NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
THIS NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of the date set forth on Schedule I hereto (the “Grant Date”), by and between the issuer identified in Schedule I hereto (the “Company”), and the recipient (the “Grantee”) of an Award of Options granted by the Plan Administrator (as defined in Schedule I hereto) as set forth in this Agreement.
The Company has adopted the incentive plan identified on Schedule I hereto (as has been or may hereafter be amended, the “Plan”), a copy of which is attached via a link at the end of this online Agreement as Exhibit A and by this reference made a part hereof, for the benefit of eligible persons as specified in the Plan. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined in this Agreement will have the meanings ascribed to them in the Plan.
Pursuant to the Plan, the Plan Administrator has determined that it would be in the interest of the Company and its stockholders to award Options to the Grantee, subject to the conditions and restrictions set forth herein and in the Plan, in order to provide the Grantee with additional remuneration for services rendered, to encourage the Grantee to remain in the service or employ of the Company or its Subsidiaries and to increase the Grantee’s personal interest in the continued success and progress of the Company.
The Company and the Grantee therefore agree as follows:
“Base Price” means, with respect to each type of Common Stock for which Options are granted hereunder, the amount set forth on Schedule I hereto as the Base Price for such Common Stock, which is the Fair Market Value of a share of such Common Stock on the Grant Date.
“Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in Denver, Colorado, are required or authorized to be closed.
“Cause” has the meaning specified as “cause” in Section 10.2(b) of the Plan.
“Close of Business” means, on any day, 5:00 p.m., Denver, Colorado time.
“Common Stock” has the meaning specified in Schedule I hereto.
“Company” has the meaning specified in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Grant Date” has the meaning specified in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Grantee” has the meaning specified in the preamble to this Agreement.
“Option Share” has the meaning specified in Section 4(c)(i).
“Option Termination Date” has the meaning specified in Schedule I hereto.
“Plan” has the meaning specified in the recitals of this Agreement.
“Plan Administrator” has the meaning specified in Schedule I hereto.
“Required Withholding Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 5.
“Section 409(A)” has the meaning specified in Section 21.
“Term” has the meaning specified in Section 2.
“Unvested Fractional Option” has the meaning specified in Section 3(b).
“Vesting Date” has the meaning specified in Section 3(a).
“Vesting Percentage” has the meaning specified in Section 3(a).
3. Conditions of Exercise. Unless otherwise determined by the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion, the Options will be exercisable only in accordance with the conditions stated in this Section 3. |
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exercisable on each of the dates specified on Schedule I hereto (each such date, together with any other date on which Options vest pursuant to this Agreement, a “Vesting Date”). |
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Company for the benefit of the Grantee, if applicable, and any cash payment will be deemed effected when a check from the Company, payable to the Grantee and in the amount equal to the amount of the cash payment, has been delivered personally to the Grantee or deposited in the United States mail, addressed to the Grantee. |
7. Early Termination of Options. Subject to any longer period of exercisability specified in Schedule I hereto, the Options will terminate, prior to the expiration of the Term, at the time specified below: |
In any event in which Options remain exercisable for a period of time following the date of termination of the Grantee’s employment or service as provided above or on Schedule I, the Options may be exercised during such period of time only to the extent the same were exercisable as provided in Section 3 effective as of such date of termination of the Grantee’s employment or service. Notwithstanding any period of time referenced in this Section 7 or any
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other provision of this Section 7 that may be construed to the contrary, the Options will in any event terminate upon the expiration of the Term.
Unless the Plan Administrator otherwise determines, a change of the Grantee’s employment from the Company to a Subsidiary or from a Subsidiary to the Company or another Subsidiary will not be considered a termination of the Grantee’s employment for purposes of this Agreement if such change of employment is made at the request or with the express consent of the Company. Unless the Plan Administrator otherwise determines, however, any such change of employment that is not made at the request or with the express consent of the Company will be a termination of the Grantee’s employment within the meaning of this Agreement.
(a) The Options will be subject to adjustment (including, without limitation, as to the Base Price) in such manner as the Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems equitable and appropriate in connection with the occurrence of any of the events described in Section 4.2 of the Plan following the Grant Date. |
(b) In the event of any Approved Transaction, Board Change or Control Purchase following the Grant Date, the Options may become exercisable in accordance with Section 10.1(b) of the Plan. |
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would violate any applicable law or any rule or regulation of any governmental authority or any rule or regulation of, or agreement of the Company with, any securities exchange or association upon which shares of Common Stock are listed or quoted. The Company will in no event be obligated to take any affirmative action in order to cause the exercise of the Options or the resulting payment of cash or issuance of shares of Common Stock to comply with any such law, rule, regulation or agreement. |
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right of the Company or any employing Subsidiary (or the Company’s stockholders in the case of a non-employee director) to terminate the Grantee’s employment or service, as applicable, at any time, with or without Cause, subject to the provisions of any employment agreement between the Grantee and the Company or any Subsidiary. |
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Schedule I
Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement
[KOA][KND]_________
Grant Date: |
__________ __, 201_ |
Issuer/Company: |
Liberty Media Corporation, a Delaware corporation |
Plan: |
Liberty Media Corporation ______________ Incentive Plan |
Plan Administrator: |
[The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company appointed by the Board of Directors of the Company pursuant to Section 3.1 of the Plan to administer the Plan] [The Board of Directors of the Company] |
Common Stock: |
Series C Common Stock |
Option Termination Date: |
The [7th] [10th] anniversary of the Grant Date |
Base Price: |
$_________ |
Vesting Percentage: |
________% |
Vesting Dates: |
_____________________________________ |
Additional Vesting Terms Upon Termination Without Cause: |
[INCLUDE ONLY IN STANDARD OPTION AGREEMENT FOR LMC EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NOT A VP OR SVP; DO NOT INCLUDE IN STANDARD OPTION AGREEMENT FOR LMC NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS OR IN MULTI-YEAR OPTION AGREEMENT OR IN STANDARD OPTION AGREEMENT FOR LMC EMPLOYEES WHO ARE A VP OR SVP.]
If the Grantee’s employment with the Company or a Subsidiary is terminated by the Company or such Subsidiary without Cause, any unvested Options that otherwise would become exercisable during the remainder of the calendar year in which the date of termination of the Grantee’s employment with the Company or a Subsidiary (the “Termination Date”) occurs, will become exercisable effective as of the Termination Date if the following two conditions (the “Release Conditions”) are subsequently satisfied: (1) not later than 60 days following the Termination Date the Grantee has executed and delivered to the Company in accordance with the notice requirements of this Agreement, a general release agreement in a form satisfactory to the Company and (2) not later than 60 days following the Termination Date such release has become irrevocable in accordance with its terms. The Grantee acknowledges that while certain Options will retroactively vest effective as of the Termination Date if the Release Conditions are met, the Grantee will nonetheless not be able to exercise any such Options unless and until such conditions are met.
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[INCLUDE ONLY IN STANDARD OPTION AGREEMENT FOR LMC EMPLOYEES WHO ARE A VP OR SVP; DO NOT INCLUDE IN STANDARD OPTION AGREEMENT FOR LMC NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS OR IN MULTI-YEAR OPTION AGREEMENT OR IN STANDARD OPTION AGREEMENT FOR LMC EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NOT A VP OR SVP.]
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If the Grantee’s employment with the Company or a Subsidiary is terminated by the Company or such Subsidiary without Cause, any unvested Options that otherwise would become exercisable during the period that begins on the date of termination of the Grantee’s employment with the Company or a Subsidiary (the “Termination Date”), and ends on the 12-month anniversary of the Termination Date, will become exercisable effective as of the Termination Date if the following two conditions (the “Release Conditions”) are subsequently satisfied: (1) not later than 60 days following the Termination Date the Grantee has executed and delivered to the Company in accordance with the notice requirements of this Agreement, a general release agreement in a form satisfactory to the Company and (2) not later than 60 days following the Termination Date such release has become irrevocable in accordance with its terms. The Grantee acknowledges that while certain Options will retroactively vest effective as of the Termination Date if the Release Conditions are met, the Grantee will nonetheless not be able to exercise any such Options unless and until such conditions are met. |
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[INCLUDE ONLY IN MULTI-YEAR OPTION AGREEMENT FOR LMC EMPLOYEES.] If the Grantee’s employment with the Company or a Subsidiary is terminated by the Company or such Subsidiary without Cause prior to _________ [Insert final Vesting Date], certain Options will become exercisable effective as of the date of termination of the Grantee’s employment with the Company or a Subsidiary (the “Termination Date”) if the following two conditions (the “Release Conditions”) are subsequently satisfied: (1) not later than 60 days following the Termination Date the Grantee has executed and delivered to the Company in accordance with the notice requirements of this Agreement, a general release agreement in a form satisfactory to the Company, and (2) not later than 60 days following the Termination Date such release has become irrevocable in accordance with its terms. The Grantee acknowledges that while certain Options will retroactively vest effective as of the Termination Date if the Release Conditions are met, the Grantee will nonetheless not be able to exercise any such Options unless and until such conditions are met.
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The number of each type of Option subject to this Agreement that will become exercisable as of the Termination Date if the Release Conditions are met shall equal the sum of (a) the number of such Options that would have become exercisable during the Forward Vesting Period had the Grantee remained in the employ of the Company or a Subsidiary for the entire Forward Vesting Period plus (b) the number of such Options that is equal to the product (rounded down to the nearest whole number) of (i) the total number of such Options subject to this Agreement minus (A) any such Options that have already become exercisable prior to the Termination Date and (B) any such Options that would have become exercisable during the Forward Vesting Period in clause (a) above multiplied by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the total number of days elapsed during the period beginning on the Grant Date, and ending on the Termination Date, inclusive, and the denominator of which is the total number of days during the period beginning on the Grant Date, and ending on _____________ [Insert final Vesting Date], inclusive. |
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For purposes of determining the number of Options that would have become exercisable in clause (a) above, “Forward Vesting Period” shall mean the period beginning on the Termination Date and ending on the corresponding day (or, if there is no corresponding day, on the last day) of (x) the ninth month thereafter, if the Grantee is an Assistant Vice President or Vice President of the Company or a Subsidiary on the Termination Date or (y) the twelfth month thereafter, if the Grantee is a Senior Vice President or Executive Vice President of the Company or a Subsidiary on the Termination Date.
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Additional Exercisability Terms: |
[INCLUDE IN STANDARD AND MULTI-YEAR OPTION AGREEMENTS FOR LMC EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING STANDARD VP & STANDARD SVP GRANTS; DO NOT INCLUDE IN STANDARD OPTION AGREEMENT FOR LMC NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS.]
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Section 7 of the Option Agreement is amended as follows:
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1.If the Release Conditions are met, the following sentence is added to the end of Section 7(b):
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If the Grantee dies prior to the expiration of a period of time following termination of the Grantee’s employment during which the Options remain exercisable as provided in Section 7(e), the Options will terminate at the Close of Business on the first Business Day following the later of the expiration of (i) the one-year period that began on the date of the Grantee’s death or (ii) the Special Termination Period (as defined in Section 7(e)).
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2.If the Release Conditions are met, the following provisions are added as Section 7(e):
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Subject to Section 7(b), if the Grantee’s employment with the Company or a Subsidiary is terminated by the Company or such Subsidiary without Cause, the Options will terminate at the Close of Business on the first Business Day following the expiration of the Special Termination Period. The Special Termination Period is the period of time beginning on the Termination Date and continuing for the number of days that is equal to the sum of (i) 90, plus (ii) 180 multiplied by the Grantee’s total Years of Continuous Service. A Year of Continuous Service means a consecutive 12-month period, measured by the Grantee’s hire date (as reflected in the payroll records of the Company or a Subsidiary) and the anniversaries of that date, during which the Grantee is employed by the Company or a Subsidiary (or an applicable predecessor of the Company) without interruption. If the Grantee was employed by a Subsidiary at the time of such Subsidiary’s acquisition by the Company, the Grantee’s employment with the Subsidiary prior to the acquisition date will be included in determining the Grantee’s Years of Continuous Service unless the Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion, determines that such prior employment will be excluded.
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[INCLUDE IN STANDARD AND MULTI-YEAR OPTION AGREEMENTS FOR LMC EMPLOYEES; DO NOT INCLUDE IN STANDARD OPTION AGREEMENT FOR LMC NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS.]
Forfeiture for Misconduct and Repayment of Certain Amounts. If (i) a material restatement of any financial statement of the Company (including any consolidated financial statement of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries) is required and (ii) in the reasonable judgment of the Plan Administrator, (A) such restatement is due to material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirement under applicable securities laws and (B) such noncompliance is a result of misconduct on the part of the Grantee, the Grantee will repay to the Company Forfeitable Benefits received by the Grantee during the Misstatement Period in such amount as the Plan Administrator may reasonably determine, taking into account, in addition to any other factors deemed relevant by the Plan Administrator, the extent to which the market value of Common Stock during the Misstatement Period was affected by the error(s) giving rise to the need for such restatement. “Forfeitable Benefits” means (i) any and all cash and/or shares of Common Stock received by the Grantee (A) upon the exercise during the Misstatement Period of any SARs held by the Grantee or (B) upon the payment during the Misstatement Period of any Cash Award or Performance Award held by the Grantee, the value of which is determined in whole or in part with reference to the value of Common Stock, and (ii) any proceeds received by the Grantee from the sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition during the Misstatement Period of any shares of Common Stock received by the Grantee upon the exercise, vesting or payment during the Misstatement Period of any Award held by the Grantee. By way of clarification, “Forfeitable Benefits” will not include any shares of Common Stock received upon exercise of any Options during the Misstatement Period that are not sold, exchanged, transferred or otherwise disposed of during the Misstatement Period. “Misstatement Period” means the 12-month period beginning on the date of the first public issuance or the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, whichever occurs earlier, of the financial statement requiring restatement.
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Additional Provisions Applicable to Grantees who hold the office of Vice President or above as of the Grant Date:
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Qualifying Service: |
[INCLUDE IN STANDARD AND MULTI-YEAR OPTION AGREEMENTS FOR LMC EMPLOYEES AND IN STANDARD OPTION AGREEMENT FOR LMC NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS.]
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Unless the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion determines otherwise in connection with the commencement of employment or service to Liberty Interactive Corporation or its Subsidiary, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, Grantee’s employment or service with Liberty Interactive Corporation or any entity that is a Subsidiary of Liberty Interactive Corporation at the time of determination shall be deemed to be employment or service with the Company for all purposes under the Awards granted pursuant to this Agreement.
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Company Notice Address: |
Liberty Media Corporation 12300 Liberty Boulevard Englewood, Colorado 80112 Attn: General Counsel
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