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EXHIBIT 4.1
MESSAGEMEDIA, INC.
1995 STOCK PLAN
(AS AMENDED)
1. Purposes of the Plan. The purposes of this Stock Option Plan are to
attract and retain the best available personnel for positions of substantial
responsibility, to provide additional incentive to Employees and Consultants of
the Company and its Subsidiaries and to promote the success of the Company's
business. Options granted under the Plan may be incentive stock options (as
defined under Section 422 of the Code) or nonstatutory stock options, as
determined by the Administrator at the time of grant of an option and subject to
the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code, as amended, and the
regulations promulgated thereunder.
2. Definitions. As used herein, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) "Administrator" means the Board or any of its Committees
appointed pursuant to Section 4 of the Plan.
(b) "Applicable Laws" means the requirements relating to the
administration of stock option plans under U. S. state corporate laws, U.S.
federal and state securities laws, the Code, any stock exchange or quotation
system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and the applicable laws of
any foreign country or jurisdiction where Options or Stock Purchase Rights are,
or will be, granted under the Plan.
(c) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(d) "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.
(e) "Committee" means a Committee appointed by the Board of
Directors in accordance with Section 4 of the Plan.
(f) "Common Stock" means the Common Stock of the Company.
(g) "Company" means MessageMedia, Inc., a Delaware
corporation.
(h) "Consultant" means any person who is engaged by the
Company or any Parent or Subsidiary to render consulting or advisory services
and is compensated for such services.
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(i) "Continuous Status as an Employee or Consultant" means
that the employment or consulting relationship with the Company, any Parent, or
Subsidiary, is not interrupted or terminated. Continuous Status as an Employee
or Consultant shall not be considered interrupted in the case of (i) any leave
of absence approved by the Company or (ii) transfers between locations of the
Company or between the Company, its Parent, any Subsidiary, or any successor. A
leave of absence approved by the Company shall include sick leave, military
leave, or any other personal leave approved by an authorized representative of
the Company. For purposes of Incentive Stock Options, no such leave may exceed
90 days, unless reemployment upon expiration of such leave is guaranteed by
statute or contract, including Company policies. If reemployment upon expiration
of a leave of absence approved by the Company is not so guaranteed, on the 91st
day of such leave any Incentive Stock Option held by the Optionee shall cease to
be treated as an Incentive Stock Option and shall be treated for tax purposes as
a Nonstatutory Stock Option.
(j) "Director" means a member of the Board.
(k) "Employee" means any person, including Officers and
directors, employed by the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company.
The payment of a director's fee by the Company shall not be sufficient to
constitute "employment" by the Company.
(l) "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.
(m) "Fair Market Value" means, as of any date, the value of
Common Stock determined as follows:
(i) If the Common Stock is listed on any established
stock exchange or a national market system, including without limitation the
Nasdaq National Market of the Nasdaq Stock Market its Fair Market Value shall be
the closing sales price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were
reported) as quoted on such exchange or system for the last market trading day
prior to the time of determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or
such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;
(ii) If the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a
recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, its Fair
Market Value shall be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices for the
Common Stock on the last market trading day prior to the day of determination,
or;
(iii) In the absence of an established market for the
Common Stock, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined in good faith by
the Administrator.
(n) "Incentive Stock Option" means an Option intended to
qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the
Code.
(o) "Nonstatutory Stock Option" means an Option not intended
to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
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(p) "Officer" means a person who is an officer of the Company
within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
(q) "Option" means a stock option granted pursuant to the
Plan.
(r) "Optioned Stock" means the Common Stock subject to an
Option.
(s) "Optionee" means an Employee or Consultant who receives an
Option.
(t) "Parent" means a "parent corporation", whether now or
hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.
(u) "Plan" means this 1995 Stock Option Plan.
(v) "Share" means a share of the Common Stock, as adjusted in
accordance with Section 11 below.
(w) "Subsidiary" means a "subsidiary corporation", whether now
or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.
3. Stock Subject to the Plan. Subject to the provisions of Section 11
of the Plan, the maximum aggregate number of Shares which may be optioned and
sold under the Plan is 9,000,000 Shares. The Shares may be authorized, but
unissued, or reacquired Common Stock.
If an Option expires or becomes unexercisable without having been
exercised in full, or is surrendered pursuant to an Option exchange or Option
repricing Program, the unpurchased Shares which were subject thereto shall
become available for future grant or sale under the Plan (unless the Plan has
terminated); provided, however, that Shares that have actually been issued under
the Plan shall not be returned to the Plan and shall not become available for
future distribution under the Plan, except that if unvested Shares are
repurchased by the Company at their original purchase price, such Shares shall
become available for future grant under the Plan.
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4. Administration of the Plan.
(a) Procedure.
(i) Multiple Administrative Bodies. The Plan may be
administered by different Committees with respect to different groups of
Employees, Directors and Consultants.
(ii) Section 162(m). To the extent that the
Administrator determines it to be desirable to qualify Options
granted hereunder as "performance-based compensation" within the meaning of
Section 162(m) of the Code, the Plan shall be administered by a Committee of two
or more "outside directors" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.
(iii) Rule 16b-3. To the extent desirable to qualify
transactions hereunder as exempt under Rule 16b-3 of the Securities and Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended ("Rule 16b-3"), the transactions contemplated hereunder
shall be structured to satisfy the requirements for exemption under Rule 16b-3.
(iv) Other Administration. Other than as provided above,
the Plan shall be administered by (A) the Board or (B) a Committee, which
Committee shall be constituted to satisfy Applicable Laws.
(b) Powers of the Administrator. Subject to the provisions of
the Plan and, in the case of a Committee, the specific duties delegated by the
Board to such Committee, and subject to the approval of any relevant
authorities, including the approval, if required, of any stock exchange upon
which the Common Stock or other securities of the Company are listed, the
Administrator shall have the authority, in its discretion:
(i) to determine the Fair Market Value of the Common
Stock, in accordance with Section 2(m) of the Plan;
(ii) to select the Employees, Directors and Consultants
to whom Options may from time to time be granted hereunder;
(iii) to determine whether and to what extent Options
are granted hereunder;
(iv) to determine the number of shares of Common Stock
to be covered by each such award granted hereunder;
(v) to approve forms of agreement for use under the
Plan;
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(vi) to determine the terms and conditions of any award
granted hereunder. Such terms and conditions include, but are not limited to,
the exercise price, the time or times when Options may be exercised (which may
be based on performance criteria), any vesting acceleration or waiver of
forfeiture restrictions, and any restriction or limitation regarding any Option
or the Common Stock relating thereto, based in each case on such factors as the
Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall determine;
(vii) to determine whether and under what circumstances
an Option may be settled in cash under subsection 9(f) instead of Common Stock;
(viii) to reduce the exercise price of any Option to the
then current Fair Market Value if the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock
covered by such Option has declined since the date the Option was granted;
(ix) to allow Optionees to satisfy withholding tax
obligations by electing to have the Company withhold from the Shares to be
issued upon exercise of an Option that number of Shares having a Fair Market
Value equal to the amount required to be withheld. The Fair Market Value of the
Shares to be withheld shall be determined on the date that the amount of tax to
be withheld is to be determined. All elections by an Optionee to have Shares
withheld for this purpose shall be made in such form and under such conditions
as the Administrator may deem necessary or advisable;
(x) to provide for the early exercise of unvested
Options, subject to such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the
Administrator; and
(x) to construe and interpret the terms of the Plan and
awards granted pursuant to the Plan.
(c) Effect of Administrator's Decision. All decisions,
determinations and interpretations of the Administrator shall be final and
binding on all Optionees and any other holders of any Options.
5. Eligibility.
(a) Nonstatutory Stock Options may be granted to Employees,
Directors and Consultants. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to
Employees. An Employee, Director or Consultant who has been granted an Option
may, if otherwise eligible, be granted additional Options.
(b) Each Option shall be designated in the Option Agreement as
either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option. However,
notwithstanding such designation, to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market
Value of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are
exercisable for the first time by the Optionee during any calendar year (under
all plans of the Company and any Parent or Subsidiary) exceeds $100,000, such
Options shall be treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options. For purposes of this
Section 5(b), Incentive Stock Options shall be taken into account in the order
in which they are granted. The
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Fair Market Value of the Shares shall be determined as of the time the Option
with respect to such Shares is granted.
(c) The Plan shall not confer upon any Optionee any right with
respect to the continuation of the Optionee's service to the Company as an
Employee, Director or Consultant, nor shall it interfere in any way with the
Optionee's or the Company's right to terminate the Optionee's service to the
Company at any time, with or without cause.
(d) The following limitations shall apply to grants of Options
to Employees:
(i) No Employee shall be granted, in any fiscal year of
the Company, Options to purchase more than 500,000 Shares.
(ii) The foregoing limitation shall be adjusted
proportionately in connection with any change in the Company's capitalization as
described in Section 11.
(iv) If an Option is canceled in the same fiscal year of
the Company in which it was granted (other than in connection with a transaction
described in Section 11), the cancelled Option will be counted against the limit
set forth in subsection (i) above. For this purpose, if the exercise price of an
Option is reduced, the transaction will be treated as a cancellation of the
Option and the grant of a new Option.
6. Term of Plan. The Plan shall become effective upon the earlier to
occur of its adoption by the Board of Directors or its approval by the
shareholders of the Company, as described in Section 17 of the Plan. It shall
continue in effect for a term of ten (10) years unless sooner terminated under
Section 13 of the Plan.
7. Term of Option. The term of each Option shall be the term stated in
the Option Agreement; provided, however, that the term shall be no more than ten
(10) years from the date of grant thereof. However, in the case of an Incentive
Stock Option granted to an Optionee who, at the time the Option is granted, owns
stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all
classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary, the term of the
Option shall be five (5) years from the date of grant thereof or such shorter
term as may be provided in the Option Agreement.
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8. Option Exercise Price and Consideration.
(a) Exercise Price. The per share exercise price for the
Shares to be issued pursuant to exercise of an Option shall be determined by the
Administrator, subject to the following:
(i) In the case of an Incentive Stock Option
(A) granted to an Employee who, at the time the
Incentive Stock Option is granted, owns stock representing more than ten percent
(10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent
or Subsidiary, the per Share exercise price shall be no less than 110% of the
Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.
(B) granted to any Employee other than an
Employee described in paragraph (A) immediately above, the per Share exercise
price shall be no less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date
of grant.
(ii) In the case of a Nonstatutory Stock Option, the per
Share exercise price shall be determined by the Administrator. In the case of a
Nonstatutory Stock Option intended to qualify as "performance-based
compensation" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, the per Share
exercise price shall be no less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on
the date of grant.
(iii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, Options may be
granted with a per Share exercise price of less than 100% of the Fair Market
Value per Share on the date of grant pursuant to a merger or other corporate
transaction.
(b) The consideration to be paid for the Shares to be issued
upon exercise of an Option, including the method of payment, shall be determined
by the Administrator (and, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, shall be
determined at the time of grant) and may consist entirely of (1) cash, (2)
check, (3) surrender of other Shares which (x) in the case of Shares acquired
upon exercise of an Option have been owned by the Optionee for more than six
months on the date of surrender and (y) have a Fair Market Value on the date of
surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which said
Option shall be exercised, (4) delivery of a properly executed exercise notice
together with such other documentation as the Administrator and the broker, if
applicable, shall require to effect an exercise of the Option and delivery to
the Company of the sale or loan proceeds required to pay the exercise price, or
(5) any combination of the foregoing methods of payment. In making its
determination as to the type of consideration to accept, the Board shall
consider if acceptance of such consideration may be reasonably expected to
benefit the Company.
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9. Exercise of Option.
(a) Procedure for Exercise; Rights as a Shareholder. Any
Option granted hereunder shall be exercisable at such times and under such
conditions as determined by the Board, including performance criteria with
respect to the Company and/or the Optionee, and as shall be permissible under
the terms of the Plan.
An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share.
An Option shall be deemed to be exercised when written
notice of such exercise has been given to the Company in accordance with the
terms of the Option by the person entitled to exercise the Option and full
payment for the Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised has been
received by the Company. Full payment may, as authorized by the Board, consist
of any consideration and method of payment allowable under Section 8(b) of the
Plan. Until the issuance (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of
the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company) of the stock
certificate evidencing such Shares, no right to vote or receive dividends or any
other rights as a shareholder shall exist with respect to the Optioned Stock,
notwithstanding the exercise of the Option. The Company shall issue (or cause to
be issued) such stock certificate promptly upon exercise of the Option. No
adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date
is prior to the date the stock certificate is issued, except as provided in
Section 11 of the Plan.
Exercise of an Option in any manner shall result in a
decrease in the number of Shares which thereafter may be available, both for
purposes of the Plan and for sale under the Option, by the number of Shares as
to which the Option is exercised.
(b) Termination of Employment or Consulting Relationship. In
the event of termination of an Optionee's Continuous Status as an Employee or
Consultant with the Company (but not in the event of an Optionee's change of
status from Employee to Consultant (in which case an Employee's Incentive Stock
Option shall automatically convert to a Nonstatutory Stock Option on the
ninety-first (91st) day following such change of status) or from Consultant to
Employee), such Optionee may, but only within such period of time as is
determined by the Administrator, of at least thirty (30) days, with such
determination in the case of an Incentive Stock Option not exceeding three (3)
months after the date of such termination (but in no event later than the
expiration date of the term of such Option as set forth in the Option
Agreement), exercise his or her Option to the extent that Optionee was entitled
to exercise it at the date of such termination, or to such other extent as may
be determined by the Administrator. If the Optionee does not exercise such
Option to the extent so entitled within the time specified herein, the Option
shall terminate.
(c) Disability of Optionee. In the event of termination of an
Optionee's Continuous Status as an Employee or Consultant as a result of his or
her "disability," as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, the Optionee may
exercise an Option within such period of time as is specified in the Option
Agreement to the extent the Option is vested on the date of termination (but in
no event later than the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in
the Option Agreement). In the absence of a specified time in the Option
Agreement, the Option
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shall remain exercisable for twelve (12) months following the Optionee's
termination. If, on the date of termination, the Optionee is not vested as to
the entire Option, the Shares covered by the unvested portion of the Option
shall revert to the Plan. If, after termination, the Optionee does not exercise
an Option within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate, and the
Shares covered by such Option shall revert to the Plan.
(d) Death of Optionee. In the event of the death of an
Optionee, an Option may be exercised at any time within twelve (12) months
following the date of death (but in no event later than the expiration of the
term of such Option as set forth in the Notice of Grant), by the Optionee's
estate or by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest
or inheritance, but only to the extent that the Optionee was entitled to
exercise the Option on the date of death. If, on the date of death, the Optionee
was not entitled to exercise the entire Option, the Shares covered by the
unexercisable portion of the Option shall immediately revert to the Plan. If,
after death, the Optionee's estate or a person who acquired the right to
exercise an Option by bequest or inheritance does not exercise the Option within
the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate, and the Shares covered by
such Option shall revert to the Plan.
(e) Buyout Provisions. The Administrator may at any time offer
to buy out for a payment in cash or Shares, an Option previously granted, based
on such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall establish and
communicate to the Optionee at the time that such offer is made.
10. Non-Transferability of Options. Unless determined otherwise by the
Administrator, an Option may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated,
transferred, or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of
descent or distribution and may be exercised, during the lifetime of the
Optionee, only by the Optionee. If the Administrator makes an Option
transferable, such Option shall contain such additional terms and conditions as
the Administrator deems appropriate.
11. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization or Merger.
(a) Changes in Capitalization. Subject to any required action
by the shareholders of the Company, the number of shares of Common Stock covered
by each outstanding Option, and the number of shares of Common Stock which have
been authorized for issuance under the Plan but as to which no Options have yet
been granted or which have been returned to the Plan upon cancellation or
expiration of an Option, as well as the price per share of Common Stock covered
by each such outstanding Option, shall be proportionately adjusted for any
increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock resulting
from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or
reclassification of the Common Stock, or any other increase or decrease in the
number of issued shares of Common Stock effected without receipt of
consideration by the Company; provided, however, that conversion of any
convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been "effected
without receipt of consideration." Such adjustment shall be made by the Board,
whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding and conclusive.
Except as expressly provided herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of
stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of
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any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with
respect to, the number or price of shares of Common Stock subject to an Option.
(b) Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the proposed
dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Board shall notify the Optionee
at least fifteen (15) days prior to such proposed action. To the extent it has
not been previously exercised, the Option will terminate immediately prior to
the consummation of such proposed action.
(c) Merger or Asset Sale. In the event of a merger of the
Company with or into another corporation, or the sale of substantially all of
the assets of the Company, each outstanding Option shall be assumed or an
equivalent option substituted by the successor corporation or a Parent or
Subsidiary of the successor corporation. In the event that the successor
corporation refuses to assume or substitute for the Option, the Optionee shall
fully vest in and have the right to exercise the Option as to all of the
Optioned Stock, including Shares as to which it would not otherwise be vested or
exercisable. If an Option becomes fully vested and exercisable in lieu of
assumption or substitution in the event of a merger or sale of assets, the
Administrator shall notify the Optionee in writing or electronically that the
Option shall be fully vested and exercisable for a period of fifteen (15) days
from the date of such notice, and the Option shall terminate upon the expiration
of such period. For the purposes of this paragraph, the Option shall be
considered assumed if, following the merger or sale of assets, the option
confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share of Optioned Stock
subject to the Option immediately prior to the merger or sale of assets, the
consideration (whether stock, cash, or other securities or property) received in
the merger or sale of assets by holders of Common Stock for each Share held on
the effective date of the transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of
consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of
the outstanding Shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received
in the merger or sale of assets is not solely common stock of the successor
corporation or its Parent, the Administrator may, with the consent of the
successor corporation, provide for the consideration to be received upon the
exercise of the Option, for each Share of Optioned Stock subject to the Option,
to be solely common stock of the successor corporation or its Parent equal in
fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Common
Stock in the merger or sale of assets.
12. Time of Granting Options. The date of grant of an Option shall, for
all purposes, be the date on which the Administrator makes the determination
granting such Option, or such other date as is determined by the Board. Notice
of the determination shall be given to each Employee or Consultant to whom an
Option is so granted within a reasonable time after the date of such grant.
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13. Amendment and Termination of the Plan.
(a) Amendment and Termination. The Board may at any time
amend, alter, suspend or terminate the Plan.
(b) Shareholder Approval. The Company shall obtain shareholder
approval of any Plan amendment to the extent necessary and desirable to comply
with Applicable Laws.
(c) Effect of Amendment or Termination. No amendment,
alteration, suspension or termination of the Plan shall impair the rights of any
Optionee, unless mutually agreed otherwise between the Optionee and the
Administrator, which agreement must be in writing and signed by the Optionee and
the Company. Termination of the Plan shall not affect the Administrator's
ability to exercise the powers granted to it hereunder with respect to Options
granted under the Plan prior to the date of such termination.
14. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares. Shares shall not be issued
pursuant to the exercise of an Option unless the exercise of such Option and the
issuance and delivery of such Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all
relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Shares may
then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the
Company with respect to such compliance.
As a condition to the exercise of an Option, the Company may
require the person exercising such Option to represent and warrant at the time
of any such exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and
without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the
opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required.
15. Reservation of Shares. The Company, during the term of this Plan,
shall at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as shall be
sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.
The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any
regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company's
counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder,
shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or
sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been
obtained.
16. Agreements. Options shall be evidenced by written agreements in
such form as the Board shall approve from time to time.
17. Shareholder Approval. Continuance of the Plan shall be subject to
approval by the shareholders of the Company within twelve (12) months before or
after the date the Plan is adopted. Such shareholder approval shall be obtained
in the degree and manner required under applicable state and federal law and the
rules of any stock exchange upon which the Common Stock is listed.
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