Exhibit 99.8
SHARPER IMAGE 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 special option grants at periodic intervals over their
period of Board service 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 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
Paragraph 5, 6 or 7.
3. Limited Transferability.
(a) This option may be assigned in whole or in part
during Optionee's lifetime to one or more members of Optionee's family or to a
trust established for the exclusive benefit of one or more such family members
or to Optionee's former spouse, to the extent such assignment is in connection
with the Optionee's estate plan or pursuant to a domestic relations order. 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.
(b) Should the Optionee die while holding this
option, then this option shall be transferred in accordance with Optionee's will
or the laws of inheritance. However, Optionee may designate one or more persons
as the beneficiary or beneficiaries of this option,
and this option shall, in accordance with such designation, automatically be
transferred to such
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beneficiary or beneficiaries upon the Optionee's death while holding this
option. Such beneficiary or beneficiaries shall take the transferred option
subject to all the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including (without
limitation) the limited time period during which this option may, pursuant to
Paragraph 5, be exercised following Optionee's death.
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 at the
time 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.
(b) Optionee shall, in accordance with the Vesting
Schedule set forth in the Grant Notice, vest in the Option Shares in one or more
installments over his or her period of Board service. The Option Shares shall,
however, be subject to accelerated vesting pursuant to the provisions of
Paragraph 5, 6 or 7. In no event 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 during which this option may be exercised shall be
reduced to a twelve (12)-month period measured from 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 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 the laws of inheritance or the designated beneficiary or
beneficiaries of this option (as the case may be) shall have the right to
exercise this option for any or all of the Option Shares in which 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). Any such right to exercise this option 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.
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(c) Should Optionee cease service as a Board member
by reason of death or Permanent Disability, then any Option Shares at the time
subject to this option but not otherwise vested shall 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 or the special vesting acceleration
provisions of Paragraphs 6 and 7 below.
6. Corporate Transaction.
(a) In the event of a Corporate Transaction effected
during Optionee's period of Board service, any 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 that
Corporate Transaction, become exercisable for all of the Option Shares as fully
vested shares of Common Stock and may be exercised for any or all of those
vested shares. 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.
(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. To
the extent the actual holders of the Corporation's outstanding Common Stock
receive cash consideration for their Common Stock in consummation of the
Corporate Transaction, the successor corporation may, in connection with the
assumption of this option, substitute one or more shares of its own common stock
with a fair market value equivalent to the cash consideration paid per share of
Common Stock in such Corporate Transaction.
7. Change in Control/Hostile Take-Over.
(a) In the event of a Change in Control effected
during Optionee's period of Board service, any 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 effective date of that Change in Control,
become exercisable for all of the Option Shares as fully vested shares of
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Common Stock and may be exercised for any or all of those 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 an unconditional right,
exercisable at any time during the thirty (30)-day period immediately following
the consummation of a 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, except to the extent
the option is transferred in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
(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 at the time of the actual option surrender and cash
distribution. Upon receipt of the 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.
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. 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.
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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:
(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 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 instructions (I) 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 (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 must accompany the Notice of Exercise (or the Purchase Agreement)
delivered to the Corporation in connection with the option exercise.
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(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.
(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, the legal representatives, heirs and
legatees of Optionee's estate and any beneficiaries of this option designated by
Optionee.
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.
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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.
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 Sharper Image 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 2000 Stock Incentive Plan on _________________,
________.
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.
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Date
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Optionee
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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. Common Stock shall mean shares of the Corporation's common stock.
E. Code shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
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
(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.
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G. Corporation shall mean Sharper Image Corporation, a Delaware
corporation, and any successor corporation to all or substantially all of the
assets or voting stock of Sharper Image Corporation which shall by appropriate
action adopt the Plan.
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 and published in The Wall Street Journal. 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 and published in The Wall Street Journal. 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 the Agreement, pursuant to which Optionee has been informed
of the basic terms of the option evidenced hereby.
N. Hostile Takeover 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
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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 member of the Board 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 2000 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.
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 the Option Shares will vest in one or more
installments over the Optionee's period of Board service, subject to
acceleration in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement.
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