12)-month period
measured from the date of Optionee's cessation of Board service or (ii)
the specified Expiration Date, whereupon this option shall terminate and
cease to be outstanding.
(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 Optionee is not otherwise at that time
vested in accordance with the normal Vesting Schedule set forth in the
Grant Notice or the special vesting acceleration provisions of Paragraph
6 or 7 below.
6. CORPORATE TRANSACTION.
(a) In the event of a Corporate Transaction, all Option
Shares at the time subject to this option but not otherwise vested shall
automatically vest so that this option shall, immediately prior to the specified
effective date for the Corporate Transaction, become exercisable for all of the
Option Shares as fully-vested shares of Common Stock and may be exercised for
all or any portion of those fully-vested shares.
(b) 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 its parent company.
(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 adjustments shall also be made to the
Exercise Price, provided the aggregate Exercise Price shall remain the same.
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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 so that
this option shall, immediately prior to the effective date of such Change in
Control, become exercisable for all of the Option Shares as fully-vested shares
of Common Stock and may be exercised for all or any portion of those
fully-vested shares. This option shall remain exercisable for such fully-vested
Option Shares until the earliest to occur of (i) the specified Expiration Date,
(ii) the sooner termination of this option in accordance with Paragraph 5 or 6
or (iii) the surrender of this option under Paragraph 7(b).
(b) Optionee shall have the unconditional right,
exercisable at any time during the thirty (30)-day period immediately following
the consummation of a Hostile TakeOver, 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)
business days following such delivery date. The exercise of such limited stock
appreciation right in accordance with the terms of this Paragraph 7 has been
pre-approved pursuant to the express provisions of the Automatic Option Grant
Program, and neither the approval of the Plan Administrator nor the 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 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 and provisions of this Agreement, and the Corporation shall
accordingly issue a replacement stock option agreement (substantially in the
same form as this Agreement) for those remaining Option Shares.
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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 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. 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.
10. MANNER OF EXERCISING OPTION.
(a) In order to exercise this option for all or any part
of the Option Shares for which the option is at the time exercisable, Optionee
or, in the case of exercise after Optionee's death, Optionee's executor,
administrator, heir or legatee, as the case may be, 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 unvested
Option Shares.
(ii) Pay the aggregate Exercise Price for the
purchased shares shall be paid in one or more of the following
alternative forms:
(A) cash or check made payable to the
Corporation's order; or
(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 instructions (I) to a approved brokerage firm to
effect the immediate sale of the purchased shares and
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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.
(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) Except to the extent the sale and remittance procedure
is utilized in connection with the option exercise, payment of the Exercise
Price for the purchased shares must accompany the Notice of Exercise (or
Purchase Agreement) delivered to the Corporation in connection with the option
exercise.
(c) 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 endorsed
with an appropriate legend evidencing the Corporation's repurchase rights and
may be held in escrow with the Corporation until such shares vest.
(d) In no event may this option be exercised for any
fractional shares.
11. NO IMPAIRMENT OF RIGHTS. This Agreement shall not in any way
affect the right of the Corporation to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or
otherwise make changes in its capital or business structure or to merge,
consolidate, dissolve, liquidate or sell or transfer all or any part of its
business or assets. In addition, this Agreement shall not in any way be
construed or interpreted so as to affect adversely or otherwise impair the right
of the Corporation or the stockholders to remove Optionee from the Board at any
time in accordance with the provisions of applicable law.
12. 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.
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(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.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. 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.
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EXHIBIT I
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
I hereby notify SpectruMedix 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
pursuant to the automatic option grant program under the Corporation's 1997
Stock Incentive Plan on ___________ , 199 .
Concurrently with the delivery of this Exercise Notice to the
Secretary of 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 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.
______________________, 199___
Date
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Optionee
Address:
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Print name in exact manner
it is to appear on the
stock certificate:
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Address to which certificate
is to be sent, if different
from address above:
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Social Security Number:
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APPENDIX
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 stockholders, 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 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
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(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.
G. CORPORATION shall mean SpectruMedix Corporation, a Delaware
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 payable per share as
specified in the Grant Notice.
J. EXPIRATION DATE shall mean the date on which the option term 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. 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
which serves as 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 Automatic Stock Option
accompanying this Agreement, pursuant to which Optionee has been informed of the
basic terms of the option evidenced hereby.
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N. HOSTILE TAKE-OVER shall mean 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 stockholders which the Board does not recommend such
stockholders to accept.
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 perform
his or her usual duties as a Board member 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 Corporation's 1997 Stock Incentive Plan.
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 Board service and which
precludes the sale, transfer or other disposition of any purchased Option Shares
while those shares are unvested and subject to such repurchase right.
W. STOCK EXCHANGE shall mean the American Stock Exchange or the New York
Stock Exchange.
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X. TAKE-OVER PRICE 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.
Y. VESTING SCHEDULE shall mean the vesting schedule specified in the
Grant Notice, pursuant to which Optionee will vest in the Option Shares in one
or more installments over his or her period of Board service, subject to
acceleration in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement.
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