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EXHIBIT 10.26
ADKNOWLEDGE 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 in the service of 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
Paragraphs 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, in connection
with Optionee's estate plan, be assigned in whole or in part during Optionee's
lifetime to one or more members of 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 immediately prior to such assignment and shall be set forth in such
documents issued to the assignee as the Plan Administrator may deem appropriate.
4. DATES OF EXERCISE. This option shall become exercisable for
the Option Shares in one or more installments as specified in the Grant Notice.
As the option becomes exercisable for such installments, those installments
shall accumulate, and the option shall remain exercisable for the accumulated
installments until the Expiration Date or sooner termination of the option term
under Paragraphs 5 or 6.
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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:
(a) Should Optionee cease to remain in Service for any
reason (other than death, Disability or Misconduct) while this option is
outstanding, then the period for which this option shall remain exercisable
shall be reduced to a three (3)-month period commencing with the date of such
cessation of Service, but in no event shall this option be exercisable at any
time after the Expiration Date.
(b) Should Optionee die while holding this option, 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 inheritance shall have the right to exercise this option. Such right
shall lapse, and this option shall cease to be outstanding, upon the earlier of
(i) the expiration of the six (6)-month period measured from the date of
Optionee's death or (ii) the Expiration Date.
(c) Should Optionee cease Service by reason of Disability
while this option is outstanding, then the period during which this option shall
remain exercisable shall be reduced to a six (6)-month period commencing with
the date of such cessation of Service. In no event, however, shall this option
be exercisable at any time after the Expiration Date.
Note: Exercise of this option on a date later than three (3) months
following cessation of Service due to Disability will result in loss
of favorable Incentive Option treatment, unless such Disability
constitutes Permanent Disability. In the event that Incentive Option
treatment is not available, this option will be taxed as a
Non-Statutory Option upon exercise.
(d) During the limited period of post-Service
exercisability, 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 pursuant to the Vesting Schedule specified in the
Grant Notice or the special vesting acceleration provisions of Paragraph 6. 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.
(e) Should Optionee's Service be terminated for Misconduct,
then this option shall terminate immediately and cease to remain outstanding.
6. CORPORATE TRANSACTION.
(a) The Plan does not provide for automatic acceleration of
unvested shares in the event of a Corporate Transaction. In the event of a
Corporate Transaction, all Incentive Options shall be assumed or equivalent
options shall be substituted by the successor
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corporation (or other entity) or a parent or subsidiary of such successor
corporation (or other entity). If such successor does not agree to assume the
Incentive Options or to substitute equivalent options therefor, unless the Plan
Administration shall determine otherwise, such options will expire upon such
event.
(b) In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation
of the Company, the Plan Administrator shall notify each Optionee at least
thirty (30) days prior to such proposed action. To the extent not previously
exercised, all Incentive Options will terminate immediately prior to
consummation of such proposed action.
(c) Each option which is assumed in connection with a
Corporate Transaction shall be appropriately adjusted, immediately after such
Corporate Transaction, to apply to the number and class of securities which
would have been issuable to the Optionee in consummation of such Corporate
Transaction, had the option been exercised immediately prior to such Corporate
Transaction. Appropriate adjustments shall also be made to (i) the number and
class of securities available for issuance under the Plan following the
consummation of such Corporate Transaction and (ii) the exercise price payable
per share under each outstanding option, provided the aggregate exercise price
payable for such securities shall remain the same.
(d) The grant of options under the Plan shall in no 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. 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 the record holder
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:
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(i) Execute and deliver to the Corporation a Purchase
Agreement for the Option Shares for which the option is exercised.
(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; or
(B) a promissory note payable to the
Corporation, but only to the extent authorized by the Plan Administrator
in accordance with Paragraph 14.
Should the Common Stock be registered under Section 12 of the 1934
Act at the time the option is exercised, then the Exercise Price may also
be paid as follows:
(C) in 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 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 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) Execute and deliver to the Corporation such
written representations as may be requested by the Corporation in order
for it to comply with the applicable requirements of Federal and state
securities laws.
(v) Make appropriate arrangements with the Corporation
(or Parent or Subsidiary employing or retaining Optionee) for the
satisfaction of all Federal,
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state and local income and employment tax withholding requirements
applicable to the option exercise.
(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.
(c) In no event may this option be exercised for any
fractional shares.
10. REPURCHASE RIGHTS. ALL OPTION SHARES ACQUIRED UPON THE
EXERCISE OF THIS OPTION SHALL BE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RIGHTS OF THE CORPORATION
AND ITS ASSIGNS TO REPURCHASE THOSE SHARES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS
SPECIFIED IN THE PURCHASE AGREEMENT.
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 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.
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. 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 full-recourse,
interest-bearing promissory note secured by those Option Shares. The payment
schedule in effect for any such promissory note shall be established by the Plan
Administrator in its sole discretion.
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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. 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.
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.
17. SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL. If the Option Shares covered by this
Agreement exceed, as of the Grant Date, the number of shares of Common Stock
which may be issued under the Plan as last approved by the shareholders, then
this option shall be void with respect to such excess shares, unless shareholder
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.
18. 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:
(a) 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: (i) more than three (3) months after the date
Optionee ceases to be an Employee for any reason other than death or Permanent
Disability or (ii) more than six (6) months after the date Optionee ceases to be
an Employee by reason of Permanent Disability.
(b) 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 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(b)
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, whereupon the option shall become immediately exercisable as
a Non-Statutory Option for the deferred portion of the Option Shares.
(c) 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.
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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
shareholder-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 AdKnowledge Inc., a California corporation.
G. DISABILITY shall mean the inability of Optionee to engage in any
substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or
mental impairment and shall be determined by the Plan Administrator on the basis
of such medical evidence as the Plan Administrator deems warranted under the
circumstances. Disability shall be deemed to constitute PERMANENT DISABILITY in
the event that such Disability 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.
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 payable per Option
Share as specified in the Grant Notice.
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:
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(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
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 at the time neither listed on any
Stock Exchange nor traded on the Nasdaq National Market, then the Fair
Market Value shall be determined by the Plan Administrator after taking
into account such factors as the Plan Administrator shall deem
appropriate.
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. 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).
Q. 1934 ACT shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
R. NON-STATUTORY OPTION shall mean an option not intended to satisfy
the requirements of Code Section 422.
S. OPTION SHARES shall mean the number of shares of Common Stock
subject to the option.
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T. OPTIONEE shall mean the person to whom the option is granted as
specified in the Grant Notice.
U. 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.
V. PLAN shall mean the Corporation's 1998 Stock Option/Stock Issuance
Plan.
W. PLAN ADMINISTRATOR shall mean either the Board or a committee of the
Board acting in its capacity as administrator of the Plan.
X. PURCHASE AGREEMENT shall mean the stock purchase agreement in
substantially the form of Exhibit B to the Grant Notice.
Y. SERVICE shall mean the 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 an independent consultant.
Z. STOCK EXCHANGE shall mean the American Stock Exchange or the New
York Stock Exchange.
AA. 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.
AB. VESTING SCHEDULE shall mean the vesting schedule specified in the
Grant Notice pursuant to which the Optionee is to vest in the Option Shares in a
series of installments over his or her period of Service.
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