AMERICAN VANGUARD CORPORATION
Exhibit 10.23
AMERICAN VANGUARD CORPORATION
2022 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION FMV AGREEMENT
January 22, 2024
THIS INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION FMV AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), effective as of January 22, 2024 (the “date of grant”), is entered into by and between American Vanguard Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and ______________ (the “Employee”).
RECITALS
A. The Board of Directors of the Company has adopted the 2022 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Agreement shall have the meaning assigned to such terms in the Plan.
B. The Plan permits the granting of stock options, including Incentive Stock Options, to Participants to purchase shares of Common Stock in accordance with the provisions of the Plan and subject to such other terms as the Committee may determine in its sole discretion.
C. To provide the Employee with a further incentive for becoming an employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company and increasing the Employee’s efforts for the benefit of the Company and its subsidiaries, the Employee has been selected by the Committee to be an eligible Participant under the Plan and to receive an Award subject to the terms and conditions set forth below.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
In consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual covenants contained herein and other valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
(i) provided that the Employee is a full-time employee of the Company or its affiliate on the date of vesting, the Option shall vest with respect to one third (1/3) of the Option Shares on each of the first, second and third anniversary of the date of grant, that is _____ shares on January 22, 2025, ________ shares on January 22, 2026 and ______ shares January 22, 2027 (each of which, a “Vesting Date”). If Employee ceases to be a full-time employee of the Company for any reason (including, without limitation, termination for cause, termination without cause, death, disability, retirement, or resignation for any
reason) prior to the Vesting Date, then the Option shall be forfeited immediately. The vested Option shall remain exercisable until the earlier of (i) termination of the Option as provided in Section 2(b) of this Agreement or (ii) expiration of the Option Period as specified in Section 2(c) of this Agreement, and (ii) if, at any time, during the term hereof (whether or not the shares have vested), the fair market value of the Company’s common stock equals or exceeds either: (x) twenty dollars per share for ten consecutive trading days, then one-third of the shares shall become potentially exercisable, or (y) twenty five dollars per share for ten consecutive trading days, then two-thirds of the shares shall become potentially exercisable. Upon vesting of shares, as per the immediately preceding clause (i), potentially exercisable shares shall become exercisable.
3. Payment of the Exercise Price. At the time of exercise of the Option or any portion thereof, the Exercise Price of the Option Shares as to which the Option is then being exercised shall be tendered to the Company. The Exercise Price of the Option Shares shall be paid to the Company (i) in cash, certified check, bank cashier’s check or wire transfer, (ii) if requested by the Employee and permitted by the Committee in its sole discretion, by cashless means including, without limitation, the surrender to the Company of shares of previously acquired Common Stock or option for Common Stock, which shall be valued at the Fair Market Value as of the date of exercise of the Option, and (iii) if requested by the Employee and permitted by the Committee in its sole discretion, by a combination of the foregoing.
4. Option Exercise Procedure.
5. Nontransferability.
6. Withholding Taxes. The Company’s obligation to deliver the Option Shares upon the exercise of the Option shall be subject to the Employee’s satisfaction of all applicable federal, state and local tax withholding requirements. The Employee understands and agrees that the Company and/or its subsidiaries may deduct from the amount of any compensation payable to the Employee any taxes required to be withheld with respect to the Option. If the Employee sells, transfers, assigns, or otherwise disposes of any Option Shares within two (2) years after the date of grant or within one (1) year after the date of exercise, the Employee shall promptly notify the Company of such disposition, and the Company shall have the right to demand that the Employee remit to the Company and/or its subsidiaries the amounts, if any, necessary to satisfy any applicable federal, state and local tax withholding requirements imposed by reason of such disposition.
7. Limitation of Rights.
8. Rights of Stockholder. Neither the Employee nor any person claiming under or through the Employee shall be, or have any rights or privileges of, a stockholder of the Company with respect to any of the Option Shares issuable upon the exercise of the Option, unless and until the Company issues one or more certificates representing such shares.
9. Notices. Any notice to be given to the Company or the Committee under the terms of this Agreement shall be addressed to the Company at 0000 XxxXxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: 2022 Stock Incentive Plan Committee in care of the Corporate Secretary, or at such other address as the Company may hereafter designate in writing pursuant to this Section 9. Any notice to be given to the Employee shall be addressed to the Employee at the address set forth beneath the Employee’s signature hereto or the last known address on record with the Company, or at any such other address as the Employee may hereafter designate in
writing pursuant to this Section 9. Any such notice shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered personally (or by messenger) or upon receipt when enclosed in a properly sealed envelope, correctly addressed, registered or certified mail, and deposited, postage prepaid, in the U.S. mail.
10. Acknowledgement. By signing this Agreement, or by accepting or exercising any Option, the Employee acknowledges and agrees that:
11. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company and, subject to the limitations on transferability contained herein, of the heirs, executors, administrators and legal representatives of the Employee.
12. Governing Law. The validity, construction, interpretation and effect of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the provisions of the Plan unless specifically provided otherwise herein.
13. Gender. As used in this Agreement, the masculine, feminine and neuter gender and the singular or plural numbers shall be deemed to include the others whenever the context so indicates.
14. Compliance with Laws and Regulations. The Option and the obligation of the Company to sell and deliver the Option Shares shall be subject to applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations, and to such approvals by any government or regulatory agency as may be required.
15. Entire Agreement. This Agreement together with the Plan constitute the entire understanding between the parties regarding the Option and the matters herein. Any prior agreements, commitments or negotiations concerning the Option or the matters herein are superseded. This Agreement may be amended or modified only by a written agreement signed by the parties.
16. Headings. The section or subsection headings contained herein are for the purposes of convenience only and are not intended to define or limit the contents of the provisions contained therein.
17. Facsimile Signature. This Agreement may be executed by a party’s signature transmitted by facsimile, and copies of this Agreement executed and delivered by means of facsimile signatures shall have the same force and effect as copies hereof executed and delivered with original signatures. All parties may rely upon facsimile signatures as if such signatures were originals. Any party executing and delivering this Agreement by facsimile shall promptly thereafter deliver a counterpart signature page of this Agreement containing said party’s original signature.
18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank; signatures follow.]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Incentive Stock Option Agreement effective as of the date first written above.
AMERICAN VANGUARD CORPORATION, a Delaware Corporation
By:
Name:
Title:
EMPLOYEE:
[__________], as an Individual
Address:
EXHIBIT A
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
To: American Vanguard Corporation
0000 XxxXxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: 2022 Stock Incentive Plan Committee c/o Corporate Secretary
Subject: Notice of Intention to Exercise Option under the
American Vanguard Corporation 2022 Stock Incentive Plan
I am the “Employee” granted an Incentive Stock Option pursuant to the Incentive Stock Option FMV Agreement entered into with the Company dated January 22, 2024 (the “Agreement”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to such terms in the Agreement.
Pursuant to the Agreement, I hereby provide you with official notice that I elect to exercise my Option to purchase the Option Shares under the Option as follows:
Number of Option Shares:
Method of Payment:
Concurrently herewith is payment of the Exercise Price for the Option Shares and, if applicable, amounts to be withheld to satisfy any withholding taxes. I understand and agree that the determination of the Fair Market Value of the Option Shares issued on this exercise of my Option shall be made as of the day that this Notice of Exercise is received by the Company.
I further understand that this election is irrevocable once it is effective in accordance with the terms of the Agreement.
The certificate for the Option Shares should be registered and forwarded as follows:
Name on Certificate:
Address:
Signed:
Print Name:
Date: