<PAGE> 1
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 25, 1998
Registration No. 333-
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================================================================================
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
------------------
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
------------------------------
RESOUND CORPORATION
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
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CALIFORNIA 77-0019588
(State or other jurisdiction (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization) Identification Number)
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220 SAGINAW DRIVE
SEAPORT CENTRE
REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA 94063
(650) 780-7800
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
of Registrant's principal executive offices)
------------------------------
1992 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
(Full title of the plan)
------------------------------
RUSSELL D. HAYS
President and Chief Executive Officer
ReSound Corporation
220 Saginaw Drive
Seaport Centre
Redwood City, California 94063
(650) 780-7800
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area
code, of agent for service)
------------------------------
Copies to:
ELIAS J. BLAWIE
LAURA A. GORDON
VENTURE LAW GROUP
A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
2800 SAND HILL ROAD
MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA 94025
(650) 854-4488
(Calculation of Registration Fee on following page)
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<PAGE> 2
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CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Proposed Proposed
Maximum Maximum Maximum Amount of
Amount to be Offering Price Aggregate Registration
Title of Securities to be Registered Registered(1) Per Share Offering Price Fee
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
1992 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
Common Stock,
$0.01 par value................... 200,000 $5.445 $1,089,000 $321.26
</TABLE>
- ----------
(1) This Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of
Common Stock which become issuable under the Plan being registered
pursuant to this Registration Statement by reason of any stock dividend,
stock split, recapitalization or any other similar transaction effected
without the receipt of consideration which results in an increase in the
number of the Registrant's outstanding shares of Common Stock.
(2) Estimated in accordance with Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of
1933 (the "Securities Act") solely for the purpose of calculating the
registration fee. The computation is based upon the average high and low
sale prices of the Registrant's Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq
National Market on June 22, 1998, multiplied by 85%, which is the
percentage of the trading purchase price applicable to purchases under
the referenced Plan.
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<PAGE> 3
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.
The following documents filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") are hereby incorporated by reference:
(a) The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1997 pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), which contains audited financial
statements for the Registrant's latest fiscal year for which such statements
have been filed.
(b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act since the end of the fiscal year covered by the Annual Report
referred to in (a) above.
(c) Items 1 and 2 of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form
8-A filed on July 7, 1994 pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act. Also Items
1 and 2 of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on March 3,
1993 pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act.
All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have
been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be
deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be
part hereof from the date of filing such documents.
Item 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES. Not applicable.
Item 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL. Not applicable.
Item 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
The Registrant's Articles of Incorporation reduce the liability of a
director to the corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for
breaches of his or her fiduciary duty of care to the fullest extent permissible
under California law. The Bylaws of the Registrant further provide for
indemnification of corporate agents to the maximum extent permitted by the
California General Corporation Law. In addition, the Registrant has entered into
Indemnification Agreements with its officers and directors.
Item 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED. Not applicable.
Item 8. EXHIBITS.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit
Number
------
<S> <C>
4.1 1992 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended to date
5.1 Opinion of Venture Law Group, A Professional Corporation
23.1 Consent of Venture Law Group, A Professional Corporation
(included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.2 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors
24.1 Power of Attorney (see p. 6)
</TABLE>
Item 9. UNDERTAKINGS.
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The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement to include any
material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously
disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such
information in the registration statement.
(2) that, for purposes of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.
(3) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
Insofar as the indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in a successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered hereunder, the Registrant will,
unless in the opinion of its counsel the question has already been settled by
controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the
question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication
of such issue.
[Signature Pages Follow]
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant, ReSound Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the
laws of the State of California, certifies that it has reasonable grounds to
believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has
duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Redwood City, State of
California, on June 25, 1998.
ReSound Corporation
By: /s/ Russell D. Hays
------------------------------------
Russell D. Hays
President, Chief Executive Officer
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POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints Russell D. Hays and Arthur Taylor,
jointly and severally, his or her attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with the
power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name,
place or stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to this
Registration Statement on Form S-8, and to file such amendments, together with
exhibits and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, granting to each attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully as he or she might or could do in
person, and ratifying and confirming all that the attorney-in-facts and agents,
or his or her substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Signature Title Date
--------- ----- ----
<S> <C> <C>
/s/Russell D. Hays President, Chief Executive Officer June 25, 1998
- ------------------------- and Director (Principal
Russell D. Hays Executive Officer)
/s/Arthur Taylor Vice President, Finance and Chief June 25, 1998
- ------------------------- Financial Officer (Principal
Arthur Taylor Financial and Accounting Officer)
/s/Richard L. Goode Director June 25, 1998
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Richard L. Goode
/s/Eugene Kleiner Director June 25, 1998
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Eugene Kleiner
/s/Rodney Perkins, M.D. Director June 25, 1998
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Rodney Perkins, M.D.
/s/Philip S. Schlein Director June 25, 1998
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Philip S. Schlein
/s/Robert C. Wilson Director June 25, 1998
- -------------------------
Robert C. Wilson
</TABLE>
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INDEX TO EXHIBITS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit
Number
------
<S> <C>
4.1 1992 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended to date
5.1 Opinion of Venture Law Group, A Professional Corporation
23.1 Consent of Venture Law Group, A Professional Corporation
(included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.2 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors
24.1 Powers of Attorney (see p. 6)
</TABLE>
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 4.1
RESOUND CORPORATION
1992 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
(as amended through May 21, 1998)
The following constitute the provisions of the 1992 Employee Stock
Purchase Plan of ReSound Corporation.
1. Purpose. The purpose of the Plan is to provide employees of the
Company and its Designated Subsidiaries with an opportunity to purchase Common
Stock of the Company. It is the intention of the Company to have the Plan
qualify as an "Employee Stock Purchase Plan" under Section 423 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The provisions of the Plan shall, accordingly,
be construed so as to extend and limit participation in a manner consistent with
the requirements of that section of the Code.
2. Definitions.
(a) "Board" shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
(b) "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.
(c) "Common Stock" shall mean the Common Stock, $0.01 par value,
of the Company.
(d) "Company" shall mean ReSound Corporation, a California
corporation.
(e) "Compensation" shall mean all regular straight time gross
earnings and sales commissions, exclusive of any payments for overtime, shift
premium, other incentive compensation or payments, or bonuses.
(f) "Continuous Status as an Employee" shall mean the absence of
any interruption or termination of service as an Employee. Continuous Status as
an Employee shall not be considered interrupted in the case of a leave of
absence agreed to in writing by the Company, provided that such leave is for a
period of not more than 90 days or reemployment upon the expiration of such
leave is guaranteed by contract or statute.
(g) "Contributions" shall mean all amounts credited to the
account of a participant pursuant to the Plan.
(h) "Designated Subsidiaries" shall mean the Subsidiaries that
have been designated by the Board from time to time in its sole discretion as
eligible to participate in the Plan.
(i) "Employee" shall mean any person, including an officer, who
is customarily employed for at least twenty (20) hours per week and more than
five (5) months in a calendar year by the Company or one of its Designated
Subsidiaries.
<PAGE> 2
(j) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.
(k) "Exercise Date" shall mean the last day of each Offering
Period of the Plan.
(l) "Offering Date" shall mean the first business day of each
Offering Period of the Plan, except that in the case of an individual who
becomes an eligible Employee after the first business day of an Offering Period
but prior to the first business day of the last calendar quarter of such
Offering Period, the term "Offering Date" shall mean the first business day of
the calendar quarter coinciding with or next succeeding the day on which that
individual becomes an eligible Employee.
Options granted after the first business day of an
Offering Period will be subject to the same terms as the options granted on the
first business day of such Offering Period except that they will have a
different grant date (thus, potentially, a different exercise price) and,
because they expire at the same time as the options granted on the first
business day of such Offering Period, a shorter term.
(m) "Offering Period" shall mean a period of six (6) months.
(n) "Plan" shall mean this 1992 Employee Stock Purchase
Plan.
(o) "Subsidiary" shall mean a corporation, domestic or foreign,
of which not less than 50% of the voting shares are held by the Company or a
Subsidiary, whether or not such corporation now exists or is hereafter organized
or acquired by the Company or a Subsidiary.
3. Eligibility.
(a) Any person who has been continuously employed as an Employee
for three (3) months as of the Offering Date of a given Offering Period shall be
eligible to participate in such Offering Period under the Plan, provided that
such person was not eligible to participate in such Offering Period as of any
prior Offering Date, and further, subject to the requirements of Section 5(a)
and the limitations imposed by Section 423(b) of the Code.
(b) Any provisions of the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding,
no Employee shall be granted an option under the Plan (i) if, immediately after
the grant, such Employee (or any other person whose stock would be attributed to
such Employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) would own stock and/or
hold outstanding options to purchase stock possessing five percent (5%) or more
of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the
Company or of any subsidiary of the Company, or (ii) if such option would permit
his or her rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase plans
(described in Section 423 of the Code) of the Company and its Subsidiaries to
accrue at a rate which exceeds Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000) of fair
market value of such stock (determined at the time such option is granted) for
each calendar year in which such option is outstanding at any time.
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<PAGE> 3
4. Offering Periods. The Plan shall be implemented by a series of
Offering Periods, with new Offering Periods commencing on or about January 1 and
July 1 of each year (or at such other time or times as may be determined by the
Board of Directors, consistent with the Company's fiscal quarters). The first
Offering Period shall commence on July 1, 1993 or on such other date the Board
shall determine. The Plan shall continue until terminated in accordance with
Section 19 hereof. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the power to
change the duration and/or the frequency of Offering Periods with respect to
future offerings without shareholder approval if such change is announced at
least fifteen (15) days prior to the scheduled beginning of the first Offering
Period to be affected.
5. Participation.
(a) An eligible Employee may become a participant in the Plan by
completing a subscription agreement on the form provided by the Company and
filing it with the Company's Human Resources, Department prior to the applicable
Offering Date, unless a later time for filing the subscription agreement is set
by the Board for all eligible Employees with respect to a given offering. The
subscription agreement shall set forth the percentage of the participant's
Compensation (which shall be not less than 1% and not more than 10%, subject to
the limitations of Section 7 below) to be paid as Contributions pursuant to the
Plan.
(b) Payroll deductions shall commence on the first payroll
following the Offering Date and shall end on the last payroll paid on or prior
to the Exercise Date of the offering to which the subscription agreement is
applicable, unless sooner terminated by the participant as provided in Section
10.
6. Method of Payment of Contributions.
(a) The participant shall elect to have payroll deductions made
on each payday during the Offering Period in an amount not less than one percent
(1%) and not more than ten percent (10%) of such participant's Compensation on
each such payday. All payroll deductions made by a participant shall be credited
to his or her account under the Plan. A participant may not make any additional
payments into such account.
(b) A participant may discontinue his or her participation in the
Plan as provided in Section 10, or, on one occasion only during the Offering
Period, may increase or decrease the rate of his or her Contributions during the
Offering Period by completing and filing with the Company a new subscription
agreement. The change in rate shall be effective as of the beginning of the
calendar quarter following the date of filing of the new subscription agreement.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to
comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Section 3(b) herein, a
participant's payroll deductions may be decreased to 0% during any Offering
Period that is scheduled to end during the current calendar year at such time as
the aggregate of all payroll deductions accumulated with respect to such
Offering Period and any other Offering Period ending within the same calendar
year equal the lesser of (i) $21,250 or (ii) such other dollar limit as the
Board shall have fixed prior to the commencement of the Offering Period. Payroll
deductions shall re-commence at the rate
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<PAGE> 4
provided in such participant's subscription Agreement at the beginning of the
first Offering Period that is scheduled to end in the following calendar year,
unless terminated by the participant as provided in Section 10.
7. Grant of Option.
(a) On the Offering Date of each Offering Period,, each eligible
Employee participating in such Offering Period shall be granted an option to
purchase on the Exercise Date a number of shares of the Company's Common Stock
determined by dividing such Employee's Contributions accumulated prior to such
Exercise Date and retained in the participant's account as-of the Exercise Date
by the lower of (i) eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of a
share of the Company's Common Stock on the Offering Date, or (ii) eighty-five
percent (85%) of the fair market value of a share of the Company's Common Stock
on the Exercise Date; provided however, that the maximum number of shares an
Employee may purchase during each Offering Period shall be determined at the
Offering Date by dividing $12,500 (or such lesser number as the Board shall have
fixed prior to the Offering Period) by the fair market value of a share of the
Company's Common Stock on the Offering Date, and provided further that such
purchase shall be subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 12.
The fair market value of a share of the Company's Common Stock shall be
determined as provided in Section 7(b).
(b) The option price per share of the shares offered in a given
Offering Period shall be the lower of: (i) 85% of the fair market value of a
share of the Common Stock of the Company on the Offering Date; or (ii) 85% of
the fair market value of a share of the Common Stock of the Company on the
Exercise Date. The fair market value of the Company's Common Stock on a given
date shall be determined by the Board in its discretion based on the closing
price of the Common Stock for such date (or, in the event that the Common Stock
is not traded on such date, on the immediately preceding trading date), as
reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation
(NASDAQ) National Market System or, if such price is not reported, the mean of
the bid and asked prices per share of the Common Stock as reported by NASDAQ or,
in the event the Common Stock is listed on a stock exchange, the fair market
value per share shall be the closing price on such exchange on such date (or, in
the event that the Common Stock is not traded on such date, on the immediately
preceding trading date), as reported in The Wall Street Journal.
8. Exercise of Option. Unless a participant withdraws from the Plan as
provided in paragraph 10, his or her option for the purchase of shares will be
exercised automatically on the Exercise Date of the Offering Period, and the
maximum number of full shares subject to option will be purchased at the
applicable option price with the accumulated Contributions in his or her
account. The shares purchased upon exercise of an option hereunder shall be
deemed to be transferred to the participant on the Exercise Date. During his or
her lifetime, a participant's option to purchase shares hereunder is exercisable
only by him or her.
9. Delivery. As promptly as practicable after the Exercise Date of each
Offering Period, the Company shall arrange the delivery to each participant, as
appropriate, of a certificate representing the shares purchased upon exercise of
his or her option. Any cash remaining to the
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credit of a participant's account under the Plan after a purchase by him or her
of shares at the termination of each Offering Period, or which is insufficient
to purchase a full share of Common Stock of the Company, shall be returned to
said participant.
10. Withdrawal; Termination of Employment.
(a) A participant may withdraw all but not less than all the
Contributions credited to his or her account under the Plan at any time prior to
the Exercise Date of the Offering Period by giving written notice to the
Company. All of the participant's Contributions credited to his or her account
will be paid to him or her promptly after receipt of his or her notice of
withdrawal and his or her option for the current period will be automatically
terminated, and no further Contributions for the purchase of shares will be made
during the Offering Period.
(b) Upon termination of the participant's Continuous Status as an
Employee prior to the Exercise Date of the Offering Period for any reason,
including retirement or death, the Contributions credited to his or her account
will be returned to him or her or, in the case of his or her death, to the
person or persons entitled thereto under Section 14, and his or her option will
be automatically terminated.
(c) In the event an Employee fails to remain in Continuous Status
as an Employee of the Company for at least twenty (20) hours per week during the
Offering Period in which the employee is a participant, he or she will be deemed
to have elected to withdraw from the Plan and the Contributions credited to his
or her account will be returned to him or her and his or her option terminated.
(d) A participant's withdrawal from an offering will not have any
effect upon his or her eligibility to participate in a succeeding offering or in
any similar plan which may hereafter be adopted by the Company.
11. Interest. No interest shall accrue on the Contributions of a
participant in the Plan.
12. Stock.
(a) The maximum number of shares of the Company's Common Stock
that shall be made available for sale under the Plan shall be 600,000 shares,
subject to adjustment upon changes in capitalization of the Company as provided
in Section 18. If the total number of shares that would otherwise be subject to
options ,granted pursuant to Section 7(a) on the Offering Date of an Offering
Period exceeds the number of shares then available under the Plan (after
deduction of all shares for which options have been exercised or are then
outstanding), the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the shares
remaining available for option grant in as uniform a manner as shall be
practicable and as it shall determine to be equitable. In such event, the
Company shall give written notice of such reduction of the number of shares
subject to the option to each Employee affected thereby and shall similarly
reduce the rate of Contributions, if necessary.
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<PAGE> 6
(b) The participant will have no interest or voting right in
shares covered by his or her option until such option has been exercised.
(c) Shares to be delivered to a participant under the Plan will
be registered in the name of the participant or in the name of the participant
and his or her spouse.
13. Administration. The Board, or a committee named by the Board, shall
supervise and administer the Plan and shall have full power to adopt, amend or
rescind such rules as it deems desirable and appropriate for the administration
of the Plan and not inconsistent with the Plan, to construe and interpret the
Plan, and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for the
administration of the Plan. The composition of the committee and the scope of
its authority shall be in accordance with the requirements to obtain or retain
any available exemption from the operation of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act
pursuant to Rule 16b-3 promulgated thereunder.
14. Designation of Beneficiary.
(a) A participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary
who is to receive any shares and cash, if any, from the participant's account
under the Plan in the event of such participant's death subsequent to the end of
the Offering Period but prior to delivery to him or her of such shares and cash.
In addition, a participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who
is to receive any cash from the participant's account under the Plan in the
event of such participant's death prior to the Exercise Date of the Offering
Period. If a participant is married and the designated beneficiary is not the
spouse, spousal consent shall be required for such designation to be effective.
(b) Such designation of beneficiary may be changed by the
participant (and his or her spouse, if any) at any time by written notice. In
the event of the death of a participant and in the absence of a beneficiary
validly designated under the Plan who is living at the time of such
participant's death, the Company shall deliver such shares and/or cash to the
executor or administrator of the estate of the participant, or if no such
executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company),
the Company, in its discretion, may deliver such shares and/or cash to the
spouse or to any one or more dependents or relatives of the participant, or if
no spouse, dependent or relative is known to the Company, then to such other
person as the Company may designate.
15. Transferability. Neither Contributions credited to a participant's
account nor any rights with regard to the exercise of an option or to receive
shares under the Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise
disposed of in any way (other than by will, the laws of descent and
distribution, or as provided in Section 14) by the participant. Any such attempt
at assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposition shall be without effect,
except that the Company may treat such act as an election to withdraw funds in
accordance with Section 10.
16. Use of Funds. All Contributions received or held by the Company
under the Plan may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and the
Company shall not be obligated to segregate such Contributions.
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<PAGE> 7
17. Reports. Individual accounts will be maintained for each participant
in the Plan. Statements of account will be given to participating Employees
promptly following the Exercise Date, which statements will set forth the
amounts of Contributions, the per share purchase price, the number of shares
purchased and the remaining cash balance, if any.
18. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization. Subject to any required
action by the shareholders of the Company, the number of shares of Common Stock
covered by each option under the Plan that has not yet been exercised and the
number of shares of Common Stock that have been authorized for issuance under
the Plan but have not yet been placed under option (collectively, the
"Reserves"), as well as the price per share of Common Stock covered by each
option under the Plan which has not yet been exercised, 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 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 issue by the Company of shares of stock
of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of 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.
In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the
Company, the Offering Period will terminate immediately prior to the
consummation of such proposed action, unless otherwise provided by the Board. In
the event of a proposed sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company, or the merger of the Company with or into another corporation, each
option under the Plan shall be assumed or an equivalent option shall be
substituted by such successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such
successor corporation, unless the Board determines, in the exercise of its sole
discretion and in lieu of such assumption or substitution, to shorten the
Offering Period then in progress by setting a new Exercise Date (the "New
Exercise Date"). If the Board shortens the Offering Period then in progress in
lieu of assumption or substitution in the event of a merger or sale of assets,
the Board shall notify each participant in writing, at least ten (10) days prior
to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for his or her option has been
changed to the New Exercise Date and that his or her option will be exercised
automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date he or she has
withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 10. For purposes of
this paragraph, an option granted under the Plan shall be deemed to be assumed
if, following the sale of assets or merger, the option confers the right to
purchase, for each share of option stock subject to the option immediately prior
to the sale of assets or merger, the consideration (whether stock, cash or other
securities or property) received in the sale of assets or merger by holders of
Common Stock for each share of Common Stock held on the effective date of the
transaction (or, if such holders were offered a choice of consideration, the
type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock); provided, however, that if such consideration received
in the sale of assets or merger was not solely common stock of the successor
corporation or its parent (as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code), the Board
may,
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<PAGE> 8
with the consent of the successor corporation and the participant, provide for
the consideration to be received upon exercise of 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 and the sale of
assets or merger.
The Board may, if it so determines in the exercise of its sole
discretion, also make provision for adjusting the Reserves, as well as the price
per share of Common Stock covered by each outstanding option, in the event that
the Company effects one or more reorganizations, recapitalizations, rights
offerings or other increases or reductions of shares of its outstanding Common
Stock, and in the event of the Company being consolidated with or merged into
any other corporation.
19. Amendment or Termination.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Company may at any time
terminate or amend the Plan. Except as provided in Section 18, no such
termination may affect options previously granted, nor may an amendment make any
change in any option theretofore granted which adversely affects the rights of
any participant. In addition, to the extent necessary to comply with Rule 16b-3
under the Exchange Act or Section 423 of the Code (or any successor rule or
provision or any applicable law or regulation), the Company shall obtain
shareholder approval in such a manner and to such a degree as so required.
(b) Without shareholder consent and without regard to whether any
participant rights may be considered to have been adversely affected, the Board
(or its committee) shall be entitled to change the Offering Periods, limit the
frequency and/or number of changes in the amount withheld during an Offering
Period, establish the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a
currency other than U.S. dollars, permit payroll withholding in excess of the
amount designated by a participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in
the Company's processing of properly completed withholding elections, establish
reasonable waiting and adjustment periods and/or accounting and crediting
procedures to ensure that amounts applied toward the purchase of Common Stock
for each participant properly correspond with amounts withheld from the
participant's Compensation, increase or decrease the maximum amount a
participant may apply toward the purchase of stock under the applicable
provisions of the Plan (but not in excess of $25,000 in any event) and establish
such other limitations or procedures as the Board (or its committee) determines
in its sole discretion advisable which are consistent with the Plan.
20. Notices. All notices or other communications by a participant to the
Company under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly
given when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by
the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.
21. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares. Shares shall not be issued with
respect to an option unless the exercise of such option and the issuance and
delivery of such shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all applicable
provisions of law, domestic or foreign, including, without limitation, the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, the rules and
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<PAGE> 9
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 by any of
the aforementioned applicable provisions of law.
22. Term of Plan; Effective Date. 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. It shall continue in effect for a term of
ten (10) years unless sooner terminated under Section 19.
23. Additional Restrictions of Rule 16b-3. The terms and conditions of
options granted hereunder to, and the purchase of shares by, persons subject to
Section 16 of the Exchange Act shall comply with the applicable provisions of
Rule 16b-3. This Plan shall be deemed to contain, and such options shall
contain, and the shares issued upon exercise thereof shall be subject to, such
additional conditions and restrictions as may be required by Rule 16b-3 to
qualify for the maximum exemption from Section 16 of the Exchange Act with
respect to Plan transactions.
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<PAGE> 1
Exhibit 5.1
June 25, 1998
ReSound Corporation
220 Saginaw Drive, Seaport Centre
Redwood City, CA 94063
REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-8 to be filed by
you with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about June 25, 1998 (the
"Registration Statement") in connection with the registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of 200,000 shares of your Common Stock (the
"Shares") reserved for issuance under the 1992 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the
"Plan"). As your legal counsel, we have examined the proceedings taken and are
familiar with the proceedings proposed to be taken by you in connection with the
sale and issuance of the Shares under the Plan.
It is our opinion that, when issued and sold in the manner referred to
in the Plan and pursuant to the respective agreement which accompanies each
grant under the Plan, the Shares will be legally and validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable.
We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement and further consent to the use of our name wherever it appears in the
Registration Statement and any amendments to it.
Sincerely,
VENTURE LAW GROUP
A Professional Corporation
EJB
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 23.2
CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP, INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form
S-8) pertaining to the 1992 Employee Stock Purchase Plan of ReSound Corporation
of our report dated January 23, 1998, with respect to the consolidated financial
statements and schedule of ReSound Corporation included in its Annual Report
(Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 1997 filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
/s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP
Palo Alto, California
June 24, 1998
