SMART ONLINE, INC. NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
Exhibit
10.8
SMART
ONLINE, INC.
THIS
NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the ___ day
of
__________, 20__, by and between Smart Online, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the
“Company”),
and
_____________ (the “Participant”).
WHEREAS,
the committee appointed under the Smart Online, Inc. Equity Compensation Plan
(the “Committee”)
granted Participant an option to purchase shares of the Company’s Common Stock,
$0.0001 par value per share (the “Common
Stock”),
pursuant to the Smart Online, Inc. 2004 Equity Compensation Plan (the
“Plan”)
(capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings set out in the Plan
unless otherwise specified in this Agreement); and
WHEREAS,
this Agreement evidences the grant of such option.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, of the mutual promises set forth
below and of other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency
of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally
bound, agree as follows:
1. Grant
of Option.
The
Committee hereby grants Participant an option to purchase from the Company,
during the period specified in Section 2 of this Agreement, a total of
____________ (________) shares of Stock, at the purchase price of ____________
($_____) per share (the “Purchase
Price”),
in
accordance with the terms and conditions stated in this Agreement. The Purchase
Price represents the fair market value of the Stock on the date of this
Agreement, and under no circumstances shall the Purchase Price ever be less
than
such fair market value on the date of this Agreement. The shares of Stock
subject to the option granted hereby are referred to below as the “Shares,” and
the option to purchase such Shares is referred to below as the
“Option”.
2. Vesting
and Exercise of Option.
The
Option shall vest and become exercisable in ________ increments on the following
dates:
________________________________________________.
However,
the Option shall vest and become exercisable with respect to an increment as
specified only if Participant _________________
as
of
such date.
The
schedule set forth above is cumulative, so that Shares as to which the Option
has become vested and exercisable on and after a date indicated by the schedule
may be purchased pursuant to exercise of the Option at any subsequent date
prior
to termination of the Option. The Option may be exercised at any time and from
time to time to purchase up to the number of Shares as to which it is then
vested and exercisable.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Option shall vest and become exercisable, to the extent
not
already vested and exercisable, upon a Change of Control or a Corporate
Reorganization, if the Company shall send Participant prior written notice
of
the effectiveness of such event and the last day on which Participant may
exercise the Option. Participant may, upon compliance with all of the terms
of
this Agreement and the Plan, purchase any or all of the Shares with respect
to
which the Option is vested and exercisable on or prior to the last day specified
in such notice, and, to the extent the Option is not exercised, it shall
terminate at 5:00 P.M., eastern standard time, on the last day specified in
such
notice. The last day specified in the notice shall not be less than twenty
(20)
days after the date of the notice.
3. Termination
of Option.
The
Option shall remain exercisable as specified in Section 2 above until the
earliest to occur of the dates specified below, upon which date the Option
shall
terminate:
(a) the
date
all of the Shares are purchased pursuant to the terms of this Agreement;
(b) in
the
event of Participant’s death or disability prior to Termination of Service of
Participant, the Option shall remain exercisable until one year following the
Participant’s death or disability;
(c) upon
expiration of ninety (90) days following the Participant ceasing to have the
status of consultant to the Company, provided that in the event of the
Participant’s death or disability during such ninety (90) day period the Option
shall remain exercisable for ninety (90) days following the Participant’s death
or disability; or
(d) at
5:00
P.M., eastern standard time, on the last date specified in the notice described
in Section 2 above, in the event of a Change of Control or Corporate
Reorganization,
except
to the extent that the Option is assumed by the surviving entity or an affiliate
thereof in connection with such Change in Control or Corporate Reorganization;
or
(e) the
ten
year anniversary of the Grant Date at 5:00 P.M., eastern standard
time.
Upon
its
termination, the Option shall have no further force or effect and Participant
shall have no further rights under the Option or to any Shares which have not
been purchased pursuant to prior exercise of the Option.
4. Manner
of Exercise of Option.
(a) The
Option may be exercised only by (i) Participant’s completion, execution and
delivery to the Company of a notice of exercise and, if required by the Company,
an “investment
letter”
as
supplied by the Company confirming Participant’s representations and warranties
in Section 16 of this Agreement, including the representation
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that
Participant is acquiring the Shares for investment only and not with a view
to
the resale or other distribution thereof, and (ii) the payment to the Company,
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, of an amount equal to the Purchase
Price multiplied by the number of Shares being purchased as specified in
Participant’s notice of exercise. Participant’s notice of exercise shall be
given in the manner specified in Section 11 but any exercise of the Option
shall
be effective only when the items required by the preceding sentence are actually
received by the Company. The notice of exercise and the “investment
letter”
may
be
in the form set forth in Exhibit
A
attached
to this Agreement. Payment of the aggregate Purchase Price for Shares
Participant has elected to purchase shall be made by cash or good check.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Option may
be
exercised only if compliance with all applicable federal and state securities
laws can be effected.
(b) Subject
to the provisions of Section 3.7 of the Plan, upon any exercise of the Option
by
Participant or as soon thereafter as is practicable, the Company shall issue
and
deliver to Participant a certificate or certificates evi-dencing such number
of
Shares as Participant has then elected to purchase. Such certificate or
certificates shall be registered in the name of Participant and shall bear
the
legend specified in Section 16 of this Agreement and any legend required by
any
federal or state securities laws and by the state in which the Company is
incorporated.
5. Definitions;
Authority of Committee.
(a) A
“Change
in Control”
shall
be deemed to have occurred if, after the class of stock then subject to this
Agreement becomes publicly traded, (i) the direct or indirect beneficial
ownership (within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Act and Regulation 13D
thereunder) of fifty percent (50%) or more of the class of securities then
subject to this Agreement is acquired or becomes held by any person or group
of
persons (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Act), but excluding
the
Company and any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Company,
or
(ii) assets or earning power constituting more than fifty percent (50%) of
the
assets or earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries (taken as a whole)
is sold, mortgaged, leased or otherwise transferred, in one or more transactions
not in the ordinary course of the Company’s business, to any such person or
group of persons; provided, however, that a Change in Control shall not be
deemed to have occurred upon an investment by one or more venture capital funds,
Small Business Investment Companies (as defined in the Small Business Investment
Act of 1958, as amended) or similar financial investors. For the purposes of
this Agreement, the class of stock then subject to this Agreement shall be
deemed to be “publicly traded” if such stock is listed or admitted to unlisted
trading privileges on a national securities exchange or as to which sales or
bid
and offer quotations are reported in the automated system operated by the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
(b) A
“Corporate
Reorganization”
means
the happening of any one (1) of the following events: (i) the dissolution or
liquidation of the Company; (ii) a capital reorganization, merger or
consolidation involving the Company, unless (A) the transaction involves only
the Company and one or more of the Company’s parent corporation and
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wholly-owned
(excluding interests held by employees, officers and directors) subsidiaries;
or
(B) the shareholders who had the power to elect a majority of the board of
directors of the Company immediately prior to the transaction have the power
to
elect a majority of the board of directors of the surviving entity immediately
following the transaction; (iii) the sale of all or substantially all of the
assets of the Company to another corporation, person or business entity; or
(iv)
an acquisition of Company stock, unless the shareholders who had the power
to
elect a majority of the board of directors of the Company immediately prior
to
the acquisition have the power to elect a majority of the board of directors
of
the Company immediately following the transaction; provided, however, that
a
Corporate Reorganization shall not be deemed to have occurred upon an investment
by one or more venture capital funds, Small Business Investment Companies (as
defined in the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, as amended) or similar
financial investors.
(c) “Termination
of Service”
shall
have the meaning defined in the Plan.
(d) All
determinations made by the Committee with respect to the interpretation,
construction and application of any provision of this Agreement shall be final,
conclusive and binding on the parties.
6. Rights
Prior to Exercise.
Participant will have no rights as a shareholder with respect to the Shares
except to the extent that Participant has exercised the Option and has been
issued and received delivery of a certificate or certificates evidencing the
Shares so purchased.
7. Sale
or Other Disposition by Majority Interest.
Participant hereby irrevocably appoints the Company and its President, or either
of them, as Participant’s agents and attor-neys-in-fact, with full power of
substitution for and in Partic-ipant’s name, to sell, exchange, transfer or
otherwise dispose of all or a portion of Participant’s Shares and to do any and
all things and to execute any and all documents and instruments (including,
without limitation, any stock transfer powers) in connection therewith, such
powers of attorney not to become operable until such time as the holder or
holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of Stock of the
Company sell, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of, or contract to sell,
exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of, all or a majority of the issued
and
outstanding shares of Stock of the Company. Any sale, exchange, transfer or
other disposition of all or a portion of Participant’s Shares pursuant to the
foregoing powers of attorney shall be made upon substantially the same terms
and
conditions (including sale price per share) applicable to a sale, exchange,
transfer or other disposition of shares of Stock of the Company owned by the
holder or holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of Stock
of
the Company. For purposes of determining the sale price per share of the Shares
under this Section 7, there shall be excluded the consideration (if any) paid
or
payable to the holder or holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding
shares of Common Stock of the Company in connection with any employment,
consulting, noncompetition or similar agreements which such holder or holders
may enter into in connection with or subsequent to such sale, transfer, exchange
or other disposition. The foregoing power of attorney shall not impose or be
deemed to impose any fiduciary duty or any other duty (except as set forth
in
this Section 7) or obligation on either the Company or its President, shall
be
irrevocable and coupled with an interest and shall not terminate by operation
of
law, whether by the death, bankruptcy or adjudication of incompetence or
insanity of Participant or the occurrence of any other event.
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8. Engagement
of Participant.
Nothing
in this Agreement shall be construed as constituting a commitment, guarantee,
agreement or understanding of any kind or nature that the Company shall continue
to engage Participant as a consultant, nor shall this Agreement affect in any
way the right of the Company to terminate the engagement of Participant at
any
time and for any reason, except as otherwise provided in any written consulting
agreement between the Company and Participant.
9. Burden
and Benefit; Company.
This
Agreement shall be binding upon, and shall inure to the benefit of, the Company
and Participant, and their respective heirs, personal and legal representatives,
successors and assigns. As used in this Section 9, the term the “Company”
shall
also include any corporation which is the parent or a subsidiary of the Company
or any corporation or entity which is an affiliate of the Company by virtue
of
common (although not identical) owner-ship, and for which Participant is
providing services in any form during Participant’s employment with the Company
or any such other corporation or entity. Participant hereby consents to the
enforcement of any and all of the provisions of this Agreement by or for the
benefit of the Company and any such other corpo-ration or entity.
10.
Entire
Agreement.
This
Agreement and the Plan under which it is issued contain the entire agreement
between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes
all
prior agreements or understandings, oral or written, with respect to the subject
matter herein. Participant accepts the Option in full satisfaction of any and
all obligations of the Company to grant stock options to Participant as of
the
date hereof.
11.
Notices.
Any and
all notices under this Agreement shall be in writing, and sent by hand delivery
or by certified or registered mail (return receipt requested and first-class
postage prepaid), in the case of the Company, to its principal executive offices
to the attention of the President, and, in the case of Participant, to
Participant’s address as shown on the Company’s records.
12.
Governing
Law.
This
Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the
state in which the Company is incorporated, without reference to its conflicts
of laws rules or the principles of the choice of law.
13.
Modifications.
No
change or modification of this Agreement shall be valid unless the same is
in
writing and signed by the parties hereto.
14.
Terms
and Conditions of Plan.
The
terms and conditions included in the Plan, the receipt of a copy of which
Participant hereby acknowledges by execution of this Agreement, are
incorpo-rated by reference herein, and to the extent that any conflict may
exist
between any term or provision of this Agreement and any term or provision of
the
Plan, such term or provision of the Plan shall control.
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15.
Covenants
and Representations and Covenants of Participant.
Participant
represents, warrants, covenants and agrees with the Company as follows:
(a) The
Option is being received for Participant’s own account without the participation
of any other person, with the intent of holding the Option and the Shares
issuable pursuant thereto for investment and without the intent of
participating, directly or indirectly, in a distribution of the Shares and
not
with a view to, or for resale in connection with, any distribution of the Shares
or any portion thereof.
(b) Participant
is not acquiring the Option or any Shares based upon any representation, oral
or
written, by any person with respect to the future value of, or income from,
the
Shares, but rather upon an independent examination and judgment as to the
prospects of the Company.
(c) Participant
has had the opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from the Company
and its executive officers and to obtain all information necessary for
Participant to make an informed decision with respect to the investment in
the
Company represented by the Option and any Shares issued upon its
exercise.
(d) Participant
is able to bear the economic risk of any investment in the Shares, including
the
risk of a complete loss of the investment, and Participant acknowledges that
Participant must continue to bear the economic risk of any investment in Shares
received upon exercise of the Option for an indefinite period.
(e) Participant
understands and agrees that the Shares subject to the Option may be issued
and
sold to Participant without registration under any state or federal laws
relating to the registration of securities and in that event will be issued
and
sold in reliance on exemptions from registration under appropriate state and
federal laws.
(f) Shares
issued to Participant upon exercise of the Option will not be offered for sale,
sold or transferred by Participant other than pursuant to: (i) an effective
registration under applicable state securities laws or in a transaction which
is
otherwise in compliance with those laws; (ii) an effective registration under
the Securities Act of 1933, or a transaction otherwise in compliance with such
Act; and (iii) evidence satisfactory to the Company of compliance with all
applicable state and federal securities laws. The Company shall be entitled
to
rely upon an opinion of counsel satisfactory to it with respect to compliance
with the foregoing laws.
(g) The
Company will be under no obligation to register the Shares issuable pursuant
to
the Option or to comply with any exemption available for sale of the Shares
by
Participant without registration, and the Company is under no obligation to
act
in any manner so as to make Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act of
1933 available with respect to any sale of the Shares by
Participant.
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(h) Participant
has not relied upon the Company with respect to any tax consequences related
to
the grant or exercise of this Option, or the disposition of Shares purchased
pursuant to its exercise. Participant acknowledges that, as a result of the
grant and/or exercise of the Option, Participant may incur a substantial tax
liability. Participant assumes full responsibility for all such consequences
and
the filing of all tax returns and elections Participant may be required or
find
desirable to file in connection therewith. In the event any valuation of the
Option or Shares purchased pursuant to its exercise must be made under federal
or state tax laws and such valuation affects any return or election of the
Company, Participant agrees that the Company may determine such value and that
Participant will observe any determination so made by the Company in all returns
and elections filed by Participant. In the event the Company is required by
applicable law to collect any withholding, payroll or similar taxes by reason
of
the grant or any exercise of the Option, Participant agrees that the Company
may
withhold such taxes from any monetary amounts otherwise payable by the Company
to Participant and that, if such amounts are insufficient to cover the taxes
required to be collected by the Company, Participant will pay to the Company
such additional amounts as are required.
(i) The
agreements, representations, warranties and covenants made by Participant herein
with respect to the Option shall also extend to and apply to all of the Shares
issued to Participant from time to time pursuant to exercise of the Option.
Acceptance by Participant of any certificate representing Shares shall
constitute a confirmation by Participant that all such agreements,
representations, warranties and covenants made herein shall be true and correct
at that time.
(j) In
the
event any underwriter of securities of the Company requests Participant to
sign
any agreement restricting resale of the Shares in connection with any public
offering by the Company, Participant agrees to sign such agreement, provided
the
officers of the Company have signed an agreement no less restrictive. The
Company may instruct its transfer agent not to transfer the Shares if requested
by an underwriter as described above.
(k) Participant
hereby agrees to comply with any plan, policy or other document of the Company
approved by the Board of Directors of the Company to ensure compliance with
securities laws, rules and regulations both during the term of employment of
Participant and for one (1) year thereafter. The Company may impose
stop-transfer restrictions with respect to Shares acquired upon exercise of
the
Options to enforce this provision.
(The
remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.)
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IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Award Agreement to be
executed effective as of the day and year first above written.
SMART
ONLINE, INC.
By:_____________________________________
Print
Name:
PARTICIPANT:
_________________________________
Print
Name:
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EXHIBIT
A
Attention:
Equity Compensation Plan Committee
Smart
Online, Inc.
Xxxx
Xxxxxx Xxx 00000
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Re: Exercise
of Nonqualified Stock Option
Dear
Committee Members:
Pursuant
to the terms and conditions of that certain Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement
dated as of ____________, 20__ (the “Agreement”)
between _________ and Smart Online, Inc. (the “Company”),
I
desire to purchase _______________ Shares of the Stock of the Company and hereby
tender payment in full for such Shares in accordance with the terms of the
Agreement.
I
hereby
reaffirm that the representations and warranties made in Section 17 of the
Agreement are true and correct on the date hereof as if made on the date
hereof.
Very
truly yours,
_________________________________
Print
Name:
Date:
__________________________
