<PAGE>
Exhibit 99.4
Alteon WebSystems, Inc.
2000 Nonstatutory Equity Incentive Plan
Adopted May 25, 2000
Termination Date: None
1. Purposes.
(a) Eligible Stock Award Recipients. The persons eligible to receive Stock
Awards are the Employees and Consultants of the Company and its Affiliates who
meet the eligibility requirements of Section 5 hereof.
(b) Available Stock Awards. The purpose of the Plan is to provide a means
by which eligible recipients of Stock Awards may be given an opportunity to
benefit from increases in value of the Common Stock through the granting of the
following Stock Awards: (i) Nonstatutory Stock Options, (ii) stock appreciation
rights, (iii) stock bonuses and (iv) rights to acquire restricted stock.
(c) General Purpose. The Company, by means of the Plan, seeks to retain
the services of the group of persons eligible to receive Stock Awards, to secure
and retain the services of new members of this group and to provide incentives
for such persons to exert maximum efforts for the success of the Company and its
Affiliates.
2. Definitions.
(a) "Affiliate" means any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation of
the Company, whether now or hereafter existing, as those terms are defined in
Sections 424(e) and (f), respectively, of the Code.
(b) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(c) "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(d) "Committee" means a committee of one or more members of the Board
appointed by the Board in accordance with subsection 3(c).
(e) "Common Stock" means the common stock of the Company.
(f) "Company" means Alteon WebSystems, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
(g) "Consultant" means any person, including an advisor, engaged by the
Company or an Affiliate to render consulting or advisory services and who is
compensated for such services.
<PAGE>
(h) "Continuous Service" means that the Participant's service with the
Company or an Affiliate, whether as an Employee or Consultant, is not
interrupted or terminated. The Participant's Continuous Service shall not be
deemed to have terminated merely because of a change in the capacity in which
the Participant renders service to the Company or an Affiliate as an Employee or
Consultant or a change in the entity for which the Participant renders such
service, provided that there is no interruption or termination of the
Participant's Continuous Service. For example, a change in status from an
Employee of the Company to a Consultant of an Affiliate or a Director will not
constitute an interruption of Continuous Service. The Board or the chief
executive officer of the Company, in that party's sole discretion, may determine
whether Continuous Service shall be considered interrupted in the case of any
leave of absence approved by that party, including sick leave, military leave or
any other personal leave.
(i) "Director" means a member of the Board of Directors of the Company.
(j) "Disability" means the permanent and total disability of a person
within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.
(k) "Employee" means any person employed by the Company or an Affiliate.
Mere service as a Director or payment of a director's fee by the Company or an
Affiliate shall not be sufficient to constitute "employment" by the Company or
an Affiliate.
(l) "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(m) "Fair Market Value" means, as of any date, the value of the Common
Stock determined as follows:
(i) If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange
or traded on the Nasdaq National Market or the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, the Fair
Market Value of a share of Common Stock shall be the closing sales price for
such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on such
exchange or market (or the exchange or market with the greatest volume of
trading in the Common Stock) on the last market trading day prior to the day of
determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as
the Board deems reliable.
(ii) In the absence of such markets for the Common Stock, the Fair
Market Value shall be determined in good faith by the Board.
(n) "Nonstatutory Stock Option" means an Option not intended to qualify as
an Incentive Stock Option.
(o) "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. "Officer" also includes a person who possesses the
authority of an "officer" as that term is used in Rule 4460(i)(1)(A) of the
Rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. For purposes of
the Plan, a person in the position of "Vice President" or higher shall be
classified as an "Officer" unless the Board or Committee expressly finds that
such person does not possess
2
<PAGE>
the authority of an "officer" as that term is used in Rule 4460(i)(1)(A) of the
Rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
(p) "Option" means a Nonstatutory Stock Option granted pursuant to the
Plan.
(q) "Option Agreement" means a written agreement between the Company and
an Optionholder evidencing the terms and conditions of an individual Option
grant. Each Option Agreement shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the
Plan.
(r) "Optionholder" means a person to whom an Option is granted pursuant to
the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Option.
(s) "Participant" means a person to whom a Stock Award is granted pursuant
to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Stock
Award.
(t) "Plan" means this Alteon WebSystems, Inc. 2000 Nonstatutory Equity
Incentive Plan.
(u) "Rule 16b-3" means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or
any successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect from time to time.
(v) "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(w) "Stock Award" means any right granted under the Plan, including an
Option, a stock appreciation right, a stock bonus and a right to acquire
restricted stock.
(x) "Stock Award Agreement" means a written agreement between the Company
and a holder of a Stock Award evidencing the terms and conditions of an
individual Stock Award grant. Each Stock Award Agreement shall be subject to the
terms and conditions of the Plan.
(y) "Ten Percent Stockholder" means a person who owns (or is deemed to own
pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than ten percent
(10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company
or of any of its Affiliates.
3. Administration.
(a) Administration by Board. The Board shall administer the Plan unless
and until the Board delegates administration to a Committee, as provided in
subsection 3(c). Any interpretation of the Plan by the Board and any decision by
the Board under the Plan shall be final and binding on all persons.
(b) Powers of Board. The Board shall have the power, subject to, and
within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:
(i) To determine from time to time which of the persons eligible
under the Plan shall be granted Stock Awards; when and how each Stock Award
shall be granted; what type or combination of types of Stock Award shall be
granted; the provisions of each Stock
3
<PAGE>
Award granted (which need not be identical), including the time or times when a
person shall be permitted to receive Common Stock pursuant to a Stock Award; and
the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which a Stock Award shall
be granted to each such person.
(ii) To construe and interpret the Plan and Stock Awards granted
under it, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for its
administration. The Board, in the exercise of this power, may correct any
defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan or in any Stock Award Agreement,
in a manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or expedient to make the
Plan fully effective.
(iii) To amend the Plan or a Stock Award as provided in Section 12.
(iv) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as
the Board deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the
Company which are not in conflict with the provisions of the Plan.
(c) Delegation to Committee. The Board may delegate administration of the
Plan to a Committee or Committees of one (1) or more members of the Board, and
the term "Committee" shall apply to any person or persons to whom such authority
has been delegated. If administration is delegated to a Committee, the Committee
shall have, in connection with the administration of the Plan, the powers
theretofore possessed by the Board, including the power to delegate to a
subcommittee any of the administrative powers the Committee is authorized to
exercise (and references in this Plan to the Board shall thereafter be to the
Committee or subcommittee), subject, however, to such resolutions, not
inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as may be adopted from time to
time by the Board. The Board may abolish the Committee at any time and revest in
the Board the administration of the Plan.
4. Shares Subject to the Plan.
(a) Share Reserve. Subject to the provisions of Section 11 relating to
adjustments upon changes in Common Stock, the Common Stock that may be issued
pursuant to Stock Awards shall not exceed in the aggregate four million
(4,000,000) shares of Common Stock.
(b) Reversion of Shares to the Share Reserve. If any Stock Award shall for
any reason expire or otherwise terminate, in whole or in part, without having
been exercised in full, the stock not acquired under such Stock Award shall
revert to and again become available for issuance under the Plan. If the Company
repurchases unvested shares of Common Stock, such repurchased shares also shall
revert to and again become available for issuance under the Plan. Shares subject
to stock appreciation rights exercised in accordance with the Plan shall not be
available for subsequent issuance under the Plan.
(c) Source of Shares. The shares of Common Stock subject to the Plan may
be unissued shares or reacquired shares, bought on the market or otherwise.
4
<PAGE>
5. Eligibility.
(a) Eligibility for Stock Awards. Stock Awards may be granted to Employees
and Consultants who are not Officers, Directors or Ten Percent Stockholders at
the time of grant.
(b) Consultants.
(i) A Consultant shall not be eligible for the grant of a Stock Award
if, at the time of grant, a Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities
Act ("Form S-8") is not available to register either the offer or the sale of
the Company's securities to such Consultant because of the nature of the
services that the Consultant is providing to the Company, or because the
Consultant is not a natural person, or as otherwise provided by the rules
governing the use of Form S-8, unless the Company determines both (i) that such
grant (A) shall be registered in another manner under the Securities Act (e.g.,
on a Form S-3 Registration Statement) or (B) does not require registration under
the Securities Act in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities
Act, if applicable, and (ii) that such grant complies with the securities laws
of all other relevant jurisdictions.
(ii) Form S-8 generally is available to consultants and advisors only
if (1) they are natural persons; (2) they provide bona fide services to the
issuer, its parents, its majority-owned subsidiaries and (3) the services are
not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising
transaction, and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for
the issuer's securities.
6. Option Provisions.
Each Option shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate. The provisions of separate
Options need not be identical, but each Option shall include (through
incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the Option or otherwise) the
substance of each of the following provisions:
(a) Term. No Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10)
years from the date it was granted.
(b) Exercise Price of an Option. The Board shall determine the exercise
price of each Option.
(c) Consideration. The purchase price of Common Stock acquired pursuant to
an Option shall be paid, to the extent permitted by applicable statutes and
regulations, either (i) in cash at the time the Option is exercised or (ii) at
the discretion of the Board at the time of the grant of the Option (or
subsequently) (1) by delivery to the Company of other Common Stock, (2)
according to a deferred payment or other similar arrangement with the
Optionholder or (3) in any other form of legal consideration that may be
acceptable to the Board; provided, however, that at any time that the Company is
incorporated in Delaware, payment of the Common Stock's "par value," as defined
in the Delaware General Corporation Law, shall not be made by deferred payment.
5
<PAGE>
In the case of any deferred payment arrangement, interest shall be
compounded at least annually and shall be charged at the minimum rate of
interest necessary to avoid the treatment as interest, under any applicable
provisions of the Code, of any amounts other than amounts stated to be interest
under the deferred payment arrangement.
(d) Transferability of an Option. An Option shall be transferable to the
extent provided in the Option Agreement. If the Option does not provide for
transferability, then the Option shall not be transferable except by will or by
the laws of descent and distribution and shall be exercisable during the
lifetime of the Optionholder only by the Optionholder. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Optionholder may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in
a form satisfactory to the Company, designate a third party who, in the event of
the death of the Optionholder, shall thereafter be entitled to exercise the
Option.
(e) Vesting Generally. The total number of shares of Common Stock subject
to an Option may, but need not, vest and therefore become exercisable in
periodic installments that may, but need not, be equal. The Option may be
subject to such other terms and conditions on the time or times when it may be
exercised (which may be based on performance or other criteria) as the Board may
deem appropriate. The vesting provisions of individual Options may vary. The
provisions of this subsection 6(g) are subject to any Option provisions
governing the minimum number of shares of Common Stock as to which an Option may
be exercised.
(f) Termination of Continuous Service. In the event an Optionholder's
Continuous Service terminates (other than upon the Optionholder's death or
Disability), the Optionholder may exercise his or her Option (to the extent that
the Optionholder was entitled to exercise such Option as of the date of
termination) but only within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i)
the date three (3) months following the termination of the Optionholder's
Continuous Service (or such longer or shorter period specified in the Option
Agreement, or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option as set forth in the
Option Agreement. If, after termination, the Optionholder does not exercise his
or her Option within the time specified in the Option Agreement, the Option
shall terminate.
(g) Extension of Termination Date. An Optionholder's Option Agreement may
also provide that if the exercise of the Option following the termination of the
Optionholder's Continuous Service (other than upon the Optionholder's death or
Disability) would be prohibited at any time solely because the issuance of
shares of Common Stock would violate the registration requirements under the
Securities Act, then the Option shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the
expiration of the term of the Option set forth in subsection 6(a) or (ii) the
expiration of a period of three (3) months after the termination of the
Optionholder's Continuous Service during which the exercise of the Option would
not be in violation of such registration requirements.
(h) Disability of Optionholder. In the event that an Optionholder's
Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Optionholder's Disability, the
Optionholder may exercise his or her Option (to the extent that the Optionholder
was entitled to exercise such Option as of the date of termination), but only
within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date twelve (12)
months following such termination (or such longer or shorter period specified in
the
6
<PAGE>
Option Agreement, or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option as set forth
in the Option Agreement. If, after termination, the Optionholder does not
exercise his or her Option within the time specified herein, the Option shall
terminate.
(i) Death of Optionholder. In the event (i) an Optionholder's Continuous
Service terminates as a result of the Optionholder's death or (ii) the
Optionholder dies within the period (if any) specified in the Option Agreement
after the termination of the Optionholder's Continuous Service for a reason
other than death, then the Option may be exercised (to the extent the
Optionholder was entitled to exercise such Option as of the date of death) by
the Optionholder's estate, by a person who acquired the right to exercise the
Option by bequest or inheritance or by a person designated to exercise the
option upon the Optionholder's death pursuant to subsection 6(e) or 6(f), but
only within the period ending on the earlier of (1) the date eighteen (18)
months following the date of death (or such longer or shorter period specified
in the Option Agreement, or (2) the expiration of the term of such Option as set
forth in the Option Agreement. If, after death, the Option is not exercised
within the time specified herein, the Option shall terminate.
(j) Early Exercise. The Option may, but need not, include a provision
whereby the Optionholder may elect at any time before the Optionholder's
Continuous Service terminates to exercise the Option as to any part or all of
the shares of Common Stock subject to the Option prior to the full vesting of
the Option. Any unvested shares of Common Stock so purchased may be subject to a
repurchase option in favor of the Company or to any other restriction the Board
determines to be appropriate.
(k) Re-Load Options. Without in any way limiting the authority of the
Board to make or not to make grants of Options hereunder, the Board shall have
the authority (but not an obligation) to include as part of any Option Agreement
a provision entitling the Optionholder to a further Option (a "Re-Load Option")
in the event the Optionholder exercises the Option evidenced by the Option
Agreement, in whole or in part, by surrendering other shares of Common Stock in
accordance with this Plan and the terms and conditions of the Option Agreement.
Any such Re-Load Option shall (i) provide for a number of shares of Common Stock
equal to the number of shares of Common Stock surrendered as part or all of the
exercise price of such Option; (ii) have an expiration date which is the same as
the expiration date of the Option the exercise of which gave rise to such Re-
Load Option; and (iii) have an exercise price which is equal to one hundred
percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Re-
Load Option on the date of exercise of the original Option. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, a Re-Load Option shall be subject to the same exercise price and term
provisions heretofore described for Options under the Plan.
There shall be no Re-Load Options on a Re-Load Option. Any such Re-
Load Option shall be subject to the availability of sufficient shares of Common
Stock under subsection 4(a) and shall be subject to such other terms and
conditions as the Board may determine which are not inconsistent with the
express provisions of the Plan regarding the terms of Options.
7
<PAGE>
7. Provisions of Stock Awards other than Options.
(a) Stock Bonus Awards. Each stock bonus agreement shall be in such form
and shall contain such terms and conditions as the Board shall deem appropriate.
The terms and conditions of stock bonus agreements may change from time to time,
and the terms and conditions of separate stock bonus agreements need not be
identical, but each stock bonus agreement shall include (through incorporation
of provisions hereof by reference in the agreement or otherwise) the substance
of each of the following provisions:
(i) Consideration. A stock bonus may be awarded in consideration
for past services actually rendered to the Company or an Affiliate for its
benefit.
(ii) Vesting. Shares of Common Stock awarded under the stock bonus
agreement may, but need not, be subject to a share repurchase option in favor of
the Company in accordance with a vesting schedule to be determined by the Board.
(iii) Termination of Participant's Continuous Service. In the event a
Participant's Continuous Service terminates, the Company may reacquire any or
all of the shares of Common Stock held by the Participant which have not vested
as of the date of termination under the terms of the stock bonus agreement.
(iv) Transferability. Rights to acquire shares of Common Stock under
the stock bonus agreement shall be transferable by the Participant only upon
such terms and conditions as are set forth in the stock bonus agreement, as the
Board shall determine in its discretion, so long as Common Stock awarded under
the stock bonus agreement remains subject to the terms of the stock bonus
agreement.
(b) Restricted Stock Awards. Each restricted stock purchase agreement
shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as the Board
shall deem appropriate. The terms and conditions of the restricted stock
purchase agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and conditions
of separate restricted stock purchase agreements need not be identical, but each
restricted stock purchase agreement shall include (through incorporation of
provisions hereof by reference in the agreement or otherwise) the substance of
each of the following provisions:
(i) Purchase Price. The purchase price under each restricted stock
purchase agreement shall be such amount as the Board shall determine and
designate in such restricted stock purchase agreement.
(ii) Consideration. The purchase price of Common Stock acquired
pursuant to the restricted stock purchase agreement shall be paid either: (i) in
cash at the time of purchase; (ii) at the discretion of the Board, according to
a deferred payment or other similar arrangement with the Participant; or (iii)
in any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Board in
its discretion; provided, however, that at any time that the Company is
incorporated in Delaware, then payment of the Common Stock's "par value," as
defined in the Delaware General Corporation Law, shall not be made by deferred
payment.
8
<PAGE>
(iii) Vesting. Shares of Common Stock acquired under the restricted
stock purchase agreement may, but need not, be subject to a share repurchase
option in favor of the Company in accordance with a vesting schedule to be
determined by the Board.
(iv) Termination of Participant's Continuous Service In the event a
Participant's Continuous Service terminates, the Company may repurchase or
otherwise reacquire any or all of the shares of Common Stock held by the
Participant which have not vested as of the date of termination under the terms
of the restricted stock purchase agreement.
(v) Transferability. Rights to acquire shares of Common Stock under
the restricted stock purchase agreement shall be transferable by the Participant
only upon such terms and conditions as are set forth in the restricted stock
purchase agreement, as the Board shall determine in its discretion, so long as
Common Stock awarded under the restricted stock purchase agreement remains
subject to the terms of the restricted stock purchase agreement.
(c) Stock Appreciation Rights.
(i) Authorized Rights. The following three types of stock
appreciation rights shall be authorized for issuance under the Plan:
(1) Tandem Rights. A "Tandem Right" means a stock appreciation
right granted appurtenant to an Option which is subject to the same terms and
conditions applicable to the particular Option grant to which it pertains with
the following exceptions: The Tandem Right shall require the holder to elect
between the exercise of the underlying Option for shares of Common Stock and the
surrender, in whole or in part, of such Option for an appreciation distribution.
The appreciation distribution payable on the exercised the Tandem Right shall be
in cash (or, if so provided, in an equivalent number of shares of Common Stock
based on Fair Market Value on the date of the Option surrender) in an amount up
to the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value (on the date of the Option surrender)
of the number of shares of Common Stock covered by that portion of the
surrendered Option in which the Optionholder is vested over (B) the aggregate
exercise price payable for such vested shares.
(2) Concurrent Rights. A "Concurrent Right" means a stock
appreciation right granted appurtenant to an Option which applies to all or a
portion of the shares of Common Stock subject to the underlying Option and which
is subject to the same terms and conditions applicable to the particular Option
grant to which it pertains with the following exceptions: A Concurrent Right
shall be exercised automatically at the same time the underlying Option is
exercised with respect to the particular shares of Common Stock to which the
Concurrent Right pertains. The appreciation distribution payable on an exercised
Concurrent Right shall be in cash (or, if so provided, in an equivalent number
of shares of Common Stock based on Fair Market Value on the date of the exercise
of the Concurrent Right) in an amount equal to such portion as determined by the
Board at the time of the grant of the excess of (A) the aggregate Fair Market
Value (on the date of the exercise of the Concurrent Right) of the vested shares
of Common Stock purchased-under the underlying Option which have Concurrent
Rights appurtenant to them over (B) the aggregate exercise price paid for such
shares.
9
<PAGE>
(3) Independent Rights. An "Independent Right" means a stock
appreciation right granted independently of any Option but which is subject to
the same terms and conditions applicable to an Option with the following
exceptions: An Independent Right shall be denominated in share equivalents. The
appreciation distribution payable on the exercised Independent Right shall be
not greater than an amount equal to the excess of (a) the aggregate Fair Market
Value (on the date of the exercise of the Independent Right) of a number of
shares of Company stock equal to the number of share equivalents in which the
holder is vested under such Independent Right, and with respect to which the
holder is exercising the Independent Right on such date, over (b) the aggregate
Fair Market Value (on the date of the grant of the Independent Right) of such
number of shares of Company stock. The appreciation distribution payable on the
exercised Independent Right shall be in cash or, if so provided, in an
equivalent number of shares of Common Stock based on Fair Market Value on the
date of the exercise of the Independent Right.
(ii) Relationship to Options. Any authority to reprice Options shall
apply as well to the grant of stock appreciation rights.
(iii) Exercise. To exercise any outstanding stock appreciation right,
the holder shall provide written notice of exercise to the Company in compliance
with the provisions of the Stock Award Agreement evidencing such right. No
limitation shall exist on the aggregate amount of cash payments that the Company
may make under the Plan in connection with the exercise of a stock appreciation
right.
8. Covenants of the Company.
(a) Availability of Shares. During the terms of the Stock Awards, the
Company shall keep available at all times the number of shares of Common Stock
required to satisfy such Stock Awards.
(b) Securities Law Compliance. The Company shall seek to obtain from each
regulatory commission or agency having jurisdiction over the Plan such authority
as may be required to grant Stock Awards and to issue and sell shares of Common
Stock upon exercise of the Stock Awards; provided, however, that this
undertaking shall not require the Company to register under the Securities Act
the Plan, any Stock Award or any Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any
such Stock Award. If, after reasonable efforts, the Company is unable to obtain
from any such regulatory commission or agency the authority which counsel for
the Company deems necessary for the lawful issuance and sale of Common Stock
under the Plan, the Company shall be relieved from any liability for failure to
issue and sell Common Stock upon exercise of such Stock Awards unless and until
such authority is obtained.
9. Use of Proceeds from Stock.
Proceeds from the sale of Common Stock pursuant to Stock Awards shall
constitute general funds of the Company.
10
<PAGE>
10. Miscellaneous.
(a) Acceleration of Exercisability and Vesting. The Board shall have the
power to accelerate the time at which a Stock Award may first be exercised or
the time during which a Stock Award or any part thereof will vest in accordance
with the Plan, notwithstanding the provisions in the Stock Award stating the
time at which it may first be exercised or the time during which it will vest.
(b) Stockholder Rights. No Participant shall be deemed to be the holder
of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares of
Common Stock subject to such Stock Award unless and until such Participant has
satisfied all requirements for exercise of the Stock Award pursuant to its
terms.
(c) No Employment or other Service Rights. Nothing in the Plan or any
instrument executed or Stock Award granted pursuant thereto shall confer upon
any Participant any right to continue to serve the Company or an Affiliate in
the capacity in effect at the time the Stock Award was granted or shall affect
the right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate (i) the employment of an
Employee with or without notice and with or without cause, or (ii) the service
of a Consultant pursuant to the terms of such Consultant's agreement with the
Company or an Affiliate and any applicable provisions of the corporate law of
the state in which the Company or the Affiliate is incorporated, as the case may
be.
(d) Investment Assurances. The Company may require a Participant, as a
condition of exercising or acquiring Common Stock under any Stock Award, (i) to
give written assurances satisfactory to the Company as to the Participant's
knowledge and experience in financial and business matters and/or to employ a
purchaser representative reasonably satisfactory to the Company who is
knowledgeable and experienced in financial and business matters and that he or
she is capable of evaluating, alone or together with the purchaser
representative, the merits and risks of exercising the Stock Award; and (ii) to
give written assurances satisfactory to the Company stating that the Participant
is acquiring Common Stock subject to the Stock Award for the Participant's own
account and not with any present intention of selling or otherwise distributing
the Common Stock. The foregoing requirements, and any assurances given pursuant
to such requirements, shall be inoperative if (iii) the issuance of the shares
of Common Stock upon the exercise or acquisition of Common Stock under the Stock
Award has been registered under a then currently effective registration
statement under the Securities Act or (iv) as to any particular requirement, a
determination is made by counsel for the Company that such requirement need not
be met in the circumstances under the then applicable securities laws. The
Company may, upon advice of counsel to the Company, place legends on stock
certificates issued under the Plan as such counsel deems necessary or
appropriate in order to comply with applicable securities laws, including, but
not limited to, legends restricting the transfer of the Common Stock.
(e) Withholding Obligations. To the extent provided by the terms of a
Stock Award Agreement, the Participant may satisfy any federal, state or local
tax withholding obligation relating to the exercise or acquisition of Common
Stock under a Stock Award by any of the following means (in addition to the
Company's right to withhold from any compensation paid to
11
<PAGE>
the Participant by the Company) or by a combination of such means: (i) tendering
a cash payment; (ii) authorizing the Company to withhold shares of Common Stock
from the shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable to the participant as a
result of the exercise or acquisition of Common Stock under the Stock Award in
an amount not to exceed the minimum amount of tax required to be withheld by
law; or (iii) delivering to the Company owned and unencumbered shares of Common
Stock.
11. Adjustments upon Changes in Stock.
(a) Capitalization Adjustments. If any change is made in the Common Stock
subject to the Plan, or subject to any Stock Award, without the receipt of
consideration by the Company (through merger, consolidation, reorganization,
recapitalization, reincorporation, stock dividend, dividend in property other
than cash, stock split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of
shares, change in corporate structure or other transaction not involving the
receipt of consideration by the Company), then (i) the Plan will be
appropriately adjusted in the class(es) and maximum number of securities subject
to the Plan pursuant to subsection 4(a)(i), and (ii) the outstanding Stock
Awards will be appropriately adjusted in the class(es) and number of securities
and price per share of Common Stock subject to such outstanding Stock Awards.
The Board shall make such adjustments, and its determination shall be final,
binding and conclusive. (The conversion of any convertible securities of the
Company shall not be treated as a transaction "without receipt of consideration"
by the Company.)
(b) Change in Control. In the event of: (1) a merger or consolidation in
which the Company is not the surviving corporation or (2) a reverse merger in
which the Company is the surviving corporation but the shares of the Company's
common stock outstanding immediately preceding the merger are converted by
virtue of the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities,
cash or otherwise; (3) the transfer by any person, entity or group within the
meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act, or any comparable
successor provisions (excluding any employee benefit plan, or related trust,
sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company) of the
beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the
Exchange Act, or comparable successor rule) of securities of the Company
representing at least fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power entitled
to vote in the election of directors, or (4) a transaction or series of related
transactions involving the sale of all or substantially all of the Company's
assets then to the extent not prohibited by applicable law: then (i) any
surviving or acquiring corporation shall assume any Awards outstanding under the
Plan or shall substitute similar Awards (including an option to acquire the same
consideration paid to the stockholders in the transaction described in this
subsection 11(b)) for those outstanding under the Plan), or (ii) such Awards
shall continue in full force and effect. In the event any surviving or
acquiring corporation refuses to assume such Awards, or to substitute similar
awards for those outstanding under the Plan, then such Awards shall be
terminated if not exercised prior to such event. In the event of a dissolution
or liquidation of the Company, any Awards outstanding under the Plan shall
terminate if not exercised prior to such event.
(c) Acceleration of Vesting and Exercisability. In the event of any
transaction described in subsection 11(b)(other than a merger or consolidation
for the purpose of a change in
12
<PAGE>
domicile) and subject to any limitation set forth in an Award, with respect to
Awards held by persons whose Continuous Service has not terminated, with respect
to twenty-five percent (25%) of the shares for which such Awards are not vested
and/or exercisable as of the date immediately prior to such transaction, the
time at which such portion of the shares issuable or issued under such Awards
are vested and/or first exercisable shall be automatically be accelerated prior
to such transaction.
12. Amendment of the Plan and Stock Awards.
(a) Amendment of Plan. The Board at any time, and from time to time, may
amend the Plan. However, except as provided in Section 11 relating to
adjustments upon changes in Common Stock, no amendment shall be effective unless
approved by the stockholders of the Company to the extent stockholder approval
is necessary to satisfy the requirements of Section 422 of the Code, Rule 16b-3
or any Nasdaq or securities exchange listing requirements.
(b) Stockholder Approval. The Board may, in its sole discretion, submit
any other amendment to the Plan for stockholder approval.
(c) No Impairment of Rights. Rights under any Stock Award granted before
amendment of the Plan shall not be impaired by any amendment of the Plan unless
(i) the Company requests the consent of the Participant and (ii) the Participant
consents in writing.
(d) Amendment of Stock Awards. The Board at any time, and from time to
time, may amend the terms of any one or more Stock Awards; provided, however,
that the rights under any Stock Award shall not be impaired by any such
amendment unless (i) the Company requests the consent of the Participant and
(ii) the Participant consents in writing.
13. Termination or Suspension of the Plan.
(a) Plan Term. The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. No
Stock Awards may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after
it is terminated.
(b) No Impairment of Rights. Suspension or termination of the Plan shall
not impair rights and obligations under any Stock Award granted while the Plan
is in effect except with the written consent of the Participant.
14. Effective Date of Plan.
The Plan shall become effective upon adoption by the Board.
15. Choice of Law.
The law of the State of Delaware shall govern all questions concerning the
construction, validity and interpretation of this Plan, without regard to such
state's conflict of laws rules.
13
