MAVERICK TUBE CORPORATION
S-8, 2000-02-18
STEEL PIPE & TUBES
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   AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON FEBRUARY 18, 2000
                                                     Registration No. __________

================================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            MAVERICK TUBE CORPORATION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

       Delaware                                       43-1455766
- ----------------------------------------    ------------------------------------
(State or Other Jurisdiction                (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
of Incorporation or Organization)
 16401 Swingley Ridge Road
       Seventh Floor
   Chesterfield, Missouri                               63017
- ----------------------------------------    ------------------------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)              (Zip Code)

          The Maverick Tube Corporation 1999 Director Stock Option Plan
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                               Gregg M. Eisenberg
                 Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
                            Maverick Tube Corporation
                    16401 Swingley Ridge Road, Seventh Floor
                          Chesterfield, Missouri 63017
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and Address of Agent for Service)
                                 (636) 733-1600
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

                        Copies of All Correspondence to:
                             Robert H. Wexler, Esq.
                         Gallop, Johnson & Neuman, L.C.
                             Interco Corporate Tower
                              101 South Hanley Road
                            St. Louis, Missouri 63105

================================================================================

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

================================================================================
 Title of                        Proposed          Proposed
Securities        Amount         Maximum           Maximum           Amount of
  to be           to be       Offering Price      Aggregate        Registration
Registered(1)   Registered     Per Share (2)    Offering Price          Fee
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock
$.01 Par Value    300,000          $22.50         $6,750,000        $1,782.00
================================================================================

(1)    Includes one attached Preferred Share Purchase Right per share.

(2)    This Registration Statement,  pursuant to Rule 416, covers any additional
       shares of  Registrant's  $.01 par value common stock (the "Common Stock")
       which  becomes  issuable  under the 1999  Director  Stock  Option Plan by
       reason of any stock  dividend,  stock  split,  recapitalization  or other
       similar  transaction which results in an increase in the number of shares
       of common stock outstanding.

(3)    Estimated  solely for the purpose of calculating  the  registration  fee.
       Such estimate has been  calculated  in accordance  with Rule 457(h) under
       the Securities Act of 1933, and is based upon the average of the high and
       low prices  per share of the  Registrant's  Common Stock  as  reported on
       the  National  Market System  of  The  Nasdaq  Stock  Market  on  Friday,
       February 11, 2000.

                -----------------------------------------------

       This Registration Statement shall become effective in accordance with the
       provisions of Rule 462  promulgated  under the Securities Act of 1933, as
       amended.


<PAGE>
                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

         The undersigned  Registrant hereby files this Registration Statement on
Form S-8 (the  "Registration  Statement")  to register  shares of Maverick  Tube
Corporation  ("Maverick" or the  "Registrant")  common stock, $.01 par value per
share, and attached Preferred Share Purchase Rights of Maverick, for issuance to
optionees  under the Maverick Tube  Corporation  1999 Director Stock Option Plan
(the "Plan").

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

         The  following  documents  filed by Maverick  with the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission are incorporated herein by reference:

         (a)  Maverick's  Annual  Report  filed on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended September 30, 1999,  filed by Maverick  pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act");

         (b)  Maverick's  Quarterly  Report  filed on Form  10-Q for the  fiscal
quarter ended December 31, 1999, filed by Maverick, pursuant to Section 13(a) or
15(d) of the Exchange Act;

         (c) The description of Maverick's  common stock,  which is contained in
Maverick's  Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed by Maverick on October 31,
1990 under  Section 12 of the Exchange  Act,  including  any amendment or report
filed for the purpose of updating such description; and

         (d) The  description of Maverick's  preferred  share  purchase  rights,
which is contained in Maverick's  Registration Statement on Form 8-A, as amended
by Maverick's Form 8-A/A  (Amendment No. 1), filed by Maverick on August 5, 1998
and July 7, 1999, respectively,  under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, including
any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

         All documents filed by Maverick  pursuant to Sections 13(a),  13(c), 14
and 15(d) of the  Exchange  Act  subsequent  to the date hereof and prior to the
filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered
hereby have been sold or which deregisters all such securities remaining unsold,
and all amendments or supplements  filed with respect to the documents listed in
(a), (b), (c) or (d) above, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into
this  Registration  Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of
such document.  Any statement contained in a document  incorporated or deemed to
be incorporated herein by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for  purposes  of this  Registration  Statement  to the extent  that a statement
contained  herein or in any  subsequently  filed  document  which  also is or is
deemed to be  incorporated  by  reference  herein  modifies or  supersedes  such
statement.  Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed,  except
as so  modified  or  superseded,  to  constitute  a part  of  this  Registration
Statement.

         Copies  of  all   documents   incorporated   by  reference   into  this
Registration  Statement,  other than  exhibits  to such  documents  (unless  the
exhibits are specifically  incorporated by reference into such documents),  will
be provided  without charge to each person to whom a prospectus  with respect to
the Plan is delivered,  upon oral or written  request by such person to Barry R.
Pearl,  Secretary,  Maverick  Tube  Corporation,   16401  Swingley  Ridge  Road,
Chesterfield, Missouri 63017, telephone: (636) 733-1600.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

         Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

         Not applicable.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         Section  145 of the  General  Corporation  Law of the State of Delaware
permits  indemnification  by  a  corporation  of  certain  officers,  directors,
employees,  and  agents.  Consistent  therewith,  Article  III,  Section  16  of
Maverick's  Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended (the "Bylaws") requires that
Maverick  indemnify  all persons whom it may indemnify  pursuant  thereto to the
fullest extent  permitted by Section 145.  Article III, Section 16 of the Bylaws
also provides  that  expenses  incurred by an officer or director of Maverick or
any of its direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries, in defending a civil or
criminal action, suit or proceeding,  will be paid by Maverick in advance of the
final  disposition  of  such  action,  suit or  proceeding  upon  receipt  of an
undertaking by or on behalf of such officer or director, to repay such amount if
it  shall  ultimately  be  determined  that  he or  she is  not  entitled  to be
indemnified by Maverick as authorized. Such expenses incurred by other employees
and agents may be so paid upon such terms and  conditions,  if any, as the Board
of Directors deems appropriate.

         Maverick  maintains a claims-made  policy of  directors'  and officers'
liability and company  reimbursement  insurance.  The  directors'  and officers'
liability  portion of such policy  covers all directors and officers of Maverick
and subsidiary companies, more than 50% of the outstanding voting stock of which
is directly or indirectly  owned by Maverick.  The policy provides for a payment
on behalf of the  directors  and officers up to the policy limits for all Losses
(as defined)  which the  directors and  officers,  or any of them,  shall become
legally obligated to pay, from claims made against them during the policy period
for Wrongful Acts (as defined), which include: errors, misstatements, misleading
statements,  acts or omissions and neglect or breach of duty in the discharge of
their duties,  solely in their capacity as directors and officers of Maverick or
a subsidiary  thereof,  individually or collectively,  or in connection with any
matter  claimed  against  them  solely  by reason of their  being  directors  or
officers of Maverick or such  subsidiary.  The  insurance  includes  the cost of
defenses,  appeals,  bonds,  settlements  and judgments.  The insurer's limit of
liability  under the policy is  $5,000,000  in the  aggregate for all Losses per
year.  The  policy  contains  various  reporting  requirements  and  exclusions.
Maverick  also  maintains a  claims-made  policy  which  provides  coverage  for
Maverick,  its directors and officers against loss,  liability,  cost or expense
(as defined) incurred under the federal securities laws.

Item 7.  Exemption From Registration Claimed.

         Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

         See Exhibit Index located at page 8 hereof.

Item 9.  Undertakings.

         (a) 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:

                      (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
               of the Securities Act of 1933;

                      (ii) To  reflect  in the  prospectus  any  facts or events
               arising after the effective date of this  Registration  Statement
               (or the  most  recent  post-effective  amendment  hereof)  which,
               individually or in the aggregate,  represent a fundamental change
               in the information set forth in this Registration Statement;

                      (iii) To include any material  information with respect to
               the  plan  of  distribution  not  previously  disclosed  in  this
               Registration Statement or any material change to such information
               in this Registration Statement;

         provided,  however,  that  paragraphs  (i) and (ii) do not apply if the
         information  required to be included in a  post-effective  amendment by
         those  paragraphs  is  contained  in  periodic  reports  filed  with or
         furnished to the Securities  and Exchange  Commission by the Registrant
         pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act
         of 1934  that  are  incorporated  by  reference  in  this  Registration
         Statement.

               (2) That, for the purpose of determining  any liability under the
         Securities Act of 1933,  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.

         (b) The undersigned  Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining  any liability  under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's  annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934  (and,  where  applicable,  each  filing of an
employee  benefit  plan's  annual  report  pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of  the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934) that is  incorporated  by  reference  in this
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.

         (c)  Request  For   Acceleration   of  Effective   Date  or  Filing  of
Registration  Statement on Form S-8. Insofar as indemnification  for liabilities
arising under the Securities Act of 1933 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 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 the  successful  defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director,  officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered,  the Registrant will, unless
in the  opinion  of its  counsel  the matter  has been  settled  by  controlling
precedent,  submit to a court of appropriate  jurisdiction  the question whether
such  indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and
will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

         The Registrant.  Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, the Registrant 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  Chesterfield,  County of St.  Louis,  State of
Missouri, on February 18, 2000.


                                        MAVERICK TUBE CORPORATION
                                        (Registrant)


                                        By: /s/ Gregg M. Eisenberg
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Gregg M. Eisenberg
                                            Chairman of the Board, President and
                                            Chief Executive Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         We,  the   undersigned   officers  and   directors  of  Maverick   Tube
Corporation,  hereby severally and individually  constitute and appoint Gregg M.
Eisenberg and Barry R. Pearl,  and each of them,  the true and lawful  attorneys
and agents of each of us to  execute in the name,  place and stead of each of us
(individually  and in any capacity  stated below) any and all amendments to this
Registration Statement on Form S-8 and all instruments necessary or advisable in
connection  therewith  and to file the same  with the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission,  each of said  attorneys and agents to have the power to act with or
without the others and to have full power and authority to do and perform in the
name and on behalf of each of the undersigned every act whatsoever  necessary or
advisable to be done in the premises as fully and to all intents and purposes as
any of the  undersigned  might or could do in person,  and we hereby  ratify and
confirm our signatures as they may be signed by our said attorneys and agents to
any and all such amendments and instruments.

         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.

     Name                          Title                             Date
     ----                          -----                             ----


/s/ Gregg M. Eisenberg        Chairman of the Board,           February 18, 2000
- --------------------------    President, Chief Executive
Gregg M. Eisenberg            Officer and Director
                              (Principal Executive Officer)


/s/ Barry R. Pearl            Vice President-Finance and       February 18, 2000
- --------------------------    Administration (Principal
Barry R. Pearl                Financial and
                              Accounting Officer)



/s/ William E. Macaulay       Director                         February 18, 2000
- --------------------------
William E. Macaulay



/s/ David H. Kennedy          Director                         February 18, 2000
- --------------------------
David H. Kennedy


/s/ C. Robert Bunch           Director                         February 18, 2000
- --------------------------
C. Robert Bunch


/s/ C. Adams Moore            Director                         February 18, 2000
- --------------------------
C. Adams Moore


/s/ Wayne P. Mang             Director                         February 18, 2000
- --------------------------
Wayne P. Mang


                              Director
- --------------------------
John M. Fox


<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

     Exhibit
     Number                 Description
     -------                -----------

      4.1        Shareholder  Rights Agreement dated as of July 24, 1998 between
                 the  Registrant  and Harris  Trust and  Savings  Bank as Rights
                 Agent,  incorporated  herein by  reference  to Exhibit 1 of the
                 Registrant's  Form 8-A filed on August 5,  1998,  as amended by
                 the Registrant's Form 8-A/A (Amendment No. 1), filed on July 7,
                 1999 (Commission File No. 0-30146).

      5.1        Opinion of Gallop, Johnson & Neuman, L.C., filed herewith.

      23.1       Consent  of  Ernst & Young  LLP,  independent  auditors,  filed
                 herewith.

      23.2       Consent of Gallop,  Johnson & Neuman, L.C. (included in Exhibit
                 5.1).

      24.1       Power  of  Attorney  (included  on the  signature  page of this
                 Registration Statement).

      99.1       The Maverick Tube Corporation  1999 Director Stock Option Plan,
                 filed herewith.





                                                                    EXHIBIT 5.1

                         GALLOP, JOHNSON & NEUMAN, L.C.
                                  101 S. Hanley
                            St. Louis, Missouri 63105


                                February 14, 2000


Board of Directors
Maverick Tube Corporation
16401 Swingley Ridge Road, Seventh Floor
Chesterfield, Missouri  63017

      Re:        Registration   Statement  on  Form  S-8  -  The  Maverick  Tube
                 Corporation 1999 Director Stock Option Plan

Gentlemen:

         We have served as counsel to Maverick Tube  Corporation (the "Company")
in  connection  with the  various  legal  matters  relating  to the  filing of a
Registration  Statement  on Form S-8 (the  "Registration  Statement")  under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  and the Rules and  Regulations  promulgated
thereunder, relating to 300,000 shares of common stock of the Company, par value
$.01 per share (the  "Shares"),  reserved  for issuance in  accordance  with The
Maverick Tube Corporation 1999 Director Stock Option Plan (the "Plan").

         We have examined such corporate  records of the Company,  such laws and
such other  information  as we have deemed  relevant,  including  the  Company's
Amended and Restated  Certificate of Incorporation,  as amended, and Amended and
Restated  Bylaws,  as  amended,  certain  resolutions  adopted  by the  Board of
Directors of the Company  relating to the Plan and  certificates  received  from
state officials and from officers of the Company. In delivering this opinion, we
have  assumed  the  genuineness  of  all  signatures,  the  authenticity  of all
documents  submitted to us as originals,  the conformity to the originals of all
documents submitted to us as certified, photostatic or conformed copies, and the
correctness of all statements submitted to us by officers of the Company.

         The  opinions  expressed  herein are  limited to the  Delaware  General
Corporation Law, the applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution, and the
reported  judicial   decisions   interpreting   such  laws  and   constitutional
provisions.

         Based upon the foregoing, the undersigned is of the opinion that:

         1. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and
in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

         2. The Shares  being  offered by the Company,  if issued in  accordance
with the Plan, will be validly issued and outstanding and will be fully paid and
nonassessable.

         We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement  and to the use of our  name in the  Registration  Statement.  We also
consent to your filing copies of this opinion as an exhibit to the  Registration
Statement  with  agencies of such states as you deem  necessary in the course of
complying  with the laws of such  states  regarding  the  issuance of the Shares
pursuant to the Plan.

                                          Very truly yours,

                                          /s/ GALLOP, JOHNSON & NEUMAN, L.C.

                                          GALLOP, JOHNSON & NEUMAN, L.C.




                                                                   EXHIBIT 23.1

                         Consent of Independent Auditors


We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form
S-8 No.  333-XXXXX)  pertaining to the Maverick Tube  Corporation  1999 Director
Stock Option Plan  of our reports dated  October 29,  1999,  with respect to the
consolidated  financial statements of Maverick Tube Corporation  incorporated by
reference in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended September 30, 1999
and the related financial  statement  schedule included therein,  filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.


                                       /s/   Ernst & Young LLP


St. Louis, Missouri
February 14, 2000




                                                                   EXHIBIT 99.1

                            MAVERICK TUBE CORPORATION
                         1999 DIRECTOR STOCK OPTION PLAN

                      Section 1. Establishment and Purpose.

         Maverick Tube  Corporation (the "Company")  hereby  establishes a stock
option plan to be named the Maverick Tube Corporation 1999 Director Stock Option
Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to provide (i) further  inducement to qualified
persons  to become  and  remain  Eligible  Directors  of the  Company,  and (ii)
additional incentive to Eligible Directors of the Company by encouraging them to
acquire  shares of Stock upon the exercise of the Options  granted  hereunder in
return for services  rendered by them to the Company,  thereby  increasing  such
Eligible Directors' proprietary interest in the business of the Company. Options
granted under the Plan will not be incentive stock options within the meaning of
Section 422 of the Code.

                             Section 2. Definitions.

         (a) Act means the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  as amended and in
effect from time to time.

         (b) Administrator  means the person,  board of directors,  committee or
entity performing the functions of the administrator of the Plan as provided for
herein,  as  designated  by the Board from time to time and,  in absence of such
designation, the Board shall be the Administrator.

         (c) Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.

         (d) Code means the  Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as amended and in
effect from time to time.

         (e) Company means Maverick Tube  Corporation,  a corporation  organized
and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

         (f)  Eligible  Director  means,  at any given  time,  a director of the
Company who is not an officer or  employee  of the Company or of any  subsidiary
thereof  and  who is not a  director,  officer  or  employee  of a  corporation,
partnership,  trust or other  entity that is a  beneficial  owner (as defined in
Section 13(d)(3) of the Act) of ten percent or more of the Stock of the Company.

         (g) Fair Market  Value of a share of Stock  means,  for any  particular
date,  (i) for any period during which the Stock shall not be listed for trading
on a national securities exchange,  but when the Stock is authorized as a Nasdaq
National Market security,  the last transaction price per share as quoted by The
Nasdaq Stock Market (the  "Nasdaq"),  (ii) for any period during which the Stock
shall not be listed for trading on a national  securities exchange or authorized
as a Nasdaq  National  Market  security,  but when the Stock is  authorized as a
Nasdaq  Small Cap Market  security,  the  closing  bid price as  reported by the
Nasdaq,  (iii) for any period during which the Stock shall be listed for trading
on a national securities exchange,  the closing price per share of Stock on such
exchange as of the close of such  trading day or (iv) the market price per share
of Stock as  determined  by a  nationally  recognized  investment  banking  firm
selected by the Board of  Directors  in the event  neither  (i),  (ii) nor (iii)
above shall be applicable.  If Fair Market Value is to be determined as of a day
when the  securities  markets are not open,  the Fair  Market  Value on that day
shall be the Fair Market Value on the preceding day when the markets were open.

         (h) Option means an option granted under this Plan to acquire Stock.

         (i) Optionee means the person to whom an Option is granted.

         (j) Option  Agreement  means the  agreement  between the Company and an
Optionee setting forth the terms and provisions of an Option.

         (k) Option Date means the date as of which an Option is granted,  which
shall be the first business day after the 2000 annual meeting of stockholders of
the Company and the first business day after each  subsequent  annual meeting of
the stockholders of the Company.

         (l) Period of  Exercisability  means the period  during which an Option
may be exercised as determined under Section 6 of this Plan.

         (m) Plan means the Maverick Tube Corporation 1999 Director Stock Option
Plan.

         (n)    Post-Death     Representative(s)    means    the    executor(s),
administrator(s) or personal  representative(s)  of the Optionee's estate or the
person or person(s) to whom the  Optionee's  rights under his or her Option pass
by the Optionee's will or the laws of descent and distribution.

         (o) Rule 16b-3  means  Rule 16b-3  promulgated  by the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission  under  the Act,  as  amended  from  time to  time,  or any
successor rule.

         (p)  Stock  means  authorized  and  unissued  shares of $0.01 par value
common  stock of the Company or shares  reacquired  by the  Company  held in its
treasury.

                           Section 3. Administration.

         The Plan is  intended  to be a "formula  plan"  under Rule  16b-3.  The
Administrator  shall  administer  the  Plan  on  behalf  of  the  Company.   The
Administrator   may  adopt,   amend,   and  rescind   from  time  to  time  such
administrative  rules,  and may take  from time to time  such  actions,  with or
without notice to affected Optionees,  as the Administrator may deem appropriate
to  implement  or  interpret  the  provisions  of the  Plan or to  exercise  any
authority,   discretion  or  power  explicitly  or  implicitly  granted  to  the
Administrator  under the Plan;  provided however,  that no such rules or actions
may be  inconsistent  with  the  provisions  of the  Plan  or  Rule  16b-3.  The
Administrator  may make rules or take  action  pursuant  to this  Section by any
appropriate means.

                     Section 4. Shares Subject to the Plan.

         (a)  Subject to the  provisions  of  Section  10  hereof,  a maximum of
300,000  shares of Stock may be  issued  pursuant  to the  exercise  of  Options
granted under the Plan.

         (b) At any time  during  the  existence  of the  Plan,  there  shall be
reserved for issuance  upon the  exercise of Options  granted  under the Plan an
amount of Stock  (subject to  adjustment as provided in Section 10 hereof) equal
to the total number of shares then  issuable  pursuant to all such Option grants
which shall have been made prior to such time. The Company in its discretion may
use  reacquired  shares held in the treasury in lieu of authorized  but unissued
shares.

         (c) If an Option terminates,  in whole or in part, by expiration or for
any reason other than exercise of such Option,  the shares  previously  reserved
for issuance  upon grant of the Option shall again be available  for issuance as
if such shares had never been subject to an Option.

                         Section 5. Granting of Options.

         (a)  Each  person  who  is  an  Eligible  Director  on an  Option  Date
(commencing  on the  Option  Date for 2000)  shall  receive an Option to acquire
7,500  shares of Stock at a per share  purchase  price  equal to the Fair Market
Value of the Stock on the Option Date. In each subsequent  year, each person who
is an Eligible  Director  on the Option Date shall  receive an Option to acquire
7,500  shares of Stock at a per share  purchase  price  equal to the Fair Market
Value of the Stock on the Option Date.

         (b) All Options granted under the Plan shall be granted as of an Option
Date.  Promptly after each Option Date, the Company shall notify the Optionee of
the grant of the  Option,  and shall  hand  deliver or mail to the  Optionee  an
Option  Agreement,  duly  executed  by and on  behalf of the  Company,  with the
request that the Optionee  execute and return the Option Agreement within thirty
days after the Option Date. If the Optionee shall fail to execute and return the
Option  Agreement  within said  thirty-day  period,  his or her Option  shall be
automatically  terminated,   except  that  if  the  Optionee  dies  within  said
thirty-day period, such Option Agreement shall be effective  notwithstanding the
fact that it has not been signed prior to death.

                          Section 6. Terms of Options.

         Notwithstanding  any other  provision of the Plan, each Option shall be
evidenced  by an Option  Agreement,  which shall  include the  substance  of the
following terms and conditions:

         (a) The option price for each share of Stock covered by an Option shall
be an amount  equal to 100 percent of the Fair Market  Value of a share of Stock
on the Option Date of such Option.

         (b) The Option shall not be  transferable by the Optionee other than by
will or by the laws of descent  and  distribution  or  pursuant  to a  qualified
domestic  relations order as defined by the Code or the regulations  thereunder.
The  designation  of a beneficiary  does not  constitute a transfer.  The Option
shall be exercisable during the Optionee's lifetime only by the Optionee.

         (c) The Option shall be  exercisable,  in whole or in part, at any time
and from time to time on or after the date which is six months  after the Option
Date and before its  expiration,  which  shall occur upon the earlier of (i) the
date on which an Optionee ceases to hold office as a director of the Company for
any reason other than  retirement,  death or  disability,  (ii) the date that is
three months after the effective date of the Optionee's  retirement from service
on the  Board,  (iii)  the date  that is one year  after  the date on which  the
Optionee's service on the Board ceases due to death or disability, (iv) the date
on which the Optionee  ceases to qualify as an Eligible  Director for any reason
other than retirement, death or disability, and (v) the fifth anniversary of the
Option Date.

         (d) An Option may be exercised only during the Period of Exercisability
determined under Section 6(c) hereof.

                    Section 7. No Right to Remain a Director.

         The grant of an  Option  shall not  create  any right in any  person to
remain as a director of the Company.

                         Section 8. Exercise of Options.

         (a) An Option may be exercised in whole or in part during the Period of
Exercisability,  except as otherwise may be provided in the Option Agreement, by
giving written  notice to the Company  stating the number of shares of Stock for
which the  Option is being  exercised,  accompanied  by  payment  in full of the
aggregate purchase price for the shares of Stock being purchased. Payment of the
aggregate purchase price for the shares of Stock may be made (i) in cash for the
full  amount  of  such  purchase  price,  (ii) by  delivery  to the  Company  of
certificates  representing shares of Stock owned by the Optionee for longer than
six months and registered in the Optionee's name,  having a Fair Market Value as
of the date of exercise  and tender  equal to the full  amount of such  purchase
price, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii) which collectively equals the full
amount of such purchase price.

         (b) An  Optionee  shall have none of the rights of a  stockholder  with
respect to shares of Stock subject to an Option until shares of Stock are issued
to him or her upon the exercise of such Option.

                         Section 9. General Provisions.

         The Company  shall not be required to issue or deliver any  certificate
for shares of Stock to an Optionee upon the exercise of an Option prior to:

         (a) (i) if requested by the Company, the filing with the Company by the
Optionee or the Optionee's  Post-Death  Representative  of a  representation  in
writing  that at the  time  of such  exercise  it was  his or her  then  present
intention to acquire such shares for investment and not for resale,  and/or (ii)
the  completion of any  registration  or other  qualification  of such shares of
Stock under any State or Federal  securities  laws or rulings or  regulations of
any  governmental  regulatory  body  which the  Company  shall  determine  to be
necessary or advisable; and

         (b) the  obtaining  of any other  consent,  approval or permit from any
State or Federal  governmental  agency which the Administrator  may, in its sole
and absolute discretion upon the advice of counsel, determine to be necessary or
advisable.

                       Section 10. Adjustment Provisions.

         The existence of the Plan and the Options  granted  hereunder shall not
affect  in any way the right or power of the  Board or the  stockholders  of the
Company to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or
other change in the Company's capital  structure or its business,  any merger or
consolidation of the Company with or into another entity, any issuance of bonds,
debentures, preferred or prior preference stocks ahead of or affecting the Stock
or the rights  thereof,  the  dissolution  or liquidation of the Company for any
sale or  transfer  of all or any part of its  assets or  business,  or any other
corporate act or proceeding.

         The shares with  respect to which  Options may be granted are shares of
Stock as presently constituted. If, however, the outstanding shares of Stock are
subdivided or consolidated,  or such shares are exchanged for a different number
or kind of shares or securities of the Company through a reorganization, merger,
recapitalization,  reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, combination of
shares or other similar  transaction,  the  aggregate  number of shares of Stock
subject to the Plan as  provided  in  Section 4 hereof,  and the shares of Stock
subject  to  issuance  under  outstanding   Options  under  the  Plan  shall  be
appropriately  and  proportionately  adjusted  by the  Administrator.  Any  such
adjustment  in an  outstanding  Option  shall  be  made  without  change  in the
aggregate purchase price applicable to the unexercised portion of the Option but
with an appropriate  adjustment in the price for each share or other unit of any
security covered by the Option.

         Notwithstanding  anything to the contrary contained in this Section 10,
upon the  dissolution or liquidation of the Company,  or upon a  reorganization,
merger or consolidation of the Company with one or more corporations as a result
of which the  Company is not the  surviving  corporation  (or,  in the case of a
three-party merger where the Company, while the surviving corporation, becomes a
subsidiary of another  corporation),  or upon a sale of substantially all of the
assets of the Company, then the Plan shall terminate on the date and any Options
granted under the Plan shall  terminate on the date before the  consummation  of
the transaction,  and the  Administrator  shall have the right, but shall not be
obligated,  to accelerate the time in which any Option may be exercised prior to
such  termination,  unless provision shall be made in writing in connection with
such  transaction for the continuance of the Plan, for the assumption of Options
previously  granted,  or the  substitution  for such Options with new options to
purchase the stock of a successor corporation,  or parent or subsidiary thereof,
with  appropriate  adjustments  as to number  and kind of shares  and the option
price, in which event the Plan and Options  previously granted shall continue in
the  manner  and  under  the  terms so  provided;  provided,  however,  that the
Administrator  and the Board shall have the  authority  to amend this Section to
require that a successor assume all obligations under any outstanding Options.

         Adjustments  under this Section 10 shall be made by the  Administrator,
and any determination of the Administrator as to what adjustments shall be made,
and the extent thereof,  shall be final,  binding and conclusive.  No fractional
shares of Stock shall be issued  under the Plan or in  connection  with any such
adjustment.

         Except as may otherwise be expressly provided in the Plan, the issuance
by the Company of shares of capital stock of any class or securities convertible
into  shares  of  capital  stock of any  class for  cash,  property,  labor,  or
services, upon direct sale, upon the exercise of rights or warrants to subscribe
therefore,   or  upon  conversion  of  shares  or  obligations  of  the  Company
convertible  into such shares of capital stock or other  securities,  and in any
case  whether or not for fair value,  shall not  affect,  and no  adjustment  by
reason  thereof  shall be made with  respect  to,  the number of shares of Stock
available under the Plan or subject to Options therefore granted or the purchase
price per share with respect to outstanding Options.

                Section 11. Duration, Amendment and Termination.

         (a)  The  Board  may at any  time  terminate  the  Plan  or  make  such
amendments  thereto as it shall deem  advisable and in the best interests of the
Company,  without further action on the part of the stockholders of the Company;
provided,  however,  that no such  termination or amendment  shall,  without the
consent of the Optionee, adversely affect or impair the rights of such Optionee,
and provided further,  that no amendment requiring stockholder approval in order
to  meet  the  requirements  of  Rule  16b-3  shall  be  effective  unless  such
stockholder  approval is  obtained,  and provided  further  that the  provisions
relating to eligible  persons,  the amount and price of awards and the timing of
awards may not be amended more than once every six months except to comport with
changes in the Code or the Employee  Retirement  Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended or the rules thereunder.

         (b) The period during which Options may be granted under the Plan shall
terminate  on  November  16,  2004,  unless  the Plan  earlier  shall  have been
terminated as provided above.

                        Section 12. Stockholder Approval.

         The Plan became effective on November 16, 1999,  subject to approval by
the  stockholders  of the  Company at its annual  meeting to be held on or about
February 7, 2000, or any adjournment thereof.

                           Section 13. Miscellaneous.

         (a) An Optionee  shall have no rights as a stockholder  with respect to
shares  issuable  upon  exercise of an Option  until the date of the issuance of
shares to the Optionee pursuant to such exercise. No adjustment will be made for
dividends or other distributions or rights for which the record date is prior to
the date of such issuance.

         (b)  Nothing  contained  in the Plan shall be  construed  as giving any
Optionee, such Optionee's beneficiaries, or any other person any equity or other
interest of any kind in any assets of the Company or any  subsidiary or creating
a trust of any kind or a fiduciary  relationship of any kind between the Company
or any subsidiary and any such person.

         (c) Nothing  contained  in the Plan shall be  construed  to prevent the
Company or any subsidiary from taking any corporate action that is deemed by the
Company or such subsidiary to be appropriate or in its best  interests,  whether
or not such  action  would  have an  adverse  effect  on the Plan or any  Option
granted under the Plan. No Optionee,  beneficiary or other person shall have any
claim against the Company or any subsidiary as a result of any such action.

         (d) The  proceeds  received by the  Company  from the sale of shares of
Stock pursuant to the Plan shall be used for general corporate purposes.

         (e) All rights and obligations under the Plan shall be governed by, and
the  Plan  shall be  construed  in  accordance  with,  the laws of the  State of
Delaware without regard to the law of conflicts. Titles and headings to sections
in the Plan are for  purposes  of  reference  only,  and shall in no way  limit,
define or otherwise  affect the meaning or  interpretation  of any provisions of
the Plan.

         (f) The  Company  shall  have the right to take  such  action as may be
necessary in connection  with any exercise of Options to satisfy any  applicable
obligation to withhold amounts pursuant to Federal, State, or local tax law. The
Administrator  may permit shares of Stock having an aggregate  value equal to or
less  than  the  amount  required  to be  withheld  to be  used to  satisfy  tax
withholding  requirements,  and such  shares  shall be valued at the Fair Market
Value per share as of the date of such exercise.

         (g) It is  intended  that the  Options  that may be  granted  and Stock
issuable under the Plan will be registered  under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.  At the time any shares of Stock are issued or transferred  pursuant to
the  exercise of an Option,  such shares will have been  accepted for trading on
The NASDAQ Stock Market or such other national  securities exchange on which the
Company's Stock is then predominantly traded.




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